Paid for Model Y and have VIN, but no car or even delivery date...

[ihaveacamaro]

Hello everyone! I'm pretty excited for my first Tesla!

However, I am pretty frustrated at this point. I was told explicitly that I had to pay for the car in full (before I even saw it!), just to get the delivery process started.

Once I got my VIN, I had the bank wire payment for the car in full and now 11 days later, I neither have the car, nor an option to schedule delivery date, and the kicker is my advisor has no idea where the car is. He said the transports turn off GPS once they leave the factory and they have no way to know where it is, but I feel like that's BS because 1) couldn't they just call the transporter and 2) the truck must've made at least 1 stop by now. How can they possibly not even know approximately where the car is?

Anyways, I'm excited about the car, but man I feel really ripped off by the company to make me pay in full and just be completely in the dark for this long. I'd feel better if I had some kind of ETA or ballpark estimate, but nothing.

Anyways, is this normal? Am I being crazy?

Thanks in advance!

P.S. The forum name is the name I've had for over 10 years so I didn't feel like changing it and making my life more complicated. I'm keeping the Camaro as it is my baby, but excited for the future

P.P.S. VIN is 1173

 

[myMY808]

Is the pre-payment required because Tesla can’t sell direct in Texas? I vaguely recall an article about Tesla and the state of Texas and the challenges of purchasing a Tesla there.

 

[empiredown]

Yes, that is correct. TX law prohibits Tesla selling like they would from established dealerships. Requires us to do the tax payments, etc. on our own post delivery now.

To OP, hang in there. A week in, I believe it's worth it. Also believe a whole lot of people are going to agree after this virus runs its course

ẞ

 

[yeee666]

Thats crazyyy!!! They really gave you this bs excuse...

 

[teslasguy]

Hello everyone! I'm pretty excited for my first Tesla!

However, I am pretty frustrated at this point. I was told explicitly that I had to pay for the car in full (before I even saw it!), just to get the delivery process started.

Once I got my VIN, I had the bank wire payment for the car in full and now 11 days later, I neither have the car, nor an option to schedule delivery date, and the kicker is my advisor has no idea where the car is. He said the transports turn off GPS once they leave the factory and they have no way to know where it is, but I feel like that's BS because 1) couldn't they just call the transporter and 2) the truck must've made at least 1 stop by now. How can they possibly not even know approximately where the car is?

Anyways, I'm excited about the car, but man I feel really ripped off by the company to make me pay in full and just be completely in the dark for this long. I'd feel better if I had some kind of ETA or ballpark estimate, but nothing.

Anyways, is this normal? Am I being crazy?

Thanks in advance!

P.S. The forum name is the name I've had for over 10 years so I didn't feel like changing it and making my life more complicated. I'm keeping the Camaro as it is my baby, but excited for the future

P.P.S. VIN is 1173

A lot of misinformation here. First, you can wait to pay by check until you pick up the car. Second, the delivery center is in contact with and reach the truckers anytime. My delivery rep was keeping me posted on exactly where my truck was the last few days before delivery. Picked up my new Y last night in Md. before they shut that state down.

 

[ihaveacamaro]

Is the pre-payment required because Tesla can’t sell direct in Texas? I vaguely recall an article about Tesla and the state of Texas and the challenges of purchasing a Tesla there.

Actually I'm in Oklahoma, but I believe same thing. Nearest delivery center is Plano

 

[ihaveacamaro]

Yes, that is correct. TX law prohibits Tesla selling like they would from established dealerships. Requires us to do the tax payments, etc. on our own post delivery now.

To OP, hang in there. A week in, I believe it's worth it. Also believe a whole lot of people are going to agree after this virus runs its course

ẞ

Yeah they said I'd have to do all of that. Was kind of weirded out, but I guess that's what the future looks like haha

 

[ihaveacamaro]

Thats crazyyy!!! They really gave you this bs excuse...

I really don't know why they couldn't just be straight with me. If it's delayed or won't happen, just tell me. The I know don't know where it is excuse got old after 5 days.

The issue is I'm about to start to making payments on a car I don't even have. I don't think that's fair. Especially without even an ETA

 

[ihaveacamaro]

A lot of misinformation here. First, you can wait to pay by check until you pick up the car. Second, the delivery center is in contact with and reach the truckers anytime. My delivery rep was keeping me posted on exactly where my truck was the last few days before delivery. Picked up my new Y last night in Md. before they shut that state down.

Well... I mean I posted the communication straight from Tesla that said I had to pay in full before I could even get my car delivered. I'm not sure what more proof you want lol.

Maybe you could have your rep call mine and let him know how to track a car. I believe you that they know how to do that. To not would be crazy. Why my advisor doesn't know how to is crazy

 

[Tdriver]

Relax..........the virus has everything including Tesla in a mess.

 

[empiredown]

Yeah they said I'd have to do all of that. Was kind of weirded out, but I guess that's what the future looks like haha

I've bought three cars this way and not had a problem. Confident the same for you. Good luck!

