Parking sensors

[wdimagineer]

My guess is that labor is a huge portion. The Tesla Service Center charges ~$150/hr.

Example:
Remove front/rear bumper - 1 hr
Install - 1-2 hrs.
Put it all back - 1 hr.
Test - 1 hr.

That's just labor, 4-5 hours @ $150/hr = $600 minimum. Since the twin charger costs ~$1800 in just labor, it seems reasonable that parking sensors would cost $600-1000 to install.

I agree with this without knowing the specifics. Now we wait I guess.

I had a chance to play with the sensors and some other options on a friend's car over the weekend. He sacrificed the Plus package to get the other options he wanted.

I can't wait for the sensors and fog lights. I also want to try and buy the nappa leather door panels and dash. Very nice!

 

[gnelson]

I agree with this without knowing the specifics. Now we wait I guess.

I had a chance to play with the sensors and some other options on a friend's car over the weekend. He sacrificed the Plus package to get the other options he wanted.

I can't wait for the sensors and fog lights. I also want to try and buy the nappa leather door panels and dash. Very nice!

I thought you were getting rid of yours.

- - - Updated - - -

This car is arguably the most technologically advanced on the road, yes. But BMW just walked all over Tesla with the i3 in terms of driver aids and advanced technologies. Extensive use of carbon fiber, connected technologies, driver aids, etc. Things that have been around 10 or more years should be available on Model S. But they're not, because Tesla has this attitude that is prevalent in Silicon Valley. Your users are your beta testers. Intentionally leave things out, iterate on the design, and then release something new to get them to upgrade - whether it's buying a new car, trading in for a loaner, or paying out the nose for a retrofit. Just like Apple with the iPhone or Samsung with the Galaxy series, people will find an excuse to upgrade for even the most insignificant of features, and that is what Tesla is banking on to keep momentum going. (Just my opinion.)

There is no reason I can think of why this stuff shouldn't be an option. And it's going to happen, probably in the next few months. Production order sheets - attached to cars at the factory in Fremont - have options boxes listing these things already. But people can't wait, so they'll buy now, and then figure out later how to make it all work.

This is crazy talk. There is nothing compelling about the i3! My Volt has parking sensors, but I am not going to compare it to my P85+.

One of the issues with Tesla has been getting parts from suppliers. Many suppliers didn't think that Tesla would be a viable car company and are now having trouble ramping up deliveries.

 

[wdimagineer]

I thought you were getting rid of yours.

- - - Updated - - -



This is crazy talk. There is nothing compelling about the i3! My Volt has parking sensors, but I am not going to compare it to my P85+.

One of the issues with Tesla has been getting parts from suppliers. Many suppliers didn't think that Tesla would be a viable car company and are now having trouble ramping up deliveries.

Keeping it for now.

Model S needs additional driver aids at this price point. Now that they're being taken seriously I hope it'll happen. It's a breeze parking my BMW just about anywhere. With Model S, I find myself avoiding certain places in order to keep it pristine.

 

[gnelson]

Keeping it for now.

Congratulations! I hope your found a good solution for level 2 charging.

I would love to have parking sensors, but I much prefer the > $10k saved by taking delivery of my P85+ prior to the pricing when parking sensors were offered.

 

[NigelM]

It's a breeze parking my BMW just about anywhere. With Model S, I find myself avoiding certain places in order to keep it pristine.

If we lived anywhere near each other I'd offer you a lesson in how to park in return for a beer. Both my wife and I learned to drive in Europe and parallel parking was part of the test. We've been driving Model S (and parking it) for ~11 months now without a single bump, scratch, or ding; I've been driving the Roadster for >2 years with worse visibility than Model S and not had a single problem with parking.

 

[zax123]

When Elon was talking about service centers back in the day and revolutionizing auto service, he mentioned that he has instructed service to run profit neutral, so I think speculation about Tesla wanting to make a profit on parking sensors might not be right. In fact, I'm thinking it would be in Tesla's best interest to price the retrofit as low as possible to show that Tesla/electric cars/new car companies can also do inexpensive after-sales retrofits.

But this is purely speculation of course...

 

[InTheShadows]

600-1000 sounds very reasonable to me.

 

[Electric1]

600-1000 sounds very reasonable to me.

I'd go for that in a heartbeat, but from what I hear it will likely be 3x that, with replacing and painting the facia. The nose cone alone is >$500 and you will need that, plus the front and rear bumper covers and the sensors, plus installation.

 

[aaron.s]

I'd go for that in a heartbeat, but from what I hear it will likely be 3x that, with replacing and painting the facia. The nose cone alone is >$500 and you will need that, plus the front and rear bumper covers and the sensors, plus installation.

I'm with you on this one... I'm guessing $2500-3500 for the retrofit. No way it will be less than $2k - and I'm game to pay that much since I really want them and plan on keeping the car 10 years...

