Model S Delivery Issues and Communication Concerns

[CapitalistOppressor]

When did you finalize?

I've seen Bonnie make this point before, and with the complete lack of clarity on what is "holding up" deliveries it seems fair to question whether Tesla is going off of who finalized their order quickest.

It might there aren't particular configurations holding up production, but rather its just a list of minor things that is being addressed car by car. If so it would seem entirely logical to schedule production as orders are finalized as opposed to leaving the schedule at mercy of the biggest procrastinators.

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Same for me. I'm Sig 304 and haven't heard anything. I have a Sig red performance (not that it should matter). The only unusual part of my order are kids seats in the back, but I'd really hope that wouldn't delay my delivery!

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And I finalized within a few days of getting my email, so that wouldn't cause the delay in production times.

Maybe Tesla just wanted to get SoFlaauthor his car faster so he could finish his opportunity console?

Still would be interesting to compare dates when orders were actually finalized. Can't disprove a hypothesis without data

 

[bonnie]

My assumption has been that the algorithm works along the lines of ...

• Reservation holders are asked to finalize in order of reservation #
• They enter the queue based on when they finalize
• schedulers look at both config selected and geo to finalize build date

Pure speculation on my part, but makes sense.

 

[SigGuy]

My assumption has been that the algorithm works along the lines of ...

• Reservation holders are asked to finalize in order of reservation #
• They enter the queue based on when they finalize
• schedulers look at both config selected and geo to finalize build date

Pure speculation on my part, but makes sense.

I have specifically been told (and asked them to confirm in writing) that the queue is based on reservation number and NOT by finalize date as long as you finalize within 30 days. In other words, they have assured me that finalizing on the day you get your email or day 29 should make no difference at all to your final delivery date.

 

[Todd Burch]

My assumption has been that the algorithm works along the lines of ...

• Reservation holders are asked to finalize in order of reservation #
• They enter the queue based on when they finalize
• schedulers look at both config selected and geo to finalize build date

Pure speculation on my part, but makes sense.

I think you're right on Bonnie...and I'll add that if something doesn't pass final QA, it goes back to that spot on the line and gets bumped down in the line. So if you seem to be getting your car way out of order, either you delayed your finalization, there was a QA issue with your car and it went back for rework, or your car was awaiting geographical batching for final shipment.

I think those upset about getting their sigs a little bit out of order need to look at the bigger picture of the realities of large-scale production and swallow the +/- few weeks here or there. And I say that with the nicest of intentions .

 

[DaveVa]

My assumption has been that the algorithm works along the lines of ...

• Reservation holders are asked to finalize in order of reservation #
• They enter the queue based on when they finalize
• schedulers look at both config selected and geo to finalize build date

Pure speculation on my part, but makes sense.

I'm Sig 236 and signed right away - I have not been called. I did add the paint protection when it was offered.

 

[Beaker]

While we're all speculating, here's another spin.

If the missing/poor quality parts were closer to the end of the production line and Tesla kept building & storing unfinished vehicles, there would be 100's upon 100's of Signatures that are getting finished all at once. Delivery logistics would then come in to play: Imagine the delivery specialists getting a stack of paperwork for finished cars and starting through the stack contacting owners. Some specialists will get a small stack while others in more popular areas will get very large stacks. Cars are finished in order, but the fact that they were finished almost simultaneously will cause delivery backups in the more popular areas, thus causing actual delivery to be out of sequence. :redface:

Poking holes begins in ... 3... 2... 1...

 

[weccman]

My assumption has been that the algorithm works along the lines of ...

• Reservation holders are asked to finalize in order of reservation #
• They enter the queue based on when they finalize
• schedulers look at both config selected and geo to finalize build date

Pure speculation on my part, but makes sense.

It may make sense, but it is not what many were told during their 30 day period for finalizing. Whatever the reason for this mysterious order of deliveries, I do wish that Tesla would get its act together and tell the world what is going on. It is as if they think none of this will matter in a few weeks and it is more important to focus on getting the ramp up to what it needs to be than to calm the nerves of those who became sig customers based on representations that they would have a place in line and get their cars based on that place in line. They may be right if this is their thinking, but it does go down hard with folks who are paying more for restricted choices just because we thought we would get a preferred place in line. Perhaps this will all blow over if all the sigs are delivered by the end of October, but there will really be hard feelings if the production cars start to be delivered before that occurs.

 

[bonnie]

It may make sense, but it is not what many were told during their 30 day period for finalizing. Whatever the reason for this mysterious order of deliveries, I do wish that Tesla would get its act together and tell the world what is going on. It is as if they think none of this will matter in a few weeks and it is more important to focus on getting the ramp up to what it needs to be than to calm the nerves of those who became sig customers based on representations that they would have a place in line and get their cars based on that place in line. They may be right if this is their thinking, but it does go down hard with folks who are paying more for restricted choices just because we thought we would get a preferred place in line. Perhaps this will all blow over if all the sigs are delivered by the end of October, but there will really be hard feelings if the production cars start to be delivered before that occurs.

