Poll: Would you buy an early production Model 3?

[modamoda]

I'd love to. But I'm not eligible to buy an early production Model 3, since I'm not MS/MX/Roadster owner

 

[cwerdna]

Even the most experienced auto manufactures run into design and manufacturing problems when they introduce major new platforms…and production lines.

Yes, even Toyota. I recall ages ago CR generally found more problems w/1st model year vehicles of a brand new vehicle or re-design.

That said, the Prius c in its first model year of a brand new car earned Consumer Reports says Prius C most reliable 2012 vehicle. Sure, it's Yaris-based but there was no Prius c prior to the '12 model year. I recall its transaxle and some of the hybrid bits were also different or at least modifications of other previous designs.

I chose the last choice, but 6 months might not even be long enough for me. It'd probably be at least 1 year for me.

 

[Jason Bourne]

Absolutely.

Looking forward to my Model 3 as soon as Tesla meets their promise of Tesla and Space X employee reservation holders getting the first ones. Together those two companies employ about 20,000 people, and probably well over half of them can afford a $35K car. In my conversations with Service Center employees, many of them have reservations. I will be surprised if there are not at least 6,000 employee reservations.

The point of that reservation holder analysis is that those with early reservations are not going to get their cars until Tesla has built thousands of them. And this poll really doesn't mean anything. No one outside of Tesla and SpaceX is going to get an "early production" Model 3.

This post basically summarizes reality. The OP and poll is a walk in fantasy. It is fun to entertain both and move in between them, as long as you know which is which.

That said, I think I remember reading that Elon is planning to deliver 100,000 units before EOY 2017. If they are on track for that, I think all pre-reveal reservation holders (which includes me) will have delivery in 2017. If all of that plays out to be true, I will be thrilled and impressed to get my car that early.

 

[Mark C]

I chose two conflicting answers. First, I chose I'd like a few thousand to be built first. I'm all but guaranteed that will happen since I live in Alabama and do not plan a heavily optioned car. Second, I chose I'd like to See One, Drive One, blah, blah, blah. Since that isn't likely and I've never even had a ride in a Tesla product, I'll be going to either Nashville or Atlanta to visit a Tesla store to see if I can drive a Model S or X. I can't imagine being disappointed by driving one, but every once in a while a product does not seem to match the hype (IMO).

 

[Neohippy]

Originally I would have said yes. I did wait in line the day of the release trying to be one of the first. I was disappointed since I live in Florida that production was starting west and moving east. I understood with the MS there would be quality issues but after seeing all the problems with the MX I'm glad i will have to wait a bit. I have always wanted a Tesla and have wanted a loaded one that's fast. This is what's kept me from buying a MS. I hope to get the M3 with all the options. I'm starting to be concerned about quality. I'm really praying Tesla has learned from their past mistakes

 

[vjason]

I have a 2012 Pruis c and the thing has been rock solid going on 60K miles. Zero service visits outside of regular maintenance, which in and of itself is fairly minimal. But yeah, it is a boring car.

Honestly if Toyota would have wised up a few years ago and stopped messing with hydrogen car tech (and went the Tesla route) who knows what things in the car market would look like today. I'd even consider a "boring" BEV if it offered 200 mile range and access to SC-like charging for long distance trips.

Yes, even Toyota. I recall ages ago CR generally found more problems w/1st model year vehicles of a brand new vehicle or re-design.

That said, the Prius c in its first model year of a brand new car earned Consumer Reports says Prius C most reliable 2012 vehicle. Sure, it's Yaris-based but there was no Prius c prior to the '12 model year. I recall its transaxle and some of the hybrid bits were also different or at least modifications of other previous designs.

I chose the last choice, but 6 months might not even be long enough for me. It'd probably be at least 1 year for me.

 

[MassModel3]

Originally I would have said yes. I did wait in line the day of the release trying to be one of the first. I was disappointed since I live in Florida that production was starting west and moving east. I understood with the MS there would be quality issues but after seeing all the problems with the MX I'm glad i will have to wait a bit. I have always wanted a Tesla and have wanted a loaded one that's fast. This is what's kept me from buying a MS. I hope to get the M3 with all the options. I'm starting to be concerned about quality. I'm really praying Tesla has learned from their past mistakes

Bear in mind that Tesla has built 3 vehicles so far. The S built on the lessons learned from the Roadster, the X built upon the lessons of the S.

Okay, so that statement is partially true.

Tesla continually improved electric motor technology, improved their battery packs, and improved their software. The S was a completely new design with new features and early models had their issues, but Tesla learned from those problems and improved later production models. The X was supposed to just be an SUV version of the S, but it turned out to be nearly an entirely new design. Even Elon said they got a little carried away with the X.

But the 3 will not be nearly as technologically complex as the X. The 3 will be mostly newly designed components, but those components will build upon 10+ years of top of the line electric vehicle experience, so I fully trust they'll get it right. Same goes for the software the 3 will run on.

