Hearing about the D just 9 days after taking delivery of P85+ merits a switch!!!

[Chickenlittle]

Hey guys. Similar situation here. I took delivery of my P85+ on 9/30 at the factory. Thankfully I made the cut to get the new hardware. Too bad there are not "model years" where new features and options are known well in advance. I got a 2014 1/2 model, not the 2015. I can get over it as I am fine with the rear drive. Although I probably would have sprung for the D as I wanted the fully loaded version. Best now lasts longer!
What has me totally troubled is the $500 extra I paid for parking sensors. Non issue when I picked up at the factory. Every single car had all the parking sensors (and other new hardware) without paying the $500. Now they want to charge me another $500 to "activate" the new hardware. Wait a minute! Why do I have to pay $500 more than every other car delivered on 9/30 that did not pay for the parking sensors?

Ya I know, boo-hoo. A good problem to have. But you know, when you order top of the line, the top keeps moving up!!

whole situation reminds me of my long standing interest in digital cameras I had finally ordered the best Nikon made at an obscene price. The week it arrived was the same week Nikon announced a new camera. For a week, I had the best digital camera they made to get all options from tesla you would be trading in car twice a year. My first two cases of new feature envy were the cold weather package than the parking sensors. This was followed up with the AWD and autopilot. I have had my car for 19 months. Get used to it

 

[mspohr]

Now they want to charge me another $500 to "activate" the new hardware. Wait a minute! Why do I have to pay $500 more than every other car delivered on 9/30 that did not pay for the parking sensors?

Presumably your parking sensors work without activation.
The rest of the sensors: camera,radar,ultrasound may require activation.

 

[AmpedRealtor]

To those who are concerned about the environment, trading up for a new Model S just to get new features is about the least green thing you could do. Keeping the car you have as long as possible is much greener because a new car doesn't have to be built and resources don't have to be consumed to build another car. I'm just offering another perspective, that's all.

 

[Canuck]

To those who are concerned about the environment, trading up for a new Model S just to get new features is about the least green thing you could do. Keeping the car you have as long as possible is much greener because a new car doesn't have to be built and resources don't have to be consumed to build another car. I'm just offering another perspective, that's all.

That doesn't make sense to me unless the old car is scrapped, which doesn't happen. In fact, placing all these used electric cars on the road will likely replace ICE vehicles, making trading up good for the environment (with the word "good" being a relative term only).

 

[yobigd20]

To those who are concerned about the environment, trading up for a new Model S just to get new features is about the least green thing you could do. Keeping the car you have as long as possible is much greener because a new car doesn't have to be built and resources don't have to be consumed to build another car. I'm just offering another perspective, that's all.

Yea I don't agree with that at all. If you buy new and someone else gets your used then you've just displaced one ICE car on the road, so it's probably the *most* green thing you could do here.

 

[sfmskywalker]

EXACTLY. Please people, understand that Tesla is trying to innovate as fast as they can. What is wrong with that? All the whining is a distraction for them. I am trading my S85 for a P85D. I waited until something better than the P85+ came out. Now it has and I am upgrading. If I wait a year and upgrade to a P85D next October, maybe something better will come out the next month... You can't have it both ways as an early adopter.

Give Elon and TM the support they need to quickly innovate. He's a real life Tony Stark. Stop trying to handcuff the man because you didn't time your purchase well.

Word. I bought my P85+ not only because it's a ridiculously awesome car, but also because I want to support the company that is truly making a change, and I want to be a part of that. I will be enjoying my p85+ for at least the coming year, and eventually upgrade to the D, or who knows, something else. Tesla, as with any other car maker, need to sell what they produce in order for them to be able to continue to innovate. If I may offer a suggestion, be grateful that you have a Model S, and are part of this huge change we are bringing forth, together.

 

[Tslynk67]

I just don't get it. It had been strongly rumoured that a 4WD Model S was coming towards the end of the year, and open secret in fact. If it's such a big deal to those complaining then why didn't they just wait a bit?

