Purchasing A Northern CA Model 3 Demo Vehicle?

[MotoEvCA]

What are the chances of grabbing a Northern CA demo unit within the first 6 months?

The Tesla factory is 40 minutes from my home and history has shown a lot of people who place reservations do not move to the next step and purchase a vehicle. Given, the Model 3 will be a large volume vehicle (generally built in predetermined configurations), I think there is a strong chance one will be able to pick up a demo vehicle within the first 6 months.

I did not place an early reservation and not too stuck on a particular configuration. What do you think are the chances to snag a Model 3 within the first 6 months of production? This will be an all cash purchase so no financing or leases apply.

If something is wrong during the first waves of production, driving 35 miles should not be a problem since this is Tesla Ground Zero country.

 

[JeffK]

What are the chances of grabbing a Northern CA demo unit within the first 6 months?

The Tesla factory is 40 minutes from my home and history has shown a lot of people who place reservations do not move to the next step and purchase a vehicle. Given, the Model 3 will be a large volume vehicle (generally built in predetermined configurations), I think there is a strong chance one will be able to pick up a demo vehicle within the first 6 months.

I did not place an early reservation and not too stuck on a particular configuration. What do you think are the chances to snag a Model 3 within the first 6 months of production? This will be an all cash purchase so no financing or leases apply.

If something is wrong during the first waves of production, driving 35 miles should not be a problem since this is Tesla Ground Zero country.

I'm going to go out a limb and say chances are zero percent, unless you pay a premium to someone flipping a car.

 

[BluestarE3]

Given, the Model 3 will be a large volume vehicle (generally built in predetermined configurations), I think there is a strong chance one will be able to pick up a demo vehicle within the first 6 months.

I would not count on either of those being givens.

 

[Xminus6]

How would a car with 400k pre-orders have excess inventory? People who have pre-ordered will go online and option their own vehicle how they like. If they opt-out, the next person in line will do the same. Why do you think Tesla will build a bunch of cars on spec with random options when they have 2 years of backorders from willing buyers?

 

[Dorman]

I'm going to go out a limb and say chances are zero percent, unless you pay a premium to someone flipping a car.

 

[Dorman]

How much would the demo cost? Maybe a low mileage used one?

 

[Pando]

What demo? Are you talking about the silver one you posted? That one is hand-built, quite possibly the first (or second, after that matte black one) drivable M3 in existence. Probably worth a train full of gold pressed latinum. I would think it would be destined to be crushed, since they can't sell this. Prototype is generally not safe to drive as structurally it may not stand up to crash and it's probably not fitted with all required safety features such as airbags, etc.. Or, Elon will keep it in his museum behind glass.

You may have a better chance of buying a ticket next to Elon on his first trip to Mars.

 

[BluestarE3]

How much would the demo cost? Maybe a low mileage used one?

Since the car isn't out yet, we don't know how much various configurations cost other than for the base model. So, we certainly don't know how much a demo will go for, regardless of mileage. Ask again in about a year or so.

 

[alseTrick]

What are the chances of grabbing a Northern CA demo unit within the first 6 months?

The Tesla factory is 40 minutes from my home and history has shown a lot of people who place reservations do not move to the next step and purchase a vehicle. Given, the Model 3 will be a large volume vehicle (generally built in predetermined configurations), I think there is a strong chance one will be able to pick up a demo vehicle within the first 6 months.

I did not place an early reservation and not too stuck on a particular configuration. What do you think are the chances to snag a Model 3 within the first 6 months of production? This will be an all cash purchase so no financing or leases apply.

If something is wrong during the first waves of production, driving 35 miles should not be a problem since this is Tesla Ground Zero country.

If you were a March/April 2016 reservation I'd say "maybe". Otherwise, doubtful.

I do think there will be some inventory models available that Tesla will wish to start clearing come 1Q18 or so. Assuming their production ramp is relatively on schedule.

 

[Jason Bourne]

I'm going to separate your post in to two different questions:

Question: What are the chances that a person who does not have an early reservation will be able to buy ANY Model3 directly from Tesla (i.e. not from a private seller) within the first 6 months?

Answer: Zero.

Question: What are the chances that someone with an early reservation will be able to buy a demo unit at around the 6 month mark?

Answer: Greater than zero. But why would they want to? If a person has an early reservation, such that their turn is called at around the 6 month mark, why wouldn't they want to purchase an undriven car spec'd exactly how they like?

 

[JeffK]

In addition, during the ramp up I'd imagine there wouldn't be much in the way of discounts judging by the amount of demand. Yet, why would Tesla be selling the demo units so early in production is another question. I'd imagine people want test drives.

