My New "old" Roadster 2.0 Sport

[JoshG]

Newbie owner and forum member here...

I just got my Roadster last week. It's a car many of you have probably actually driven, as it was the demo at the Menlo Park store. 2010 Fusion Red 2.0 Sport with Carbon Fiber package, leather, black wheels, etc. #502.

Wanted to get some good pictures of this pretty car before I have to put those ugly HOV stickers and (rear only) license plate on it. While I know another Fusion Red roadster is nothing special to those on the board here, I thought I'd share a few of my pics.

I love the car... having an absolute blast with it.

Thanks to all the members for your informative posts and advice.

--josh

 

[NigelM]

Congratulations! And welcome to the forum.

 

[bonnie]

Welcome, Josh!

 

[vfx]

Cool package Josh. (two cars after mine!)

You might not want to put the stickers on. Many of us don't. There are options like only one on the glass behind the drivers head. . see this thread:
Clean Air Vehicle stickers
There may be more here:
EV Incentives

 

[doug]

Nice Josh,

As the first Sport we ever saw, there are various photos of that car floating around the forum:
Production/Delivery Status
Production/Delivery Status
clear carbon fiber exterior accents

I got some shots of it a couple years ago around the time of its drivetrain install. Do you know what's changed on it since it first got on the road? How many miles does it have?

 

[Jaff]

Congrats & welcome Josh...enjoy your new ride!

 

[smorgasbord]

Hey, welcome! From the Countdown thread, I see your car disappeared off Tesla's "available" list between June 21 and 24th.

 

[S-2000 Roadster]

While I know another Fusion Red roadster is nothing special to those on the board here, I thought I'd share a few of my pics.

au contraire!

Fusion Red is one of the few red cars that I think actually looks good. The only other contender is the Honda S-2000 in New Formula Red. I'm actually quite surprised that Radiant Red is a premium color, because I significantly prefer the Fusion Red. I finally saw one in the Tesla Store after washing and detailing, and I must congratulate you on your purchase!

 

[smorgasbord]

OK, I've been meaning to ask this for a while - what is Tesla's definition of "Premium Paint" and what about it makes it cost $2000 more? Is the paint more protective? Will it last longer? Does it have a better shine or better "depth?" Is it more flexible to handle bending of the CF panels?

I could almost understand why metallic paint costs more, but what's the additional step-up with Premium, particularly with the boring color like Thunder Gray?

I ended up spending the money simply because I wanted a "subtle" Roadster, which the gray actually does, but I feel like it was mostly money down the drain.

 

[Doug_G]

Fusion Red is one of the few red cars that I think actually looks good

I completely agree. I waffled back and forth, and finally went Fusion. Once I saw the two side-by-side I found I greatly preferred Fusion.

This isn't a great picture, just a phone camera, but this is my car beside the (old) Toronto demo car.

 

[tennis_trs]

VIN 502 has been in the Washington, DC area. In the attached picture VIN 502 is near and the Tesla Ranger had driven it to my work to work on my car (far) which is also a Fusion Red 2010 Sport with the CF packages, just like VIN 502.

 

[S-2000 Roadster]

OK, I've been meaning to ask this for a while - what is Tesla's definition of "Premium Paint" and what about it makes it cost $2000 more? Is the paint more protective? Will it last longer? Does it have a better shine or better "depth?" Is it more flexible to handle bending of the CF panels?

I could almost understand why metallic paint costs more, but what's the additional step-up with Premium, particularly with the boring color like Thunder Gray?

I ended up spending the money simply because I wanted a "subtle" Roadster, which the gray actually does, but I feel like it was mostly money down the drain.

Considering the debacle with the 2008/2009 options pricing changes, I would offer that Tesla Motors basically charges $2,000 for colors that owners are willing to pay $2,000 to get. It's all about what the market will bear. It is, after all, only 1.8% of the base price of the car. Of course, the premium paints were there before the option price increase, but I seem to recall there might have only been two tiers in the beginning (?).

Your example sort of proves the point. You were willing to pay for subtle and tasteful, and maybe that's why they charge $2,000. Strangely enough, though, I chose a screaming color that some might consider tasteless, and yet I paid the same $2,000 premium.