The Autopilot stuff, yes that came out of the blue a bit, but still not a big surprise. Would have been better pre-announced by Tesla too, but we know how incredibly bad they are with their communications.

 

[AmpedRealtor]

That doesn't make sense to me unless the old car is scrapped, which doesn't happen. In fact, placing all these used electric cars on the road will likely replace ICE vehicles, making trading up good for the environment (with the word "good" being a relative term only).

Yea I don't agree with that at all. If you buy new and someone else gets your used then you've just displaced one ICE car on the road, so it's probably the *most* green thing you could do here.

Here are some interesting reads, both pro and con:

Better for the Environment: New Car or Keep the Old

Buying A New Car Is Greener Than Driving An Old One...Really

 

[bonnie]

Word. I bought my P85+ not only because it's a ridiculously awesome car, but also because I want to support the company that is truly making a change, and I want to be a part of that. I will be enjoying my p85+ for at least the coming year, and eventually upgrade to the D, or who knows, something else. Tesla, as with any other car maker, need to sell what they produce in order for them to be able to continue to innovate. If I may offer a suggestion, be grateful that you have a Model S, and are part of this huge change we are bringing forth, together.

+1

Just like other technology I own, I rarely upgrade to 'the next best thing', because there will be another and another and another. For instance, smart phone - I skip a generation or two. Or three. And I was mocked roundly at the office for months because I refused to give up my old laptop that was literally falling apart, because I was waiting out whatever new release was coming and I both knew that it would be awhile before I could justify another new laptop and I wanted the latest tech AND because the old one still worked just fine (though it was truly truly falling apart).

So with vehicles, especially electric vehicles, ESPECIALLY with a company like Tesla that is constantly innovating, I know I will rarely have the latest best thing. Roadster was, until the Model S came out. And Model S owners have watched one new feature after another be introduced, some enviously, some with acceptance that this is how technology advancements happen ... but it's inevitable, it WILL happen. And I'll get my Model X and be quickly out of date. And I'll eye all of you with subsequent innovations a little bit enviously, still enjoying my X ... and after about two, three, maybe 5 generations go by of advancements, THEN I'll spring for one more.

But I'm not giving up my Roadster.

 

[AmpedRealtor]

What we are seeing is only the beginning. As manufacturing costs continue to drop, more standard features and improvements will be added over time. Model S 2.0 redesign is probably only 2 years away, and that will be a mind blowing vehicle in my opinion. Instead of taking all of this rapid depreciation now just to get AWD (which I don't need) and autopilot (which I don't trust), I'll wait for 2.0 redesign which will have all of this goodness after it's been debugged by all of the early adopters. And yes, if you are buying for autopilot and AWD today you are an early adopter of those technologies.

Over time, Tesla will update, add, and improve the sensors that are shipping on existing cars. A rear-facing radar is notably absent from the current autopilot suite. The car can barely see one car length behind itself, which poses issues for lane change if there is a fast approaching vehicle in the lane you are about to change into. A rear facing radar will probably get added at some point, I think. Regardless, there is a lot more goodness in development than we could know about today.

If it suits you today, buy it, but don't get mad when it improves. Everything evolves.

 

[CHG-ON]

Hey guys. Similar situation here. I took delivery of my P85+ on 9/30 at the factory. Thankfully I made the cut to get the new hardware. Too bad there are not "model years" where new features and options are known well in advance. I got a 2014 1/2 model, not the 2015. I can get over it as I am fine with the rear drive. Although I probably would have sprung for the D as I wanted the fully loaded version. Best now lasts longer!
What has me totally troubled is the $500 extra I paid for parking sensors. Non issue when I picked up at the factory. Every single car had all the parking sensors (and other new hardware) without paying the $500. Now they want to charge me another $500 to "activate" the new hardware. Wait a minute! Why do I have to pay $500 more than every other car delivered on 9/30 that did not pay for the parking sensors?

