Model X Signature Configuration has begun!

[jhm]

I hear there will be a Glitz Mode wherein techno music plays, the falcon wings rise, colored lights and fog ooze our all around, a mirror ball decends with pulsing strobic light, and we finally get to see what those second row seats really do. Do they flip, fold, swivel or spoon, or do those robots dance, dance, dance? Shake what your Elon made ya.

 

[jomo25]

I think you're being a tad optimistic there. I'm not expecting mine before early November.

(#313)

I'm number 12XX. I am expecting that mine might be delivered in the mad rush in late December to meet the delivery targets (or get as close as possible, a la December 2012 for the MS).

So, I agree November for 900 would be optimistic.

 

[simplejack]

Maybe it's not a simple answer...

How hard is it to say the first 30 signatures are configuring now. After we review those configurations and production schedules, the next batch will be able to configure. At this time, we don't know how many will be produced in the couple months, but we fully expect your reservation to be delivered in calendar year 2015. Please accept our apology for not communicating with you over the last 2 years, but trust we will be contacting you in the next couple months.

 

[dirkhh]

Very complicated. It is all about ramp, and slight changes in tempo make a huge difference for when people will get their cars, not to mention supplier issues as the ramp accelerates. If they tell everyone "you'll get your car on X date" and they miss it because the ramp happened two weeks later than planned, or slower than planned, the same people complaining about not knowing will complain that Tesla didn't hit the date provided. Tesla can't win either way, so the best course of action is to just say "we don't know" because that is the absolute truth. Anyone giving you a date now would be outright lying unless you have one of the Founders cars.

The week Tesla made my Model S, they were making 50 cars per week. My car was supposed to be in the 900s, but I ordered 19" tires, and Sigs came with 21s, so when Tesla experienced the 'great wheel shortage of 2012', they looked around the factory, saw they had 4 19s sitting around, and pulled mine up to 219. This happened to some 26 other people, which means some people got their car later than planned. It happens. It sounds like this will happen to some of the Model X owners that order the cold weather package. We all understand it isn't ideal, but my view always was, I waited more than 2 years for the car, what's a few more months among friends? I certainly wouldn't be calling up the CFO to complain--what do you want him to say? HE DOESN'T KNOW, and he certainly can't personally call up all thousand Sig reservations or 20k+ reservation holders to keep them up to date. He can't email them either because his email immediately becomes front page news. My two cents, anyway.

Oh yes, that's the other thing that I forgot to say. What options you pick today (or whenever you're up) will have a significant impact on your delivery date. And assuming that a) the ramp is somewhat faster and b) they have similar supplier issues again, I could foresee swings of even more than the +/-700 that you report here. I wouldn't be surprised if #9423 got his before I get mine (assuming I don't cancel). Or that I get mine before #4012.

 

[CarlK]

Agreed. I made a $5000 deposit on a Model X that Tesla has held for more than two years. Tesla set the time frames, failed to comply with the standards that they set, and failed to respect loyal customers who have hung in there with them through unnecessary uncertainty. I know of no reason why Tesla can't communicate better, even if only to say "we don't know yet." This is just a matter of common courtesy, not really about quality customer service. Tesla's customer service has been on a par with BMW's. (This is not intended as a compliment.) Lexus has treated me much better than either of them.

Did anyone actually read the agreement you signed?

"This Agreement does not constitute an agreement for the sale of a Model X and does not lock in pricing, a production slot, or an estimated delivery date. "

The reservation entitles you nothing.

 

[EVger]

I also am interested in price and range, not seats. I believe that every Model X is a D (AWD with dual motors).

 

[dirkhh]

How hard is it to say the first 30 signatures are configuring now. After we review those configurations and production schedules, the next batch will be able to configure. At this time, we don't know how many will be produced in the couple months, but we fully expect your reservation to be delivered in calendar year 2015. Please accept our apology for not communicating with you over the last 2 years, but trust we will be contacting you in the next couple months.

Ask your lawyer if they think that this is a disclosure that could be significant for shareholders / stock price. Because if it is, they can't make it to just some people, they have to make it public and to everyone at the same time.

 

[Lyon]

Very complicated. It is all about ramp, and slight changes in tempo make a huge difference for when people will get their cars, not to mention supplier issues as the ramp accelerates. If they tell everyone "you'll get your car on X date" and they miss it because the ramp happened two weeks later than planned, or slower than planned, the same people complaining about not knowing will complain that Tesla didn't hit the date provided. Tesla can't win either way, so the best course of action is to just say "we don't know" because that is the absolute truth. Anyone giving you a date now would be outright lying unless you have one of the Founders cars.

The week Tesla made my Model S, they were making 50 cars per week. My car was supposed to be in the 900s, but I ordered 19" tires, and Sigs came with 21s, so when Tesla experienced the 'great wheel shortage of 2012', they looked around the factory, saw they had 4 19s sitting around, and pulled mine up to 219. This happened to some 26 other people, which means some people got their car later than planned. It happens. It sounds like this will happen to some of the Model X owners that order the cold weather package. We all understand it isn't ideal, but my view always was, I waited more than 2 years for the car, what's a few more months among friends? I certainly wouldn't be calling up the CFO to complain--what do you want him to say? HE DOESN'T KNOW, and he certainly can't personally call up all thousand Sig reservations or 20k+ reservation holders to keep them up to date. He can't email them either because his email immediately becomes front page news. My two cents, anyway.

