Picked up my SR+ 2 weeks ago, feeling misled

[jjrandorin]

I want to add: I think there is a legal case for us to get our money back.
We were misled into getting a more expensive car based on a relative comparison to the cheaper car. For me anyway, in BC, that kicked it over into the luxury-car class, adding 2% more tax at the >$56k level.
Had I not been lied to about the SR, it's the car I would have purchased.
It burns even more because they also lowered the price 11 days after I picked my car up, even in the same category.
I will research small-claims court for this.
They can give me back my $6,282, and drop 32km off my battery - I don't give a *sugar* about that if it's the only difference between models now.
Alternately, they could, at no cost to them, add the fairly useless FSD and SC.
What a joke.

How exactly would this have differed if you had bought a car from Toyota / audi / BMW etc from a dealer, who sold the exact same car as yours to someone else for less money than you paid?

Have you never bought a new car before, and had a dealer "encourage" you to get window etching to "protect your investment" or "lifetime leather conditioner" or say "the new model year wont change much...".

How many people have sued a car dealer for such?

 

[Legen---dary]

Nope this happens all the time.
You just weren't aware of it because there's usually a middleman - dealer - in the middle.
You're none the wiser: ignorance was bliss You've been 'taken' before and you weren't even aware of it.
Material and product prices change daily that's the market!

Not so legendary now if you've been 'taken'.

I can agree with you there. I've been taken for a wild electric ride.

 

[Legen---dary]

How exactly would this have differed if you had bought a car from Toyota / audi / BMW etc from a dealer, who sold the exact same car as yours to someone else for less money than you paid?

Have you never bought a new car before, and had a dealer "encourage" you to get window etching to "protect your investment" or "lifetime leather conditioner" or say "the new model year wont change much...".

How many people have sued a car dealer for such?

Oh yeah, this is probably my 10th new car, so I know how scummy the stealerships are. It's not the car, it's the lies. If a dealership sold a car based on fraudulent assertions, such as making up a nonexistent model to get me to buy another more expensive one, then selling someone else my same car but calling it the nonexistent one so they get it for much less, then I'd have an issue, and probably legal recourse.

Tesla has offered to hobble the car a bit and refund some money. The SR+ is already quite hobbled, and I've yet to see the differences with the imaginary SR, but they can't be much. They also have not offered to refund the tax burden applied based on fraudulent information.

 

[Goodtohave]

First off let’s be clear...

I am Canadian , we don’t sue people over a small issue

I have no problem with the pricing or policy changes but they could at least make a reach and throw recent purchasers something to make up for change in pricing...

Won’t cost them a penny for some goodwill software updates for the récent plus purchasers

Turn on rear heated seats? The extra speakers that are there? Some supercharging ?

A gesture would be nice.

 

[ammulder]

You keep saying 'lies'... do you believe the people you dealt with had any idea that the free autopilot thing was coming? I mean, I didn't hear a single hint of it, from anyone, anywhere -- and then it happened.

 

[Goodtohave]

@Goodtohave Tesla is allowing SR+ owners to downgrade to SR giving up heated seats, audio quality and some range/power. Isn't that what you want?

First I have heard of this, I would definitely take a $2700 chèque in exchange for heated seats and 40 km of range.

 

[EV-lutioin]

You keep saying 'lies'... do you believe the people you dealt with had any idea that the free autopilot thing was coming? I mean, I didn't hear a single hint of it, from anyone, anywhere -- and then it happened.

I agree, service center employees often know less than we do on the forums, and I'm pretty sure Tesla didn't know either, they are not conspiracists, they are just trying damn hard to make this awesome new car company work in an incredibly competitive environment and sometimes they have to make quick changes to win an uphill battle against an entrenched system that would love to see them fail. If they gave out refunds for every change they made, they would be buried giving refunds to everyone, including me with my early LR RWD Model 3 that now comes with AWD for the same price I paid.

 

[Goodtohave]

You keep saying 'lies'... do you believe the people you dealt with had any idea that the free autopilot thing was coming? I mean, I didn't hear a single hint of it, from anyone, anywhere -- and then it happened.

All I am saying is if they are compensating SR buyers from March they should make a reach and do something for the SR+ buyers, not monetary compensation, just some software updates to hardware that is already there.

We made a choice based on what we were told by Tesla, why should SR buyers benefit and SR+ do not.

 

[Legen---dary]

You keep saying 'lies'... do you believe the people you dealt with had any idea that the free autopilot thing was coming? I mean, I didn't hear a single hint of it, from anyone, anywhere -- and then it happened.

The showroom people only seemed to know as much as I did, maybe less. They went off that information, although the person I dealt with did actually lie to me about some things -- even people at the delivery centre said as much after speaking with him: "he lied" (which may have tainted my feelings on this whole issue).

So, no, I don't think they had any idea at the lower levels. But someone did. In Tesla's fortress of solitude, someone had decided to hold back on the SR and push the SR+, as can been seen by their lack of comments to the media regarding the SR (they'd know waaaay in advance due to the supply chain for the substantially different components). They also knew integrated AP was about to be a thing. Basically they pushed the end of Q1 to maximize profits, which at the time I was trying my hardest to help with. Fair enough, I'd donate to them or buy more shares. I just don't want to feel swindled.

Something that would cost them almost nothing would be to give out the fairly useless services (to most people in the current iteration) of FSD and free SC to those who helped them in Q1 so much, instead of the refund they are offering. I'd take that even though it'd never pay for itself in the 2 years I'll own this car, just as a token of goodwill, and eat the loss.

