RIP Panoramic Roof... :(

[whitex]

Elon has been learning about the pain of supporting thousands of different configurations - causes headaches writing and testing software,

Tesla has temporarily removed options before - so it's possible the option will come back.

It was one of the differentiators between the S and the 3/X

So was the solid roof, it never came back.

 

[twonius]

I love my 2015 more and more: pano roof, yacht floor, huge frunk, piano black interior - all gone now. I'll stay with my split screen v8.1 with 3-minute nag interval as long as I can, too.

2015 rwd 85 on coils is imho the best car they’ve made so far

 

[kev1n]

ones of the things i wish my p85d had was the all glass roof option lol i dont open my pano roof often and the all glass is nicer/wider opening

 

[whitex]

I got the gen. 1 panorama roof in order to get the satellite radio (let's not talk about that). As a benefit it offers more headroom and brings light into the cabin. As a drawback it leaked, it makes all kinds of noises, wind, clanking, knocking, it lets road noise in, and it lets cold air in that is very unpleasant to my sinuses. Countless trips to service have been mostly futile after replacing the frame and glass, and pouring in sealants and making adjustments. I do not open the roof, even to vent as it tends to make the issues worse.

All that said (yes, I feel better now, thanks) the solution should have been solving the issues and keeping the pano roof as an option. A new Model S coming out eventually does not preclude the desire for a working pano roof.

Problem: Pano leaking and running up billable service center hours.
Solution: Remove source of the problem. No more pano, no more pano repairs.

 

[tinm]

Love my S’s pano sunroof. Used it all spring and summer. Every day.

Today it’s 15 degrees outside with several inches of snow so I didn’t use it today, but I look forward to using it again.

One minor point: my car’s value no doubt went up a tiny bit today, for future buyers who want an S with a pano sunroof.

 

[derekmw]

Got the Pano Roof because it enables mounting a roof rack and the solid roof does not. Seldom open it, but really like the light and added sense of space. I like the Glass Roof option even better, but I don't know if it has mounting points. Not an issue at the moment as my stable is full with a late 2016 S90D and a 2017 M3.

That's my only concern. I don't really care about the pano, but I do care about mounting points for a rack. I sure hope like the model 3, even if it's got a glass roof, there will be mounting points.

 

[tomas]

Isn't this what major car companies do, when they're finishing up current model year? The last bunch of cars they produce are configured in the more popular options, with the assumption they'll find buyers for them as they move into the new year car.

yes... but I do not think that is what is going on here. I suspect everything at Tesla now is focused on volume production and margin. That's why they narrowed options, colors, etc. Streamline everything. They need to demonstrate that Q3 profit was not a fluke but the beginning. There have long been rumors of an updated Model 3, but I cannot see them doing that as it adds complexity and yet one more thing to shake down. But, who knows... i've been wrong a few times!

 

[kavyboy]

2015 rwd 85 on coils is imho the best car they’ve made so far

You may be right.
The guy who remodeled my bathroom (and became a friend in the process) bought a CPO after driving mine and ended up with that. Then his battery went bad, unfortunately. Since there are no more 85's out there, he's hoping for a 90, or better yet 100, replacement.

 

[cab]

This is all obviously about cost control. However, when you look at equivalently priced cars, Tesla is heading down the wrong path (at least in the short term). A 5 or 7 series has a significant number of interior options and you can even drop into their "individual" lines if you want to spend even more cash. At these price points "choice" is important. Indeed, if the Jaguar i-Pace is any indication (11+ paint colors, 7 wheels, 11 seat style/colors, 4 headliners, 4 interior trims, etc.), other high end manufacturers will continue to offer choice in their EVs. Of course as long as the competitors continue to offer almost NO choices in the plug-in area, Tesla can do whatever they want...that clock is ticking though.

 

[twonius]

You may be right.
The guy who remodeled my bathroom (and became a friend in the process) bought a CPO after driving mine and ended up with that. Then his battery went bad, unfortunately. Since there are no more 85's out there, he's hoping for a 90, or better yet 100, replacement.

you must have a very nice bathroom now.

 

[kavyboy]

you must have a very nice bathroom now.

Off-topic: Yep, but then we sold the house, but it did help sell the house, so it's all good. He said he lost a little money on the job. A neighbor who's in that business said it looked fantastic and that he wouldn't touch it (or done as well) for twice the price. (After Hurricane Harvey came through, we gave him a literal truckload of furniture - a house worth - we didn't need anymore. Things even out in the long run.)

 

[Olle]

We are reading too much into this. It may just be an anti demand lever. Too many orders for S and X. Solution; eliminate some cost driving options and increase the price. Too few orders; add some options and or lower price

 

[PhilDavid]

Makes me wonder if the new objective at Tesla is to simplify manufacturing at the expense of having multiple options available. Maybe they bit off more than they could chew with all the customization options and subsequent manufacturing complexities. Once they get manufacturing more mature, they might be in a better position to reintroduce options like this.

Not being able to order a car with a sunroof in the $100K price segment seems odd.

Also is the inability to select a light colored wood trim or a non black interior when ordering a P100D. A customer buying the most expensive vehicle for sale should have the same joy in selecting an interior color as someone buying a 75D but that is apparently not the case now.

