Wonderful car. Best I’ve ever owned and I love driving it. But I warn them of the pricing changes, the overpromises predelivery, the service challenges, the employees who are kept out of the loop of Elon’s whim-based decisions, the issues with body work, and to inspect the hell out of it with a checklist before you leave delivery.
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How honest are you about Tesla issues when speaking to friends/family that want to buy a Tesla?
- Thread starter Austindude
- Start date
OTARon
Member
I tell them how much I Love this car! About the ride, options and NEVER buying gas again (except for my lawn mower till it dies and i go electric there too), I tell them the bad, calls not returned, the service department not calling me back to confirm part on hand for recall or not, them texting me, then never answering my return to their text! The fact no one is in charge or cares about anything other than getting butts in the seats of the cars. But I love driving my 2016 90D! When someone else makes a 300+ mile range EV, that isn't ugly, cost less than 60k and has a super charger system to use, Tesla is done for, unless they learn how to handle customer support!
Yeah, wow, it's almost scary that we have to put up with this sort of treatment. I've been very happy with my car but as yet I haven't had to deal with getting it serviced. I wish Elon would read this thread and make some positive changes.
I tell people people our Teslas are the least reliable cars we have ever loved and would buy again. I have had to add that service is a PITA as service at the two nearest SCs has gone downhill since we first bought.
I don’t recommend the car to anyone who is uncomfortable with tech or who would be annoyed by the frequent software bugs in each release.
I do talk up the great stuff about owning an EV, and have actually sold several folks on Volts in my workplace (used to own one of those, and I am the unofficial EV enthusiast at work). I figure the real battle is getting people to even consider or try any EV, even if it is the one with training wheels. Most folks I work with aren’t looking to spend the money to buy a Tesla, and many already drive hybrids due to the commute distance, so the fuel cost benefit isn’t really enough to justify Tesla prices.
I don’t recommend the car to anyone who is uncomfortable with tech or who would be annoyed by the frequent software bugs in each release.
I do talk up the great stuff about owning an EV, and have actually sold several folks on Volts in my workplace (used to own one of those, and I am the unofficial EV enthusiast at work). I figure the real battle is getting people to even consider or try any EV, even if it is the one with training wheels. Most folks I work with aren’t looking to spend the money to buy a Tesla, and many already drive hybrids due to the commute distance, so the fuel cost benefit isn’t really enough to justify Tesla prices.
Im always honest, but I have not had the problems that many describe here. Other than having to reject the first car (and having the delivery center actually swap me to another car they happened to have in my spec right then, without having to wait), my experience has been very good.
Little software glitches (black backup camera, on delivery car would go to DEEP sleep and reboot instead of "regular sleep), but they have mostly been addressed by firmware updates.
My service center experience has been ok as well, but I havent needed anything major.
What I tell them when they ask me how I like it is, I say "I love tech so I love the fact they continuously update the car. I believe its the best commuter car in the world currently. You can road trip in it, but that requires some planning, but for commuting 150 miles or less, its the best. I love waking up every morning with a "full tank" and never having to go to a gas station".
Little software glitches (black backup camera, on delivery car would go to DEEP sleep and reboot instead of "regular sleep), but they have mostly been addressed by firmware updates.
My service center experience has been ok as well, but I havent needed anything major.
What I tell them when they ask me how I like it is, I say "I love tech so I love the fact they continuously update the car. I believe its the best commuter car in the world currently. You can road trip in it, but that requires some planning, but for commuting 150 miles or less, its the best. I love waking up every morning with a "full tank" and never having to go to a gas station".
I tell them the truth, what I like, what could be better.
Likes. Gas station in my garage, plug it in and it’s always full for 300 miles of fun.
I like driving it, nimble, quick, easy to park, and one of the safest cars on the road.
Technology, one of the most advanced, new features and improved functionality added each month, wirelessly.
It can help park itself, Cruise control is the best ever. The cabin is preconditioned and comfortable in summer or winter. Audio and navigation are the best ever.
You can control and monitor the car from your phone. Even back it out of your garage
Mostly maintenance free, no 4K oil changes, tune ups, and other dealer down time.