I have a CPO early (-ish) model S, and it's had its share of hardware problems, but every one of those hardware issues resulted in replacement with newer model hardware (drive train, A/C compressor, tire pressure sensors, air vents, electrical components, etc.). I'm confident nothing that's been replaced will ever cause me problems again because I know Tesla learns quickly how to build better and better components.

The 3 will be the culmination of that knowledge. Nope, I'm not the least little bit worried about owning even the first car off the line.

 

[jerry33]

My early S85 has been as good as any other car I've had and better than some.

 

[Ropiko]

Elon has said that they will deliver the first production cars to their customers that live in the same area as the factory, that way they can have fast feedback and will be able to fix the easly issues faster. After that period (around a month or 3?) they will continue to deliver the cars to the next customers that live in North America.

+ they learned allot from the S and X so i'm fairly confident they won't have as much issues this time.

 

[Haxster]

Elon has said that they will deliver the first production cars to their customers that live in the same area as the factory, that way they can have fast feedback and will be able to fix the early issues faster..

I wonder what people would think of this strategy if it came from one of the major car manufactures. Something like "We'll deliver our first new Chevy Bolts to customers in the Orion Michigan area so that they can bring their cars back to the factory to fix early problems."

Certainly Model 3 buyers in Silicon Valley are way more on the early adopter side. I suspect GM's et al traditional customers (and stockholders) would not be as accepting of such a statement.

 

[jerry33]

I wonder what people would think of this strategy if it came from one of the major car manufactures. Something like "We'll deliver our first new Chevy Bolts to customers in the Orion Michigan area so that they can bring their cars back to the factory to fix early problems."

I'd suggest that would be a decent strategy for all car manufacturers--at least it would be if they actually took the results and did something with them.

 

[JeffK]

I wonder what people would think of this strategy if it came from one of the major car manufactures. Something like "We'll deliver our first new Chevy Bolts to customers in the Orion Michigan area so that they can bring their cars back to the factory to fix early problems.".

I don't think major manufacturers beside perhaps Toyota are used to tight feedback loops. Heck, GM lets known potentially deadly defects go for years.

 

[MassModel3]

I wonder what people would think of this strategy if it came from one of the major car manufactures. Something like "We'll deliver our first new Chevy Bolts to customers in the Orion Michigan area so that they can bring their cars back to the factory to fix early problems."

Certainly Model 3 buyers in Silicon Valley are way more on the early adopter side. I suspect GM's et al traditional customers (and stockholders) would not be as accepting of such a statement.

Somehow, most Tesla buyers seem much more forgiving in this regard. We know that Tesla's S and the newly introduced X are among the most technologically sophisticated cars ever built, and we know that since much of that technology is new, there are issues to be worked out. Yet somehow we still throw $70K / $100K / $140K at them and we love the results, no matter what.

Yeah, we seem to be an odd bunch of enthusiasts. Go figure...

 

[Garlan Garner]

For me, I realize that by buying early I take the risk of hitting production issues. As long as they get addressed, I'll roll with the punches. I'm also a test engineer by trade, so it's imbued me with a certain level of patience for development woes.

The only single problem I have with this argument is that Tesla is currently about 2 to 3 months behind on their service repairs...in certain areas. I would hate to buy a $60K car and have to wait 2.5 months to get it fixed - under warranty.

 

[Beryl]

I'll want drive one first but I'll want to take delivery soon after the Tesla employees if I decide to switch from my current MS. It will depend on how comfortable it is and the additional tech it contains.

 

[ccutrer]

I'll want drive one first but I'll want to take delivery soon after the Tesla employees if I decide to switch from my current MS. It will depend on how comfortable it is and the additional tech it contains.

It's highly unlikely that you'll be able to drive one before confirming your order, and still expect to take delivery shortly after employees. Unless you happen to know an employee that will be one of the first to get one . When ordering starts, Tesla will likely prioritize fulfilling customer orders over sending cars to stores for test drive use. With Model X even the "tour" of just a handful of cars so that reservation holders could see one in person (and not even drive, iirc) didn't really happen until the number of reservation holders that would place their order sight-unseen had dwindled. Given a 400k+ backlog of Model 3 reservation holders, that might be a LONG time. Of course, it might mean the opposite - Tesla will be producing so many so fast that sending a couple out to the now relatively few (as compared to total cars produced) stores will be no big deal.

 

[palmer_md]

I did not stand in line for 3 hours in late March so that I can get a car 6 months after production starts.

 

[Canuck]

I'm looking forward to ordering a fully loaded one as soon as they let me.

I have a 2012 Pruis c and the thing has been rock solid going on 60K miles. Zero service visits outside of regular maintenance, which in and of itself is fairly minimal. But yeah, it is a boring car.

The problem with a Prius is not so much that it's boring but that it has an ICE and burns gas. That ends it for me regardless of how reliable it is. I'll take some new tech issues, and warranty repairs, over a reliable ICE any day.

 

[Weezer Fan]

I did not stand in line for 3 hours in late March so that I can get a car 6 months after production starts.

Good point.

 

[cgiGuy]

Why set up a poll and then try to bias the votes with "things to consider" that are all negative towards those who would be willing to buy early?