"I never thought it would happen to me, but I walked onto the Tesla floor and there she was, beautiful, her curves wet from the rain...my Model S"
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How did you initially come to the decision to get a Model S?
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(1) Understanding that we need to invest in "Made in America," the Model S is the only vehicle worthy of my hard earned money. This will be my first car made in the US.
(2) I want my 7 year old to grow up with a different transportation paradigm.
(3) and finally this is to tick off 6 of my co-workers......Right Wing Extremists, anti-government survivalist, Ron Paul supporting, Hummer driving, 2nd ammendment is the only ammendment, global warming deniers, your Li-ion battery is going to explode, the apocolypse is just around the corner......and I could keep going.
(2) I want my 7 year old to grow up with a different transportation paradigm.
(3) and finally this is to tick off 6 of my co-workers......Right Wing Extremists, anti-government survivalist, Ron Paul supporting, Hummer driving, 2nd ammendment is the only ammendment, global warming deniers, your Li-ion battery is going to explode, the apocolypse is just around the corner......and I could keep going.
Thumper
Active Member
Our 03 Passat 4motion wagon is getting to be a little on the high milage side. I had been looking at new cars, everything from a Honda Fit or an Acura TSX to Audi 7 or BMW 5. Thought we might splurge on this vehicle but wanted better mileage than the BMW or Audi could give. Had looked at the Model S when first announced but dismissed it as too costly. Began to visit the web site and pay close attention. Calculated that we could do all the driving we do frequently with the S. Decided that we could rent if we just had to do a long drive. We are a one car household. Made the reservation, and bought 1000 shares at $23.8 average price with fees during the August slump. Now I'm all in. Attended the October event and wear my TESLA hat everywhere. It pays to advertise. P3807 I can't wait. Figure it will be about November.
dhrivnak
Active Member
My three reasons were:
1) The cost of oil, as we as a country have been tsending over $1B/day out of the country for oil. This is money no longer available for jobs here and is the largest part of our deficit. How can we improve the standard of living for out children if we are shipping our money out of the country?
2) I fully believe oil is getting harder to find just as demand world wide is exploding. This will lead to problems if we do not soon find an answer. I think Katrina showed us without energy we have about 4 days before people go crazy.
3) Environmental - Either short term by the tremendous damage being done mining tar sands or longer term with rising greenhouse gasses we need to find a better way. I grew up in Pittsburgh PA back when the steel mills ran full blast and I do not rember a blue sky day. I want to keep it that way and hopefully see things get cleaner.
After doing two hybrid conversions and pure electric conversion I was convinced an EV can be a big part of the solution to our problems. Then I had a chance to buy a used Roadster and now I think the biggest reason is the car is FUN to drive. For the first time in 35 years I am looking for an excuse to dive somewhere.
1) The cost of oil, as we as a country have been tsending over $1B/day out of the country for oil. This is money no longer available for jobs here and is the largest part of our deficit. How can we improve the standard of living for out children if we are shipping our money out of the country?
2) I fully believe oil is getting harder to find just as demand world wide is exploding. This will lead to problems if we do not soon find an answer. I think Katrina showed us without energy we have about 4 days before people go crazy.
3) Environmental - Either short term by the tremendous damage being done mining tar sands or longer term with rising greenhouse gasses we need to find a better way. I grew up in Pittsburgh PA back when the steel mills ran full blast and I do not rember a blue sky day. I want to keep it that way and hopefully see things get cleaner.
After doing two hybrid conversions and pure electric conversion I was convinced an EV can be a big part of the solution to our problems. Then I had a chance to buy a used Roadster and now I think the biggest reason is the car is FUN to drive. For the first time in 35 years I am looking for an excuse to dive somewhere.
A little over two years ago, I was on my way to exhibit at a conference in California. I was sitting in an airport lounge reading an article on my laptop about the Roadster. I had been intrigued about the Roadster for some time - imagine an electric car with over 200 mile range! Although it sounded amazing, I wasn't really in the market for an exotic sports car... but this Model S they were talking about building sounded perfect.
It suddenly occurred to me that I was arriving at SFO around noon, and had nothing to do until the next day. Wasn't Menlo Park somewhere near my hotel? A quick Google and sure enough, only 15 minutes away! I decided to go check it out.
A few hours later I was walking into Menlo Park. It seemed pretty quiet, not much happening that day, but I nosed around one of the Roadsters and was eventually introduced to Dan Myggen. I told him I that a Model S was probably going to be a better match for me. He commented that it was going to be an awesome car, but why not have a good look at the Roadster while I was here? Why not indeed? So he showed me the car in gory detail, answered all my questions, and then asked if I wanted to schedule a test drive? Hell yeah!
I came back the next day (ducked out of the conference!) and did my test drive. Wow. I had this silly grin on my face for the rest of the day. The next thing you know I was ordering a Roadster.