 

[kzod]

First orders won't have the benefit of a demo drive. They'll be able to sell them straight up. But let's consider that a few stores will get demo cars. Ok, so they make a car available as a demo so that people can decide if they want to order / pay for the car. Got it. Now, after a few months they sell it so that no one else can try it out? Does that make sense to you? I understand these forums are for people to dream up any fantasy in their head and make it 'real' aka hatchback, hud, airplane conversion, etc. But at least some of those make sense. At a bare minimum don't expect any demo cars until months from the first cars arriving. Then expect the stores to use the demo cars for at least a year.

 

[dsvick]

What are the chances of grabbing a Northern CA demo unit within the first 6 months?

What do you mean by "demo"? One of the RCs we've been seeing on the roads the last month or so? Those can't be sold and will likely be crushed or put on permanent display somewhere. Do you mean test drive cars from the various stores? Those may get sold but would more likely end up being put into their loaner fleet. If they are sold you would just have to be lucky enough to be the first one to see it and buy it.

I did not place an early reservation and not too stuck on a particular configuration. What do you think are the chances to snag a Model 3 within the first 6 months of production? This will be an all cash purchase so no financing or leases apply.

As has been mentioned, with out a reservation on 3/31 or 4/1 the only way you'll get one in the first six months would be from someone who bought it to flip it or from someone who bought one and, for some reason, has to sell it. In either case you'd probably be paying a hefty premium.

If you're at all interested I'd certainly get your reservation in as soon as you can, the line is only going to get longer ....

 

[ecarfan]

How much would the demo cost? Maybe a low mileage used one?

There are no Model 3 "demo" cars for sale for at least a year or longer. Demand for the 3 is already off the charts, and once they start being delivered and reviewed by car publications demand will only go up: way up.

Forget about buying a Model 3 demo. It's a fantasy. You and several million other people want one. Make a reservation, and wait.

 

[FlatSix911]

Your best bet for a demo car is to purchase from an existing owner. I suspect a few may list their cars for sale on TMC... I might consider it

What are the chances of grabbing a Northern CA demo unit within the first 6 months? The Tesla factory is 40 minutes from my home and history has shown a lot of people who place reservations do not move to the next step and purchase a vehicle. Given, the Model 3 will be a large volume vehicle (generally built in predetermined configurations), I think there is a strong chance one will be able to pick up a demo vehicle within the first 6 months.

I did not place an early reservation and not too stuck on a particular configuration. What do you think are the chances to snag a Model 3 within the first 6 months of production? This will be an all cash purchase so no financing or leases apply. If something is wrong during the first waves of production, driving 35 miles should not be a problem since this is Tesla Ground Zero country.

 

[nativewolf]

your best bet, if you have to have one, is to get one from someone flipping them and they will be flipping them. You won't pay 35k for it, more like 50k if I had to guess, or even more. Much more than that and you can get a model s.

 

[ikjadoon]

How would a car with 400k pre-orders have excess inventory? People who have pre-ordered will go online and option their own vehicle how they like. If they opt-out, the next person in line will do the same. Why do you think Tesla will build a bunch of cars on spec with random options when they have 2 years of backorders from willing buyers?

For what it's worth, the Model 3 Owners Club founder's inside sources (rather reliable) say Tesla is moving to a more inventory-based sale model to ease production. It's a process that's already begun with the Model S.

Tesla is moving to more of an inventory sales approach for Model 3

If you doubt his credibility, his sources leaked the "5000 cars per week" ramp two weeks before Tesla made it public on the earnings call and confirmed AWD's launch delay over a month before Elon made it public on Twitter.

 

[aronth5]

Not sure an inventory sales approach will help the OP. Priority will still be given to reservation holders. As others have said a used car is likely the only option.

 

[kaffine]

I would guess they will only keep demo units for a few months before changing them out. However I would think they would be offered to those with reservations first. I could see them wanting to rotate the demo models frequently with how many people that are going to be checking them out. Better to rotate them out before they get beat up which would lower their value plus give a bad impression to those getting their first look at them.

Even if they do an "inventory sales model" they have 400k pre orders every configuration will have someone in line waiting for it.

 

[ikjadoon]

Not sure an inventory sales approach will help the OP. Priority will still be given to reservation holders. As others have said a used car is likely the only option.

It's quite possible that Tesla will overproduce some permutations and if no reservation holders take it for an extended period of time, I could see Tesla dropping it into inventory.