Help- Need Owner to show Tesla in Traverse City, MI

[shrspeedblade]

Hi all.

I was visiting my wife's Uncle in Traverse city a week ago and he and his wife (wonderful people, btw) are VERY interested in Teslas. I answered lots of questions but it falls far short of being able to give a ride/show the car. My crummy rental Nissan Rogue just fell far short. Michigan looks grim for showrooms due to the draconian dealership lobby, so would somebody be willing to meet up and show them the car for an a little bit? Probably be good if you have info. on service up in that area as well.

A Model 3 AWD would probably be best as that is what they are most interested in, but a S or X would probably work too as there are so many similarities and most of the ownership experience is the same.

Thanks in advance!

 

[DCGOO]

Hi all.

I was visiting my wife's Uncle in Traverse city a week ago and he and his wife (wonderful people, btw) are VERY interested in Teslas. I answered lots of questions but it falls far short of being able to give a ride/show the car. My crummy rental Nissan Rogue just fell far short. Michigan looks grim for showrooms due to the draconian dealership lobby, so would somebody be willing to meet up and show them the car for an a little bit? Probably be good if you have info. on service up in that area as well.

A Model 3 AWD would probably be best as that is what they are most interested in, but a S or X would probably work too as there are so many similarities and most of the ownership experience is the same.

Thanks in advance!

Isn’t there a supercharger in TC? I would hang out there or at least drive by, Maybe an owner waiting to charge would answer a question or few. Not all of us are friendly folks, but I would sure think many owners would be happy to talk with a prospect.

 

[VT_EE]

My parents live in the TC area too, and they are interested in Teslas. Unfortunately, I can't recommend they get one given the 5 hour drive to the nearest service center. It's just too far away. I keep hoping that will change in the future of course.

 

[shrspeedblade]

Isn’t there a supercharger in TC? I would hang out there or at least drive by, Maybe an owner waiting to charge would answer a question or few. Not all of us are friendly folks, but I would sure think many owners would be happy to talk with a prospect.

I don't know if they're up for ambushing an owner at the local Supercharger! I figure posting on here would be the best way to find someone who enjoys talking Tesla and showing off their car.

My parents live in the TC area too, and they are interested in Teslas. Unfortunately, I can't recommend they get one given the 5 hour drive to the nearest service center. It's just too far away. I keep hoping that will change in the future of course.

I was rather curious about the Mobile service in Michigan? I know they can't handle everything but I've had good experience with it. Looks like nearest SC is Indiana? **** auto dealers!

 

[IT Geek]

I'm in Michigan, but unfortunately I'm about a four hour drive away from TC, otherwise I would gladly show them my car. I wouldn't say that things are that bleak here for Teslas...though I don't disagree that the Auto Dealers Association has been purposely making things difficult. However, Tesla does have many solutions in place for those of us in this state to get service done on their cars. They did just open a Service Center in Toledo which is only one exit into Ohio. I'm fairly certain they did that specifically for those of us in Michigan. We also have Tesla Ranger service here which I have used. They've come to my house to fix small things and once they even dropped off a loaner car for me and took my car off to Cleveland on a flatbed (this was before Toledo opened).

We also have a Gallery showroom that is in the mall at Somerset Collection in Troy, Michigan where anyone can get a "demonstration drive" of a Tesla, though they cannot talk about price or actually sell the cars there.

But on top of all of that we have a rather robust community of Tesla owners that live here in Michigan and it continues to expand in spite of all the efforts to thwart things. I even belong to a Metro Detroit area Tesla Enthusiasts group (owners / fans / prospective owners are all welcome) and we meet up in this area regularly to show off our cars and just talk Tesla.

There's also the "National Drive Electric Week" events that are going to be happening in the state in the month of September. It looks like the nearest one to them will be just outside of Grand Rapids National Drive Electric Week - Kentwood, but that still quite a bit closer than driving all the way to Troy.

If that still does not work then perhaps @mrau knows some people up closer to TC. I know he is in Mid-Michigan, but that gets us quite a bit closer to the TC area.

I'm fairly certain there is a northern Michigan Tesla club as well, as I know I've seen some meetup notices on this forum for events that they are having.

There was also an EV car show that they missed at Crystal Mountain earlier this year (right around Memorial day) which I attended with my car. Not my first time their either and there were several Tesla's there of every flavor. That's an annual thing, and that's super close to TC.

Anyway, there's quite a bit more that I could list, but perhaps one of these will get things started.

 

[Thp3]

There is a Northern Michigan Tesla Meetup group. The next lunch is at Cafe Sante in Boyne City on September 14 at noon. There are often all three types of Teslas then. They could visit, have lunch and find out what owning a Tesla in Michigan entails.