Interesting new options on Tesla dashboard: Parking Sensors and Lighting Package

[Alpha]

I asked my local service rep and he couldn't say. This is one of my top wants! Always nervous about scraping the rear and front when parking... rear is not as bad cause of the camera. I hope they allow that to be retrofitted and don't charge an arm and a leg for that... I suspect it will cost a LOT more as a retrofit. Adding twin chargers sure does...

 

[Mayhemm]

Warning: Price Increase Ahead! Use Caution!

In addition to the availability of new options, once again there have been some (substantial) price increases to old options. Prices are in CDN.

Option	Old Price	New Price
Sound Studio	$1000	$2800
Carbon Fiber Spoiler	Included on P85	$1600
Air Suspension	Included on P85	$2500 + Tech Package
Fog Lamps	Included(?)	$550 + Tech Package
Alcantera Headliner	Included on P85	$1600
Extended Nappa Leather Trim	N/A	$2800
Premium Interior Lighting	N/A	$1100
Rear-Facing Seats	?	$2800
Panoramic Sunroof	$1600	$2800
Carbon Fiber Trim	Included on P85	$900

I'm going to have to seriously reevaluate my reservation plans now since the price of my car just went up $7800 compared to yesterday!

UPDATE: To counter these increases, Tesla has also lowered the price of the Tech Package by $100. Thanks, Tesla, I feel so much better now.

 

[earlyretirement]

I saw the option to upgrade to the Park Distance Control and immediately emailed my DES. I got some conflicting emails from him about it. Then I got a phone call from a sales specialist. A bunch of us have complained about it on the main Tesla Board but in case you haven't seen it, here is an email I just sent to George.

I still can't understand their rationale for not allowing those of us who already ordered the technology package, whose cars have NO even started production to upgrade to this without paying $7,000 more.


FYI. My Delivery Specialist just emailed me to "apologize for conflicting information in previous emails".
I forwarded that email along with this email to George. I hope he responds.
___________________________________
George,

I want to preface this email by telling you what a wonderful job you are doing. From all accounts, you are an ethical, reasonable and fair guy. It's clear you're an extremely hard worker and I really admire how accessible you have been with your valuable customers. I'm a big fan of your company, Mr. Musk (and I have friends/clients that went to University with him in Canada and personally know him) and your amazing cars.


I'm sure you have received several complaints about this Park Distance Control upgrade issue. I am attaching my email correspondence with my Senior Delivery Experience Specialist. My VIN# is 17334 due to be delivered on August 24. As you can see from my order, I already ordered the Technology Package and I find tremendous benefit to upgrading and ordering that package.
When I noticed that you are offering the Park Distance Control option for $500, I immediately emailed my SDES and you can see our email chain below. While I can appreciate that this is new and there may have been some communication issues with the staff and members of your team, I simply can't wrap my head around the thought process as it pertains to valuable customers who have already placed orders and already upgraded to the Technology Package whose vehicles have NOT entered into production yet.


I had a member of your Configurations/Inside Sales team call me today to inform me that although I have upgraded and ordered the Technology package, and my car has NOT yet entered into production, that there is no way for me to upgrade to add the Park Distance Control for the added $500 fee. She said that I would need to "reconfigure my order" to pay the increased prices that you came out with yesterday.


George, I could understand if this was a matter of me not originally ordering the Technology package and now trying to take advantage of adding it now after the fact. Or if my car had already entered production, (which my Delivery Experience Specialist has confirmed has NOT happened yet). But this is not the case. I can't understand the thought process of not allowing me to upgrade to simply add on the Park Distance Control since my car has NOT yet entered production.


I have already signed the Tesla purchase agreement, and I am fully committed to purchasing the vehicle and have the funds to purchase it. I don't find my request unreasonable to simply upgrade to add on the Park Distance Control. I realize that later you might have an option to add on a retrofit option to add on the Park Distance Control but it will be much more expensive and also it doesn't make sense because my car hasn't yet entered production yet. It would be a win/win situation and make sense for Tesla to add this to my package now before production begins. Maybe there could be a compromise and you could make it available for some extra fee vs. the $500 but I'd appreciate some feedback from you on what the possibilities are short of paying $6,000+ more simply to add on PDC.