If it came to it and they were playing hardball with loyal customers, I'd somehow get all of the money I was swindled out of, and buy more Tesla stock. I don't want to hurt Tesla, and in fact I have people ready to buy on my word now that I've demonstrated the car so much.

Just do the right thing Tesla. Offer a 60 day price guarantee so I can invite people to buy without so much stress. Acknowledge that the SR+ and SR are the same car, and always were. Give people a choice of refund (costing you a lot) or some sort of incentives (costing you a little), for the highly deceptive marketing. Be the company I've put so much faith in since the beginning!

Looking forward to my Model Y. Now that I've had a taste of Tesla driving, it'll be the Performance (not lowered) for sure. Just not on launch in case they pull this kind of tactic again (I'll give them 6 months).

 

[Goodtohave]

I agree, service center employees often know less than we do on the forums, and I'm pretty sure Tesla didn't know either, they are not conspiracists, they are just trying damn hard to make this awesome new car company work in an incredibly competitive environment and sometimes they have to make quick changes to win an uphill battle against an entrenched system that would love to see them fail. If they gave out refunds for every change they made, they would be buried giving refunds to everyone, including me with my early LR RWD Model 3 that now comes with AWD for the same price I paid.

I agree with you completely, I would be OK if they dropped the price or upped the content next month, that’s OK...

I had the first Leaf in 2012 and in 2013 it was improved, that’s great.

But If I had ordered an SR on the exact same day as I Ordered my SR+ 4 weeks ago I would have saved $2700 by losing heated seats and 40km of range.

If they are bumping the SR content for free why not give the people that bought the SR+ a bump?

 

[Johncroft688]

I also took delivery of a SR+ 2 weeks ago. I was planning to wait, but news of a 3% price increase caused me to buy sooner than I planned. I experienced high pressure from the sales team who told me if I don't buy today and get matched with an inventory car, I likely wouldn't get a car before the end of June, so lowered tax credit.

I was misled on both pricing and availability. I was caught off guard and didn't expect that from the non-commissioned sales team at Tesla. I actually believed what they said.

 

[Helengbridge]

So,,,I ordered from Yorkdale Toronto April 2, SR Plus, Aero wheels, white exterior, white inside with Auto Pilot. WIth the new pricing repeat of the EXACT order (paint price dropped with base price up) the cost is $2,000 Canadian less!!! Only hitch was to cancel original order and reorder yesterday(April12). Ya,,,back to end of the line for delivery- but maybe not/ may be given the same car....maybe not on the same time line....check it out! Did you find the same?

 

[Leafdriver333]

It's called capital markets.
You cant game it to your advantage only

There were people on the other side of that bet.

It is almost like buying Bitcoin.

 

[mrbulk]

I was thinking just that. They should refund the full amount and process it again at a lower amount such that taxes are removed.
Have a price guarantee for 60 days and people would feel way more confident about buying.
Right now they are just generating turmoil for anyone thinking of buying.
I have several friends about to buy the Model 3 due to me giving them the whole pitch, but I'm asking them to hold off until Tesla deals with this situation. I'm so glad none of them went ahead with a purchase yet, or I'd be the ass. Only had my car 2 weeks today, so luckily haven't had much time to do damage!
I know my butthurt would be 50% less if all this hadn't happened a few days after my return-for-refund date; let's see what Tesla does next week.

Musk understands how to make useful, interesting and desirable products. Human psychology? Not so much.

 

[Helengbridge]

It is almost like buying Bitcoin.

True,,,prices go up,,,and down like hotels, cruises, air fares, homes, and cars.

 

[Leafdriver333]

True,,,prices go up,,,and down like hotels, cruises, air fares, homes, and cars.

Some are more rekt than others

 

[StealthP3D]

I think it was at Costco, but anyway if something sells for cheaper there within 30 days, they refund you the difference. Sure would speed up the price-sensitive fencesitters (as well as increase delivered sales) if Tesla would do the same...

No it wouldn't. The complainers would just be bitching and moaning if the price changed after 31 days. Because bitchers and moaners love to bitch and moan about their miserable life.

 

[Goodtohave]

So one last post and I am done, a lot if people misreading my post.

I am a long time EV guy and understand Tesla better the the average consumer, of course not as well as some here.

I have been waiting to buy, when the SR and plus were announced I made my purchase, online not at a dealer.

If the car price went down a week after I bought it I would be fine with that, part of the game.

But

It seems now the SR never existed, they should have cancelled all the SR orders and offered buyers the plus for the price difference.

End of story.

Instead they are essentially giving SR people an SR plus for the same price, ordered the same day.

Another thread shows a guy who bought an SR , got leather and a restricted battery with Autopilot, for less the my plus (don’t actually believe it I bet it is a trial but he posted the order showing it had it for 35k).

The whole point of Teslas philosophy is no negotiating etc but it seems that everyone who ordered an SR the same day as I ordered my plus are being offered incentives and negotiating a deal to take the car.

They should just show some goodwill to those of us who paid the extra for the plus in the first place.

 

[killua]

just enjoy the car, That was the price when you bought the car and got the features that you ordered. Other manufactures do this ALL the time , tesla changes the prices, others call it "factory incentive." That was the price then, this is the price now.

 

[Leafdriver333]

If you have negotiating skills you can get discounts on Tesla, apparently.
Mislead is the correct word to describe for a lot of folks because they were misled to believe Tesla prices are not negotiable.