Guesses on "token of appreciation" for line waiters tweeted by Elon Musk

[DrivingTheFuture]

I dont know if this is everyones first time ever preordering something, but I have stood in 100 lines for video game releases, iPhones, etc... and I got no special prize except the item I was buying lol. Sure it will be cool whatever they give us because it will be free, and I know a lot of people are just telling jokes, but I think there is a fair percentage of people who are going to be all pissy and who are expecting something grand. Free supercharging or anything of that size and scope is not realistic. Sure we stood in line, but they also have 500,000 pre-orders lol. It would be different if they were struggling for orders and REALLY needed people there. Anyways, I will be happy with whatever I get.

great comment except you're forgetting this is a car with average selling price in the high 40s... and free supercharging wouldn't cost them much at all. Plus, luxury car dealers throw in freebees all the time with purchases.

 

[Gtosnipey]

great comment except you're forgetting this is a car with average selling price in the high 40s... and free supercharging wouldn't cost them much at all. Plus, luxury car dealers throw in freebees all the time with purchases.

Not saying they won't throw in something. And yes when I bought my BMW I got free tinting and a sweatshirt lol.

 

[Garlan Garner]

I know you believe this, but it's simply not true. People have already posted above as to what time they logged on and ordered. It might be true for stores where you live, stores in California (for instance) were open approx two hours later than stores in Chicago.

I don't believe people just because they said it in a forum.

Tesla said that the online ordering process didn't start until little bit before the reveal online.

 

[Kacey Green]

i think during the reveal, Elon said 115k had reserved. (Tesla Had 115,000 Reservations By Time of Model 3 Reveal - HybridCars.com)

Line waiters, I would probably cut off around noon local time.
If you reserved after 12pm local time, you probably didnt have to wait in line.

So in the big scheme of things, probably around 60k-70k? this is purely just a guess obviously.
But its not that big of a number.

Noon would cut me off and I was in line for 3 hours

 

[S3XY]

Unless you were somehow able to buy a model S in 2009 I think you have a few more years to wait before you can say Elon lied. Although I couldn't tell you why he said in the near future since it wouldn't be relevant for anyone until 2020.

Then we interpret English very differently. This blog was in the same month that I took delivery on my Sig S. That same Sig S is now 8 months past its original warranty. I still want the $12,000 battery replacement option and there is still no sign of it ever being available.

2013 Model S Price Increase

We have received many requests for a Battery Replacement Option. We are happy to now offer this option for all three battery variants. This option will provide you a new battery anytime after the end of the eighth year at a fixed price. Prices are as follows: $8,000 for the 40 kWh battery, $10,000 for the 60 kWh battery, and $12,000 for the 85 kWh battery. You will be able to purchase this additional option through your MyTesla page in the near future.

"Now offer" (Nov 2012) and "able to purchase .. in the near future". We're at 4 years later 8+ months later and Tesla has delivered several variants of the Model S, a new vehicle Model X with variants, and started delivering Model 3. They're well past "near future" of Nov 2012.

I really find it difficult to consider your interpretation in any way plausible.

 

[Stolz25]

Chili cheese fries?

 

[mrongey]

I'm sure this thought has been brought up before, but it occurred to me today that it would make sense if the gift was some sort of special Easter egg, maybe with a personal message from Elon. It would cost essentially nothing to Tesla, but it would be something cool you could show off to your friends.

 

[dsvick]

Not that it matters but the easiest way to tell if someone waited in line would be to separate all the reservations by store, then sort them by time stamp. As soon as you see a gap of more than a few minutes (call it 10 to be safe) from one reservation to the next you can assume that the line was exhausted and that that last reservation was a walk up.

 

[Garlan Garner]

Noon would cut me off and I was in line for 3 hours

Cut off at noon makes no sense. I'm not sure where these ideas are coming from.

 

[Max*]

Not that it matters but the easiest way to tell if someone waited in line would be to separate all the reservations by store, then sort them by time stamp. As soon as you see a gap of more than a few minutes (call it 10 to be safe) from one reservation to the next you can assume that the line was exhausted and that that last reservation was a walk up.

