Let the test drives begin

[RyanG]

My sense of it is that they like you to schedule it.

That's correct. They took down my info and preferred days and said to expect a call or email. Still waiting...but I put in the request for a weekend drive just last weekend...patience is hard...

I was told it's about a ten minute loop down Alpine and onto 280, which hits me as taking more than ten minutes. They also told me on one test drive per appointment since this one was was for my girlfriend but I also wanted to drive on 280. No concurrent appointments...I wonder if the Menlo Park and Santana Row stores sync up on this stuff...

 

[SCW-Greg]

On an almost related note, we test drove black #114 at Menlo Park today. They also had a white one there for test drives, but didn't catch the VIN.

I overheard one the employees on the phone with someone saying that test drives were only for reservation holders for (I think) another week or so, before they would let non-reservation holder test drive. Don't hold me to it though. </nosyeavesdropping>

That black one was the one I drove here at Portland. It's configured color-wise almost identically to how I'll want mine. Can anyone stop by and tell me how the black paint is holding up after the Get Amped circuit? Any swirling, scratches etc.?

 

[jerry33]

That exact color is at the top of my short list (the other is silver)... Difficult to decide when all I have seen are the color samples.

Those are the two on my list as well. I've seen the silver and it looks better in person than in the pictures (e.g. really great) but I want to see the grey before deciding.

 

[Trnsl8r]

That black one was the one I drove here at Portland. It's configured color-wise almost identically to how I'll want mine. Can anyone stop by and tell me how the black paint is holding up after the Get Amped circuit? Any swirling, scratches etc.?

Not like I examined it closely or anything, but nothing jumped out at me. Looked very nice, interior too actually (tan leather).

- - - Updated - - -

That's correct. They took down my info and preferred days and said to expect a call or email. Still waiting...but I put in the request for a weekend drive just last weekend...patience is hard...

I was told it's about a ten minute loop down Alpine and onto 280, which hits me as taking more than ten minutes. They also told me on one test drive per appointment since this one was was for my girlfriend but I also wanted to drive on 280. No concurrent appointments...I wonder if the Menlo Park and Santana Row stores sync up on this stuff...

Maybe I was lucky, I got yesterday's appointment with less than a week's notice.

Maybe they do different things for different customers or on request, but we never got on the highway. We drove around the Menlo Park area for 15 minutes or so. Have video of about half of it (iPhone ran out space). Nothing really new, but if you're a die-hard for test drive videos, here it is.

 

[RyanG]

Maybe I was lucky, I got yesterday's appointment with less than a week's notice.

Thanks for letting me know. The rep just had me jot my info down on a pad of paper under someone else's. I'll give them a call to me sure I'm in the queue.

He did tell us 280 was on route, but I don't think he was doing any of the test drives himself. I'll ask if we can do it, but I have a feeling they'll want us to stick to that same route you did.

 

[ddenboer]

I phone today about a test drive at the Santana Row store, and got in two hours later (lucky for my that my work day today was flexible).
I drove the Red Sig Perf there, and it was amazing. In Fremont, I drove a non performance car, and the difference is pretty big. Glad I ordered performance.

 

[MikeK]

That black one was the one I drove here at Portland. It's configured color-wise almost identically to how I'll want mine. Can anyone stop by and tell me how the black paint is holding up after the Get Amped circuit? Any swirling, scratches etc.?

I stopped by this morning (so I missed your message). The black looked fine, but I wasn't scrutinizing it closely. It was not meticulously clean -- it had some little specs on it and such, but it still looked dead sexy sitting there in the showroom. ;-)

Speaking of color, I also saw a stunning dark blue metallic Mercedes coupe today. I chatted with the owner, and he said that he gets it washed weekly. It was two years old and didn't have any signs of swirls and such. That's the owner of a dark blue car that I've spoken to in the last two days, and both said much the same thing.

So, it seems to be the case that one really can find a wash place that won't wreck a dark car. Which is good because they both said that they washed them often to keep them looking good.

 

[Spurkey]

I phone today about a test drive at the Santana Row store, and got in two hours later (lucky for my that my work day today was flexible).

How long did you get to spend with the car? I'd like a longer test drive before I commit to a purchase.

 

[gg_got_a_tesla]

Nothing really new, but if you're a die-hard for test drive videos, here it is.