Ya I know, boo-hoo. A good problem to have. But you know, when you order top of the line, the top keeps moving up!!

That's odd. I bought a fully loaded P85+, delivered 9-30 with the new HW, and there was no extra charge for the parking sensors. It was included in the (very high) price and I have had no activation fee. I would push the issue as it is ridiculous. The car already has all the equipment on it.

Go get' em!

 

[breser]

That's odd. I bought a fully loaded P85+, delivered 9-30 with the new HW, and there was no extra charge for the parking sensors. It was included in the (very high) price and I have had no activation fee. I would push the issue as it is ridiculous. The car already has all the equipment on it.

He's not talking about activating the parking sensors. He's talking about getting the convenience features of the sensors (things that aren't currently active on any of the cars). Seems that Tesla is going to ask people without the "New Tech Package" but with the old "Tech Package" to pay $500 to get those things.

 

[TexasEV]

Yes they will be charged $500 more for the tech package but also should be credited $500 for the parking sensors that are now included with the tech package rather than a $500 option, so it's a wash. This was explained in another thread.

 

[breser]

Yes they will be charged $500 more for the tech package but also should be credited $500 for the parking sensors that are now included with the tech package rather than a $500 option, so it's a wash. This was explained in another thread.

That's only if the car is still being built. My understanding is people that have already taken delivery will be charged $500 more for the convenience features.

 

[CHG-ON]

He's not talking about activating the parking sensors. He's talking about getting the convenience features of the sensors (things that aren't currently active on any of the cars). Seems that Tesla is going to ask people without the "New Tech Package" but with the old "Tech Package" to pay $500 to get those things.

There was also no extra charge for the cameras or radar. My understanding is that they will activate those features through SW updates. I may well be wrong, but I have seen no indication of an additional charge after talking with my DS.

 

[ToddRLockwood]

...you have to feel some sympathy for the people whose orders got accelerated into the pre-D window, or for people who took delivery just a week or two before the changeover. I wouldn't be surprised to see Tesla do something as a customer relations gesture, whether in the form of enhanced trade-in value or some other more sophisticated policy.

I disagree. The customers you refer to ordered their cars weeks or even months before delivery. Tesla was under no obligation to treat them any differently. It is not uncommon for Tesla to deliver cars earlier than originally promised.

Apple faces very similar challenges when introducing new models, although in recent years leaks have tipped off the press in advance, so the buying public usually has a pretty good idea of what's coming. To Tesla's credit, they did an amazing job of keeping the AWD option for the Model S below the radar. This, to me, says that Tesla restricted this knowledge to as few employees as possible. It would not surprise me if Tesla's sales staff were among the last to know.

 

[S1278]

I disagree. The customers you refer to ordered their cars weeks or even months before delivery. Tesla was under no obligation to treat them any differently. It is not uncommon for Tesla to deliver cars earlier than originally promised.

Apple faces very similar challenges when introducing new models, although in recent years leaks have tipped off the press in advance, so the buying public usually has a pretty good idea of what's coming. To Tesla's credit, they did an amazing job of keeping the AWD option for the Model S below the radar. This, to me, says that Tesla restricted this knowledge to as few employees as possible. It would not surprise me if Tesla's sales staff were among the last to know.

You can certainly disagree as to who you feel sympathy for. But Tesla being under an obligation has nothing to do with my statement about sympathy. It would suck to be in their situation, which neither you nor I are. So we have the luxury of feeling sympathetic, or in your case not feeling sympathetic, for the fact that they missed out on some cool new features by a matter of a few days, weeks or even months. I agree there are no legal claims here.

Regarding Apple, it's fairly common for the phone carriers to offer accelerated discount upgrade opportunities to people with the "old" phones when the "new" phones come out. That's more to my point of sympathy and potential customer service gestures.