No worries about transmission, exhaust, catalytic converter, and all too frequent brake repairs.
Replaced, wipers, cabin filter, tires, top off washer fluid, and because of regen brakes still fine. I’m told someday they will replace coolant.
Delivery quality could be better, but most if honest have had issues or know someone with issues with all brands regardless of name or price.
Likes. Gas station in my garage, plug it in and it’s always full for 300 miles of fun.
I like driving it, nimble, quick, easy to park, and one of the safest cars on the road.
Technology, one of the most advanced, new features and improved functionality added each month, wirelessly.
It can help park itself, Cruise control is the best ever. The cabin is preconditioned and comfortable in summer or winter. Audio and navigation are the best ever.
You can control and monitor the car from your phone. Even back it out of your garage
Mostly maintenance free, no 4K oil changes, tune ups, and other dealer down time.
No worries about transmission, exhaust, catalytic converter, and all too frequent brake repairs.
Replaced, wipers, cabin filter, tires, top off washer fluid, and because of regen brakes still fine. I’m told someday they will replace coolant.
Delivery quality could be better, but most if honest have had issues or know someone with issues with all brands regardless of name or price.
I’m honest but I also don’t really try to sell people on it that I know aren’t early adopters. It’s a perfect car for me, but I know it won’t be for many.
I take complaints on the forums with a grain of salt. People love to vent their splines on forums when they think they have been wronged. Rarely do people feel the need to run to the forum and share the positive stories.
I don’t have any issues with my car. I give positive review of the car and encourage them to try it themselves and make up their own mind.
As for company, because they are new and disrupting what a car company can do with self driving and so on, there are always negative folks who likes to give bad reviews. I tell them I ignore all those. They are just noise.
As for company, because they are new and disrupting what a car company can do with self driving and so on, there are always negative folks who likes to give bad reviews. I tell them I ignore all those. They are just noise.
SageBrush
REJECT Fascism
Both the new Volts we bought ended up in the shop for weeks. My 2018 stranded me 100 miles from home on it’s first gas trip. GM did not reserve me a loaner and I was 3hrs late to work because I had to use their shuttle. Then one of the cells threw a code and they had to replace it. That took three weeks. My coworkers new Ford had a bad gasket and they had to replace the engine. Three weeks. My Model 3 had a door alignment issue and they fixed it in 10min without an appointment. AP is getting better every day, with Telsa you are not just buying what it is today, but what it will be next week or next month. The 3 is already the safest and best car period. Any owner not recommending it has forgotten what an ICE car is like.
sperkin
Active Member
I love my Model 3s and it's the best car on the market, but I steer my family and friends towards Toyota Rav4 hybrids. The issue is not the Model 3 but EV in general.
You have to be a hardcore EV fan to deal with planning your routes from charger to charger and how long to stay to make it to the next one.
After a year, many times my wife still would forget to plug in the car so she had to take mine while I take hers to a supercharger. How many still forget to plug in their phones? Same happens with the car.
Emergencies come up, but you're at a low state of charge and have to take an Uber.
Work social events comes up at last minute and you have a low state of charge and have to hit a supercharger and be 20-30min late or take an Uber.
Hmmmm. Seems like all my issues are with charging. There needs to be more Superchargers so EV can go mainstream.
How many times have ICE drivers give you a weird look while we are waiting in line at a Supercharger? They will never wait 20+ minutes in line then 40min to charge. Only hardcore EV fans will do that which none of my family and friends are.
You have to be a hardcore EV fan to deal with planning your routes from charger to charger and how long to stay to make it to the next one.
After a year, many times my wife still would forget to plug in the car so she had to take mine while I take hers to a supercharger. How many still forget to plug in their phones? Same happens with the car.
Emergencies come up, but you're at a low state of charge and have to take an Uber.
Work social events comes up at last minute and you have a low state of charge and have to hit a supercharger and be 20-30min late or take an Uber.
Hmmmm. Seems like all my issues are with charging. There needs to be more Superchargers so EV can go mainstream.
