Happy 2017 and a bit of perspective from a 2012 owner

[mark]

As someone who reads TMC a lot but rarely posts, it's hard not to notice that there are a lot of complaints and claims of injustice by many posters. There is a tendency to forget the amazing things that Tesla has accomplished for its customers and sustainable energy. As I celebrate my car turning 4 this week, I thought it might be helpful to remind the newer TMC members what Tesla was like only 4 years ago. I hope this helps a few folks remember that TMC is a site for Tesla enthusiasts, and we all want to see Tesla succeed in making customers of the non-enthusiast masses.

I reserved my model S in April 2012 and was told my production reservation was in the 9000 range and I would get a car in May 2013. I was driving a 2002 Maxima and was ecstatic to get my new car. In mid December 2012 I got a call from a Tesla employee based in Florida (I am in Dallas and at the time Tesla had a service center in the works but no actual presence in DFW). He stated that my car was ready to be confirmed for a December build. I was thrilled to get moved up and received my car a few weeks later when I walked to the end of the block and a grimy truck driver crawled through the window and backed it off an 18 wheeler.

My car has been a dream for 4 years - it had a fair number of early build issues and is on its 4th drive unit - it has no folding mirrors, park sensors, autopilot, etc. But it's still tons better than any new 2017 car not made by Tesla!

We are all fortunate that this amazing company exists - it was almost bankrupt when it sold me my car - in 4 years it has done an incredible job of executing on it's vision - please remember that when something is not perfect. We all want, no, need Tesla to succeed.

Happy New Year!

 

[FlatSix911]

Great perspective ... Happy New Year!

 

[plankeye]

Mark, thank you for the encouraging words. I feel like I'm in the position you were in back in 2012. I live just north of Dallas, in Frisco and I was 16th in line at North Park Mall to reserve a Model 3. I have to admit, the wait has been tough, but I hope as we get more details about the car, it will get easier. (yeah, right )

 

[Todd Burch]

Nice comments, OP.

I remember this day fondly...Dec 31, 2012:

 

[David29]

Looks like those truck drivers could have made good use of "Summon" feature had it been available then!

 

[Ryan MF]

Thank you to all the early adopters!

 

[youlikeadajuice]

I whole-heartedly agree with you Mark (my car is also about to turn 4 as well). I was the second car delivered out of the Springfield, NJ location, and there was nothing in the place on delivery day except for a few detailing tools and some leftover cubicles and office equipment from the business that Tesla had bought the place from. It was literally an empty garage with some Teslas waiting to be delivered. Now, almost 4 years later, they are closing that facility and moving across the street into an even larger space...it is utterly amazing how far they've come in such a short time. Brings a huge smile to my face

 

[Chopr147]

The right perspective to have for such a great car.
It was probably late 2012 or early 2013 when I saw my first Tesla in the wild. It was parked at my dentists place and I took a good look around hoping the owner would come by. (So I could pepper with questions)
He/she didn't but I have been thinking about getting one ever since.
Kids are a bit older now, no need for the big rig and I finally have gotten my S! Calling it just a car does not seem to do it justice. It is so much more.

 

[Jeeps17]

...My car has been a dream for 4 years - it had a fair number of early build issues and is on its 4th drive unit - it has no folding mirrors, park sensors, autopilot, etc. But it's still tons better than any new 2017 car not made by Tesla!

We are all fortunate that this amazing company exists - it was almost bankrupt when it sold me my car - in 4 years it has done an incredible job of executing on it's vision - please remember that when something is not perfect. We all want, no, need Tesla to succeed.

Happy New Year!

Completely agree with you.

My classic P85 is also turning 4 soon, and like many EV owners I plan on never buying an ICE again.

I got my delivery in the first batch of non-sig Teslas delivered to Canada (at the now defunct Laval service center, pic of the "delivery area" below), and while my car is also lacking all the options that are now common, it remains an absolute blast to drive.

Our upcoming 90D X will join its older sibling in a few months, and make us a gasoline-free Tesla household. It will allow me to experience AP, summon, and folding mirrors (although I am more excited about finally getting a cold-weather package).

