Tesla229
Member
Been driving my Sig. P85 for a couple of weeks, now, and I'm totally spoiled. FASTER than a speeding bullet, MORE POWERFUL than a locomotive. Now, if it would only leap tall buildings with a single bound......
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huntjo
Member
I patiently waited for Tesla to contact me regarding delivery, as I knew they were working round the clock to meet deadlines that were already passed. A week after George B's official email to us explaining some of the delays, I finally got contacted with a narrow range of delivery estimate:
Hi John,
My name is G--- P---, and I’m the Delivery Experience Specialist responsible for delivering your Model S. I will be guiding you through the delivery process and my goal is to make it easy, informative and most of all fun! We anticipate your Model S will be ready for delivery between 10/29/2012 and 11/12/2012. If there’s anything I can do for you in the meantime, please don’t hesitate to ask.
So of course I frantically completed the paperwork in about 26 seconds and returned it, explaining that this was awesome, but that I did, in fact already have plans to be out of town Nov 8-12 which was smack in the delivery window. Then on Nov 5th, I got this email from my DS:
Happy Monday John!
It looks like your car is at the end of the line for production and should be heading to the mountains this week! The transit time to get to Denver is usually a few days, but I will be in contact with you soon to set up a delivery date and time. I can’t wait to let you take it for a spin, it’s been a long time to wait!
Cheers,
Well, that pretty much lined up with me being gone and translated into my new baby getting delivered when I'm out of town, but now the excitement is starting to really build up. As luck would have it though, my return flight doesnt get in til 8pm! Aughh! I'll have to go home empty handed and then try to come back the next day!
The Following day, Nov 6th, I am finishing up at the office, when around 3pm, my DS calls my cell. "Uhh, hey there. I guess we didn't realize it but your car is actually here TODAY!!" Now panic ensues: I had been dawlding with my financing paperwork. Could I get it done tonight in time to drive to Denver and pick it up? As it turns out, no. The Credit union is fast, but not that fast. I called them at 3, and checked back at 4:30 as I left the office and they said that typical is 2-3 days, but they could likely get it done by the next day.
So the wife gets to give me the I told you so speech about how I shouldn't have put that off, and now I would just have to wait until we got back from our trip. I had a full day scheduled on Wednesday the 7th to get stuff finished before leaving town and was scheduled to be on call that night as well. Once the financing came through though, I couldn't hold back any longer. I got a work partner to cover for me and another friend to drive me down at 4:30pm (how lucky to have such friends willing to brave Denver rush hour traffic for me!!). My DS was sposed to be leaving at 6:30pm to catch a flight to help with a delivery the next day, but he insisted that he stay and go over everything with me. (I think it was closer to 7 before he left- what a guy!)
Needless to say, It was love at first sight. Signature Red is a great color, and of course the car is gorgeous no matter what color. It was a beautiful night out, so after I finished with the paperwork and the introduction from the DS, I was cleared for takeoff! The roads right around the service center are pretty rough, but with the pano roof open and the quiet bliss off no engine noise, I was without a care.
Now the scary part:
As I entered the freeway, I went ahead and gunned the accelerator because... well, because that's why I got this thing! Accelerating is as great as I remember from the Get Amped event. But as I reach cruising speed on the freeway, I notice a funny noise from the right rear of the car. This is a rubbing type of noise with accompanying vibration. I am thinking: is this just a new-tire noise as the little nubbins are wearing down? (the service center had just put on my winter 19's in place of the 21's that the car was shipped with). But the noise seemed to go away when accelerating, and only returned when maintaining speed or braking (regen or foot brake).
Now I'm freaked! I quickly exit the freeway and pull over to a gas station. Immediately, I realize I don't want my Tesla to be seen at a gas station. So I pull over the a nearby Wendy's parking lot and call my DS. (Yes he gave me his cell, and so did the manager at the service center). I leave a message, figuring he may be has actually made it to the airport by now and has turned his phone off. I walk around the car and inspect the tire and wheel, which all look normal as far as a lay person can tell. I still have someone covering for me at the hospital, so I can't really not go home. I get back in and drive off. Again, no problem when accelerating, but as soon as I let up on the pedal, I can notice tha vibrating again. Is it a sticky brake pad? Is this normal regen braking? I tried standard and low regen modes. I pulled over and turned on and off the parking brake in another parking lot. I raised and lowered the suspension and looked at the wheel in the wheel wells to assure that in fact the tire was not rubbing on the frame or something. I am slightly reassured because it is only a noise, and the handling seems ok as far as I can tell.
