New to TMC, just reserved X, quick question on order process/timeline

[NewCow]

Hi all, I'm new around here and just reserved an X yesterday. I actually had a reservation last year but cancelled it but I just got back in line. Seeing as how new reservations won't deliver until 2H'16, I figured I had plenty of time to save up and finalize a decision with my wife. I have some questions about the timeline though. I called and talked to a TSLA sales rep but he didn't seem very confident in his answers, so I thought I'd ask you all.

I recall threads here mention they want to open up the configuration to most or all reservation holders by the end of the year. My main question is: what is the point of no return? I know my $5k is refundable until I sign a purchase agreement, but when does that take place? The sales guy made it sound like once I'm invited to configure, I will then place the order, and have 7 days to confirm. And at that point, I'm committed and forfeit the $5k if I cancel.

I'm not going to be ready to finalize my decision within a couple months if they invite me to configure. What is the timeline of configuring, ordering, finalizing, and signing a purchase agreement? Can I just play around with the configurator once invited and price it out, and wait to confirm the order until mid-2016?

Fwiw, I'm interested in 70D for 2H'16.

 

[jeffreys]

NewCow,
There are enough screenshots in the first 3 pages or so of the Production X Configuration Has Begun thread for you to figure out your pricing. I did that with a spreadsheet before I had access to the configuration tool. My spreadsheet was $2,500 off from what the configuration tool said, because I hadn't captured that the leather seats were upgrades and required for one of the options I had chosen. You should be able to figure out pricing now.
My understanding about the timing sequence is as you describe above. Once you get access to the configuration tool, you put together what you want. Clicking order (and then once more to confirm you mean it and you agree to the terms) starts a 7 day clock. Once that clock expires, your deposit is non-refundable.
It's not clear to me that there's a deadline to configure once you're invited to. The longer you wait, the longer it is until your car is built. Presumably in the not too distant future the X order process will more closely resemble the S order process, in that there won't be this "reserved, but cannot yet configure" state. I'd be surprised if they don't do that once all existing reservation holders have had some amount of soak time on the invitation to configure their vehicles.
Jeff

 

[andrewket]

1. Once you're invited to configure you can use the design studio. Historically, you can do this for months - 6 or more - without submitting an order. If you're not ready to commit, this is where you should stay in the process.

2. Once you submit the order, it starts a 7 day window where you can continue to make changes without charge. You can also cancel and get a full refund. After 7 days, or if you hit the "confirm" button before 7 days, you cannot make changes and your deposit is non refundable.

3. Changes may be possible after your order is confirmed, but it costs $500 per occurrence. When your order gets close to production, changes are typically no longer possible.

 

[bonnie]

What andrew said.

Don't confirm until you are ready to move forward.

 

[NewCow]

1. Once you're invited to configure you can use the design studio. Historically, you can do this for months - 6 or more - without submitting an order. If you're not ready to commit, this is where you should stay in the process.

2. Once you submit the order, it starts a 7 day window where you can continue to make changes without charge. You can also cancel and get a full refund. After 7 days, or if you hit the "confirm" button before 7 days, you cannot make changes and your deposit is non refundable.

3. Changes may be possible after your order is confirmed, but it costs $500 per occurrence. When your order gets close to production, changes are typically no longer possible.

Awesome, this is exactly what I was looking for. Thanks!

 

[apriddy4]

When do you have to hand over more money? We've given a 5k deposit, do we have to give more to configure/order? Or will the balance be due at time/a few weeks prior to delivery?

 

[roblab]

When do you have to hand over more money? We've given a 5k deposit, do we have to give more to configure/order? Or will the balance be due at time/a few weeks prior to delivery?

Due on delivery. Actually, they like to have the money at Tesla a few days in advance, to make sure there are no problems when you come in to pick up, and the money doesn't transfer. I don't believe they want a check, unless it's a certified bank check. They were emailing me a week out to get things in order.

Of course, as this is the second time around for me, they probably figured they'd better get the money in hand. Reputation points.

 

[Vger]

And since all my distinguished colleagues upthread were so anxious to give the exact answer to your question, they neglected to say:

WELCOME TO TMC!!!

 

[goneskiian]

And since all my distinguished colleagues upthread were so anxious to give the exact answer to your question, they neglected to say:

WELCOME TO TMC!!!

+1 Welcome!

 

[ohmman]

distinguished colleagues

... :smile:

 

[MikeL]

Yes, welcome NewCow! Bring your X to SLC for a visit anytime (better skiing )

and fyi, I gave ohmman reputation points for a single emoji. Hoping that's the first ever ?!!? How many times have I heard, "you're ruining it for everyone!!!"

 

[Superloud]

Hi All

i was about to start a thread in a similar vein to this one but figure I may as well just join this one.

I've basically been wondering about the predicament that the folks who want a 70D are in.

Now, a lot has been said already about how it's a no brainer thing for tesla to start by producing all the most expensive P90D models first. It's the most profitable thing to do and all. But, it really screws over the people who want a 70D. I'll get back to that in a minute.

So, we know that tesla is inviting people to configure their production Xs. I presume they are doing this in waves in order to maintain some sort of fairness. However, it seems that really your reservation number is only as good as the batch in which you get invited. In other words, it appears it doesn't matter if you had reservation #2001, or #3000, because it lets say they invite numbers 2001-3000 in one shot, it's really just the person with the itchiest trigger finger who wins. Meaning, whoever is ready to confirm their order first gets slotted in next in the production queue.

ok, so, of all the folks getting invited to configure now, the fastest to confirm go first. But not really. It's only the people willing to confirm P90D orders that jump to the very front of everyone. But, at least those folks know that tesla is actively producing P90Ds. At least they know that by confirming, they really can just maybe sort of guess at when their X will arrive.