I consider myself a very objective and fair person. And from everything I have seen and read about you, I am confident I can say the same about you. If there is some compromise that makes sense for people that are in my situation it would be greatly appreciated and we would continue to have a great feeling about a great company that values their customers more than the almighty dollar.


I'm quite confident there aren't too many people that are in my unique situation. However, I do know they exist out there and from all accounts, we all feel the same exact way about this issue.
The worst thing to me is I was someone that truly believed in your business model vs. the traditional dealership model. I have been singing your praises why Tesla's business model was better vs. the traditional business model. I have even signed various petitions to assist Tesla's cause in Washington DC as well. But the way that I am being treated in this unique situation doesn't leave a good feeling with me.


Your Configurations specialist that called me today even was trying to talk me out of upgrades that I already made and ordered telling me things like, "most Tesla owners wouldn't need these things so it might be a good idea to reconfigure your car to remove these unnecessary items". Quite honestly George, this felt like extreme up-selling to me of a great car that I already configured to get me to pay thousands of dollars to simply add the Park Distance Control. It was a far worse feeling vs. any slimy experience I've had over the past several decades buying cars in a dealership. That perhaps is the saddest thing about this experience.


I hope you can come up with some compromise and I'd appreciate the simple courtesy of an email back about this issue. Time is of the essence due to the fact that my car hasn't yet entered production and I really believe this matter needs some resolution. I want to thank you in advance for your time and attention to this matter.

 

[bonnie]

I don't see the reason for the angst. You don't want to pay the increased prices, but you want some of the options made available with the increased prices. Why are you talking about this being a slimy experience? No one is trying to charge you more than you agreed to pay. No one is trying to up-sell you.

No offense, but I don't get it.

 

[Alpha]

It really sounds like Tesla management has been brainstorming and that they've come up with a faster potential route to 25% profit margin. It is quite an aggressive strategy. I hope it doesn't backfire!

 

[earlyretirement]

I don't see the reason for the angst. You don't want to pay the increased prices, but you want some of the options made available with the increased prices. Why are you talking about this being a slimy experience? No one is trying to charge you more than you agreed to pay. No one is trying to up-sell you.

No offense, but I don't get it.

That's fine if you don't "get it". The reason for the angst is because there doesn't seem to be any good rationale for not being able to upgrade to PDC for a car that I already ordered the technology package and that has NOT yet begun production. I'm not even saying that I mind paying more for PDC beyond the $500. But to ask me to pay $7,000+ plus just to add PDC to a car that hasn't yet started production, which they have the ability to add the PDC seems silly to me and doesn't make sense.

Fortunately several people agree with my scenario.

 

[bonnie]

That's fine if you don't "get it". The reason for the angst is because there doesn't seem to be any good rationale for not being able to upgrade to PDC for a car that I already ordered the technology package and that has NOT yet begun production. I'm not even saying that I mind paying more for PDC beyond the $500. But to ask me to pay $7,000+ plus just to add PDC to a car that hasn't yet started production, which they have the ability to add the PDC seems silly to me and doesn't make sense.

Fortunately several people agree with my scenario.

It's not a contest of who gets it or who agrees. My point is that you're getting exactly the car they promised to sell you for the price they promised to sell it to you. Car companies (and other manufacturers) come out with new versions and options all the time. I can see asking for the additional stuff you want. I don't get the whole accusatory tone using words like 'slimy' and 'up sell'.

 

[Jonathan Hewitt]

I agree with Bonnie. Getting the extra sensors without enduring the other price increases would be getting your cake and eating it too as the paperwork has already been signed (a contract is a contract).

However, if Tesla wants to do that then kudos to them for going above and beyond to cater to the customer and it doesn't hurt to ask! I say this as someone with a car that has finished production but has not been delivered to me yet. If I only placed my order a week or two later I could've gotten the fog lights, parking sensors, and sweet aero wheels...but I'm glad I avoided all the price increases sooo I'm going to just be happy with what I got.

I think the best middle ground for people in your situation that would be a win for you and for Tesla would be to charge a "retrofit" fee even though it wouldn't be a retrofit as your car isn't built yet. It would be more than the $500 but less than the $6-7,000 in other costs that you speak of.

