No direct sales in Maryland now

[neroden]

As I noted in another thread, I dug through the District of Columbia code (which is available only in a very annoying format). DC has none of these restrictions, AFAICT. If you want a motor vehicle dealer's license, you just pay your fee (general business license plus a "motor vehicle endorsement" fee) and you have a license.

This explains why Tesla has its store in DC proper. Washington DC | Tesla Store Locations | Tesla Motors

 

[Ven Rala]

I don't trust the NADA; they attempted to claim that Tesla was prohibited from selling cars in NY, which was flatly false. The NY laws are perfectly reasonable.

So I went and checked the Maryland law. The relevant provisions are at
Md. TRANSPORTATION Code Ann. § 15-305

You can find them on Lexis-Nexus for free:
LexisNexis Custom Solution: Code of Maryland Unannotated and Rules Research Tool

Look under
TRANSPORTATION
TITLE 15. VEHICLE LAWS -- LICENSING OF BUSINESSES AND OCCUPATIONS
SUBTITLE 3. DEALERS

Yes, Maryland actually prohibits manufacturers from selling to retail customers. ::eyeroll::

This is the section which needs to be amended to permit manufacturers to sell direct if they have no franchises at all (which is the rule in NY). As long as it is not amended, I think Tesla would be well advised to move its DC store out of Maryland into DC proper.

Neroden,

The DC store is actually in the District (on K st, not far from the Capital building), not in MD. The metro DC area service center is in Rockville, MD.

 

[Botbldr45]

From what's being said ts seems that a " wait and see policy" should be adopted. As long as Teslas are getting registered there is no problem regardless of the law. The first person that has a problem should announce it loud and clear and then the MVA legalities should be addressed.

Until then the March on Annapolis should be deferred to a March on Tyson's to support the "showroom". ...... And get the word out.
I would be willing to bet most Tesla owners are pretty much wrapped up in our professions or jobs and free time is at a premium. I would also be willing to bet that our first driving mile as a Tesla owner sold us on the importance of this car!! There must be a way the "Showroom" can become a "Store"or at least a legal Internet access to ordering. For thr first time in my life I wished I had followed my cousins into the Law and not into Medicine.

Perry Mason where are you!!! Somebody with legal background must let the faithful know what we can do legally and effectively to fight this dilemma.

 

[Rarity]

By way of background, if I recall correctly, Tesla's downtown dealership is the only new car dealership in the District. The rest have left for the suburbs. New car dealerships are major tax moneymakers for local governments, so I expect that Tesla will continue to be welcomed with open arms.

As a practical matter, this seems mostly about Annapolis and Baltimore. For the Washington suburbs, perhaps Tesla would prefer to put a dealership over the line in the District at Friendship Heights.

 

[brianman]

Tesla's dealership

Terminology nitpick: store/gallery or service center; they have no dealerships.

 

[andrewket]

Terminology nitpick: store/gallery or service center; they have no dealerships.

It's not a nitpick. Terminology matters here.

 

[RobStark]

So Tesla does not have a dealership in DC because they are not allowed to have one?

 

[bluetinc]

They do have a full store, it's on 11th and K NW. Been there for quite a number of years now.

Peter

So Tesla does not have a dealership in DC because they are not allowed to have one?

 

[TexasEV]

So Tesla does not have a dealership in DC because they are not allowed to have one?

Once again, it's not a "dealership" because Tesla has no "dealers". They are company stores (where they can sell cars) or galleries (where they can not, such as in Texas). Would you call an Apple store an "Apple dealership"?

 

[brianman]

Once again, it's not a "dealership" because Tesla has no "dealers". They are company stores (where they can sell cars) or galleries (where they can not, such as in Texas). Would you call an Apple store an "Apple dealership"?

If they start offering trucoat, yes.

 

[TMunro]

Its ironic that Maryland won't allow direct sales (my temporary registration was from New Jersey), but Maryland is perfectly happy to collect the 6% registration fee (aka sales tax).

 

[Rockster]

Its ironic that Maryland won't allow direct sales (my temporary registration was from New Jersey), but Maryland is perfectly happy to collect the 6% registration fee (aka sales tax).

+10000

I said the same thing about Texas and the 8.25% check I had to write to the county tax assessor. Ouch!

 

[JST]

They do have a full store, it's on 11th and K NW. Been there for quite a number of years now.

Peter

They have a storefront/gallery and offer test drives--that's where I did my drives. Do they actually "sell" cars from that location? I don't know--I "placed" an order there, but what we did was sit at the computer and do basically what anyone can do from any Internet connection. I didn't put down a deposit (that came later), though I think I probably could have.

The car was delivered a few months later at the Rockville service center, in MD. The sales contract listed New Jersey as the retailing state, and my registration came from New Jersey. My payments were made online from DC and Virginia to California.

It's sort of too bad, because I would have preferred to take delivery at the DC store. It's walking distance from my office. Rockville, OTOH, is a major schlep.

They used to do service there, back in the Roadster and early Model S days, but they've moved all of that out to Maryland now. Again, too bad for me.

 

[robatbeach]

This direct sales seems to be one area that is confusing folks who aren't as familiar with Tesla. I've been asked several times how I was able to buy it. Even after explaining, I was told: "Well, I thought you can't buy it in Maryland, but you definitely can't buy it in North Carolina". People eventually get it and then agree that internet makes sense, but all this press about dealerships is leaving some folks confused.

 

[chickensevil]

This direct sales seems to be one area that is confusing folks who aren't as familiar with Tesla. I've been asked several times how I was able to buy it. Even after explaining, I was told: "Well, I thought you can't buy it in Maryland, but you definitely can't buy it in North Carolina". People eventually get it and then agree that internet makes sense, but all this press about dealerships is leaving some folks confused.

I just love that Tesla is basically willing to do the legwork to get around the laws. Coming from a VA purchase. I find it funny that I couldn't even test drive in VA, had to go to MD. I am willing to bet that as long as ONE state allows Tesla to "sell" the car from their state, then we will be good. Worst case maybe they end up "selling" it in Canada, and then you are just having it shipped to you. Although I am willing to bet the price would go way up.

How sad is it, that you can't buy an all-american made product without jumping through a million hoops?

 

[Cameron]

I just love that Tesla is basically willing to do the legwork to get around the laws. Coming from a VA purchase. I find it funny that I couldn't even test drive in VA, had to go to MD. I am willing to bet that as long as ONE state allows Tesla to "sell" the car from their state, then we will be good. Worst case maybe they end up "selling" it in Canada, and then you are just having it shipped to you. Although I am willing to bet the price would go way up.

How sad is it, that you can't buy an all-american made product without jumping through a million hoops?

Really, really, sad!