I'm hoping this can be done without as much craziness as the Model S launch. I, too, benefitted from configuring the "right" way to get Model S ahead of many others. My sequence number was in the 5000s and I ended up with VIN 2595. Why? Because I got a P85 with air suspension. If I had a smaller battery or steel springs it would have been months longer. I do hope we see a shorter gap between Founder 1 and the end of the Sigs. For Model S that was from about the end of June to about the end of November, IIRC. If that's the case, we won't see the last Sigs delivered until the end of Feb 2016....

Given that Tesla's been making Model S for several years now, I would not be surprised if we see a steeper ramp with Model X. Then again, the cars are very different so I wouldn't be surprised if the ramp takes just as long.

 

[dadaleus]

Well, trigger is pulled!

 

[stephenpace]

Well, trigger is pulled on Signature #4!

Congrats!!

 

[Bluespark]

I agree with the submarine theory to the second row. There is an awful lot of travel room in the rug cut outs. My theory is that the whole seat/pedestal slide backwards, then the seat slides forward and down, then the whole mechanism slides under the front seats.

I just wonder where the power seat controls are for the middle second row seats.

 

[AMPd]

Well, trigger is pulled on Signature #4!

Congrats!!!

 

[dadaleus]

Thanks. My wife and I have been obsessing over this thread and the design studio all day trying to make final decisions. She ran into the closest Tesla store to take a look at the leather and wood as well. So thanks everyone for the helpful analysis.

One observation I don't think I've seen (but after 600 posts maybe it's already here somewhere): The Model X design studio shows the tan and black seats as "leather." We noticed earlier today that the "Ultra white" was labeled as "fabric." It appears to now be updated to simply say "Ultra White Seats" (without saying leather like the black and tan do). Not sure if that's intentional or not, but my wife wanted the tan anyway.

 

[simplejack]

Ask your lawyer if they think that this is a disclosure that could be significant for shareholders / stock price. Because if it is, they can't make it to just some people, they have to make it public and to everyone at the same time.

Um, you don't think the website allowing customers to configure is public information? Oh, and they are configuring a car that has been referenced in a shareholder letter for the past 3 years. Oh, and in the last shareholder call they said would be launched in Q3 this year. Oh, and the CEO committed numerous times to having said website online in Aug?

The Tesla apologist drive me nuts. I love the product, I really appreciate the innovation, but they aren't perfect and customer communication is a VERY SIMPLE thing to do better. The fact that they do not appear to care is concerning for their long term success as they are about to attempt to gain customers outside of their early adopter comfort zone. I will vote my confidence with my money, but Tesla could do some very simple things to make that decision easier for me and many others.

 

[Lyon]

I think you're comparing apples and oranges here. The width of the Model X given was "with mirrors extended." The Tesla Model S is 86.2" with the mirrors extended, the Model X is 89.4" with mirrors extended. So it's a 3.2" difference between Model S and Model X with mirrors extended. If the mirrors of the X are similar to those of the S, then the Model X should be about 80.4" with the mirrors folded in. But don't quote me on this since we don't have confirmation yet. Yes, it's a wide car but the spec you gave for the Hummer H1 (86.5") doesn't include the mirrors at all. The Hummer H1 with mirrors extended is closer to 100 inches wide (more than that on certain model years).

This is correct. I went into my driveway and measured my 2015 Yukon (same as the Tahoe/Suburban/Escalade and it was over 90 inches to the mirrors.

 

[Zoomit]

I agree with the submarine theory to the second row. There is an awful lot of travel room in the rug cut outs. My theory is that the whole seat/pedestal slide backwards, then the seat slides forward and down, then the whole mechanism slides under the front seats.

I just wonder where the power seat controls are for the middle second row seats.

I think you have the sequence right. I don't think the controls would be on the seat, probably the b-pillar and touchscreen. Likely have to hold the switch for the seat to continue moving as an additional safety feature in addition to built-in load or force sensors.

 

[Lyon]

Thanks. My wife and I have been obsessing over this thread and the design studio all day trying to make final decisions. She ran into the closest Tesla store to take a look at the leather and wood as well. So thanks everyone for the helpful analysis.

One observation I don't think I've seen (but after 600 posts maybe it's already here somewhere): The Model X design studio shows the tan and black seats as "leather." We noticed earlier today that the "Ultra white" was labeled as "fabric." It appears to now be updated to simply say "Ultra White Seats" (without saying leather like the black and tan do). Not sure if that's intentional or not, but my wife wanted the tan anyway.

Great decision! I've always loved the white interior but I've got two dogs and three kids. Incompatible.

 

[eepic]

Well, trigger is pulled on Signature #4!

Congrats - beautiful configuration! Keep us posted on any updates or delivery estimates!

 

[MrBoylan]

I hear there will be a Glitz Mode wherein techno music plays, the falcon wings rise, colored lights and fog ooze our all around, a mirror ball decends with pulsing strobic light, and we finally get to see what those second row seats really do. Do they flip, fold, swivel or spoon, or do those robots dance, dance, dance? Shake what your Elon made ya.

Yes, but to be more specific, the music playing is by Orchestral Maneuvers in the Dark (aka, OMD). Can anyone guess the song?

Click here if you give up.

 

[dadaleus]

Congrats - beautiful configuration! Keep us posted on any updates or delivery estimates!

I will. Sorry for the broken image links in the quotes of my post... I edited it to replace the images so they weren't so huge. (Hazard of taking screen shots on a mac.)