Those of youanticipating delivery of your model S might consider withholding completepayment until your car is registered and you receive the license plate(s). Letme describe Tesla's sequential blunders in preparing me for the road. Iinformed Tesla before I took delivery that I would register the car in state A,even though my official address for Tesla communication was in state B. Shortlybefore I received the car, I received registration materials for the car instate A. I informed Tesla of their error, and was told that the problem wouldbe corrected at the time of delivery. I signed a series of registrationdocuments for state B when I took delivery, including a hefty check for the usetax in state B. Tesla cashed the check, and I waited for my registration andlicense to be received in the mail. I waited, and waited and waited. Finally, Icalled Tesla, and they told me that they had sent me the registration materialsfor state A, and that I was responsible for registering the car. I informedthem once again of my plans for registering the car in state B, and that theyhad cashed my check intended to pay for that registration. Their response wasthat before anything could happen, I had to return the registration materialsfor state A to them. As I was out of the country at the time, this delayed theprocess to register the car in state B. In the meantime, the temporaryCalifornia registration will expire at the end of March, and Tesla has notindicated to me how it intends to help me with transportation when my carbecomes (temporarily) illegal to drive. Just a warning note to others thatTesla's "ownership experience" is far less enjoyable, and far morehassle than advertised.
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Poor "ownership experience"
- Thread starter bader
- Start date
Uh, am I misreading this, or there is there a typo?
"I would register the car in state A"
"I received registration materials for the car in state A."
What error?
The problem you created is that tax is due for the state that you took delivery in. You have to then negotiate the tax in the new state of registration. I don't believe this is Tesla's responsibility to do this for you.
First, there does appear to be a typo as Objective notes above. Not that the post's formatting made it easy to catch this.
Also, not sure why you chose to use 'State A' and 'State B' in this write up. It only makes even more difficult to follow unnecessarily. And because use and sales tax policies are different in each state, the particular states in question likely are material to the discussion and issue at hand.
Also, not sure why you chose to use 'State A' and 'State B' in this write up. It only makes even more difficult to follow unnecessarily. And because use and sales tax policies are different in each state, the particular states in question likely are material to the discussion and issue at hand.
lolachampcar
Well-Known Member
I have run into other issues that would normally be handled by management further up the chain (think Sales Manager or Title Guy at a dealership - someone that can make a business decision on the spot) but found I had no access to such a person. Tesla is working though this new form of delivery and, in my opinion, has neglected the higher level business interface that is sometimes required when handling $100K capital transactions. I'm not talking about having access to a sleazy Sales Manager for price negotiating. There are relatively easy to handle business issues that can crop up and, with other companies, I am used to having a five minute conversation with someone further up the food chain and the problem is solved.
I get them wanting to sell them over the internet like IPhone thing. I just think they missed, or understaffed, a part of the customer interface group.
I get them wanting to sell them over the internet like IPhone thing. I just think they missed, or understaffed, a part of the customer interface group.
lolachampcar
Well-Known Member
Nor do I and I am not suggesting Tesla get their own either. My point is there is no business interface with which to work with and solve problems....
Beavis
Model S Signature 991
Isn't this a pretty narrow set of circumstances to be making blanket statements? Taking delivery in state A but wanting to register it in state B and being out of the country is probably a one time kind of thing. And as Lloyd mentioned above, there are laws about what state they collect tax for. Taking delivery in state A probably means they are required to collect state A taxes & registration.
Mike_Schlechter
Model S - P457
I have to say, I have found Tesla to be absurdly responsive to me. I reserved almost exactly four years ago, got my car in December, and every step of ten way they have been responsive, helpful, generous and honest.
That doesn't mean there weren't bumps, but compared to Lexus, Toyota, Ford and VW, they have been head and shoulders above any car buying experience I've had. I don't want to sound like a fanboy, but seriously, is it possible your tax sheltering created a challenge? I'm going to guess to registered in VT and live in CT where there is property tax on the car.
That doesn't mean there weren't bumps, but compared to Lexus, Toyota, Ford and VW, they have been head and shoulders above any car buying experience I've had. I don't want to sound like a fanboy, but seriously, is it possible your tax sheltering created a challenge? I'm going to guess to registered in VT and live in CT where there is property tax on the car.