The Roadster sealed the deal. It's just so much better driving electric; there's never been a question that I'd get the Model S too.
It suddenly occurred to me that I was arriving at SFO around noon, and had nothing to do until the next day. Wasn't Menlo Park somewhere near my hotel? A quick Google and sure enough, only 15 minutes away! I decided to go check it out.
A few hours later I was walking into Menlo Park. It seemed pretty quiet, not much happening that day, but I nosed around one of the Roadsters and was eventually introduced to Dan Myggen. I told him I that a Model S was probably going to be a better match for me. He commented that it was going to be an awesome car, but why not have a good look at the Roadster while I was here? Why not indeed? So he showed me the car in gory detail, answered all my questions, and then asked if I wanted to schedule a test drive? Hell yeah!
I came back the next day (ducked out of the conference!) and did my test drive. Wow. I had this silly grin on my face for the rest of the day. The next thing you know I was ordering a Roadster.
The Roadster sealed the deal. It's just so much better driving electric; there's never been a question that I'd get the Model S too.
Chapter 2:
As a post script to my previous post.
I filled up on Monday this week. I filled up again this morning. Today at lunch I got my reservation.
As a post script to my previous post.
I filled up on Monday this week. I filled up again this morning. Today at lunch I got my reservation.
Bound466
Member
I was following Tesla when they started out with the roadster, but wasn't a fanatic. Just curious. My wife actually became a fanatic, then "sold" me on the Model S (I was going to get a Volt). After checking out the Model S, I loved it because of the technology advancement (that's why we were one of the first to get a hybrid back in the day). Now I am more fanatic about the Model S than she is.
Reigniting an old love.
During the 90's, while I worked at an electric utility, we received an Impact from General Motors. It was used by the company executives to tool around the Washington, D.C. area. I found it to be a very cool car, perhaps too cool for the execs since one of them had a minor crash. Being merely in middle management, I of course never got to drive it but there were many days when I parked my car in the company garage near it and I left a lot of drool on its silver exterior. I was so taken by the idea of driving a good-looking, high performance electric car that I felt compelled to write to GM suggesting that they lease the cars to electric utility employees who would, I explained, be the ideal ambassadors to the new electric revolution. Needless to say I never heard back from GM.
Fast forward more than a decade later, now I'm retired and history repeats itself. GM produces another practical "electric car" that is not a golf cart. So, despite my misgivings about dealing with the infamous company portrayed in “Who Killed the Electric Car”, I eventually dragged my wife to the local Chevy dealer to drive a Volt. We liked the car so I reserved one to replace my PT Cruiser.
However, there were no Volts allocated for Florida yet so we had to wait. While we waited I surfed the Internet for news about the Volt. I ran across a website that listed all the upcoming electric cars. On the list there was this beautiful car called a Tesla Model S that was actually a “real” electric vehicle that didn’t drag around an ICE and a gas tank. As fate would have it about a week after discovering the Model S, Tesla brought the prototype with the custom red paint job to my neighborhood. The car looked great at the Sarasota Yacht Club, it was lust at first sight and I immediately reserved my second electric car. I asked my wife whether she wanted my Volt reservation, however she wasn’t interested in replacing her convertible with a Volt so I cancelled the reservation.
Now I’m obsessed with the Model S and Tesla in general and I am in the process of trying to organize a Florida Tesla Motors Club.
Larry
During the 90's, while I worked at an electric utility, we received an Impact from General Motors. It was used by the company executives to tool around the Washington, D.C. area. I found it to be a very cool car, perhaps too cool for the execs since one of them had a minor crash. Being merely in middle management, I of course never got to drive it but there were many days when I parked my car in the company garage near it and I left a lot of drool on its silver exterior. I was so taken by the idea of driving a good-looking, high performance electric car that I felt compelled to write to GM suggesting that they lease the cars to electric utility employees who would, I explained, be the ideal ambassadors to the new electric revolution. Needless to say I never heard back from GM.
Fast forward more than a decade later, now I'm retired and history repeats itself. GM produces another practical "electric car" that is not a golf cart. So, despite my misgivings about dealing with the infamous company portrayed in “Who Killed the Electric Car”, I eventually dragged my wife to the local Chevy dealer to drive a Volt. We liked the car so I reserved one to replace my PT Cruiser.
However, there were no Volts allocated for Florida yet so we had to wait. While we waited I surfed the Internet for news about the Volt. I ran across a website that listed all the upcoming electric cars. On the list there was this beautiful car called a Tesla Model S that was actually a “real” electric vehicle that didn’t drag around an ICE and a gas tank. As fate would have it about a week after discovering the Model S, Tesla brought the prototype with the custom red paint job to my neighborhood. The car looked great at the Sarasota Yacht Club, it was lust at first sight and I immediately reserved my second electric car. I asked my wife whether she wanted my Volt reservation, however she wasn’t interested in replacing her convertible with a Volt so I cancelled the reservation.