The next time I drive off, the phenomenon is still happening, but after about 10 miles, it just goes away. And I realize that the handling was not ok before, because now the car is whisper quiet and handling super smooth. I guess driving my '94 Dodge Dakota again for the last 3 months since the test drive made me forget what the car was supposed to feel like. So, uhh wow. What does this mean. Good news: the noise is gone. Bad news: is it something serious? will it recur?
My DS calls me back after he's cleared airport security and talks me through it. Of course I'm sheepish to have called him after such a short time, but he's very accomodating, and agrees that it is encouraging that it is gone, and may just be a "breaking in thing" since the tires literally just got put on that day, but he forwards it on the the service manager. The service manager emails the next morning.
On Nov 8, 2012, at 9:13 AM, <[email protected]> wrote:
> It sounds like the wheel is not balanced properly. About what speed were you going? We out source our tire/wheel labor so chances are it just wasn't balanced properly at the tire shop. >
> Where abouts in town do you live? We may be able to swing by today, take it to a shop, and get it re-balanced. If possible, try to check the tire pressures. I can't view them remotely.
> Sorry for the inconvenience,
> >
I explained I am now catching a plane myself and won't be back till next week.
Let me know when you are back in town, and I will make it up there to get the wheels re-balanced. We recently changed tire shops, and have so far been unimpressed by their quality. Chances are it just wasn't balanced properly, or the wheel weights fell off. We will get this fixed for you.
So far so good with responsiveness and concern. Of course I wish there was no problem at all but I am fairly pleased with the response to my last minute pickup and my wheel balancing problem. I guess I am wondering why they outsource their tire/ wheel issues. Seems like something their in house techs could learn, but maybe I am underestimating something about the equipment/ training involved.
Hi John,
My name is G--- P---, and I’m the Delivery Experience Specialist responsible for delivering your Model S. I will be guiding you through the delivery process and my goal is to make it easy, informative and most of all fun! We anticipate your Model S will be ready for delivery between 10/29/2012 and 11/12/2012. If there’s anything I can do for you in the meantime, please don’t hesitate to ask.
So of course I frantically completed the paperwork in about 26 seconds and returned it, explaining that this was awesome, but that I did, in fact already have plans to be out of town Nov 8-12 which was smack in the delivery window. Then on Nov 5th, I got this email from my DS:
Happy Monday John!
It looks like your car is at the end of the line for production and should be heading to the mountains this week! The transit time to get to Denver is usually a few days, but I will be in contact with you soon to set up a delivery date and time. I can’t wait to let you take it for a spin, it’s been a long time to wait!
Cheers,
Well, that pretty much lined up with me being gone and translated into my new baby getting delivered when I'm out of town, but now the excitement is starting to really build up. As luck would have it though, my return flight doesnt get in til 8pm! Aughh! I'll have to go home empty handed and then try to come back the next day!
The Following day, Nov 6th, I am finishing up at the office, when around 3pm, my DS calls my cell. "Uhh, hey there. I guess we didn't realize it but your car is actually here TODAY!!" Now panic ensues: I had been dawlding with my financing paperwork. Could I get it done tonight in time to drive to Denver and pick it up? As it turns out, no. The Credit union is fast, but not that fast. I called them at 3, and checked back at 4:30 as I left the office and they said that typical is 2-3 days, but they could likely get it done by the next day.
So the wife gets to give me the I told you so speech about how I shouldn't have put that off, and now I would just have to wait until we got back from our trip. I had a full day scheduled on Wednesday the 7th to get stuff finished before leaving town and was scheduled to be on call that night as well. Once the financing came through though, I couldn't hold back any longer. I got a work partner to cover for me and another friend to drive me down at 4:30pm (how lucky to have such friends willing to brave Denver rush hour traffic for me!!). My DS was sposed to be leaving at 6:30pm to catch a flight to help with a delivery the next day, but he insisted that he stay and go over everything with me. (I think it was closer to 7 before he left- what a guy!)
