How does Tesla choose who gets their car first?

[jjrandorin]

The order is whatever they think will be most profitable. Usually that meant high-spec California first, but as they open new factories, that could change.

California deliveries are usually toward the end of the quarter, because the cars have less shipping time to reach the destination. California is normaly getting delivered the last 1/2 of the month at the end of the quarter, just like other states. The difference is, those other states get assigned vins first when they are further from CA because the car takes longer to ship there.

TL ; DR, no CA is not usually first, tesla tries to deliver as many cars each quarter as it can, and that normally means the farther from CA you are, the sooner you are assigned a vin, even when deliveries tend to all happen at once.

 

[aliecat08]

Most automakers build each car to spec on the same line. There may be parallel lines for major changes like engines or paint colors but minor things like interior colors and options are often interwoven on a serial line. A truckload is then sent to each dealer containing a mix of customer cars and lot cars.

Tesla doesn't have time for that. They look at the total demand for each configuration and then run them in huge batches and then ship them out in batches. There's a little bit of mixing on each truckload but the mix is based on their production line output not the customer's order date.

So you get your car when you get to the front of the line for your particular configuration at your particular delivery center. They can't predict the exact date because orders are continually flowing in and they might decide to extend or shorten each configuration run on the fly.

This makes sense. How did you obtain this info?

 

[WhereismyM3]

California deliveries are usually toward the end of the quarter, because the cars have less shipping time to reach the destination. California is normaly getting delivered the last 1/2 of the month at the end of the quarter, just like other states. The difference is, those other states get assigned vins first when they are further from CA because the car takes longer to ship there.

TL ; DR, no CA is not usually first, tesla tries to deliver as many cars each quarter as it can, and that normally means the farther from CA you are, the sooner you are assigned a vin, even when deliveries tend to all happen at once.

If they only told you that instead of fake EDD

 

[zecar]

Most automakers build each car to spec on the same line. There may be parallel lines for major changes like engines or paint colors but minor things like interior colors and options are often interwoven on a serial line. A truckload is then sent to each dealer containing a mix of customer cars and lot cars.

Tesla doesn't have time for that. They look at the total demand for each configuration and then run them in huge batches and then ship them out in batches. There's a little bit of mixing on each truckload but the mix is based on their production line output not the customer's order date.

So you get your car when you get to the front of the line for your particular configuration at your particular delivery center. They can't predict the exact date because orders are continually flowing in and they might decide to extend or shorten each configuration run on the fly.

This is the correct answer. Tesla's order queue maximizes benefit to them, not the customer. They want the smoothest production, lowest cost of delivery, and most cars delivered per quarter.

 

[TheRFMan]

I think in some cases outside the US, cars need to be built to order. The Canadian M3P is likely one of those cases. By all accounts, so few are sold in Canada each quarter (anecdotal evidence you indicate <100), that the chance that spec builds will match orders is not that great. There are probably a handful coming here to Ottawa. I am not aware of anyone other than me here or in Facebook groups that is waiting on a M3P for delivery in Ottawa.

My SA has told me that the Performance models always show up right at the end of the quarter. I suspect Tesla delays production until the last minute, to line up the build configurations with the orders in the system as best as it can. I ordered at the end of March, and was told not to expect a car until the end of June.

I still have no VIN (and have not yet been asked to accept the change to Tesla Vision), but my delivery window is getting pretty narrow now at June 16-24.I suspect Tesla's system knows when it will be built, but that had not yet occurred.

No big deal. Worst case, it'll be here in 4 weeks. I've been waiting for almost 10 already

 

[Tezknight]

I think in some cases outside the US, cars need to be built to order. The Canadian M3P is likely one of those cases. By all accounts, so few are sold in Canada each quarter (anecdotal evidence you indicate <100), that the chance that spec builds will match orders is not that great. There are probably a handful coming here to Ottawa. I am not aware of anyone other than me here or in Facebook groups that is waiting on a M3P for delivery in Ottawa.

My SA has told me that the Performance models always show up right at the end of the quarter. I suspect Tesla delays production until the last minute, to line up the build configurations with the orders in the system as best as it can. I ordered at the end of March, and was told not to expect a car until the end of June.

I still have no VIN (and have not yet been asked to accept the change to Tesla Vision), but my delivery window is getting pretty narrow now at June 16-24.I suspect Tesla's system knows when it will be built, but that had not yet occurred.