Aaron

 

[gnelson]

I'm with you on this one... I'm guessing $2500-3500 for the retrofit. No way it will be less than $2k - and I'm game to pay that much since I really want them and plan on keeping the car 10 years...

Aaron

I will pay also because I want them and will keep the Model S for 10 years or more. At that price I will come out better than those that are ordering new Model S with the parking sensors.

 

[markb1]

I'm with you on this one... I'm guessing $2500-3500 for the retrofit. No way it will be less than $2k - and I'm game to pay that much since I really want them and plan on keeping the car 10 years...

Aaron

They can easily do it for less than that, as evidenced by the numerous third-party shops than do this sort of work. So why not?

 

[Saxena]

I'm with you on this one... I'm guessing $2500-3500 for the retrofit. No way it will be less than $2k - and I'm game to pay that much since I really want them and plan on keeping the car 10 years...

Aaron

Seems like a good guess. Our guess is $2,300 if your Model S already has the wiring in place, else $2,800. Does anyone know how to tell if you have the wiring or not? Is it based on having the tech package, or the timeframe of when you got your Model S??

 

[sgblank]

Parking Sensor Display - on 4.5 version 1.33.61

I had a P85+ loaner (VIN 17068) with Parking Sensors.
The car had software 4.5 version 1.33.61

Here are three pictures of the dash display
View attachment 28639View attachment 28640View attachment 28641

 

[brianman]

Thanks for the picture.

My bumper and my wallet are starting to get nervous.

 

[hans]

I had a P85+ loaner (VIN 17068) with Parking Sensors.
The car had software 4.5 version 1.33.61

Here are three pictures of the dash display
View attachment 28639View attachment 28640View attachment 28641

Weird. I thought 5.0 was required for the parking sensors to work. Guess not.

 

[wdimagineer]

If we lived anywhere near each other I'd offer you a lesson in how to park in return for a beer. Both my wife and I learned to drive in Europe and parallel parking was part of the test. We've been driving Model S (and parking it) for ~11 months now without a single bump, scratch, or ding; I've been driving the Roadster for >2 years with worse visibility than Model S and not had a single problem with parking.

I did too. I lived in Europe for several years. I'm perfectly fine at parallel parking. Here in SF spaces are difficult to find and often very tight, worse than in Europe. We also have hills, which make the S in Model S stand for sled.

It's just personal preference. I'm sure as I have more seat time with the car I'll relax this a bit.

 

[aaron.s]

They can easily do it for less than that, as evidenced by the numerous third-party shops than do this sort of work. So why not?

Mark

This is Tesla remember :wink:

I truly wish - but keep in mind:

- Need new front & rear bumper (which also have to be painted)
- Need new nosecone
- Labor!

The parts alone would cost upwards of close to $2000 - and that doesn't include painting the bumpers and the cost of the sensors and possible wiring and installation.

3rd party retrofits only require the sensors and wiring and use the existing bumpers and nosecone. As I said, I really wish it would be cheaper, but I'm sure this will come in at over $2k....

Aaron

 

[bhuwan]

I hate to say it, but in my eyes, TEsla does NOT want anyone to do the retrofit - it's just too time consuming, especially if the wiring harness is NOT already there. Having said that, I truly believe that Tesla will charge upwards of $4,000 for this retrofit to deter most people from actually having it done on their car.

 

[Eggplant]

Mark

This is Tesla remember :wink:

I truly wish - but keep in mind:

- Need new front & rear bumper (which also have to be painted)
- Need new nosecone
- Labor!

The parts alone would cost upwards of close to $2000 - and that doesn't include painting the bumpers and the cost of the sensors and possible wiring and installation.

3rd party retrofits only require the sensors and wiring and use the existing bumpers and nosecone. As I said, I really wish it would be cheaper, but I'm sure this will come in at over $2k....

Aaron

I'm not following why brand new bumpers and nose cones would be needed? It has been established that the holes are already marked and scored, yes? There are some rumors about shipping them to CA and back for drilling, but who said they needed new and paint matched parts?

 

[markb1]

This is Tesla remember :wink:

I'll give you that!

- Need new front & rear bumper (which also have to be painted)
- Need new nosecone

This is the part I find ridiculous. It is not necessary to replace the bumpers or nose cone. The existing ones can be drilled on site, or the work can be outsourced to local shops. There's nothing special about these bumpers that would require replacements, which we know because third party shops have installed parking sensors on the Model S, already.

- Labor!

That's a given, but that's not unique to Tesla. They should be able to do the work for a similar fee to other shops.

The parts alone would cost upwards of close to $2000 - and that doesn't include painting the bumpers and the cost of the sensors and possible wiring and installation.

I suspect that $2,000 is actually a huge underestimate for the cost of two new bumpers and a nosecone. But, of course, I'm not including that in my estimates, since those parts should not need to be replaced.

3rd party retrofits only require the sensors and wiring and use the existing bumpers and nosecone. As I said, I really wish it would be cheaper, but I'm sure this will come in at over $2k....

Exactly. Why can't Tesla do that, too?