Now I’m obsessed with the Model S and Tesla in general and I am in the process of trying to organize a Florida Tesla Motors Club.
Larry
Chapter 3:
A post post script to my previous post(s).
When I was in High School and College I wanted to start my own auto manufacturer. I generally dislike the options packages all the auto manufacturers have with their cars. Why can't I get the V6 and a manual transmission? GM, MB, Chrysler, Toyota, Honda, Ford, and well everyone except really BMW, and VW their options for manual transmissions is horrible. If I want leather, or the sport engine I couldn't get a stick. I wanted to start a new car company that you could 'build to order' your car. I knew I could never get the capital to do this but I was my dream for about 4 years or so. Tesla is basically doing what I dreamed about. They even started with a 2 seat supersport car with low volume and filling in from the top, which was the only way I could see pulling off a new car make. My first car was going to be the model '0' [zero]. And my next car was going to be '9' luxo-boat.
I was thinking why I think Tesla is so cool. Sure the car is really cool, but there was more. And well they did exactly what I dreamed about for 4 or so years.
A post post script to my previous post(s).
When I was in High School and College I wanted to start my own auto manufacturer. I generally dislike the options packages all the auto manufacturers have with their cars. Why can't I get the V6 and a manual transmission? GM, MB, Chrysler, Toyota, Honda, Ford, and well everyone except really BMW, and VW their options for manual transmissions is horrible. If I want leather, or the sport engine I couldn't get a stick. I wanted to start a new car company that you could 'build to order' your car. I knew I could never get the capital to do this but I was my dream for about 4 years or so. Tesla is basically doing what I dreamed about. They even started with a 2 seat supersport car with low volume and filling in from the top, which was the only way I could see pulling off a new car make. My first car was going to be the model '0' [zero]. And my next car was going to be '9' luxo-boat.
I was thinking why I think Tesla is so cool. Sure the car is really cool, but there was more. And well they did exactly what I dreamed about for 4 or so years.
I wanted an EV. :biggrin:
OK, more detail. I'd been researching hybrid technology, and I'd decided that I wasn't going to get a car which didn't plug in. Both on environmental grounds and efficiency grounds, and on the grounds that I hated going to the gas station and most of my trips were really short and should run on electricity alone.
The time came to replace a car, and I put it off, because at the time none of the major manufacturers were offering a car which plugged in. (Odd that.) The only plug-in vehicles were home conversions (which I wasn't going to do) and Neighborhood Electric Vehicles -- whose top speed was too low for the road outside my house.
Then I discovered the Roadster, and I went "Wait... you don't need a gas engine at all, and you can go at highway speeds? And the range is enough to get to the next city and back? And it's in production now? All right, that settles it: my next car will not have a gas tank!" The eliminated maintenance, hassle, and environmental waste from eliminating the ICE was just too attractive not to go for it. So, just before the plug-in hybrids started being announced, I became a BEV purist.
However, the Roadster was just not suitable for me: a two-seater convertible with a small trunk simply does not fit my needs, at all. So I looked around for four-seater BEVs with full-sized trunks. And there weren't any. So I put off getting a new car, again. At this time Model S was merely speculative.
Well, Nissan announced the Leaf. Great! Except the range was too short for my needs. Nobody else came out with anything! In fact, so far, nobody else has come out with anything with suitable range. (I need a reliable all-weather 120 mile absolute minimum, but preferably 240.)
So I started paying very close attention to the Model S. I was sure Tesla could make a car (thanks to the Roadster), but I wasn't sure whether the model S was going to actually make it into production. Finally, after many delays, Tesla bought and equipped its factory (eliminating that concern), and released a driveable alpha build of the model S, proving that they could actually make the car.
At that point I looked at my cash and said "Hey, I have enough to reserve a Signature, and it's not earning any interest. The company won't go bust before the car comes out, so my money's safe with them. I might as well make a reservation." So I did so.
Since then I've been watching the news of the car carefully for "fatal flaws", and it doesn't have any. (Assuming my feet reach the pedals.
) So I'm getting it. The Signature is overpriced, but it just happens to have an extra feature for me: I'm not allergic to the interior. So I'm sticking with that.So for me, it really is all about the electric. Model S is an *all-electric* car (my somewhat irrational requirement) which has enough interior space for my needs, goes fast enough to run on the roads in my area, and has the range to get to Rochester and back. It is the first car to satisfy these requirements and it is, so far, the only car to satisfy these requirements. And I'm years overdue to replace that car I was going to replace several years ago (which uses premium gasoline, has poor MPG, has fairly frequent expensive maintenance, etc...)
Edit: I'm seeing a lot of people saying "I wanted an all-electric car, and this was simply the only one with suitable range and interior space which wasn't vaporware." This, this precisely, is why I'm also investing in Tesla; I think the other car companies are being very slow to provide *any* competition for the market segments Tesla is in. The multiple-year head start is worth a lot.
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