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HUGE DUMP of 2018 Inventory!

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To be honest regular high line car dealers, at least large ones have their own body shops and like any business like to make money. Before retailing a car, if it is of value, it is made frontline ready. Dealers do PDR (paintless dent removal), bodywork if necessary, wheel repair, tires, clean, detail and then sell. If the car isn’t up to their standards they wholesale either privately or by auction to small less scrupulous dealers to retail out at cheaper pricing.
I agree, but for whatever reason that did not work for Tesla.
 
I agree, but for whatever reason that did not work for Tesla.
Used cars and service are the two large profit generators for a franchise car dealer. Tesla is completely different, they are not a dealer but a direct sale manufacturer. They don’t have their own body shops. They had been subbing out refurbishing out to a wholesale auction company. Photos are actually taken by Manheim Auctions, not sure if all but but I was told by a Tesla employee that most locations send cars out to auction sites for cleaning and photos. I actually saw Tesla cars at one site for photos. I was told that Tesla is too busy prepping Model 3’s for delivery to work on CPO’s. Used car pricing isn’t done at the actual sale locations but at Tesla headquarters. They have cars for sale that the people setting prices have never seen, let alone the actual buyers. Prices are not negotiable based on vehicle condition that can be verified first hand by the employee actually at the location. The system makes very little sense.
 
Used cars and service are the two large profit generators for a franchise car dealer. Tesla is completely different, they are not a dealer but a direct sale manufacturer. They don’t have their own body shops. They had been subbing out refurbishing out to a wholesale auction company. Photos are actually taken by Manheim Auctions, not sure if all but but I was told by a Tesla employee that most locations send cars out to auction sites for cleaning and photos. I actually saw Tesla cars at one site for photos. I was told that Tesla is too busy prepping Model 3’s for delivery to work on CPO’s. Used car pricing isn’t done at the actual sale locations but at Tesla headquarters. They have cars for sale that the people setting prices have never seen, let alone the actual buyers. Prices are not negotiable based on vehicle condition that can be verified first hand by the employee actually at the location. The system makes very little sense.

That was insightful, thanks. Wow, that really makes no sense!
 
They should high a high tech company to build them a website, if they already have photos it’s nothing to provide a link! They should be embarrassed they can’t handle that now.

What's funny, is photos (appear) to exist for all these cars already. When I was in touch with a used car rep they were able to quickly send me links (all on Dropbox..wtf?) Hell, a simple link to the photos would be leaps and bounds better than what currently exists.
 
They haven't added an new X's in a long time. Not sure why Tesla is hoarding new X's

So they can sell new Xs?

Historically they have used the CPO inventory to drive new car sales by holding back inventory and over pricing the inventory. It was just about 6 months ago when they were pricing P85Ds around $90K! Now they decided they actually want to sell them an dyou can buy one for the $55K-65K range.

Holding back inventory only works for so long as that inventory they are sitting on depreciates every day. One day we will see a flood of Xs.