You DO get a preferred spot in line for configuring your order - but surely you never believed that Tesla would stop the production line while one person deliberated over different options. That would delay everyone that comes after them.

For example, let's say that on Day 1, Sigs 1-10 received a call saying 'time to finalize'. Sigs 2 - 10 finalize within a day, while Sig 1 takes the full 30 days. Are you saying that they shouldn't put Sigs 2-10 into production, but should wait on Sig 1? Everyone after Sig 1 would then be delayed by 30 days. As a stockholder, I'd be extremely upset if they did that.

The preferred spot in line was for configuration. Sigs 1-10 have the ability to get their cars before anyone else IF they configure promptly. If they don't, they should enter the production queue along with others who have configured on that day.

How would you have done it?

 

[Todd Burch]

This sort of goes agains the CF theory for holding up lower numbers. Maybe it's the rear kid seats?

I'd say we ought to stop trying to rationalize it as if there's one or two single things that could be holding up some cars. It could be the seats, but it's just as likely--if not more likely--that some random check item in the final QA check didn't pass and the car had to go back for rework. No rhyme or reason, no single rule to explain the delay.

 

[Arnold Panz]

While we're all speculating, here's another spin.

If the missing/poor quality parts were closer to the end of the production line and Tesla kept building & storing unfinished vehicles, there would be 100's upon 100's of Signatures that are getting finished all at once. Delivery logistics would then come in to play: Imagine the delivery specialists getting a stack of paperwork for finished cars and starting through the stack contacting owners. Some specialists will get a small stack while others in more popular areas will get very large stacks. Cars are finished in order, but the fact that they were finished almost simultaneously will cause delivery backups in the more popular areas, thus causing actual delivery to be out of sequence. :redface:

Poking holes begins in ... 3... 2... 1...

If they all were finishing at once, then within certain geographic areas they'd be going in order of the queue. That's knot happening because people in popular spots (NoCal, Florida etc.) are getting notified out of order and in some cases getting dates out of order of the queue.

The most logical explanation is that individual cars are pulled off the line for one reason or another (like whoever's Elon found 3mm off on the headlights) and get out of sequence in finalizing. That's the most likely and logical explanation I've heard yet.

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You DO get a preferred spot in line for configuring your order - but surely you never believed that Tesla would stop the production line while one person deliberated over different options. That would delay everyone that comes after them.

For example, let's say that on Day 1, Sigs 1-10 received a call saying 'time to finalize'. Sigs 2 - 10 finalize within a day, while Sig 1 takes the full 30 days. Are you saying that they shouldn't put Sigs 2-10 into production, but should wait on Sig 1? Everyone after Sig 1 would then be delayed by 30 days. As a stockholder, I'd be extremely upset if they did that.

The preferred spot in line was for configuration. Sigs 1-10 have the ability to get their cars before anyone else IF they configure promptly. If they don't, they should enter the production queue along with others who have configured on that day.

How would you have done it?

Bonnie, I'm pretty sure this isn't right because Tesla had no reason to lie about this, and they were very specific in telling people that the 30 days would not displace them. I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt here.

More to the point, at the time Tesla was verrrry slooooowly building the Founders vehicles, and there is no indication that cars went into "production" that quickly. To the contrary, back then the emails came weekly, and my assumption is that Tesla was waiting until the thirty day period ended and then batching orders for materials/supplies etc. so they knew how much they needed of each option, paint color etc.

 

[cinergi]

You DO get a preferred spot in line for configuring your order - but surely you never believed that Tesla would stop the production line while one person deliberated over different options. That would delay everyone that comes after them.

For example, let's say that on Day 1, Sigs 1-10 received a call saying 'time to finalize'. Sigs 2 - 10 finalize within a day, while Sig 1 takes the full 30 days. Are you saying that they shouldn't put Sigs 2-10 into production, but should wait on Sig 1? Everyone after Sig 1 would then be delayed by 30 days. As a stockholder, I'd be extremely upset if they did that.

The preferred spot in line was for configuration. Sigs 1-10 have the ability to get their cars before anyone else IF they configure promptly. If they don't, they should enter the production queue along with others who have configured on that day.

How would you have done it?

Hrm, has the finalize-your-order not been at least 30 days ahead of production (I don't know -- genuine question)?

 

[Sparrow]

I wonder how they can batch based on geography if they haven't asked you where you will pick your S up at? I haven't been asked, although highly unlikely what if I was going to pick it up at the factory why are they delaying contacting me then. More likely would be that if it meant a few weeks, why not pick it up in Miami. That is doable for me, but once again they haven't asked.