 

[earlyretirement]

It's not a contest of who gets it or who agrees. My point is that you're getting exactly the car they promised to sell you for the price they promised to sell it to you. Car companies (and other manufacturers) come out with new versions and options all the time. I can see asking for the additional stuff you want. I don't get the whole accusatory tone using words like 'slimy' and 'up sell'.

Oh, I know it's not a contest. We can agree to disagree. I think it's perfectly fine for members to disagree with one another on a wide range of topics. You find it's reasonable for them to do what they are doing and I don't. Fair enough.

I agree with Bonnie. Getting the extra sensors without enduring the other price increases would be getting your cake and eating it too as the paperwork has already been signed (a contract is a contract).

However, if Tesla wants to do that then kudos to them for going above and beyond to cater to the customer and it doesn't hurt to ask! I say this as someone with a car that has finished production but has not been delivered to me yet. If I only placed my order a week or two later I could've gotten the fog lights, parking sensors, and sweet aero wheels...but I'm glad I avoided all the price increases sooo I'm going to just be happy with what I got.

I think the best middle ground for people in your situation that would be a win for you and for Tesla would be to charge a "retrofit" fee even though it wouldn't be a retrofit as your car isn't built yet. It would be more than the $500 but less than the $6-7,000 in other costs that you speak of.

Jonathan,

EXACTLY. I am not against a "retrofit" fee for it. Again, you have to look at it from the perspective that my car hasn't even started being produced. This would be completely different if my car already entered production like yours. But that isn't the case.

I absolutely still want the car but that is besides the point. If their configuration sales agent confirms that it's possible to change as long as I pay the new prices just to add on the PDC, then it certainly means it's possible. The problem I have is that they are asking people to pay $7,000+ for something that they can easily add on now before it enters production. When they start trying to tell you to drop other things so you can afford just the PDC yes to me that becomes a bit slimy.

I do agree that a "retrofit" fee would be appropriate but them asking people to pay that much just to add something that they have the capability, technology and ability to do doesn't make sense to me.

Also, I think it's important to mention this isn't like we want some better sounding audio package, more luxurious leather seats or cool fog lights. We're talking about a safety component here. We're not asking about this because it's cool or more luxurious, etc. We are asking this because many of us believe it's an important safety feature.

But again, I think it's fine that we agree to disagree. I'm not sure if it's ok to post URL links to the main board but here is the original URL link to the main board.

Letter to George Blankenship | Forums | Tesla Motors

Moderators, if it's not ok to post links, please edit out my post to delete the URL link.

 

[Jonathan Hewitt]

I'm glad we agree what the most "fair to both sides" scenario is!

As far as whether their current stance is fair or not, maybe I'm too used to getting the short stick on things. Don't get me started on Honda...Anyway, I ordered my Model S two days before the air suspension went up $750. I was still in my 2 week window so I hadn't finalized yet but I got the pre-hike pricing! I was so happy as I hadn't signed anything yet, all I had done was give them a refundable deposit. I felt like I had really won!

It's just weird for people in your scenario. It's kind of like the people who ordered the 40s before they axed it. They came up with a creative solution for those people that I think was the most fair thing to do, hopefully they can do something creative for you, too.

 

[bonnie]

Moderators, if it's not ok to post links, please edit out my post to delete the URL link.

Isn't that the exact same letter you posted in this thread?

 

[earlyretirement]

I'm glad we agree what the most "fair to both sides" scenario is!

As far as whether their current stance is fair or not, maybe I'm too used to getting the short stick on things. Don't get me started on Honda...Anyway, I ordered my Model S two days before the air suspension went up $750. I was still in my 2 week window so I hadn't finalized yet but I got the pre-hike pricing! I was so happy as I hadn't signed anything yet, all I had done was give them a refundable deposit. I felt like I had really won!

It's just weird for people in your scenario. It's kind of like the people who ordered the 40s before they axed it. They came up with a creative solution for those people that I think was the most fair thing to do, hopefully they can do something creative for you, too.

Thanks for your thoughts Jonathan. I always believe that intelligent and respectful discussion is great for these boards.

And as you noted, there have been several cases where Tesla agreed that something might not be fair and changed their policy in some way. I think that is great and hopefully there is some resolution like that.

Isn't that the exact same letter you posted in this thread?

My email to him is in there but the original thread was started by someone else who is in the exact same situation. As well as comments from several other people in the same situation as well as some people that disagree.