How many times have ICE drivers give you a weird look while we are waiting in line at a Supercharger? They will never wait 20+ minutes in line then 40min to charge. Only hardcore EV fans will do that which none of my family and friends are.
mcars
Member
I find the experience to me really not different from regular car owning experience, minus the potential delivery issues that have occured. Services for the auto industry are always a challenge, whether it be price or how long it takes to do maintenance tasks. These can be exaggerated in the Tesla experience, with significant delays and other issues. But that's it.
I will say the biggest struggle is reaching customer service with your account. I've said before, I purchased through a referral 3 weeks ago and they still haven't given me my miles. And all the avenues to reach out (referrals, support) have been 0 help. No response, no feedback, nothing other than "wait without any updates". I mention that.
I had my first experience the other day where a friend was in a car and the screen froze and needed to be rebooted (speed wouldn't change, turn signals wouldn't go on) and I had to reboot the system. That turned them off, so I am sure to mention that to folks as well.
But I go through all of that and circle back to the positives of the car, the ride of the car, and the enhancements. My thing is to help people make an informed decision, without spin (as much as I love this car even with everything I just pointed out)
I will say the biggest struggle is reaching customer service with your account. I've said before, I purchased through a referral 3 weeks ago and they still haven't given me my miles. And all the avenues to reach out (referrals, support) have been 0 help. No response, no feedback, nothing other than "wait without any updates". I mention that.
I had my first experience the other day where a friend was in a car and the screen froze and needed to be rebooted (speed wouldn't change, turn signals wouldn't go on) and I had to reboot the system. That turned them off, so I am sure to mention that to folks as well.
But I go through all of that and circle back to the positives of the car, the ride of the car, and the enhancements. My thing is to help people make an informed decision, without spin (as much as I love this car even with everything I just pointed out)
I tell them the truth. Absolutely the best car I've ever owned. Also most fun to drive. Any issue I've had has been minor like sometimes the auto wipers are not good enough. Then I ask them "Do you know of ANY other car that gets better after you buy it? I mean like new features." Then I have to explain all of the enhancements I've experienced since taking delivery in July 2018. Oh, then I take them for a ride and let them drive it. Love seeing the grin for the first time!
Runebane
Member
I usually give them a ride first, show them the acceleration, handling etc... by then they're spewing questions faster than I can answer usually. But I tell them the truth, whether it's favorable or not to Tesla. And always end it, if it hasn't come up, that they send over the air updates to fix stuff all the time and that it's a better car now then when I purchased it.
I say I absolutely love the car. 0 to 60 in 3.2 seconds, quietly, for only $60,000 is a dream. Add never having to go to a gas station. The suspension is weak, but I ordered coil overs. There is nothing I can do about the poor visibility out the rear window.
However, I have to add that the company is horrible to deal with and an absolute mess. There is no reason to think it will be around in another year or two. I tell them that if they can wait a year or two, there will be a lot of EV choices from established companies.
However, I have to add that the company is horrible to deal with and an absolute mess. There is no reason to think it will be around in another year or two. I tell them that if they can wait a year or two, there will be a lot of EV choices from established companies.
I've owned two Tesla's, and we've got a third in the immediate family. Even though I'm the tech enthusiast in the family, my father put his order in for the Model 3 very early on and took delivery months before I did. In their case, it took zero influence on my part for him to come to a decision, the car basically sold itself. Many people ask me my opinion, some because they're naturally curious, and some because they're in the market for a vehicle and are considering a purchase.
In one case, in particular, we were more directly involved. In the first weeks of owning our model X, I stopped to speak with a friend to show him the vehicle. I took him for a ride around the block, and then he asked if he could take it for a spin, and try its automation features. I wanted him to experience the drive himself. His main argument for leveraging a car with automation was because his wife has a condition where she will sometimes experience vertigo, and as a result, stopped driving on highways. In our first drive together, he nearly collided with a vehicle that was partially in our lane while AP was enabled. It was vital for him to witness this. Almost immediately afterward, he let the car roll backward, and if not for the vehicle behind him honking he might not have known. Regen took him some getting used to, but I explained to him that eventually, he'll come to want it enabled.