I feel this is more symptomatic of Tesla not having competition and it seems whenever Tesla revamps interior choices people who dislike black interiors end up getting screwed.

 

[cab]

Not being able to order a car with a sunroof in the $100K price segment seems odd.

Also is the inability to select a light colored wood trim or a non black interior when ordering a P100D. A customer buying the most expensive vehicle for sale should have the same joy in selecting an interior color as someone buying a 75D but that is apparently not the case now.

I feel this is more symptomatic of Tesla not having competition and it seems whenever Tesla revamps interior choices people who dislike black interiors end up getting screwed.

In apparent direct-contrast to my own post above about "choice" I have seen the whole "black interior" thin in the "sport" variants from other car manufacturers too (and I find it annoying). As an example, Volvo offers their R-Design (sport) variant for their XC60 SUV and others...it comes ONLY with the more heavily bolstered black sport seats. I would really like to see the other seat options offered in the R-Designs, but nope. BMW has gotten a lot better about this. I always loved the caramel leather in my Lemans Blue M5!

And speaking of options...check out this bad-boy option:

 

[PhilDavid]

Isn't this what major car companies do, when they're finishing up current model year? The last bunch of cars they produce are configured in the more popular options, with the assumption they'll find buyers for them as they move into the new year car.

Except I'm willing to bet that the pano roof option is VERY popular. I would think at least 40% of Model S vehicles are configured with a pano roof. We personally would not buy a Model S without a pano roof and given the current situation would delay a purchase until the pano roof is available as an option if we were thinking about replacing our car.

 

[twonius]

Yeah my S is this color spec (including black headliner)

It's too bad you can't get it this way anymore. Looks pretty sharp.

BTW E39M5 was always my dream car but those rod bearings and $4k clutch jobs made me think twice. Common ownership experience seemed to be "I bought this E39 supercheap and only spent $10k in 2 years servicing it!"

In apparent direct-contrast to my own post above about "choice" I have seen the whole "black interior" thin in the "sport" variants from other car manufacturers too (and I find it annoying). As an example, Volvo offers their R-Design (sport) variant for their XC60 SUV and others...it comes ONLY with the more heavily bolstered black sport seats. I would really like to see the other seat options offered in the R-Designs, but nope. BMW has gotten a lot better about this. I always loved the caramel leather in my Lemans Blue M5!

And speaking of options...check out this bad-boy option:

 

[PhilDavid]

In apparent direct-contrast to my own post above about "choice" I have seen the whole "black interior" thin in the "sport" variants from other car manufacturers too (and I find it annoying). As an example, Volvo offers their R-Design (sport) variant for their XC60 SUV and others...it comes ONLY with the more heavily bolstered black sport seats. I would really like to see the other seat options offered in the R-Designs, but nope. BMW has gotten a lot better about this. I always loved the caramel leather in my Lemans Blue M5!

And speaking of options...check out this bad-boy option:

Absolutely and I find this whole notion that a "sport car" should have a black interior slathered in carbon fiber to be so irritating.

Not to take anything away from people who like black interior and carbon fiber but I hate black interiors and I find carbon fiber to be so tacky. I like carbon fiber as a structural material but not as a "decoration."

It was very disappointing when they recently decided to slather the P100D interior with carbon fiber and not offer customers the option of a proper light interior with wood trim. This is something Tesla will have to learn how to do... Delight customers by offering them the option to select their interior and trim colors.

If someone buying a 75D can select a light interior and light wood trim, why not offer the same joy to someone paying 2X for a P100D?

 

[Bebop]

This is all obviously about cost control. However, when you look at equivalently priced cars, Tesla is heading down the wrong path (at least in the short term). A 5 or 7 series has a significant number of interior options and you can even drop into their "individual" lines if you want to spend even more cash. At these price points "choice" is important. Indeed, if the Jaguar i-Pace is any indication (11+ paint colors, 7 wheels, 11 seat style/colors, 4 headliners, 4 interior trims, etc.), other high end manufacturers will continue to offer choice in their EVs. Of course as long as the competitors continue to offer almost NO choices in the plug-in area, Tesla can do whatever they want...that clock is ticking though.

No, Tesla is heading in the correct path. It’s much more than just cost control (although that is a big reason). Just because you can offer more choices doesn’t mean you should. It’s thoughtful reduction. I like Tesla following the laws of simplicity. Not suprising, very Apple-esque.

 

[PhilDavid]

Problem: Pano leaking and running up billable service center hours.
Solution: Remove source of the problem. No more pano, no more pano repairs.

Problem: Customer prefers a pano roof that does not leak.
Solution: Sell one less car to that customer?

I doubt this whole pano roof leaking situation is widespread. We've never had any such issues and love our pano roof.

If Tesla can build a falcon wing door, I am sure they can figure out how to make a roof that does not leak...

 

[twonius]

Acura has actually done this for a while. I think they offered the TSX or TL with only 1 option (navigation) for a while.

No, Tesla is heading in the correct path. It’s much more than just cost control (although that is a big reason). Just because you can offer more choices doesn’t mean you should. It’s thoughtful reduction. I like Tesla following the laws of simplicity. Not suprising, very Apple-esque.