But your question is a good one, even if my hypothesis is correct: How did Tesla Motors know which colors were 'worth' more? At the very least, I think they got things wrong with Fusion Red. No offense to the many Radiant Red owners, but I assumed that so many people have that disappointing color because it was 'free' - until I realized that the seemingly rare Fusion Red is the better-looking red. I can't imagine why anyone would choose to pay $1,000 extra for Radiant Red after seeing Fusion Red. I suppose it all boils down to a wide variety of tastes. I'm actually surprised at how many compliments I get on my Very Orange - I already know that I have bizarre tastes with two yellow vehicles - but some folks have even announced that they think Very Orange is the absolute best color for the Tesla Roadster. Go figure.

 

[JoshG]

Cool package Josh. (two cars after mine!)

You might not want to put the stickers on. Many of us don't. There are options like only one on the glass behind the drivers head. . see this thread:
Clean Air Vehicle stickers
There may be more here:
EV Incentives

Thanks VFX! I'm seriously considering just using the rear-glass option for the sticker rather than bodywork. Have you had any more problems with CHP with that location?

 

[JoshG]

Nice Josh,

As the first Sport we ever saw, there are various photos of that car floating around the forum:
Production/Delivery Status
Production/Delivery Status
clear carbon fiber exterior accents

I got some shots of it a couple years ago around the time of its drivetrain install. Do you know what's changed on it since it first got on the road? How many miles does it have?

Wow... one of those pictures shows it in Seattle? That's my car... 502. Didn't know it originally came with a hard-top. I didn't get the hard top (and didn't really want it for the cost and for my use of the vehicle). I don't know what else changed on it, other than the fact that the dealer put all new seats in it for me... and I think new door sills where there were probably tons of butt-scratches and shoe scuffs from all the test drives in the vehicle.

It came with a LOT of miles... something I was (and am) worried about. 16,500! That put me off of it for a while, but the batteries were re-certified or checked and I'm getting 185 mile range in standard mode after a standard-mode charge so I think that they're in good shape.

 

[JoshG]

Congratulations! And welcome to the forum.

Welcome, Josh!

Congrats & welcome Josh...enjoy your new ride!

Thanks Nigel, Bonnie & Jaff! nice to be here. Definitely enjoying my roadster!

Hey, welcome! From the Countdown thread, I see your car disappeared off Tesla's "available" list between June 21 and 24th.

Thanks, and yep, that's when i put down the deposit which took it out of inventory.

 

[JoshG]

au contraire!

Fusion Red is one of the few red cars that I think actually looks good. The only other contender is the Honda S-2000 in New Formula Red. I'm actually quite surprised that Radiant Red is a premium color, because I significantly prefer the Fusion Red. I finally saw one in the Tesla Store after washing and detailing, and I must congratulate you on your purchase!

Thanks S2K! I think it looks great too...

 

[JoshG]

I completely agree. I waffled back and forth, and finally went Fusion. Once I saw the two side-by-side I found I greatly preferred Fusion.

This isn't a great picture, just a phone camera, but this is my car beside the (old) Toronto demo car.

Nice shot... and glad to be in the new I{heart}FusionRed club with you!

 

[JoshG]

VIN 502 has been in the Washington, DC area. In the attached picture VIN 502 is near and the Tesla Ranger had driven it to my work to work on my car (far) which is also a Fusion Red 2010 Sport with the CF packages, just like VIN 502.

OK, wow... it's been all over the place. DC? (can't see the pic... definitely re-post or send it to me... I'd be very curious to see it.) Guess I shouldn't be surprised with 16k miles that this car has been around. Must have done ambassador duty for the company for a while.

 

[JoshG]

Another pic of my #502.

 

[Dragon]

It came with a LOT of miles... something I was (and am) worried about. 16,500!

Hey Josh! No need to worry for that mileage. For an electric motor this is nothing.
The batteries are checked too and I guess you still have some warranty time left. You won't regret your choice.

A new car is more likely having some faults (like mine did), the most of the errors appear in the first 1000 miles of the car. You have skipped that.