I know this is a VERY basic way of looking at this but I look at it this way to really dumb it down. You are going to cater an event and you order a bunch of expensive pizzas. And when you originally order it, they don't stock fennel sausage. Then several weeks before the catered event, you see online that this restaurant now offers fennel sausage for an extra fee. So you call up the restaurant and tell them that you see it's now available and you'd like to add on the sausage and more than willing to pay the same price advertised on their website for the sausage.

But then they tell you that although they haven't even started making the pizzas, they are selling pizzas with sausage for a fee, they will only allow you to order it if you cancel the entire order and reorder adding in the sausage costing much more than just adding on the advertised sausage. Sure, they might have raised the price of pizzas the day before but adding in just the "sausage" won't cost them anymore and I'm still willing to pay for it. That's all I'm saying.

I realize this is a REALLY dumbed down version of it but in many ways it's very similar. It would be different if they already started making the pizzas but that is far from the case.

 

[bonnie]

My issue was the tone of the email. I never said you didn't have a right to ask (and, in fact, said you did have that right a couple of times). It was the tone. Words like 'slimy' and 'up-sell' seemed a bit much & quite frankly, if I received a letter like that, implying I wasn't a good person if I didn't do what was asked, it would cause me to NOT want to respond.

It's a can of worms for Tesla. I hope they find something that makes everyone happy. But if they give you what you want, do you see what will probably happen next? Sure everyone wants Tesla to give them the options and get the best of both worlds. Who wouldn't? It just seemed unfair to make Tesla out to be the bad guy (specifically George) if you didn't get what you wanted.

As far as analogies and such - consider the fact that most businesses spend a great deal of time working out pricing packages/options/most likely to order scenarios. (Disney is a master at this, btw.) Maybe that fennel sausage was discounted because they made up the margin in other ways. Some deals can't be broken apart. Some can. I dunno on yours. But again, from my first post and on ... it was the tone of the request, not the request itself.

 

[earlyretirement]

My issue was the tone of the email. I never said you didn't have a right to ask (and, in fact, said you did have that right a couple of times). It was the tone. Words like 'slimy' and 'up-sell' seemed a bit much & quite frankly, if I received a letter like that, implying I wasn't a good person if I didn't do what was asked, it would cause me to NOT want to respond.

It's a can of worms for Tesla. I hope they find something that makes everyone happy. But if they give you what you want, do you see what will probably happen next? Sure everyone wants Tesla to give them the options and get the best of both worlds. Who wouldn't? It just seemed unfair to make Tesla out to be the bad guy (specifically George) if you didn't get what you wanted.

As far as analogies and such - consider the fact that most businesses spend a great deal of time working out pricing packages/options/most likely to order scenarios. (Disney is a master at this, btw.) Maybe that fennel sausage was discounted because they made up the margin in other ways. Some deals can't be broken apart. Some can. I dunno on yours. But again, from my first post and on ... it was the tone of the request, not the request itself.

Hi Bonnie,

I thought my email to him was objective and the overall tone was fair. I was just being honest and it did feel slimy and an up-sell when the agent was actually trying to say that things like HPWC and some other things wasn't necessary and I could afford the PDC by eliminating things I already ordered. Yes, that felt slimy to me. I have to call them like I see them. I was in no, way, shape or form saying George was slimy or Tesla but that feeling on the phone with her while she was actually trying to say to eliminate those things so I could afford the difference of adding the $500 option on a car that hasn't even started being produced. (A fact that my DES confirmed).

I don't think it's a can of worms. I'm not saying that I think it would be fair for everyone to be able to have this option. But I think although many people are jumping onto that thread that already have their cars in production or recently got their car, this is far different. I think the biggest difference is for those whose cars haven't even entered production yet.

OK..I apologize if the tone was too strong but I certainly wasn't saying that George or Tesla was slimy. Just a horrible feeling. I really ask current owners to think about how they would honestly feel being in the same situation with cars that haven't yet entered production. Also, I think my biggest frustration was being given conflicting information from my DES. He did email me to apologize for any confusion. But I'm far from the only person that doesn't think this is fair.