We went through many many details of the car, spending several hours together. He's a conservative individual, and was concerned that the falcon wing doors would attract too much attention in our neighborhood - I told him he'd get over it
. The most honest period we spent together was when the kids joined us for additional rides. They were very upfront about how the car never seems to be able to park itself, the extra time we spent on the road while supercharging, and the few times we experienced range anxiety while traveling upstate. Eventually, he asked if he could borrow my X for a family trip, and he gave us his Honda minivan in exchange. Incidentally, I drove a Honda Odyssey for many years before owning the X and getting back into it was a real shock - and let's not forget that the Odyssey is one of the top-rated minivans in America. There are many things about owning a Tesla that you begin to take for granted once you get used to them. He felt the same way after getting back to his Odessey. He then asked if he could rent my Model X regularly, and I told him if he really wanted it, he could buy it. I'm the only regular driver in the house, and owning two Tesla's was a bit of overkill - especially in NYC where parking can be a challenge.
Since his ownership, he managed to get into one minor accident while using AP, experienced a failure of the passenger side window mechanism, scratched his bumper during an auto park session, and his wife has lost some of her confidence which is understandable given her situation. If you ask him if he's still happy with his purchase, he will tell you "Yes!", although he'll admit that it wasn't really his wife's condition in the end that motivated him to buy it, but rather his son whose as much as a Tesla fan as my kids are.
One of my main fears in owning a Tesla was what might happen when I need to get service. I've had two mobile service appointments, and one SC appointment and all of those were exceptional experiences. I know it mattered to Tesla as well because they even followed up with me personally to make sure I was satisfied. I'd say that this ship is turning around nicely.
In one case, in particular, we were more directly involved. In the first weeks of owning our model X, I stopped to speak with a friend to show him the vehicle. I took him for a ride around the block, and then he asked if he could take it for a spin, and try its automation features. I wanted him to experience the drive himself. His main argument for leveraging a car with automation was because his wife has a condition where she will sometimes experience vertigo, and as a result, stopped driving on highways. In our first drive together, he nearly collided with a vehicle that was partially in our lane while AP was enabled. It was vital for him to witness this. Almost immediately afterward, he let the car roll backward, and if not for the vehicle behind him honking he might not have known. Regen took him some getting used to, but I explained to him that eventually, he'll come to want it enabled.
We went through many many details of the car, spending several hours together. He's a conservative individual, and was concerned that the falcon wing doors would attract too much attention in our neighborhood - I told him he'd get over it
. The most honest period we spent together was when the kids joined us for additional rides. They were very upfront about how the car never seems to be able to park itself, the extra time we spent on the road while supercharging, and the few times we experienced range anxiety while traveling upstate. Eventually, he asked if he could borrow my X for a family trip, and he gave us his Honda minivan in exchange. Incidentally, I drove a Honda Odyssey for many years before owning the X and getting back into it was a real shock - and let's not forget that the Odyssey is one of the top-rated minivans in America. There are many things about owning a Tesla that you begin to take for granted once you get used to them. He felt the same way after getting back to his Odessey. He then asked if he could rent my Model X regularly, and I told him if he really wanted it, he could buy it. I'm the only regular driver in the house, and owning two Tesla's was a bit of overkill - especially in NYC where parking can be a challenge.Since his ownership, he managed to get into one minor accident while using AP, experienced a failure of the passenger side window mechanism, scratched his bumper during an auto park session, and his wife has lost some of her confidence which is understandable given her situation. If you ask him if he's still happy with his purchase, he will tell you "Yes!", although he'll admit that it wasn't really his wife's condition in the end that motivated him to buy it, but rather his son whose as much as a Tesla fan as my kids are.
One of my main fears in owning a Tesla was what might happen when I need to get service. I've had two mobile service appointments, and one SC appointment and all of those were exceptional experiences. I know it mattered to Tesla as well because they even followed up with me personally to make sure I was satisfied. I'd say that this ship is turning around nicely.
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I focus on the EV aspects of driving and base it on my experience with my Tesla cars that I own. Facts speak. My experienced facts are facts. I am open and honest about anything anybody wants to know that I can answer with facts.
