Model 3 Cold Shoulder (?): Day 1 Reservation, Signature S Owner

[@AviatorJordan]

Bare with me on this one; I am at a loss, and would like some suggestions on where to go from here.

On my way to the Sales & Service Center for my Model 3 delivery (mid Feb), I was called by my delivery rep to say that they couldn’t deliver the vehicle; the issue was apparently with a brake pedal irregularity, and some cabin aesthetic issues on the interior. Disappointment ensured, but I was in town for the next two weeks; my expectation was that they would find a way to deliver a vehicle in the window I had available. Picture attached was taken on my supposed delivery day, my S and the blue 3 was ‘mine’; I was allowed to sit in the 3.

<side note> I am an Experimental Test Pilot for the Air Force, so I travel a lot - the window I had was forced by work schedule, the car had apparently arrived two weeks prior to my delivery appointment </side note>

They were not able to get me a car in the 2 weeks window I had following the first failure, despite delivering to other customers WELL behind me in the reservation cue. At the end of the two week window, I had to leave again for a month; on my return, I got in touch with my sales rep, asking how we can proceed.

While I was away for the month, I expressed my disappointment at losing almost 2 months of ownership, and asked if they could do something to make up for the disappointment. My assigned representatives, who would average 3-7 days between responses to my questions, insisted that they were prioritizing my delivery. Despite agreeing that some form of compensation was due, they asked me for some suggestions on what could make up for their failure to deliver in the two weeks I was available; I provided some reasonable suggestions, but they seem to have lost focus on what I have been telling them - they offered to tint my windows despite me never expressing a desire for tinting.

Now, two weeks after my return from testing, I have been messaging, calling, and leaving messages for both my local deliver agent and the Inside Sales Advisor in Navada; no one is getting back to me.

As a loyal Tesla owner / fan, who has consistently promoted the company, it pains me to be having to share this bad experience; hopefully this community will help me take some next steps so I can take delivery of my vehicle...

Please forward suggestions!

Regards,

- MJ

 

[likeafox]

Sorry to hear about your experience. What were your "reasonable suggestions" if you don't mind me asking?

 

[@AviatorJordan]

My suggestions were (verbatim):

1. Comp the Enhanced Autopilot, or the Full Self Driving upgrades
2. Provide some exciting / exclusive Tesla store items (like the new rims perhaps).
3. A general credit to be used against the car / accessories.
4. Have the car detailed / wrapped while I am gone for the next month of deployed testing - having missed a two delivery week window I made myself available for.

They had suggested previously offered to pay for the first two annual services; to which I replied: Saving on a service that is over a year away does not do much to overcome the wave of disappointment surrounding this situation; hopefully we can come to an agreement on something with a bit more immediate gratification that I can get my friends / followers excited about.

 

[run-the-joules]

My suggestions were (verbatim):

1. Comp the Enhanced Autopilot, or the Full Self Driving upgrades
2. Provide some exciting / exclusive Tesla store items (like the new rims perhaps).
3. A general credit to be used against the car / accessories.
4. Have the car detailed / wrapped while I am gone for the next month of deployed testing - having missed a two delivery week window I made myself available for.

They had suggested previously offered to pay for the first two annual services; to which I replied: Saving on a service that is over a year away does not do much to overcome the wave of disappointment surrounding this situation; hopefully we can come to an agreement on something with a bit more immediate gratification that I can get my friends / followers excited about.

#1 and #2 are profoundly unreasonable IMO. Multiple thousands of dollars worth of value for something like this?

#3 I wouldn't see a problematic if it was something like $300 or maybe even $500.

#4 detailed? Sure. Wrapped? Get real.

There's a difference between being inconvenienced, which you were, and being a victim of a significant injury, which you were not.

 

[JohnSnowNW]

Yeah, I'm sorry your experience hasn't been smooth, but asking for expensive swag to make up for it is totally unreasonable, IMHO.

 

[@AviatorJordan]

As per my original question though: what would you do in my situation?

For consideration:

• A sales rep suggested I ask for the rims, or a wrap (since they work with a local business regularly); that drove the monetary bracket consideration.
• Model S owned since 2012
• Active promoter of Teslas as the best cars available
• Early adopter who has now lost out of obtaining an early VIN Model 3, despite being the first to complete a reservation at my location.

 

[Krugerrand]

As per my original question though: what would you do in my situation?

Drop it. You were unreasonable in your original requests. We have no idea then how unreasonable you’ve been in follow up correspondence and communications, but with them now dragging their feet to contact you...well, you do the math.

So, yeah. Drop it. Go get your car and enjoy it.

