Before the delivery event sure. But what does that matter? We know they completed the first production car at least 3 weeks before the delivery event. If they were building internal production cars, why wouldn't they start using them right away? I fail to see why the initial customer delivery event has any significance when it comes to internal vehicles, and the timing of the first spotted 300 VINs is exactly when you would expect if they were being built alongside the customer cars in July (obviously they built the customer cars starting with VIN 1 and the internal cars starting with VIN 300).
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Highest production VIN in the wild
- Thread starter insaneoctane
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- Model 3
Before the delivery event sure. But what does that matter? We know they completed the first production car at least 3 weeks before the delivery event. If they were building internal production cars, why wouldn't they start using them right away? I fail to see why the initial customer delivery event has any significance when it comes to internal vehicles, and the timing of the first spotted 300 VINs is exactly when you would expect if they were being built alongside the customer cars in July (obviously they built the customer cars starting with VIN 1 and the internal cars starting with VIN 300).
dennis
Model S Plaid
What I observed at the Fremont Delivery Center last Wednesday was VIN 000310 being delivered to a customer. How do I know this?
- the DS was explaining the various charging connectors to the customer, who was obviously an EV novice
- the delivery took place at a Tesla facility that is used to deliver cars to customers
- I looked at the VIN # plate and was surprised to see it was 000310 since the collective wisdom previously was that the 3XX VIN series were production validation cars with Tesla MFG plates
- I failed to get a picture because I was in an area where I didn't belong and I was standing three feet from the DS, peering around the raised hood to see the number plate. There is no way I misread the VIN plate since I had just cruised the employee charging area at the factory looking at every Model 3's VIN plate. (That wasn't the primary purpose of the tour, which was to help my daughter in selecting color combos for her upcoming Model 3 and was done with the blessing of one of the OA's at the Fremont showroom).
Hopefully this full disclosure will not result in Model 3 reservation holders from being barred from the Fremont parking lot, just in case someone from Tesla is reading this and not chuckling...
Who knows. Perhaps they built a car as an internal car and didn't end up using it and sold it to a customer instead? Somebody is already getting a deal on a partly used car? Hard to say unless you got a look at the production date on the sticker.
dhanson865
Well-Known Member
For any part needed in quantities below 1000 Tesla can make it in house and does when needed due to lack of supply or when that is cheaper than buying from a supplier if time allows.
If there are 1000 vendors and 1 minor part isn't ready, Tesla might start production and make a few parts in house to hold them over until the vender gets up to speed.
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Here is more on that "RC #42" ? car:
Model 3 found in San Luis Obispo carrying a big red self destruct button
So odd that it has a Model Year 2009 VIN. I didn't think they could do something like that.
I am guessing that the car may be involved with some Cal Poly project. Maybe it isn't supposed to leave the campus? I think Tesla may have some relationship with them to attract fresh graduates to come work for Tesla.
If you put the VIN into the NHTSA VIN decoder it gives an error.
Welcome to VIN Decoding :: provided by vPIC
Error Code: 5 - VIN has errors in few positions.
Manufacturer: TESLA, INC.
Vehicle Type: PASSENGER CAR
Model Year: 2009
Make: TESLA
On the other hand if you force it to use 2017 as the year, it decodes OK:
Error Code: 0 - VIN decoded clean. Check Digit (9th position) is correct
Manufacturer: TESLA, INC.
Vehicle Type: PASSENGER CAR
Model Year: 2017
Make: TESLA
Model: Model 3
Body Class: Hatchback/Liftback/Notchback
It would make sense to use 9 as a special digit for the RCs, but did someone put it in the year position by mistake ?!
Model 3 found in San Luis Obispo carrying a big red self destruct button
So odd that it has a Model Year 2009 VIN. I didn't think they could do something like that.
I am guessing that the car may be involved with some Cal Poly project. Maybe it isn't supposed to leave the campus? I think Tesla may have some relationship with them to attract fresh graduates to come work for Tesla.
If you put the VIN into the NHTSA VIN decoder it gives an error.
Welcome to VIN Decoding :: provided by vPIC
Error Code: 5 - VIN has errors in few positions.
Manufacturer: TESLA, INC.
Vehicle Type: PASSENGER CAR
Model Year: 2009
Make: TESLA
On the other hand if you force it to use 2017 as the year, it decodes OK:
Error Code: 0 - VIN decoded clean. Check Digit (9th position) is correct
Manufacturer: TESLA, INC.
Vehicle Type: PASSENGER CAR
Model Year: 2017
Make: TESLA
Model: Model 3
Body Class: Hatchback/Liftback/Notchback
It would make sense to use 9 as a special digit for the RCs, but did someone put it in the year position by mistake ?!
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Huge Rumor- #457 was seen leaving spacex about 2 weeks ago. Guy was followed by a fan and when he pulled into subway-fan got a quick look but was quickly pulled away when taking out his phone. Very serious about nda. Obviously the guy was really worried about his job and quickly took off on the fan. This is only a verbal rumor.
Heard this from a friend of mine I work with sort of in Silicon Valley area.
Really don't know if there is any truth to it so take it with salt.
Heard this from a friend of mine I work with sort of in Silicon Valley area.
Really don't know if there is any truth to it so take it with salt.
JeffK
Well-Known Member
Interesting that this VIN leaves room for 999,999 vehicles where the RC's only left room for 99,999 in the VIN.
I'm guessing the 300's we see can be called out this way.
I'm guessing the 300's we see can be called out this way.
gjunky
Trifecta: Solar and both cars are EVs
If they are so worried about the vin numbers, why don't they have people put some tape over it? It doesn't make much sense to deliver a car, let it out in the wild and then have an NDA that doesn't allow other people to see it.
Well for sure they will still add more zeros. That won't get them through 2018. Maybe they've already used 4 digits and they are all sitting in the plant. We can hope!
Krugerrand
Meow
Nobody in the history of mankind ever bothered to stalk car owners and take pictures of their VINs until Tesla. And now you're suggesting that those owners tape over their VINs to prevent zealous fans from talking pictures. How absurd.
I have never approved of this VIN picture taking. IMO it crosses the line the same way touching someone's car/property crosses the line without permission. It's paparazzi-like.
Waiting4M3
Active Member
There is a year code in the VIN, so they can start 2018 from 000001 again, they only need to add a 7th digit if they plan to make more than 1 million a year, also RWD vs AWD, LHD vs RHD will also have a separate code in the VIN, so their S/N can hypothetically share the same number
gjunky
Trifecta: Solar and both cars are EVs
I wasn't so much suggesting that it would be a good idea for the new owners to tape over the vin as for Tesla as they are supposedly enforcing the NDA. What I don't understand is why they have an NDA on cars that are obviously going out in the wild and be seen by the public. Either you hide the cars or let them out.
I agree that people should not touch other people's cars or bother the owners. People should also not post identifiable information about a car or its owner. Purely my opinion of course.
Krugerrand
Meow
Perhaps you've forgotten why employees are getting the cars first? It's so that they can make sure you and me and other customers get a car without bugs/issues. So our experience is delightful.
It's none of our business why NDA, that's between Tesla and their employees but logically why would Tesla want customers to know those issues (that presumably will be fixed) to be blown out of proportion and flogged all over the Internet.
Hang on a second, there's a new Ford Focus out in the parking lot, I've got to go get a photo of the VIN and report it on the Ford forum.