ẞ

 

[PigeonwingMom]

We live in Plano, TX a couple miles away from the service center. We have had a S, X and a 3. We had an issue with each of the deliveries. Yes in the state of TX you have to wire the money before they will set up delivery. With all 3 cars they gave a delivery date and it was never even close to accurate. The S was about 3 weeks off. The X they lost and gave us a rental for 2 weeks. With the X our specialist told us over and over it was on the way. We finally were informed the car was never was put on the truck. The 3 was the only one that was semi organized. It was delivered to the house and only about a week off from their estimated delivery date. What was funny with the 3 was we could of driven the 2 miles to the service center to pick it but they insisted driving it over to our house. Then my husband drove the driver back over to the service center. It is extremely frustrating to pay for the car and then not get it for weeks! So yes what you are experiencing is accurate! We are waiting for a Y now. When we do get an email or call from the delivery specialist we know not to believe the delivery date they tell us.

 

[ilyak]

The reason they asked you to pay in advance is, as other have said, Texas. Tesla cannot sell the car to you in Texas and cannot deliver it to you on their own either. Instead, they use third party common carrier companies. So you basically buy the car first, sight unseen and from a location in another state, and then it is shipped to you by an independent company not controlled by Tesla. It is true that in other states, you can just bring a cashier's check to the delivery appointment (some people even had luck with just bringing a personal check), but not in TX. This, among other things, means that, should the common carrier wreck your car, you'll be dealing with their insurance as Tesla no longer owns the car. This was the primary reason I've opted to get my first car myself in NYC rather than get it delivered to me in Rochester.

 

[Wilber]

Ihaveacamero - I just think you are a bit unlucky due to three factors:
1. residing in a state that makes buying a Tesla wierd (by the way i was born in Norman..,but now live about 40 miles from Fremont ,CA)
2. This coronavirus thing has made it difficult for any of us to predict with confidence what will happen on future dates.
3. Customer Communications, customer communications and customer communications are Tesla's three top weaknesses.

I have happily driven Teslas since 2014, and the cars are great. I have become accustomed to low expectations in the customer communications area.....

 

[jjrandorin]

A lot of misinformation here. First, you can wait to pay by check until you pick up the car. Second, the delivery center is in contact with and reach the truckers anytime. My delivery rep was keeping me posted on exactly where my truck was the last few days before delivery. Picked up my new Y last night in Md. before they shut that state down.

Thats crazyyy!!! They really gave you this bs excuse...

That is absolutely NOT CORRECT in any state that tesla can not sell directly in. The one with the most membership here seems to be Texas (it is the biggest state after all, but it is NOT the only state that DOES NOT ALLOW manufacturers to sell directly, which means that the car MUST BE PAID FOR in a state OUTSIDE that persons state, where tesla is simply "delivering" a pre purchased car.

The list of states this applies to is:

New Mexico
Alabama
South Carolina
Louisiana
Texas
Connecticutt
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Nebraska
Oklahoma

Notice that OPs state is "OKC" under his name and also OP mentions being in Oklahoma in this thread.

So, the "you can write a check when you pick it up" is valid in most places but not these, and no one should blame Tesla for this (they are fighting to change it), Blame the dealer lobby and government in these states.

So this OP did have to "pay in full" before they would schedule delivery. Now the rest of it, thats on tesla to explain why they have not contacted OP with delivery information. I suspect that this Covid19 stuff has something to do with it, however.

 

[ihaveacamaro]

Thank you empiredown, pigeonwingmom, ilyak, wilber, and jjrandorin for your responses.

It seems what I am experiencing is somewhat par for the course. That's a relief in a way, I guess haha. And it seems Tesla is known for their bad communications.

I will continue waiting (im)patiently for a car that I really really hope comes before the whole nation shuts down it seems.

This is my first Tesla so it's weird to experience these things but I guess that is the price of progress. Thank you guys for your input

 

[ilyak]

That is absolutely NOT CORRECT in any state that tesla can not sell directly in. The one with the most membership here seems to be Texas (it is the biggest state after all, but it is NOT the only state that DOES NOT ALLOW manufacturers to sell directly, which means that the car MUST BE PAID FOR in a state OUTSIDE that persons state, where tesla is simply "delivering" a pre purchased car.

The list of states this applies to is:

New Mexico
Alabama
South Carolina
Louisiana
Texas
Connecticutt
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Nebraska
Oklahoma

Notice that OPs state is "OKC" under his name and also OP mentions being in Oklahoma in this thread.

So, the "you can write a check when you pick it up" is valid in most places but not these, and no one should blame Tesla for this (they are fighting to change it), Blame the dealer lobby and government in these states.

So this OP did have to "pay in full" before they would schedule delivery. Now the rest of it, thats on tesla to explain why they have not contacted OP with delivery information. I suspect that this Covid19 stuff has something to do with it, however.

Well now I have no idea why I thought OP was in Texas. But yeah, same thing with Oklahoma.

 

[myMY808]

Well now I have no idea why I thought OP was in Texas. But yeah, same thing with Oklahoma.

The OP is not, but the Tesla will be. The screenshot the OP attached references Texas. "Once this (payment) is complete, we will be able to begin transport of your vehicle to Texas."

 

[ihaveacamaro]

The OP is not, but the Tesla will be. The screenshot the OP attached references Texas. "Once this (payment) is complete, we will be able to begin transport of your vehicle to Texas."

Yeah exactly. They said they had to ship it to Plano first, and then to me after directly.