Checked this out to see the course from Menlo Park. Thanks, Trnsl8r. Your son had so many things to say but, got shushed in Swedish

 

[Trnsl8r]

Checked this out to see the course from Menlo Park. Thanks, Trnsl8r. Your son had so many things to say but, got shushed in Swedish

"shushed"? Never... I just responded politely... Honest.

 

[ddenboer]

How long did you get to spend with the car? I'd like a longer test drive before I commit to a purchase.

I was in the car for about 10 minutes before driving, playing with the screen and trying to get various iPods and iPhones to vend music (the iPod classic did not work, but iPhone's worked well over bluetooth). After that, we drove for 15-20 minutes, and then I was done. It was much more relaxed than the Fremont event, and I was able to test out far more functions than before. I have locked in already, but I think one more go with the car will have me happy before delivery. I want to spend more time looking over the interior next time.

 

[gg_got_a_tesla]

Drove (Z-ET's!) Perf Grey at Santana Row today (booked a 3 pm slot just a couple of days ago by contacting Alex, the store manager, by email. Thanks, Alex!).

As expected, it was fantastic! My parents were in the back and were blown away! Blasting past a stinkin' Merc E-class on the onramp from Winchester onto I-280 was blissful!

Some observations:

- I drove the non-perf car (85 kWh, of course) back in June in Fremont. The difference in performance (on onramps and such) was somewhat noticeable but, I wouldn't call it night and day by any means. I couldn't tell a difference at highway speeds nor in short acceleration bursts on city streets. Anyone getting the 85 non-perf would not be missing much, in my subjective opinion.

- Larry Chanin and maybe others felt a difference in ride comfort between a perf and a non-perf. I definitely couldn't. The non-perf that I drove in Fremont was on 21" wheels as well. If anything, the road conditions near Santana Row and on I-280 were better than the private and public roads near the Fremont factory. The Air Suspension was fabulous as expected; my elderly parents can vouch for that!

- The driver's door's locking mechanism is showing signs of fatigue from all the abuse thus far. It didn't fully engage - the display in front of the driver was showing that it was still unlocked - despite a few attempts. It took a pretty brutal yank to get it to close and for us to get underway.

- I found the view through the rear quite good actually - not much of a distorted view; I didn't pay much attention to it back in Fremont and there was a passenger in the middle seat as well on that occasion.

It lasted all of 20 minutes, but, it left me smiling and satiated till I get my car in November

If you have a reservation, are local to the Bay Area and are going to be able to find some time away from work on a week day, do try to book a test drive slot at Santana Row or Menlo Park. I'd guarantee that you'll forget all the handwringing and angst over the slow delivery ramp-up

 

[chmod a+wrx]

- The driver's door's locking mechanism is showing signs of fatigue from all the abuse thus far. It didn't fully engage - the display in front of the driver was showing that it was still unlocked - despite a few attempts. It took a pretty brutal yank to get it to close and for us to get underway.

How can this be good? ? ? ?

What constitutes abuse? ? ? ? ? ?

Sounds like what an individual might experience after many months of opening and closing? ! ? !

 

[jerry33]

How can this be good? ? ? ?

What constitutes abuse? ? ? ? ? ?

Sounds like what an individual might experience after many months of opening and closing? ! ? !

I'd say many years. The reason is that almost everyone who first gets into a Model S pulls the handle too hard because it works "funny". In your own car you would do this a couple of times before learning the proper way.

 

[Todd Burch]

More likely due to poor build quality of one of the first cars than from "overuse". I wouldn't read too much into it.

 

[gg_got_a_tesla]

Yeah, it wasn't the retracting handles at all. It was after I sat inside and was trying to get the door to close and latch properly. Most definitely a minor problem with an early production car destined for test drives alone.

 

[LakeForest]

Called oakbrook store this morning. They are booked to get a car on September 5th

 

[kcveins]

Called oakbrook store this morning. They are booked to get a car on September 5th

Are they ready to take reservations for longer drives yet?

 

[LakeForest]

Are they ready to take reservations for longer drives yet?

Said they would email res. holders when they get the car in so that you could make an appointment but they did not tell me how long the drives would be

 

[johnnyS]

Newport Beach has a blue performance they are using for test drives the last two days. We went to the store to finalize our options. I test drove a performance at the Hawthorne Amped event and would like to try a non performance before ordering.