I'm confused about this inventory car

[jyim89]

So a little bit of a background, I live in the Seattle area and early August I placed an order online for a M3 MSM SR+. At the time was happy with my decision and excited for the car. Fast forward to today, after watching some youtube videos online, I decided I really wanted the LR AWD version of the car instead. I looked on the tesla new inventory page and saw they had recently added new 2020 MSM LR AWD to the page. So I called my SA and asked him if it was possible to switch my SR+ order to the LR one in the inventory. He looked up the information on the car and apparently the car itself has a VIN but he also told me that his was more like a placeholder. The car still needs to be built and most likely if I order now, it'd be delivered in the next quarter (similar to cancelling my current order then reordering a new trim).

My question is why would a car shows up in the inventory with a VIN is only being built now and I may have to take delivery in the next quarter? I was hoping to swap out my current problematic car by this month. Should I go ahead and take the risk and swap with the car with the VIN? Anyone have more insight into these inventory cars?

 

[OCR1]

Once Tesla commits to building a car that is not assigned to an existing order they post the vehicle as being in inventory at the location it is destined to be shipped to. Most often someone buys it before the car actually gets delivered to the delivery center.

I can’t comment on whether your sales advisor is giving you accurate advice but I would be suspicious. Generally Tesla builds cars exclusively for North America in the final month of each quarter so it is likely they posted this vehicle because they intend to deliver and sell it this quarter. But it’s never a guarantee until the car shows up and gets assigned to your order number, so there is some risk in trying to swap your order right now.

But unless you absolutely can’t wait, I would switch your order to the LR AWD. You don’t want to buy the wrong trim level and regret your purchase. Having the extra range is valuable.

 

[ftmaybe]

I recall this being a thing when my wife ordered her car last year. "In inventory" cars not actually "In inventory" ..

 

[jyim89]

Once Tesla commits to building a car that is not assigned to an existing order they post the vehicle as being in inventory at the location it is destined to be shipped to. Most often someone buys it before the car actually gets delivered to the delivery center.

I can’t comment on whether your sales advisor is giving you accurate advice but I would be suspicious. Generally Tesla builds cars exclusively for North America in the final month of each quarter so it is likely they posted this vehicle because they intend to deliver and sell it this quarter. But it’s never a guarantee until the car shows up and gets assigned to your order number, so there is some risk in trying to swap your order right now.

But unless you absolutely can’t wait, I would switch your order to the LR AWD. You don’t want to buy the wrong trim level and regret your purchase. Having the extra range is valuable.

So sounds to me typically such cars in "inventory" are still planned to be sold in the same quarter. If the slip is only by about a couple of weeks I don't mind but hopefully the slip isn't until End of next quarter in December...

 

[Watts_Up]

So I called my SA and asked him if it was possible to switch my SR+ order to the LR one in the inventory.
He looked up the information on the car and apparently the car itself has a VIN but he also told me that his was more like a placeholder.
The car still needs to be built and most likely if I order now, it'd be delivered in the next quarter
(similar to cancelling my current order then reordering a new trim).

I would not trust any car sales person, especially on the phone. Honestly if the car has a VIN, the car is already built !!!

I would try to localize the car and see it first, may be stop at the Service Center if the car is there.

Otherwise I would order a new one, as if there is any problem I don't know if you can return it.

You can have an idea of this type of user experience: (Just to save $2,800 on a Performance Model 3)

Would you return this 2020 3 Performance?
​

Note: And yes, take a LR AWD, in winter you will appreciate the extra range, and will not hesitate to take it for a long weekend trip.

​

 

[jyim89]

I took a chance and swapped with the "inventory" car with the VIN.

 

[jyim89]

They did this same thing to me,

first of all - absolutely have your SA switch you to LR AWD, i do not regret my decision at all, its unbelievable.
those cars are a ploy to get people to rush into buying them but none of them will be manufactured until the very end of the month - you're more likely to get a completely different LRAWD if you have your SA switch your existing orders config rather than buying one of the "inventory" vehicles - my SA explained it to me this way, convinced me to switch and within a few days I was taking delivery of my LR.

Thanks for the insight Alura. Seems like we have similar tastes .
I already asked the SA to change to the "inventory" car with a VIN because I wanted to bet on the car with a VIN already assigned rather than a random new LRAWD.

 

[Gasaraki]

I would not trust any car sales person, especially on the phone. Honestly if the car has a VIN, the car is already built !!!

I would try to localize the car and see it first, may be stop at the Service Center if the car is there.

Otherwise I would order a new one, as if there is any problem I don't know if you can return it.

You can have an idea of this type of user experience: (Just to save $2,800 on a Performance Model 3)

Would you return this 2020 3 Performance?
​

Note: And yes, take a LR AWD, in winter you will appreciate the extra range, and will not hesitate to take it for a long weekend trip.

​

Agreed. Sometimes the sales advisors are clueless. I had to tell them how to do their jobs. It's like this with all sales people at dealers also. I know more about the car they are trying to sell.

 

[Raro]

i got my car from "inventory" took them 3-5 days to move it from San Diego to LA so in my case I believe the car was actually built and on location by the time i hit "buy".

I dont think they would list the location if it wasn't built and delivered or at least on its way to the destination displayed.

 

[Mattopotamus]

You will get an inventory car faster. It has a VIN and is "in route".

 

[ThomasD]

It could also be in transit to that location. Dealers do this all the time with new cars. You will see a generic add with no picture but the add says the vehicle is in transit

 

[jyim89]

Took a chance on it and matched with it. Then was told it's already on its way and I now have a VIN number

 

[Mattopotamus]

Took a chance on it and matched with it. Then was told it's already on its way and I now have a VIN number

I did the same last quarter and got my car in 3 days from order to delivery.