I shy away from talking about Tesla as a company or projecting their future plans... autopilot, etc. I do suggest to people not paying for (future) features if they can't enjoy them today, if purchasing a Tesla. Don't buy the promise, buy the car for what it is.
I do talk about Tesla service based on my experience. Cost of repairs, being off warranty, software updates, etc. and how, lately, the software UI quality and usability is on a downward trend.. and wish that Tesla pulls it around.
We attend EV / car showings and bring along our Tesla cars... to spread the word and talk about the economy and environmental benefits of EV driving. And that's it's possible over long distances. In a redneck oil mining province full of Ford F150's as family vehicles, this is sometimes not an easy thing to do. But if people approach, we talk, and I'm honest.
I just saw a model S today with personalized license plate COALPWR, to give you an idea of what's going on where I live. Maybe admitting right away, this is not a net carbon zero car because of the way we make power here. Just zero emissions on the consuming end of the deal. That's the best we can do.
Carbon tax is being nixed by the new conservative government here... it was an election promise. Doh! Big step backwards... I haven't been charging at home for years. I don't pay carbon tax to drive. I don't even pay road tax because that's charged at the pump, a place I never go. Tossing the carbon tax out was to keep consumer's "happy" and their eyes off all the other tax paid at the pump:
Federal Excise tax 10c / litre
Provincial Excise tax 13.73c / litre
Carbon tax 6.73
Sales tax 5% of bottom line
Buy EV and be happier about more tax avoidance.
I shy away from talking about Tesla as a company or projecting their future plans... autopilot, etc. I do suggest to people not paying for (future) features if they can't enjoy them today, if purchasing a Tesla. Don't buy the promise, buy the car for what it is.
I do talk about Tesla service based on my experience. Cost of repairs, being off warranty, software updates, etc. and how, lately, the software UI quality and usability is on a downward trend.. and wish that Tesla pulls it around.
We attend EV / car showings and bring along our Tesla cars... to spread the word and talk about the economy and environmental benefits of EV driving. And that's it's possible over long distances. In a redneck oil mining province full of Ford F150's as family vehicles, this is sometimes not an easy thing to do. But if people approach, we talk, and I'm honest.
I just saw a model S today with personalized license plate COALPWR, to give you an idea of what's going on where I live. Maybe admitting right away, this is not a net carbon zero car because of the way we make power here. Just zero emissions on the consuming end of the deal. That's the best we can do.
Carbon tax is being nixed by the new conservative government here... it was an election promise. Doh! Big step backwards... I haven't been charging at home for years. I don't pay carbon tax to drive. I don't even pay road tax because that's charged at the pump, a place I never go. Tossing the carbon tax out was to keep consumer's "happy" and their eyes off all the other tax paid at the pump:
Federal Excise tax 10c / litre
Provincial Excise tax 13.73c / litre
Sales tax 5% of bottom line
Buy EV and be happier about more tax avoidance.
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I am totally dishonest, hence I am losing my friends but gaining supercharger miles which is far more important !!!
I share my actual experience. I also point out that some may have better/worse experience. I've personally had far worse service from a BMW dealer. I also am very clear on the limitations of the AP system (that I use nearly every mile of driving). It certainly isn't for everyone.
Regarding the center screen - my wife tells people it's no issue after using it for 2-3 days... and if she says that I believe her.
Regarding range - I have full range every morning. I add about 30 min on a 250 mile trip which I do infrequently.
I sometimes ask people - if someone offered you a new cellphone power source that would allow your phone to work 3-4 entire days!!! But you had to charge it away from home and pay a bit more to do it... would you consider it an upgrade or downgrade?
Regarding the center screen - my wife tells people it's no issue after using it for 2-3 days... and if she says that I believe her.
Regarding range - I have full range every morning. I add about 30 min on a 250 mile trip which I do infrequently.
I sometimes ask people - if someone offered you a new cellphone power source that would allow your phone to work 3-4 entire days!!! But you had to charge it away from home and pay a bit more to do it... would you consider it an upgrade or downgrade?