But for a person who wants a 70D, what happens to them??
lets say for example that the person with production reservation #500 wants a 70D. That person has surely been invited by now plus a few waves of invitations after them. What if that person understandably is hesitant to lock in their order immediately? it's kind of a tough thing to commit your 5k deposit with essentially no good idea of when that 70D will show up. I don't know if anyone can reliably say if it will even be in 2016? A ton of stuff could happen in the meantime. There's unforeseen life events. There's even the possibility some new non-tesla model will come out this summer/fall which could change this persons mind.
but the flip side is, if this person with reservation #500 doesn't lock in right away, then every wave of invites that go out week by week essentially destroys the priority that person had because anyone else down the line willing to lock in for a 70D will just leapfrog them. It would totally suck to have waited 3 years to be faced with that decision!

Am I missing something?
I get the concept of locking in 5k for a car that will arrive in a month - but not for next fall!
are the rules different for 70D reservations? Is it possible to confirm your order today for a 70D, just so you don't lose your place in line, but then still cancel in 3 months?

what tesla should do is as people are invited to configure, allow those who are certain, to declare themselves as non-P90D.
all those folks would start a new waiting list based on the order they declared (or could be based on original res #)
Then, once tesla is ready to start 90D production, the process would start again. Anyone willing to order a 90D would do so. But anyone wanting a 70D would declare themselves as non-90D and that would defer them but preserve their relative place in line till the 70Ds were ready for production. And no need for people like us to promise $5k for something so very far down the road

anyway, I hope I at least explained myself well. I haven't heard anyone else complain about this aspect yet.

 

[CmdrThor]

anyway, I hope I at least explained myself well. I haven't heard anyone else complain about this aspect yet.

Makes sense. Given that it will take approximately a year or so to get through the backlog Tesla is between a rock and a hard place regarding inviting folks to configure. Everyone wants access to the configurator NOW! But as you mention folks ordering a 70D may end up having their non-refundable $5k deposit sitting for 9 months or so.

Am I missing something?
I get the concept of locking in 5k for a car that will arrive in a month - but not for next fall!
are the rules different for 70D reservations? Is it possible to confirm your order today for a 70D, just so you don't lose your place in line, but then still cancel in 3 months?

If you confirm, I don't see why Tesla would let you cancel without penalty. It's possible they might out of goodwill, especially if there is some logical reason you are cancelling other than you changed your mind, but they aren't required to.

By the time 70Ds are being produced the production rate will be very high. If you aren't 100% certain about moving forward with the order, I would wait until maybe Q2 2016 to order and confirm. Sure you will be behind a few thousand people that order between now and then, but at an 800-1000 a week production rate that should only be a month or two delay.

 

[Superloud]

Well I guess it's what I thought it was.

It basically means if you want a 70D, there's practically zero reason to even be on the waiting list. I should retract my 5k and just decide once 70Ds start rolling out of the factory!

Im cool with tying up this 5k for so long as long as it's giving me *something*. But there's no value in having the right to commit the 5k to be non-refundable, just so I can get my car a few weeks sooner once they start making 70Ds which nobody knows when that will be.

 

[simplejack]

Well I guess it's what I thought it was.

It basically means if you want a 70D, there's practically zero reason to even be on the waiting list. I should retract my 5k and just decide once 70Ds start rolling out of the factory!

Im cool with tying up this 5k for so long as long as it's giving me *something*. But there's no value in having the right to commit the 5k to be non-refundable, just so I can get my car a few weeks sooner once they start making 70Ds which nobody knows when that will be.

You are essentially correct, many people feel the same way you do. There is a 7 page thread on it in the order/delivery sub-form : http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showthread.php/57984-70D-deliveries-starting-H2-16

 

[CarlK]

At this point you really don't have anything to lose by cancel your reservation and start anew again when you're invited but not ready to config yet.

 

[vandacca]

what tesla should do is as people are invited to configure, allow those who are certain, to declare themselves as non-P90D.
all those folks would start a new waiting list based on the order they declared (or could be based on original res #)
Then, once tesla is ready to start 90D production, the process would start again. Anyone willing to order a 90D would do so. But anyone wanting a 70D would declare themselves as non-90D and that would defer them but preserve their relative place in line till the 70Ds were ready for production. And no need for people like us to promise $5k for something so very far down the road

Yeah, it's not fair how Tesla is rolling this stuff out, but the problem is that clearly Tesla hasn't done any long-term planning of any sort. I wouldn't be surprised if the 70D wasn't planned for until after the Sept 29th reveal. This whole roll-out process was slowly pieced together over time and it has evolved into what it is today. It's not to say it can't continue to evolve (as it clearly has up until now) and get fixed. You have a good idea and maybe you should contact Tesla and suggest this to them.

 

[MrBoylan]

Yes, welcome NewCow! Bring your X to SLC for a visit anytime (better skiing )

and fyi, I gave ohmman reputation points for a single emoji. Hoping that's the first ever ?!!? How many times have I heard, "you're ruining it for everyone!!!"

Ohmman would get reputation points for breaking wind (and well-deserved). :tongue:

BTW, this post is on topic. It reinforces the need for bioweapon defense mode (it's not just for exterior smells).

 

[apriddy4]

Vger, goneskiian, ohmman...thanks! I've been lurking since June, X reservation made in Sep 2014.

 

[Trnsl8r]

Due on delivery. Actually, they like to have the money at Tesla a few days in advance, to make sure there are no problems when you come in to pick up, and the money doesn't transfer. I don't believe they want a check, unless it's a certified bank check. They were emailing me a week out to get things in order.

Of course, as this is the second time around for me, they probably figured they'd better get the money in hand. Reputation points.

When I picked up our S at the factory three years ago, they had no problem with a regular personal check. Note: three years ago...