Tesla might be doing things as required by law. I'd love to take delivery in CA, visit my friends living down there and drive car up to WA. However, I won't be doing it since CA collects sales tax at the point of delivery and even that I am not going to register car in CA I'd still have to pay CA sales tax (while there is no sales tax on EVs in WA). There is no way out of this.
blc1017
MYLR Blue/Black | 5 seats | no tow/FSD | OD 5/23
I have to agree. Since reserving the car, I've never had to call my Product Specialist or my Delivery Specialists. My PS gave me time to consider the configuration, telling me he was going to call me back at a certain time on a certain day, and did just that. I pick up my car on Friday. I got a call today from my DS that, since my spouse (who is on the registration) isn't going to be there on Friday, they were hand delivering the documents for him to sign ahead of time so we wouldn't have to worry about anything but orienting to the car and the factory tour. They also offered a factory tour at a later date for him since he can't be there Friday. They have gone above and beyond anything that I have ever expected. I used to grit my teeth going into a dealer showroom (Lexus), knowing I was going to get passed off to at least three different people and hating every minute of someone trying to sell me something I didn't need or want. This has been an unexpected delight. My experience may change, and I hope it doesn't, but so far they have exceeded my expectations.
I am curious re: examples on this. At a dealership the only "business decision" that could be made essentially revolve around exactly how much money they are going to get as profit. Tesla just doesn't charge different people different rates, as far as I know.
Some of the responses to this thread are providing opinions that run DIRECTLY COUNTER to my own experience in these matters over many years.
That is, I live in Alaska which, as some of you may be aware, has no sales tax. I have purchased automobiles, for use in and registered in OR to be registered in Alaska, in the states of California, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Washington, and NEVER have had to pay sales taxes in those states. The dealerships there all have been understanding of what is involved to purchase a vehicle in one state and have it registered in another.
So...........my take on this is that Tesla fell down on the job, at least for this specific customer. Based, of course, on what the OP is telling us.
That is, I live in Alaska which, as some of you may be aware, has no sales tax. I have purchased automobiles, for use in and registered in OR to be registered in Alaska, in the states of California, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Washington, and NEVER have had to pay sales taxes in those states. The dealerships there all have been understanding of what is involved to purchase a vehicle in one state and have it registered in another.
So...........my take on this is that Tesla fell down on the job, at least for this specific customer. Based, of course, on what the OP is telling us.
rlpm
S P85 | Sig X _P90D_
My understanding is that in order to get out of CA tax, an automobile must be delivered outside of California, and the purchaser must abide by rules regarding the reasons and durations that automobile can be brought into California (depending on the purchaser's residency). See http://www.boe.ca.gov/pdf/boe448.pdf
But if you take delivery in California, Uncle Jerry will bleed you dry of 10%, whether or not you immediately drive it out of state & register in some other state. On the somewhat plus side, some states will waive use & other tax on a new car purchase if you can prove you paid tax on it in another state. I don't think California is one of those states.
Al Sherman
It's about THIS car.
My "troll alarm" DID NOT activate. But that's just me. If I were a troll, I would pick a bigger issue for my first post.
I think the issue is that all of the states are different. Some are very different. In my case, I took delivery in state A. Just kidding. Took delivery in Ohio, and registered in Indiana. The process was seamless and fast. The SC printed out a piece of paper and they taped it in the back window. I drove home to Indiana and the next day went to the local DMV. The car was registered in 10 minutes. I had all plates and title in hand within a week. Ohio (seemingly) had nothing to do with it and didn't seem to care.
It doesn't seem realistic tome to think Tesla can (should?) handle non cookie cutter registration issues. Get the car with a temp tag, and then go register and title it. I've never bought an expensive car before. But, this is what my experience has always been.
I think the issue is that all of the states are different. Some are very different. In my case, I took delivery in state A. Just kidding. Took delivery in Ohio, and registered in Indiana. The process was seamless and fast. The SC printed out a piece of paper and they taped it in the back window. I drove home to Indiana and the next day went to the local DMV. The car was registered in 10 minutes. I had all plates and title in hand within a week. Ohio (seemingly) had nothing to do with it and didn't seem to care.
It doesn't seem realistic tome to think Tesla can (should?) handle non cookie cutter registration issues. Get the car with a temp tag, and then go register and title it. I've never bought an expensive car before. But, this is what my experience has always been.
