I bought a 2015 Model S and the purchase, delivery, and service experience was so very good.
I bought a 2019 Model 3 and the purchase went fine, but the delivery was so meh. Service was ok.
I'm just now trying so hard to buy a 2023 Model Y and it is OMG like pulling teeth!
Firstly: out of market experience. I live about 4.5 hours drive, or a 1 hour flight from the nearest dealership.
In 2015, they gave me white glove service and delivered the S to my door. The guy was literally wearing white gloves when he handed me my fob.
In 2019, they offered me a choice to deliver the vehicle or else I could come get it and receive $980 off the price. I took the latter.
In 2023... all I get is "no". Can you deliver it? No. Is there any money off if I come get it? No. Ok, I'll fly out on the 21st and pick it up. No... it needs to be on the day we say. Can I at least have Winter tires put on (at my cost) so I can safely drive home over the mountains? No. You need to book another appointment 2-3 weeks later.
Secondly: The purchase flow.
In 2015, we did it over the phone. It was easy. They took a credit card deposit and I wired the rest.
In 2019, I did the credit card deposit over the phone and brought a cashier's cheque for the rest.
In 2023, the website takes my deposit just fine, but then the process is interrupted by some server failure. I can't get it to work. Eventually I discover it works through the app, but I get so far and another error occurs. I finally dig out a phone number (damn that's hard to find) and get an automated attendant who sounds like it MIGHT transfer me to a human... after I enter in my 5-digit zip code. I live in Canada. We don't have 5-digit zip codes.
Sigh.
I'm still trying to buy this car, but man they're making it difficult. So much so that... and I never thought I'd say this... I find myself wishing it would work like a normal dealership. And that's saying something, because I *HATE* the normal dealership model.
Tesla needs to take a step back at least to 2019, hopefully to 2015. Figure your *(@#$ out, because you won't always have rabid customers clawing at your door trying to buy everything you make.
I bought a 2019 Model 3 and the purchase went fine, but the delivery was so meh. Service was ok.
I'm just now trying so hard to buy a 2023 Model Y and it is OMG like pulling teeth!
Firstly: out of market experience. I live about 4.5 hours drive, or a 1 hour flight from the nearest dealership.
In 2015, they gave me white glove service and delivered the S to my door. The guy was literally wearing white gloves when he handed me my fob.
In 2019, they offered me a choice to deliver the vehicle or else I could come get it and receive $980 off the price. I took the latter.
In 2023... all I get is "no". Can you deliver it? No. Is there any money off if I come get it? No. Ok, I'll fly out on the 21st and pick it up. No... it needs to be on the day we say. Can I at least have Winter tires put on (at my cost) so I can safely drive home over the mountains? No. You need to book another appointment 2-3 weeks later.
Secondly: The purchase flow.
In 2015, we did it over the phone. It was easy. They took a credit card deposit and I wired the rest.
In 2019, I did the credit card deposit over the phone and brought a cashier's cheque for the rest.
In 2023, the website takes my deposit just fine, but then the process is interrupted by some server failure. I can't get it to work. Eventually I discover it works through the app, but I get so far and another error occurs. I finally dig out a phone number (damn that's hard to find) and get an automated attendant who sounds like it MIGHT transfer me to a human... after I enter in my 5-digit zip code. I live in Canada. We don't have 5-digit zip codes.
Sigh.
I'm still trying to buy this car, but man they're making it difficult. So much so that... and I never thought I'd say this... I find myself wishing it would work like a normal dealership. And that's saying something, because I *HATE* the normal dealership model.
Tesla needs to take a step back at least to 2019, hopefully to 2015. Figure your *(@#$ out, because you won't always have rabid customers clawing at your door trying to buy everything you make.