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Positive/Negative feedback of Model S from an owner's perspective

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Got mine on 12-11-12. No need to post photos of Performance, silver, carbon fiber, pano roof - everyone's seen photos before. Here are my findings as an owner:

Positive feedback:
1) Tesla nailed it. The driving experience is faster than an Aston Martin Vanquish (according to MotorTrend). So fun to drive.
2) The car fob is NOT affected by cell phone proximity (Galaxy Note II) like my Prius was. Now, I can keep car fob and cell phone in same pocket if I want.
3) It is a beautiful car whose styling is not over the top and showboat-y. But people really do take pictures while stopped at red lights.
4) Center console - Now I see why center console weirdness is the way it is. The design allows for the rear seat, middle passenger to put his/her feet on the floor without bumping into center console b/c it is "cut out" to allow for this room for feet. The console's open, minimal design for its front part emphasizes the car's "no stupid middle hump" that's in all other gas cars. The result is that there isn't much space within the console itself to allow for any concealed space (though I imagine it could still be possible even just a little concealed space).
5) After I got the car, it updated it's software to 4.something at 2AM. The car then became faster on acceleration and door handles pop open when approaching car. Very cool new behavior and very cool the car can be updated over the air like that.
6) Bluetooth music/phone and internet radio works great.
7) Bass - When the EQ is adjusted, the stereo sounds fantastic. Our Hybrid Escalade only sounds a fraction of a hair better and sometimes I question that.
8) Sunglasses and phone fit quickly and easily in chin cubby under LCD screen. Can't say enough about the utility of the "frunk". So good to have and keeps car interior empty and therefore clean.
9) For any TSLA investors: the truck driver told me they were moving a lot of cars from the factory. His company alone had 4 trucks loading when he got there, and there were several other truck companies there too. (However, he did say he has had to bring Model S car's back to Fremont for servicing!).
10) I like how the charge port opens up by itself when I bring the charging cable close to it. I also like how there is no "cut out circle" to open a charge port (or fill up on gas) b/c charge port is hidden. Clean lines all throughout the design.

Negative feedback:
1) Upon delivery, B pillar was and still is smudged with dirt/oil or something. I had to take delivery of a smudged/dirty car!
2) I'm getting a low windshield wiper fluid level error and I haven't used any yet. I need to check if level is really low. If it is low, bad. If it isn't, worse, as now I'm questioning reliability (and haven't sold my Prius yet).
3) Delivery experience in Texas. I couldn't drive the car until the next day, 12-12-12, b/c Tesla hadn't sent dealer tags with the car. I had to wait for the overnight FedEx of the dealer tags (or risk getting car impounded driving with no tags). I had to get car inspection myself and then go into the DMV to register and pay taxes. Lame.
4) No rear seat floor mats makes me think Tesla is a nickel and dimer. Although I want to buy Tesla T-shirts and caps and coffee mugs and hoodies, I haven't bought any yet....am saving up for the rear seat floor mats. Heck I think just a free Tesla T-shirt and cap with every 100k car purchase would help to establish brand loyalty among customers, offer free advertising for Tesla and ease the sting of no rear seat mats. Sort of like including Apple stickers in the box of an Apple product.
5) No rear seat cup holders. For females: no vanity lights in the sun visors. Discussed ad nauseum.
6) Lack of power folding side view mirrors is NOT a big deal for me as I originally thought b/c the car fits fine in my single car garage. BUT I now agree with others that Model S should have blind spot detection. For example although my mom wants to buy a Tesla also, she simply can't b/c of the lack of blind spot detection like in her Mercedes or in our Hybrid Escalade. Blind spot detection is her main requirement in a vehicle of all things.

Overall:
I was choosing between leasing a Volt for two years and then getting Model S 2.0. But I'm glad I took the early adopter plunge (and avoided a silly price increase) b/c 1) no more dirty gas stations and smelly, time-consuming fill-ups 2) a cleaner environment 3) driving a Tesla makes me actually enjoy the drive (and I severely dislike driving). All of which would not be the case if I got a Volt. So overall, I'm pleased with this Model S purchase and slowly my initial skepticism is wearing away - but it has only been 3 days since I've taken delivery. It all depends on reliability at this point. I've even offered my wife to trade in the Hybrid Escalade and get the Model X! To which her response was a simple "no thank you" (like my mom, she wants blind spot detection and a little more creature comforts).