 

[DRK]

In my particular case, my car left production a week ago and my appointment to pick it up is next week. So, I am very excited to finally own one of these fine automobiles. I ordered a P85+ with all the bells and whistles and now I see that PDC is an option. Would I have ordered this too, sure. Am I upset with Tesla in any way, NO! Here is my rational. PDC was never offered to me, nor did I pay for it. If my current car was sitting in the showroom without PDC, and there was one beside it with, but 12K higher I would not have ordered the newer one. I understand your frustrations that before a car is even built, can they not look the other way and throw on another option but that is getting your cake at eating it too. Automobile companies do this every single year, they just happen to call it a NEW model year. If you want a 2014 with more toy's, better options at a higher price then go for it. But if you want last weeks model, which is cheaper and may/maynot have the features you want...you have that option too.

I am thankful I pulled the trigger a month ago, and when I pull up behind another Model S with PDC I will know that guy paid way more than I did.

 

[Blizz]

I think there is a lot going on even before production of the car starts. It's not just "let's put it together". The whole thing has to be planned in advance.
So I totally understand that you can't change your options until right before stamping of the first parts.

 

[gregincal]

Hi Bonnie,

I thought my email to him was objective and the overall tone was fair. I was just being honest and it did feel slimy and an up-sell when the agent was actually trying to say that things like HPWC and some other things wasn't necessary and I could afford the PDC by eliminating things I already ordered. Yes, that felt slimy to me. I have to call them like I see them. I was in no, way, shape or form saying George was slimy or Tesla but that feeling on the phone with her while she was actually trying to say to eliminate those things so I could afford the difference of adding the $500 option on a car that hasn't even started being produced. (A fact that my DES confirmed).

I don't think it's a can of worms. I'm not saying that I think it would be fair for everyone to be able to have this option. But I think although many people are jumping onto that thread that already have their cars in production or recently got their car, this is far different. I think the biggest difference is for those whose cars haven't even entered production yet.

OK..I apologize if the tone was too strong but I certainly wasn't saying that George or Tesla was slimy. Just a horrible feeling. I really ask current owners to think about how they would honestly feel being in the same situation with cars that haven't yet entered production. Also, I think my biggest frustration was being given conflicting information from my DES. He did email me to apologize for any confusion. But I'm far from the only person that doesn't think this is fair.

The new pricing rebalances all sorts of things. You want to cherry pick one thing out of the new pricing, but it doesn't work that way. For instance, parking sensors requires tech, but the definition of the tech package is different than before. You are trying to make up a custom hybrid pricing scheme that doesn't exist, and in fact order a car with a combination of things that they probably aren't actually building. You need to have a car with the old specs and old pricing or the new specs and new pricing.

 

[smorgasbord]

I really ask current owners to think about how they would honestly feel being in the same situation with cars that haven't yet entered production.

You have two good options: Choose the old options at the old prices, or choose the new options at the new prices.

While it would be great for you to choose some old options at the old prices and add some new options at the new prices, that's not something to be expected.

 

[JPP]

Last time I checked, the USA is a free market economy (...well, mostly). There were no guarantees about future pricing, options, etc on the TM site. Yes, some folks likely have a decision to make about what is or is not important when building their Model S. I bought mine knowing that it did not have parking sensors (something I really wanted), and also was one of the folks who got trapped in the fog light conundrum (listed on the specs, part of my build list, but dropped in forward production without any $$ compensation). Now I will see how (and for how many $$) I can get parking sensors retrofit, and what might be done with the fog light issue. At the end of the day, people, we are talking about a car, a discretionary purchase (and not a trivial inexpensive one at that).


FWIW, I have a background in engineering and physics, and am the unofficial CIO/CTO of my practice. The question I get asked all the time is: 'What is the best______ that I should buy?", with the blank usually filled in with smartphone, computer and the like. My stock answer is: "Next year's model'. Whatever you buy today will be obsoleted in a month or 2, twice as fast and good in 6 months, at half the cost. Don't get mad, just freeze the technology and appreciate what you have and what it does.

 

[AmpedRealtor]

You have two good options: Choose the old options at the old prices, or choose the new options at the new prices...

I would just like to add that 90% of the "new options" are actually nothing more than the old options offered at higher prices. For instance, the Sr. Delivery Specialist who I was put in touch with by Jerome Guillen, VP of sales and support, as well as another knowledgeable DS told me clearly that the new sound package is identical to the old "studio" package but simply re-named and re-priced to better reflect its value. Same goes with the air suspension - new name, same product as before.