qdeathstar
Completely Serious
For all the hype about Tesla's OTA software updates, any non-software updates make owning a Tesla equivalent to a cell phone, where no matter now much fanboys want to admit it, a Tesla has planned obsolescence no less than a cell phone. Most non-software upgrades (similar to camera, screen resolution, battery and processor improvements) requires a new device, in in this case, a new car. So when they include a heated steering wheel, self-dimming mirrors, air suspension, bioweapon defense mode, more energy-dense batteries, or the rumored top-down camera view, you need a new car. Maybe laminated glass and the non-gloss center console will retrofit, but IMO, those are superficial benefits. What I feel that Tesla really needs is a new kind of ownership experience to align with their innovation cycle. Not a traditional lease, rather, something more like wireless carriers and cell manufacturers offer where you pay flat monthly rate like a lease, but receive a new product in place of your current product on a annual or 2 years basis, as new versions are released, and you continue to pay a monthly rate. I think Lincoln offered this at one point, and maybe BMW. I have leased in the past, but I purposely didn't lease a Tesla for this specific reason, as I can sell at any time now if I want, but getting out of a lease very early, even with sites like leasetrader.com, is not fun or easy. I'm not chasing battery density, as I still believe this will be marginal and incremental over the next 5 years, but the other innovations, to me, would make the ownership and driving experience much better.
Aren’t most cars updated every year??