Needless to say, It was love at first sight. Signature Red is a great color, and of course the car is gorgeous no matter what color. It was a beautiful night out, so after I finished with the paperwork and the introduction from the DS, I was cleared for takeoff! The roads right around the service center are pretty rough, but with the pano roof open and the quiet bliss off no engine noise, I was without a care.
Now the scary part:
As I entered the freeway, I went ahead and gunned the accelerator because... well, because that's why I got this thing! Accelerating is as great as I remember from the Get Amped event. But as I reach cruising speed on the freeway, I notice a funny noise from the right rear of the car. This is a rubbing type of noise with accompanying vibration. I am thinking: is this just a new-tire noise as the little nubbins are wearing down? (the service center had just put on my winter 19's in place of the 21's that the car was shipped with). But the noise seemed to go away when accelerating, and only returned when maintaining speed or braking (regen or foot brake).
Now I'm freaked! I quickly exit the freeway and pull over to a gas station. Immediately, I realize I don't want my Tesla to be seen at a gas station. So I pull over the a nearby Wendy's parking lot and call my DS. (Yes he gave me his cell, and so did the manager at the service center). I leave a message, figuring he may be has actually made it to the airport by now and has turned his phone off. I walk around the car and inspect the tire and wheel, which all look normal as far as a lay person can tell. I still have someone covering for me at the hospital, so I can't really not go home. I get back in and drive off. Again, no problem when accelerating, but as soon as I let up on the pedal, I can notice tha vibrating again. Is it a sticky brake pad? Is this normal regen braking? I tried standard and low regen modes. I pulled over and turned on and off the parking brake in another parking lot. I raised and lowered the suspension and looked at the wheel in the wheel wells to assure that in fact the tire was not rubbing on the frame or something. I am slightly reassured because it is only a noise, and the handling seems ok as far as I can tell.
The next time I drive off, the phenomenon is still happening, but after about 10 miles, it just goes away. And I realize that the handling was not ok before, because now the car is whisper quiet and handling super smooth. I guess driving my '94 Dodge Dakota again for the last 3 months since the test drive made me forget what the car was supposed to feel like. So, uhh wow. What does this mean. Good news: the noise is gone. Bad news: is it something serious? will it recur?
My DS calls me back after he's cleared airport security and talks me through it. Of course I'm sheepish to have called him after such a short time, but he's very accomodating, and agrees that it is encouraging that it is gone, and may just be a "breaking in thing" since the tires literally just got put on that day, but he forwards it on the the service manager. The service manager emails the next morning.
On Nov 8, 2012, at 9:13 AM, <[email protected]> wrote:
> It sounds like the wheel is not balanced properly. About what speed were you going? We out source our tire/wheel labor so chances are it just wasn't balanced properly at the tire shop. >
> Where abouts in town do you live? We may be able to swing by today, take it to a shop, and get it re-balanced. If possible, try to check the tire pressures. I can't view them remotely.
> Sorry for the inconvenience,
> >
I explained I am now catching a plane myself and won't be back till next week.
Let me know when you are back in town, and I will make it up there to get the wheels re-balanced. We recently changed tire shops, and have so far been unimpressed by their quality. Chances are it just wasn't balanced properly, or the wheel weights fell off. We will get this fixed for you.
So far so good with responsiveness and concern. Of course I wish there was no problem at all but I am fairly pleased with the response to my last minute pickup and my wheel balancing problem. I guess I am wondering why they outsource their tire/ wheel issues. Seems like something their in house techs could learn, but maybe I am underestimating something about the equipment/ training involved.
Well, if it was tire balance, it wouldn't go away, so I'd scratch that hypothesis.
Best guess is that something was left in the wheel well area and now it's gone. (Of course, if the problem comes back then that's not the answer either).
Second best guess is that if the problem always goes away after ten miles of driving you need different tires. The tires are taking a set overnight. Look on the sidewall of the tire and see if there is nylon listed in the construction materials. Nylon is very bad for taking a set overnight. In the dim past when nylon was a commonly used carcass material, the tire salesmen would say, "That's the, thump, thump, (slaps hand on a solid surface) sound of safety". Many high performance tires have a nylon cap ply on top of the belts, but that shouldn't be enough to cause the tires to take a set overnight.