No big deal. Worst case, it'll be here in 4 weeks. I've been waiting for almost 10 already

Have you completed your payment step already? If financing aren’t you worried it’ll expire beyond 60 days??

 

[TheRFMan]

Have you completed your payment step already? If financing aren’t you worried it’ll expire beyond 60 days??

In Canada, financing approval is valid for 90 days, so no issues there. I made sure to apply within 90 days of June 30th to avoid any problems.

I have no additional payment to make. Rates are so low, I chose to finance the entire amount (aside from the $2500 order payment I paid in late March)

 

[devilbones]

Do you think that order of delivery, once your vehicle has arrived at the dealership is influenced in anyway by payment method?

 

[TheRFMan]

Do you think that order of delivery, once your vehicle has arrived at the dealership is influenced in anyway by payment method?

I highly doubt it. Usually, the appointments are set before the cars even arrive. My car had barely left Fremont when I got my appointment. Some people have had success moving their delivery up if the car arrives earlier.

 

[nogabi1]

Hello... I've ordered my Model 3 SR+ Solid Black , Black Interior, No FSD on May 08

I'm trying to figure how Tesla schedules the whole delivery/VIN to customers

I've seen customers get a VIN and ordered after me and I'm sitting here with NO VIN, I understand there' customers still waiting from March/April with nothing... How's is this even possible?!?!?

My current EDD is June 19-30, I understand to take that with a grain of salt...

Any insight or understanding of this will ease my mind.... I mean I could have picked a Mach-E or a ID4 over Tesla... But I went with them because of the innovation/simplistic look on the inside which I love

Thank you for your time
Mike

I ordered my M3 LR on June 10. Then, on June 14 I got a VIN and another email asking me to make the payment and then to choose between two dates for delivery, the same week!. I was surprised, so I didn't answer right away. Instead, I started moving money between banks (paying cash). After three hours, I went to pay and something was wrong with the portal. After trying and trying, I went to pick a date for delivery, and it was reduced to one date, one hour. I went back to my account and the VIN was gone. Finally, hours later my representative (salesman from Tesla) returned my calls saying it was a mistake. The car was an inventory car going to somebody else. So, I am back waiting.

 

[Gauss Guzzler]

That's what happened to me too. I got the VIN and payment request in December and like a fool I paid them.
The VIN disappeared the next day and then in March they finally texted saying I could pick up the car (with a newer VIN).

 

[CapinWinky]

I can confirm that production is grouped by configuration. X model + Y paint + Z interior + W rims + V specialty. Any and all changeover costs money whether you are making cars or candy flavors (mystery flavors of dumdums are just selling the changeover product, which is a great way to cut costs). If you ordered off menu you will be waiting a while unless some timing magic happens. The changeover of the base model is costly, so they do it as few times as possible and that is the biggest factor on when you get the car. Most orders are LR, so if you order LR you have the most granular possible delivery because they will get a few more runs than SR and Perf.

It isn't as straightforward as cycling through all permutations and running all cars of each permutation as you get to it. They will plan the production changeovers for minimum downtime and maximum throughput. Low volume permutations will get lower priority in hopes that more orders come in before it is run, and changing over only one part of the line at a time is faster/cheaper than changing the whole thing. Changing which interior is pretty fast vs changing over the paint booths.

 

[snikt]

I think it's based on how many times you've visited Elon Musk's twitter account

 

[Gauss Guzzler]

Any and all changeover costs money whether you are making cars or candy flavors (mystery flavors of dumdums are just selling the changeover product, which is a great way to cut costs).

Indeed. Some people on here have received some of those changeover mystery flavors. Like the one amber turn signal, or worse..

 

[LongBeachKing]

Tesla ordering process can be described in 5 words. “Go **** Yourself West Coast”

ABSOLUTELY. ordered 4/28, still no VIN. and my dumba** sold my car beginning of May thinking I’d get it sooner- one mistake I’ll never make again

 

[Frackle]

I'm actually the one who makes the call on this. It's mostly just vibes.

 

[hcdavis3]

I'm actually the one who makes the call on this. It's mostly just vibes.

I thought it was Andrew the evil squirrel who calls the shots.

 

[JoeRod97]

How can i cjeck on order st as tus

 

[1LE McQueen]

ABSOLUTELY. ordered 4/28, still no VIN. and my dumba** sold my car beginning of May thinking I’d get it sooner- one mistake I’ll never make again

What configuration?

 

[LongBeachKing]

What configuration?

MYLR White ext Black int. 20" induction, no FSD, no Tow, 5 seater