 

[AnOutsider]

I don't know, but it really does bother me that the company doesn't think stuff like this is even worthy of communicating to their best customers. It's just frustrating and I've raised this issue with headquarters before. Look, if they tell me that there's some part or a white paint shortage or something stupid, but it's something I can understand - okay - I get it. But this idea that they don't bother touching base with you - even after you reach out to them - it gets frustrating and annoying. I had an episode a few weeks ago where I was promised an answer to a question in "a couple of days" - and nobody contacted me. A week later, I sent a nice follow up e-mail - still no response. After two weeks I sent an annoyed email and finally got a response that did not address my question. Finally I got a call from the delivery crew, who even after I explained my frustration - could have contacted me back and said, by the way, your going to be behind a bunch of other people because of "...." - so don't get nervous, we'll deliver by such and such date". Maybe I'm just cranky after a nearly three year wait, or maybe I'm suffering from "why did I get a Sig" syndrome given the premium and delays and lack of the initial promise of "special items not available on production" (I don't count paint or impractical white leather - but understand that some do). Maybe I'm just plain cranky with anticipation. But I don't care how busy they are - I run a business and if my people responded to a customer the way I've been treated lately, heads would be rolling...

I hear ya. I haven't even gotten a return email since my inquiry got passed over to the rep-who-can't-be-named. It's frustrating and making me seriously consider dropping my X sig reservation to a normal P reservation at best.

I'm Sig 236 and signed right away - I have not been called. I did add the paint protection when it was offered.

I, too. Got paint armor. If that's a sticking point, I'll have my local shop do it instead.

 

[dmetcalf]

I know it is discouraging with the line variance. I felt a bit betrayed when I found out that the one engine class upgrade report for sig res holders was not true and that we'd in effect all be paying an extra 4400+ for paint or other features we might not have otherwise chosen. I have tried to take a big picture look and see that they have to ramp production quickly and consistently to get to positive cashflow while keeping all of us as happy as possible. As a shareholder, I can relate to the other side as well. I do empathize.

 

[vbsdan]

Is it possible that the cars with paint armor are being held a while to allow the paint to cure before the armor is applied? I know that in the past I've been told not to wax a repainted body panel right away because it needed to cure, not sure if the same applies to factory paint. I would assume that the factory paint is cured / baked on at a much higher temperature than what you would find at a body shop.

 

[weccman]

You DO get a preferred spot in line for configuring your order - but surely you never believed that Tesla would stop the production line while one person deliberated over different options. That would delay everyone that comes after them.

For example, let's say that on Day 1, Sigs 1-10 received a call saying 'time to finalize'. Sigs 2 - 10 finalize within a day, while Sig 1 takes the full 30 days. Are you saying that they shouldn't put Sigs 2-10 into production, but should wait on Sig 1? Everyone after Sig 1 would then be delayed by 30 days. As a stockholder, I'd be extremely upset if they did that.

The preferred spot in line was for configuration. Sigs 1-10 have the ability to get their cars before anyone else IF they configure promptly. If they don't, they should enter the production queue along with others who have configured on that day.

How would you have done it?

As I said, what you are suggesting makes a lot of sense. I basically agree with you, but Tesla should not, therefore, have told us that we had 30 days to configure without losing our place in line. I'm not tremendously upset by what is going on. I'm actually relieved at the signs that progress is occurring and maybe there is a good chance that all the sigs will be delivered by the end of October. But like others, I think there have been some slips in communication with customers. Hopefully, no long-term damage.

 

[kvietor]

BTW I have the rear facing seats, but have not been told if my S is being delivered with them. Other than that and the pano roof, just like every other non performance sig.

 

[qwk]

Model S Delivery Issues and Concerns

I have specifically been told (and asked them to confirm in writing) that the queue is based on reservation number and NOT by finalize date as long as you finalize within 30 days. In other words, they have assured me that finalizing on the day you get your email or day 29 should make no difference at all to your final delivery date.

I was told the opposite today. So many contradictions.

 

[aviators99]

I was actually convinced by a Tesla rep to not finalize so quickly and to wait until after my test drive, so that I could see the different colors. He promised me it would not matter, so long as it was within the 30 days.

 

[Zythryn]

Is it possible that the cars with paint armor are being held a while to allow the paint to cure before the armor is applied? I know that in the past I've been told not to wax a repainted body panel right away because it needed to cure, not sure if the same applies to factory paint. I would assume that the factory paint is cured / baked on at a much higher temperature than what you would find at a body shop.

I don't think that is too likely. I have the paint armor and am scheduled for 9/20-10/4.
I suspect it is a combination of geography and randomness imposed by quality checks.