If only someone posted that months ago (here? other places on TMC?) and then again in this thread a few pages back.... if only...

 

[Garlan Garner]

And people are concerned about Tesla not being able to afford giving away gifts......LOL I guess they had $700K laying around somewhere.

Tesla offers $700,000 'bonus' incentive to its global sales and service head

At $10 per gift per line waiter ...... wouldn't be $700K. LOL

 

[Max*]

At $10 per gift per line waiter ...... wouldn't be $700K. LOL

You're right, it'd be more.

 

[ohmman]

Better to err on the side of generosity & include all who reserved on Day One or before the reveal, then to have a few people left out and angry.

People feel left out and angry about tchotchkes? I just don't believe that for one.. oh, wait. This thread's on the 46th page. Carry on.

 

[bonnie]

People feel left out and angry about tchotchkes? I just don't believe that for one.. oh, wait. This thread's on the 46th page. Carry on.

You obviously haven't read much of the thread or you would have said, "People feel left out and angry about tchotchkes or angry if someone they feel is not deserving also gets one?". (It's the latter that's confusing me, the former is predictable.)

 

[Max*]

It's not confusing. I woke up EARLY, stood in line in the FREEZING RAIN, walked UPHILL to get to the store, WAITED for hours to reserve this amazing piece of technology; and some schmuck (let's call him Max*) who sleeps in late and strolls to the store after the line ends and reserves, would ALSO get a tchotchkes that he'll never use or show off? That's absurd! Blasphemous! That can't happen! I'm going to grab my pitchfork!

I'm using bold and caps and red to emphasis my frustration.

 

[S3XY]

At this point I consider Elon's token gift to be keeping Model 3 deliveries on schedule. Actually, given the history I consider it more than a token gift.

 

[Rockster]

Not that it matters but the easiest way to tell if someone waited in line would be to separate all the reservations by store, then sort them by time stamp. As soon as you see a gap of more than a few minutes (call it 10 to be safe) from one reservation to the next you can assume that the line was exhausted and that that last reservation was a walk up.

Except...

I waited in line for quite some time that morning then had to leave for an appointment and returned later in the day, when there was less of a line and my second wait time was less than 10 minutes. Your model would show that I didn't wait in line at all that day when, in fact, I waited for hours.

 

[Max*]

Except...

I waited in line for quite some time that morning then had to leave for an appointment and returned later in the day, when there was less of a line and my second wait time was less than 10 minutes. Your model would show that I didn't wait in line at all that day when, in fact, I waited for hours.

It all depends how we interpret "line waiters".

I understood it the same way @dsvick understood it, which is the initial lines that were shown with people standing outside for hours.
Not secondary lines that formed when people showed up during their lunch break and there was 5 people waiting for 2 computers.

 

[MP3Mike]

I waited in line for quite some time that morning then had to leave for an appointment and returned later in the day, when there was less of a line and my second wait time was less than 10 minutes. Your model would show that I didn't wait in line at all that day when, in fact, I waited for hours.

No it wouldn't. His method doesn't measure the amount of time you are in the line, it measures the time between reservations. As long as the line never went empty for more than 10 minutes things keep going. (Even if it is one walk up customer every 9 minutes that didn't wait at all.)

 

[Garlan Garner]

You obviously haven't read much of the thread or you would have said, "People feel left out and angry about tchotchkes or angry if someone they feel is not deserving also gets one?". (It's the latter that's confusing me, the former is predictable.)

It has absolutely nothing about being deserving. Why does waiting in a line make anyone deserving?

Elon wants to appreciate those who waited in line......not the people in this forum.

There's a lot worse that Elon could do than appreciate people. My question is: Why are there so many people who don't like his idea. This is kinda like life..... out of the blue you do something good for someone and others get angry as if you've done something wrong.

Please tweet / question Elon about the deserving thing..... he responds to tweets.