How crazy am I? Anyone else bought the car without seeing it?

[dave]

How crazy am I?

I live just south of Cincinnati, OH, and have been researching Tesla since this spring. I was intrigued and decided to get a Reservation back in June. What the heck, it's refundable, right? I'm a frugal guy. Maybe I'll pay up front for this fancy car to save money on gas over the long run. Had my eye on the 40 kW from the beginning. The closest store was Chicago, but I couldn't make it to the Get Amped tour in the summer due to work / family. Found this forum... got obsessed with the car. December roles around and I get the email to FINALIZE! Otherwise pay more! Holy crap, what do I do now? So of course, I ordered a mostly loaded P85...

I've still never even SEEN the car, never mind driven it. Is there anyone else out there in my shoes?

FYI, here's how my insane rationalizing went:

• I'll get the 40 kW with cloth seats. Save money on gas over the long run. 50K is a TON of money, but it makes financial sense (Teslanomics anyone?)
• No way I can live without the tech package. I'm an IT nerd after all.
• Okay MAYBE the 60kW. The performance increase would be sweet, plus the supercharging!
• News update: $2K extra for supercharging on the 60kW? Seriously?!! 85 kW looking like a better deal.
• Fine 85 kW it is. Nice and fast, long range.
• Sound upgrade? It's only 1K... I'll be kicking myself if I don't get it in what's becoming my "luxury" car.
• Ugh, just remembered that Kentucky charges property taxes on cars, this is gonna hurt every year...
• New update: $600 a year for maintenance... on a maintenance free car? Really?
• Holy crap this car is EXPENSIVE! So much for saving money over time. Obsessed at this point however...
• "You are spending almost $90K on a car. Are you seriously not going to get the performance version, and possibly regret it for the next 10 years?"

And there you have it. Voila! I talked myself into buying the P85, $100K version of a car I have never even SEEN before.

Because I'm a cheapskate and have never seen the car to be able to tell the difference, I'm getting white instead of "Pearl" white for the extra $1500. And skipping the Pano. Never been a sunroof guy... Plus I need to save money for winter wheels now. LOL!

How crazy am I? Please tell me I'm not alone in my insanity.

 

[DrComputer]

You are alone.... very alone..... not.

 

[johnnyS]

I think we are all in the same boat. I figured with our reservation number there would be cars available to test drive (#P4786). We did get a quick test drive at the Get Amped. We are scheduled for delivery this month. Somewhere along the way I convinced myself we needed the 85 kwh and the tech package to go with the huge screen. I managed to resist the performance version but that is about it.

 

[pete8314]

Welcome to the black art of Tesla marketing. I've yet to decide whether its fiendishly clever or a fluke, but in any case, you're not the first to start with a 40 and end up at a P85.

Pete (needing to finalize this weekend, torn between S85 and P8

 

[Krugerrand]

Seems entirely logical to me, dave. :biggrin:

I assure you, you will not be disappointed regardless of your level of sanity/insanity.

 

[Liz G]

You will be assimilated..

 

[Zextraterrestrial]

It is soo worth it though...

 

[smorgasbord]

While Model S is a damn fine car, you are indeed crazy for buying it sight unseen.

One Little Thing Example: The sound upgrade won't give you great sound. I've not heard the non-upgrade sound package, but the upgrade doesn't result in a great sound. Might be better to save the grand and put it towards something aftermarket, if you can figure that out.

One Potentially Big Thing Example: You're not getting the sunroof. How tall are you? Sunroof adds headroom, which is needed for non-short adults in the back seats.

Another Potentially Big Thing Example: What's your garage door width like? Model S is over 86" mirror to mirror. An 8 foot wide opening gives you less than 5" on either side to squeeze by.

One thing you forgot: The $12K battery replacement warranty. Locks in the resale value of the car for a decade. Just in case you wanted to sell it down the road. OTOH, an 85kW with tech package, but only cloth seats might be a hard resale.

One tip: Pre-buy 4 years maintenance. Drops from $600 to $425 a year, but you're paying it all up front.

 

[GDH]

I have been obsessing about the Model S since I saw one a few weeks ago, been to the local store several times and watched every video on youtube more than TWICE!. I have even made arrangements to move and rent a garage and add an 240 outlet.

Then I drove it.

I drove a P85 and wasn't exactly impressed. I currently drive a fully loaded 2013 Volvo S60 T6. It has every option and is very fast, tuned by Polestar. Yes, the Tesla has power and yes it takes off when you step on it, but that's pretty much it. Several things that I did not like about the car, when you punch it the car feels totally unstable, to the point where the car swerves....not safe. The seats are not comfortable at all, very flat and not supportive(they will not hold up over time). The big screen is nice but even the store car I drove had the pixel problems. You can hardly see out the back window and the back has no head even with the pano roof and yes that thing is drafty and cold. The door handles, as cool as they are do suck, I had to touch them many times to get them to pop out and the way the doors open and shut is just weird, it just doesn't feel right....feels like an old Lincoln. For the price of this car it should have options that you have to pay for as standard.

I feel in a few years the Model S will be amazing with changes but $90K+ for this car is laughable and on top of that you have to pay around $1k for delivery and $200 for them to prep the car LOL....give me a break. (yes I know that most charge a destination fee but a prep fee, come on!)

Don't get me wrong this car is cool and it's amazing that Tesla did it but it needs major improvement.