Here's a photo of the dirty/oily smudge that I see every time I get into the car. Was present on delivery of vehicle:
CP-KVHwlZ8uA3o2wHAGpp-AW6nNfSKEdBKxZoqJo-Qw.jpeg
 
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Thanks for sharing the feedback broadly. Looking through your negatives, I'm not seeing anything to add to the list of concerns already discussed in some depth on the forums. Was there anything that surprised you about the vehicle (good or bad), or did you feel like you pretty much knew everything due to the TMC(/TM) forum(s)?
 
Great list. I think the windshield washer error is a bug that was introduced with the 4.0 software update. I never saw it before the update and double-checked the fluid level and it's fine.
 
I'd bet the stain is compliments of delivery truck driver and not Tesla... Not that it helps, I know it would not leave the factory like that.

I do not believe the stain was from the delivery truck man. I showed the stain to him and asked to see if his hands were dirty. His hands were very clean. He did mention to me that Tesla offers a free detail when you get delivery of the vehicle. I have yet to confirm if this is true or not.
 
He did mention to me that Tesla offers a free detail when you get delivery of the vehicle. I have yet to confirm if this is true or not.

I'm also Houston based, and I got one, so you should too.

Regarding the rear floor mats. Have you asked Tesla about that, we received floor mats with ours. I suspect that will be added to your due bill.

You received rear floor mats? I had a due bill for front floor mats, but as far as I know, you'd be the first with rear mats. If you got some, that would be good to know.
 
Thanks for sharing the feedback broadly. Looking through your negatives, I'm not seeing anything to add to the list of concerns already discussed in some depth on the forums. Was there anything that surprised you about the vehicle (good or bad), or did you feel like you pretty much knew everything due to the TMC(/TM) forum(s)?

The ability of the car fob to work in close proximity to my cell phone was a good surprise. Another good surprise was that after the software update, the Homelink (which was incredibly easy to program!) became "location aware" so that everytime I pull into my driveway, the Homelink button turns green and automatically pops up so that I can open the garage. One bad surprise is that if you select C instead of F for temp units (I prefer temps in C), it automatically defaults to F the next time you charge the car. Tesla knows about it and is working on a software update. There were no really bad surprises.

Everything else had already been discussed thanks to this forum, so I don't feel like there were many surprises. The forum was very important in formulating a decision to purchase or not since I only had a short test drive experience in Mahwah, NJ.

Overall, I love being able to drive anywhere and not worry about gas and always having a full tank of "gas" in the morning. It's super fast, fun to drive, and the stereo and bluetooth phone work great and the car has lots of room. Internet radio is awesome, ease and ability to save favorite channels/stations, great sound and bass...all the stuff I really care about, it's all there. I love driving it just for the sake of driving (and I used to hate driving).

If you're on the fence, here's a great answer from an initially very skeptical person: BUY.
 
I agree with all of your items, @pguerra. The positives on your list are spot on, and they're permanent. The car is simply a joy to drive -- behaves just as a car ought to behave, without any fuss or hesitation. I love both the interior and exterior aesthetics.

The problems you encountered are very real but transitory and/or addressable. I didn't have any interior stains, but wonky MA laws certainly made the delivery/registration/inspection process more cumbersome than it should have -- though, in my case, that's a consequence of state laws, not Tesla's action or inaction. It urks me a little to spend an extra ~$140 on high-quality interior mats, and I'm sure Tesla is going to ask at least $400 more for a rear console that will provide cupholders there.
 
NOW they are. He's had the car for several days. Who knows what his hands were like when he loaded the truck?

Absolutely. They get in and out of those cars loading and unloading them to reach the car they're delivering. I wouldn't worry about his hands, it's your pants that rub on that area and I guarantee those trucks are not clean. Regardless, Tesla needs to make that right by offering to pay for any necessary cleaning and if it can't be cleaned then replacement.
 
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You received rear floor mats? I had a due bill for front floor mats, but as far as I know, you'd be the first with rear mats. If you got some, that would be good to know.

I thought so, let me double check.
I actually replaced both fronts and back with some cheap target all weather mats as Minnesota winters will destroy any cloth mats:)
I KNOW I pulled out front mats.
 
I do not believe the stain was from the delivery truck man. I showed the stain to him and asked to see if his hands were dirty. His hands were very clean. He did mention to me that Tesla offers a free detail when you get delivery of the vehicle. I have yet to confirm if this is true or not.

To add ... Im sure he'd deny it because there'd be some kind of penalty imposed by the shipping company when Tesla sends them a bill!