Hello to all those who are waiting . . .
I have been doing this since 2015. I currently have an order for a new M3, and it will be my 6th or 7th new Tesla (depending on whether I count the one I previously ordered for my wife).
I was reading many of the comments, and I decided to offer some things I’ve learned during the past 9 years.
First, to those who are suffering from righteous indignation because they ordered 50 days ago and someone who just ordered received a VIN. You should relax and understand that there is no cutting the line. What happens is the car was en-route to a buyer, and the buyer just clicked “cancel order.” Tesla doesn’t turn around the train and send the car back to Fremont. They simply look for another buyer with the same order and in the same geographical area. The VIN is just reassigned to that buyer. Yes, the buyer may have just put in the order a few days ago, and it looks like they are cutting the line. But no, Tesla is just doing the wise thing and ensuring that the order is fulfilled as promptly and economically as possible.
Second, Tesla always does the same thing at the end of every quarter. Let’s take March for example. They will ship as many cars as possible to the east coast in the beginning of March, and then to the mid-west in the middle of March, and then go “west coast only” in the last week of March. The last few days of March will be California and Fremont only deliveries. It has happened this way every single time.
Third, be aware that only a small percentage of buyers are on this forum. It is easy to think that what happens on this forum represents reality. That’s not really true. The reality is that most people submit their orders and simply wait until they are notified that a VIN has been assigned. It is nice to have this forum and the related interactions, but just know that there are many thousands of current buyers who are not contributing their stories and information on this forum.
Fourth, PPF? Who would spend 10-15% of the cost of car to protect it from a few paint chips? I have a 26 year old Porsche that has no paint protection and the paint looks perfect. Forget the PPF and just do your best to avoid concrete and gravel trucks. It always works for me.
Lastly, there have been many people who claim their SA gave them inside information about delivery status, production delays, etc. In reality, your SA knows very little. They are very, very low in the Tesla hierarchy. They are not gifted with inside information, and, no matter how nice you are, or how much you yell at them, they will not give you information they do not possess. In fact, you will be surprised to know that, in many cases, your SA will no longer be at the local Tesla store a few months from now. The turnover is incredible. The simple truth is that the SA is there to help you with a test drive, to answer your questions about a particular Tesla model, and then, if necessary, to assist you with making your order. That’s it.
The process today is very much the same now as it was at the beginning of 2015. My simple advice: relax, take a breath, and be ready to enjoy your future Tesla. They are worth the wait.