 

[TexasEV]

I agree you were unreasonable. Sounds like you’re trying to take advantage of the problem. Take the offer of a free service, start enjoying your car, and move on.

 

[run-the-joules]

As per my original question though: what would you do in my situation?

For consideration:

• A sales rep suggested I ask for the rims, or a wrap (since they work with a local business regularly); that drove the monetary bracket consideration.
• Model S owned since 2012
• Active promoter of Teslas as the best cars available
• Early adopter who has now lost out of obtaining an early VIN Model 3, despite being the first to complete a reservation at my location.

The sales rep, right or wrong to make a suggestion, is a sales rep because he's not fit to make those sort of decisions.

How many referrals has your active promotion of the brand turned into? THat's what matters to them.

The other two points are faff and mean little in the long run besides feelings.

What would I do in your situation? I'd ask for a set of all weather cargo and floor mats (when they become available). If they obliged, I'd get something I want that is commensurate in value with the inconvenience that was actually manifested by the problem. It would save me some money in the long run, wouldn't hit their revenue for much, and everyone can be happy with such a thing.

 

[@AviatorJordan]

We have no idea then how unreasonable you’ve been in follow up correspondence and communication

Valid... however, on the other side of the coin: those taking the time to read, or respond to, my thread also have no idea how patient / polite I have been in my follow up correspondence / communication. ‘Tis the internet though, so naturally we must assume the worst; fair enough.

For further consideration:

• Tesla agreed that some level of compensation was owed.
• They asked me for suggestions
• Tesla sales rep established the rims as a possible compensation.
• No one from Tesla has even provided feedback on my solicited suggestions.
• My only effort has been to get in touch with someone to arrange delivery since returning 2 weeks ago.
• Call to HQ on Monday resulted in a promise to have my Inside Sales Advisor get in touch with me right away to arrange delivery; there has been no contact.
• Call to the local sales office yesterday resulted in a promise that my local sales agent would get in touch with me; there has been no contact.

 

[@AviatorJordan]

What would I do in your situation? I'd ask for a set of all weather cargo and floor mats (when they become available). If they obliged, I'd get something I want that is commensurate in value with the inconvenience that was actually manifested by the problem. It would save me some money in the long run, wouldn't hit their revenue for much, and everyone can be happy with such a thing.

Thank you for your reply, and suggestion.

 

[John Lamoureux]

Valid... however, on the other side of the coin: those taking the time to read, or respond to, my thread also have no idea how patient / polite I have been in my follow up correspondence / communication. ‘Tis the internet though, so naturally we must assume the worst; fair enough.

For further consideration:

• Tesla agreed that some level of compensation was owed.
• They asked me for suggestions
• Tesla sales rep established the rims as a possible compensation.
• No one from Tesla has even provided feedback on my solicited suggestions.
• My only effort has been to get in touch with someone to arrange delivery since returning 2 weeks ago.
• Call to HQ on Monday resulted in a promise to have my Inside Sales Advisor get in touch with me right away to arrange delivery; there has been no contact.
• Call to the local sales office yesterday resulted in a promise that my local sales agent would get in touch with me; there has been no contact.

First of all...you're a test pilot...did you serve? If so, thank you for your service! (A veteran myself).

Second, considering if what you said was true (they reference some sort of compensation), you travel a lot, and have referred other customers, how about some Tesla luggage?

 

[WileyTheMan]

• Early adopter who has now lost out of obtaining an early VIN Model 3, despite being the first to complete a reservation at my location.

This is not necessarily a bad thing. Don't let the exclusivity of a low VIN detract you from the fact that you will have a more well-built car.

That said, It certainly doesn't hurt to ask for the moon, but in this scenario I think it's unreasonable to dig your heels in if they balk at the big ticket items you requested.

 

[@AviatorJordan]

That said, It certainly doesn't hurt to ask for the moon, but in this scenario I think it's unreasonable to dig your heels in if they balk at the big ticket items you requested.

Thank you for the reply; I hope I have not given the impression that I have dug my heels in at all, because I haven’t. I tried to respond honestly, and promptly, to the first person to reply to my original post; they asked about my suggestions... and this thread largely got into a debate about what ‘reasonable’ should be defined as, instead of how to proceed when Tesla has not responded to me since I returned two weeks ago.

Most of what I attempted to provide was context for other who may have had similar experiences, to help them guide me to a solution to the initial problem of being a Day 1 reservation holder who was offered a car more than two months ago (only to be told on the way to pick it up in February that the vehicle was defective, and that I would not be getting in the subsequent 2 weeks before having to go away again).