If it does come back, get someone to ride in the back seat and listen. Noises in cars can appear to come from someplace other than where they really originate. In the worst cases you have to attach microphones in various places to isolate the noise.
William13
Active Member
New tires come with stickers attached. Perhaps part of a sticker was still attached to one wheel. A rock could have been stuck in a tire tread an finally come out.
Good luck!
Good luck!
gg_got_a_tesla
Model S: VIN 65513, Model 3: VIN 1913
Beware: this may not be universally applicable; a tire (front, driver's side) on my Acura TL lost its entire sidewall (exposing the steel wire-like stuff inside) on the freeway and by the time I pulled over, the loose rubber that was hanging off the rest of the tire (and which was going thump, thump inside the wheel well) had cut through some cables high up in the wheel well! That damage cost me more to fix than getting a new pair of tires!
This was my favorite part of your story. Is this the 'gas anxiety' I keep hearing about in Volt drivers? I've been to a gas station twice now (ATM then to get some water on a road trip) but it is an odd feeling.
Great story and glad it all worked out.
goyogi
Member
As long as it's coming from the wheel well. If it's coming from the frunk that may need attention.
kevincwelch
Active Member
Just thought I'd follow up on this issue, which caught my attention when you posted it. I'm sure others have either quietly or publicly recognized it and have had their own input.
I was at the Skokie store in Illinois tonight and did another test drive. I chose night to experience it, but I specifically took along the booster seat we use with our daughter. We like the First Years Compass B540, which has a 5 star ease of use rating. Our daughter loves it.
It fit very nicely in the back of the Model S. Here are some snapshots.
Arnold Panz
Model Sig 304, VIN 542
Kevin,
Thanks for that. I'm hopeful that there are booster seats that will fit. Right now my five year old is big enough, and the seat belt low enough, that he's OK in the back without a booster and the seat belt isn't on his neck. Perhaps because my seat doesn't have a back to it it's a bit wider at that spot that prevents access to the seat belt. Hopefully it's an anomaly. And, once I have the third row seats it should be less of an issue.
Thanks for that. I'm hopeful that there are booster seats that will fit. Right now my five year old is big enough, and the seat belt low enough, that he's OK in the back without a booster and the seat belt isn't on his neck. Perhaps because my seat doesn't have a back to it it's a bit wider at that spot that prevents access to the seat belt. Hopefully it's an anomaly. And, once I have the third row seats it should be less of an issue.
Well I don't have mine yet (P#5,651) I did get a chance to do an extended drive today in my dad's car (Sig, #417) and I can tell you that this car is everything I hoped it would be and more. Unfortunately we had to deal with heavy traffic for most of the trip, but this thing shines even there! One pedal driving is going to take a little getting used to, but I know that I'm really going to love it.
I'm going to have to try not to freak other drivers out with all the speed though. I hustled n front of one guy who was totally freaked out by the sudden acceleration and ended up slamming the brakes. There was more than enough room, I just really didn't expect me to be there.
It's going to be a loooong couple of months.
I'm going to have to try not to freak other drivers out with all the speed though. I hustled n front of one guy who was totally freaked out by the sudden acceleration and ended up slamming the brakes. There was more than enough room, I just really didn't expect me to be there.
It's going to be a loooong couple of months.
spatterso911
P100DL - Raven
Kevin, that was very helpful. Thanks for posting. I was worried about the width as well, and although we are only just now transitioning our daughter to a booster, I now know which one to buy!
kevincwelch
Active Member
The B540 is nice. It folds up for storage in the trunk or elsewhere and has a reasonably easy-to-remove cover that can be washed. I'll be getting a second one soon. We have another booster seat that doesn't have a back, and it fit easily as well. Based on pictures from Arnold's post, the one we have doesn't appear as plush.
Arnold Panz
Model Sig 304, VIN 542
My kids do like that one, although it was a cheapee we bought at Toys R Us to have something to travel with without a back. I may try one of my other ones with a back (I think Graco) to see if it fits.
kevincwelch
Active Member
Arnold Panz
Model Sig 304, VIN 542
I put the other seat (a Compass, probably bought six years ago) and it was fine. So probably just that one "plush" seat I have, although I think it helps to have a seat with a back that's a little thinner.
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