I never should have entered my first Tesla Thread...

[bareyb]

On another forum I frequent, some posters started talking about this new Electric Car... I can't believe what happened next... Witness my journey from having no intention of buying a new car to not being able to drop a deposit fast enough...

I saw five of them today. Two at one stop light. They are getting to be the new thing around here. I LOVE how they look. Very sleek. I'd be a good candidate for one myself since I drive so little and short distances, but my mental limit for a car is about $60k... This raises that limit considerably. I just don't think I could justify it. But man... I really like those.

Ha! I have to admit, it's the first set of wheels I've seen in a long time that I really had a lust for. They have a showroom a few miles from here at Santana Row. It just so happens we are spending the night at The Valencia Hotel on Santana Row this Sunday night (daughter's birthday). I'm definitely going to pop in and sit in one. Maybe get a brochure...

We're here and I got a nice look at the Tesla and spoke at length with one of the sales people. They said I could schedule a test drive next week. Suffice to say, it's even more impressive in person. This is one well thought out vehicle and the interior is unlike anything I've seen. The UMF is strong with this one.

I'm somewhat inspired by their business plan and the quality of their designs. If the reviews are any indication, sales could very well go right through the roof. Especially with the new Model X Crossover that is coming out soon. That's a very popular segment and they already have 6000 reservations and the final plan hasn't even been announced yet! As a company they have the look of a real winner to me. If I were still buying stock I'd probably buy some.

I know.. I can't believe it. My wife is completely on board and the kids? Forget about it... I think they like it just as much as I do. When my wife and I were dating we both had Sporty Cars and I think she misses that. I know I do. We both really like the idea of helping to promote and support electric cars too. If it weren't for the reliability question I'd probably have already dropped a deposit. I'm gonna spend a little time over on the forums cwerdna linked to and see how my gut feels. I really can't afford to be stranded and we don't have a spare vehicle.


I just talked to Shady about the electrical. It's not as expensive as I thought. He lives in my area and it cost him about $600.00. Apparently you can call the company Tesla uses and they'll give you a quote right over the phone. My panels are in the Garage already, so I expect mine will probably cost about the same, depending on where I want them to install the plug.

I think I'm gonna take a ride down to the Menlo Park location and get another look. If I do get bitten by the bug, does anyone know if they are willing to negotiate on the price or is it pretty much set?

Well, I took the test drive... My Blue with Tan interior will be ready for pick-up in late October. :biggrin:

 

[Cheerose]

One of us... One of us...

 

[Discoducky]

Here's you and here's the Kool Aid and you've drank my friend! Nearly the exact car I have too! Cheers!

 

[efusco]

I cried a little at the end....

Great Post

 

[Eberhard]

nice choice, but i would give up any extra for the 85kWh batterie (which includes access to SC too), because you will start to drive more and more.

 

[Argelius]

Welcome to the club. I went from "no way"... to "let's just go take a look for fun"... to deposit. In less than a week...

 

[lolachampcar]

They really should limit access to Model S to those with a more developed sense of self control. I'm not speaking about the OP but about myself. I followed a similar path from "I really do not need this but I'll go look" to "I just gotta have this thing".

You just have to love Tesla for producing a product like MS.

Congrats and the warmest welcome to the club. Please post your collection experience (pics would be nice as well )

 

[JakeP]

Ahh, the walk down memory lane. The story only gets better after delivery, bareyb.

Though this progression does make me question why they eliminated the 40kWh battery price point (not why they eliminated the battery itself, just the $50K entry point). I think a vast number of people would see the 50K price (or 52.5, or 60, depending on which number you consider), and say "that's not so bad, let me look into this"...and we all know where that leads (see OP above). But at an entry point of 70K (or 62.5 or 60) may cut off the influx of people who otherwise wouldn't even consider a Model S. And this is regardless of whether or not you can afford 50K, 70K or 100K for a car...I am just talking about the psychology of the initial sticker shock, and whether you pursue the initial idea. I would think keeping the 40kWh price around would have only generated more sales in the long run, and probably more 10K upgrades to full 60kWh power. Why get rid of it, if it didn't cost anything but the software limiter feature support?

 

[spaghetti]

Congrat @bareyb! You will love the car and will find all sorts of excuses to make short and long trips here and there :smile:

 

[Lump]

Congrats!

I would add the parking sensors for only $500.

 

[rolosrevenge]

Super charging is a must, but the beauty is you can unlock it later as you feel the need

 

[bareyb]

Thanks for the welcome! I'm having a lot of fun with this. That two week grace period they give you is dangerous... I've already added about $5k worth of features...

My wife and I are going to go out and look at both colors again. And the performance seat option too.

 

[vfx]

...

My wife and I are going to go out and look at both colors again. ..

Maybe one of each?


Thanks for sharing!

 

[lolachampcar]

bareyb,
My + has the "performance" seats while my wife's has the all leather standard leather seats. I think I prefer the all leather seats as I am not sure how that alcantara is going to last on a wear surface and I really do not think the inserts really add anything.

 

[Kipernicus]

Super charging is a must, but the beauty is you can unlock it later as you feel the need

Yes, being in the bay area, supercharging is a must and allows you to put all that storage space to use and take road trips to Tahoe and LA. I've done it in my 60.
But now that the price difference to 85kWh is only $8k ($7 if you count the value of the tires), then you might as well get the big battery. :smile:

 

[irishstoutaz]

Congrats and welcome to the club!!! Had a similar type of experience where I had lurked on the forums for a while and then decided to print out some configurations. The 'boss' said no way when I put a put them out on the dinner table but then convinced her to go look at one in person at the store. She liked the looks and that it was much larger than she expected so had more interest and even did some of her own configurations. The clincher was the test drive I scheduled for her when she was in Denver and was surprised to get a call from her after the drive where she wanted to put the deposit down right there at the store. The rest is history/future (Model X res)!

 

[stevezzzz]

Give the OP a break! He'll end up with a fully loaded P85+, if you guys have anything to say about it. :biggrin:

 

[bareyb]

Give the OP a break! He'll end up with a fully loaded P85+, if you guys have anything to say about it. :biggrin:

My wife is being the "bad influence" today. We just got back from the dealer and she "really thinks it would be a mistake not to get the 85". So I guess I have to upgrade to the 85. You know. to keep the little lady happy.

 

[JPP]

...ask lolachampcar about self control...he's got 2 Ses now (and has owned 3)...might be a record...

 

[bareyb]

...ask lolachampcar about self control...he's got 2 Ses now (and has owned 3)...might be a record...

Hell the way it's going, I'm gonna end up with a loaded one. Which raises the question... Can you transform a standard S85 to a "P" 85 after the fact or do you have to order it that way from the factory?