 

[mitch672]

Not crazy at all. I pre-ordered a Plug in Prius about a year ago, but of course I only go "full boat" (top of the line model with every option), that comes out to $40K on the Plug in Prius Advanced, I trade in a 2010 Prius for it (taking a $10K hit on the $33K "full boat" 2010 Model 5 Prius).

I end up taking delivery of the Plug in Prius in April 2012 (Btw, I also had put down $99 on a Leaf, and when it came in, I couldn't go through with it, 73 mile highway range as my only car, nope - no can do). So I end up with the PiP, it's a very nice car and my 4th Prius in 11 years.. I should just forget about Tesla. But. I can't. I hear about the "GetAmped" tour, lookup the dates, oh look, there's one in a few weeks in Mawah, NJ, only a 6 hour drive from me (each way), I find out its only for "reservation holders", oh well, it's only $5K and it's refundable.. So I get the reservation on 7/2, get amped is in 2 weeks. I take the test drive, amazing car, much better performance than my Prius, and it never needs gas. I. Must. Have. It.

Get the "reserve your Model S" 2 weeks ago, I complete the MVPA. Dolphin Grey, 85K non-performance, 19" wheels, Pano, grey leather seats, tech package, dual chargers, every option except no rear folding seats, no paint protection and no HPWC (I built my own 75A J-1772 OpenEVSE). With MA sales tax, this will be almost $96K. Oh and I still own the Plug in Prius, my sister may buy it, but I'll take another bath on it. Doesn't. Matter. Must. Have. Model S.


Now who's crazy, Dave?

 

[wstuff]

GDH, please where do I start, I can't even take that seriously, I know the feel of a fine automobile and a car prepared for the track, the S out performs them both, you must have driven one of the crash test models after the test.

 

[heems]

Reading the OP was eerie - it sounded like someone had gotten into my head and was reading my thoughts.

Bro, you are NOT alone...

 

[GDH]

this will be almost $96K.

Now who's crazy, Dave?

You are!.............you could buy a condo in Miami with that money lmao.

 

[DaveT]

You are!.............you could buy a condo in Miami with that money lmao.

Sure but a Miami condo can't do 0-60mph in 4.4 secs.

 

[GDH]

GDH, please where do I start, I can't even take that seriously, I know the feel of a fine automobile and a car prepared for the track, the S out performs them both, you must have driven one of the crash test models after the test.

Tesla is the one who decides which cars to put in their stores for test drives, what I test drove was not impressive at all. And I could careless about speed and acceleration, yes it's nice but there are so many other factors that should be considered when spending $70K+ on anything.

 

[mitch672]

You are!.............you could buy a condo in Miami with that money lmao.

Driving a condo at 60-70mph, now that would be interesting

My sisters inherited my mothers condo in DelRay Beach, FL. My 2 sisters sold it, and where lucky to get $25K for it.
So you could actually buy 4 Condos an hour north of Miami. They get extremely poor gas mileage though.

 

[DaveT]

Just curious GDH... have you driven many $70k+ cars? Just wondering because you need to compare the Model S with the same class car (large luxury sport sedan) - BMW 5 series, Lexus GS, Audi A6, Porsche Panerama, etc.

I've driven a lot of cars in the $50-100k range and I've also driven the Model S. The Model S outperforms them all in handling, acceleration, and performance.

 

[GDH]

Just curious GDH... have you driven many $70k+ cars? Just wondering because you need to compare the Model S with the same class car (large luxury sport sedan) - BMW 5 series, Lexus GS, Audi A6, Porsche Panerama, etc.

I've driven a lot of cars in the $50-100k range and I've also driven the Model S. The Model S outperforms them all in handling, acceleration, and performance.

I have driven an S Class, E Class and a Jag FX (which was supercharged and AMAZING!) and owed several GS's, never drove a Panamera...but I sure would love too....not driven a 5 series (not a BMW fan at all)

And please don't get me wrong the Model S is amazing, they just need to tweak it when they do upgrades and who knows, maybe I just drove a odd car....it did seem a little old and worn.

 

[DaveT]

I have driven an S Class, E Class and a Jag FX (which was supercharged and AMAZING!) and owed several GS's, never drove a Panamera...but I sure would love too....not driven a 5 series (not a BMW fan at all)

And please don't get me wrong the Model S is amazing, they just need to tweak it when they do upgrades and who knows, maybe I just drove a odd car....it did seem a little old and worn.

Yeah, it could have been the car. When did you test drive it? Was it a while ago (beta car)?

I was surprised by your first post when you said the Model S has power and that's it. For me when I drove the Model S I noticed the handling the most. The way it took corners was very impressive. And it felt really stiff (in a good way) yet comfortable. I was expecting a lot before driving it, but afterward I walked away even more impressed. I wasn't expecting the low center of gravity to make that big of a difference. But it does.

 

[GDH]

Yeah, it could have been the car. When did you test drive it? Was it a while ago (beta car)?

I was surprised by your first post when you said the Model S has power and that's it. For me when I drove the Model S I noticed the handling the most. The way it took corners was very impressive. And it felt really stiff (in a good way) yet comfortable. I was expecting a lot before driving it, but afterward I walked away even more impressed. I wasn't expecting the low center of gravity to make that big of a difference. But it does.

Last Monday (4 days ago). I am not sure if it was a beta car but I do not think so. Maybe I was just expecting to much but when I left I just felt disappointed, maybe I need to go back and drive a different one because I am sooooooooooooooooooooo ready to plop down the $5K.