I wish all TMC members (and Tesla Motors) a happy, healthy 2017, with numerous electric miles and associated Tesla grins.

 

[ChadS]

Roadster delivery day, Oct 1 2009. No sales or service center, or charging station of any kind, within 800 miles. Not only was there no loan or leasing program, but you had to pay cash up front before they would start building the car, despite enough financial troubles that it wasn't completely clear that they would be able to deliver the car. Still loved the car, and drove it all the time including on many road trips. Just traded it for an S P90DL a few months ago. I miss it.

Model S delivery day, Sept 28 2012. Superchargers promised, but none within 800 miles. Still no leasing program; maybe they had loans but I can't recall for sure. Had $40k down for...well, a long time. We love the car! Wife still refuses to consider trading it in on a new Tesla. (Getting something other than a Tesla is out of the question for her).

I don't like or agree with everything Tesla does; but that's true of all companies. Overall I am incredibly pleased with what they have done (and impressed with almost all of the employees that I have met - and even very briefly worked with in 2015), and I would be far less happy in any other vehicle - even though I am an overall PEV advocate and would love nothing more than to see other auto companies jump in with both feet and compete vigorously.

 

[johnnyS]

We picked up our model S on December 22, 2012. It was an exciting time. A lot of people had not heard of Tesla or seen one in person. Our car was delivered in the Costa Mesa service stalls since the one delivery space was full and they had few cars to service. I had not talked a lot about it to others. A couple of people recommended that I get a real car and suggested a Fisker. Tesla employees that we met at the time are still very friendly to us today. I literally had people run into my office when they saw what I had parked in my parking space. On our first supercharger trip (there were only six superchargers all in California), we had a crowd of people looking at our car at the Tejon ranch supercharger. Harris Ranch was a single stall. While charging there we saw a white model S drive up and my wife commented, "I wonder if that is Richard" and sure enough it was.

With the change in supercharger policy, I decided to upgrade to a 90D which we picked up on Tuesday. Tesla has grown a lot and we were handed off to multiple employees. There was a problem with the car at delivery which should have been caught by quality control so it was not a good experience. In fact I received an email from a staff member that I never met that went something like "I enjoyed meeting you and I hope you enjoyed your first drive" after I left the delivery appointment in a loaner leaving my new car in service. Now that I have the car I am learning about all the refinements Tesla has added since 2012. It really is impressive. However now that I have the car I am concerned about some of the trim alignment and wondering if this car will have as many service appointments as the old one.

Once I made the deposit on the 90D, I listed our 2012 a couple of places for sale. The young man that purchased it from us was just as excited as we were four years ago.

 

[pilotSteve]

Similar story for me. Had $40k on deposit for over a year, finally took delivery of my Signature 85 on December 20, 2012. It was the siren song of EAP, FSD and Glass Roof that brought me to take delivery of my S 90D five days ago.

Tesla made a fair trade offer and I simply dropped off one beautiful (sig) red Tesla and drive home a hour later in a beautiful (multicoat) red S90D.

Life is good and we are blessed to live in these times.

 

[aronth5]

I think the OPS perspective is refreshing and as others have said thanks to all the early adopters. Without you there would be no gigafactory or the Model X. I started following Tesla in 2008 and read the forum daily as a guest until 2010 when I finally became a forum member.
I can vividly recall watching the early owners posting videos as they shared their delivery experiences. It was exciting, (and still is) to watch a new car company defy all odds and consistently disproved the skeptics. So when Tesla continues to make mistakes that drive many people crazy I try to remember how far they have come and the obstacles they have overcome. Doesn't excuse them when they screw up but helps to put things into perspective. I placed my reservation for the Model 3 at 10:10am on March 31st and fully expect Tesla to struggle with communications and growing pains so the rode to my Model 3 will probably not go as smoothly as I would like but that is ok when I look at the big picture.

 

[originalsalt]

Thank you @mark and all the early believers!