Roadster 2.25 production dates?

[gregd]

This is probably for TEG to answer, but perhaps there's value for the greater forum, or others in the same situation.

In the History posting (Roadster History North America), the front and back style was changed, along with the front logo, "starting around VIN#964". My car is a 2.0, VIN #834 (Mfg date 1/2010), but it already has the new pieces.

My question: Is my car an example of a "2.25" model, i.e. manufactured that way, or did the prior owner get them swapped out? The logos on the rest of the car (4 wheels, VIN plate, steering wheel, and door sills), are all the original "shield" design.

I'm guessing it was the prior owner (and, thank you if you're reading this), because of the wide separation of the VIN numbers, but thought it would be interesting to check.

Thanks,

Greg.

 

[MileHighMotoring]

What's the mfr date on your car? Do you have double-DIN stereo? 2.0 or 2.5 seats?

 

[djp]

The 2.5 front and rear body panels were sold separately as an upgrade on the Tesla Accessories web site. With your VIN number I can guarantee that these were added by the previous owner and not part of the original build of the car.

Mine is VIN 939 (mfg 5/10). It was built with the old style nose and rear spoiler, but has a few 2.5 bits like the newer seats and sound dampening.

 

[TEG]

Yes, I know #834. I met the original owner in Palo Alto a long while back.

Here is a picture with a 2.5 on the left and #834 on the right.

( As I recall the "ZZZJNKY" plate had something to do with the owner doing sleep research... )
Does yours still have the old "diffuser" under the bumper like in the picture (on the right), or was it updated to be like the car on the left?

I do suspect that someone replaced the bumpers on your car sometime after the original purchase.

 

[gregd]

Yes, I know #834. I met the original owner in Palo Alto a long while back.

Here is a picture with a 2.5 on the left and #834 on the right.
View attachment 98851
( As I recall the "ZZZJNKY" plate had something to do with the owner doing sleep research... )
Does yours still have the old "diffuser" under the bumper like in the picture (on the right), or was it updated to be like the car on the left?

I do suspect that someone replaced the bumpers on your car sometime after the original purchase.

Ha! I figured I came to the right place. That's my car!

The back now matches the car on the left, so since I'm the second owner (not counting the consignment place I bought it from), I guess the original owner did the upgrade after the picture was taken. Do you have a date on the picture? He also removed the Tesla lettering, which I will have re-installed next time the car's in for something else. (The TPMS is starting to act up again, so it may be sooner than later ) Also interesting that the clean-air sticker was removed; not even a trace of it left.

To the earlier question about the seats, I'm not sure what I have. They are a solid color light grey, matching the door inside panels. No second color insert on the seats. Material appears to be leather. Were they an upgrade too?

Also nice to know the history of the license plate. I was concerned it stood for "it's jenky", but even with the rattles that wouldn't be right. Not for a Roadster, unless it was tongue-in-cheek. I like the "sleep junkie" angle much better. The owner wanted the plates back, so now it's got a regular-issue plate. Hope they're on his new MS.

 

[TEG]

Do you have a date on the picture?

I think it was at the Tesla Model S beta reveal, Fremont factory 10/1/2011

 

[djp]

To the earlier question about the seats, I'm not sure what I have. They are a solid color light grey, matching the door inside panels. No second color insert on the seats. Material appears to be leather. Were they an upgrade too?

Do you have a rubber inflator bulb for the lumbar support (old seats)? Or does the seat back have a Velcro pouch for foam lumbar support inserts (new seats)? The new seats weren't available in the Tesla Store as an upgrade, but some people were able to swap them.

 

[wiztecy]

That's my car!

The back now matches the car on the left, so since I'm the second owner (not counting the consignment place I bought it from), I guess the original owner did the upgrade after the picture was taken. Do you have a date on the picture? He also removed the Tesla lettering, which I will have re-installed next time the car's in for something else. (The TPMS is starting to act up again, so it may be sooner than later ) Also interesting that the clean-air sticker was removed; not even a trace of it left.

My hunch makes me believe the Roadster may have been rear-ended / damaged, a new bumper was put on and repainted and upgraded with the 2.5 parts due to the original 1.5 diffuser being most likely cracked.

 

[TEG]

My hunch makes me believe the Roadster may have been rear-ended / damaged, a new bumper was put on and repainted and upgraded with the 2.5 parts due to the original 1.5 diffuser being most likely cracked.

Yeah, I thought the same, but opted not to speculate...

 

[wiztecy]

Yeah, I thought the same, but opted not to speculate...

Honestly there are many people who have cars that were damaged but didn't know it. Personally its always good to know and look closer at things since some claims might not show up on a carfax due to the owner covering it out-of-pocket themselves. That was the case with my coworkers car until I identified a repaint of the side. Its really hard to match a factory paint job, and with a good eye you can identify a partial or even a full repaint. A bumper cover pulled off and painted by an expert is harder to identify, so if I owned the car I'd look for other signs that someone had wrenched on things and possibly hints of parts that were taken off / replaced that typically don't need to.

Correct on speculating. You and I don't know the full history of this Roadster and I'm not trying to scare anyone. But its always a good thing to understand the full history of a car by deduction and detective work, especially if there are signs of parts that get replaced due to an accident. Just putting it out there for the owner to look closer at things. I would if it was my Roadster, especially newly purchased from an previous owner I personally didn't know.

 

[TEG]

Even a brand new car can have repairs. My wife got a new car years back off the dealer lot, and when some paint started to peel after some months, we were later told it had been repainted by the dealer. They said the shipping damage was under the limit required for them to report it.

 

[gregd]

Do you have a rubber inflator bulb for the lumbar support (old seats)? Or does the seat back have a Velcro pouch for foam lumbar support inserts (new seats)? The new seats weren't available in the Tesla Store as an upgrade, but some people were able to swap them.

Defintely no bulb for pumping the seats. There appears to be some velcro at the lower side edge of the seats, if that's what you are referring to as a pouch. Never tried looking in there... They look otherwise identical to the pictures in the user manual. Oh, now that I look, there's also no Tesla logo on the seat back. Sounds like they aren't actually Tesla seats; Lotus, perhaps? Very comfortable, whatever they are.

To the other points about the car being repaired, besides the CarFacts report, I had asked the Service Center about such things before purchasing the car, and they said that it was clean. No repairs other than the yearly service. That said, I suppose a non-Tesla shop could have done it... You do see that the clean-air sticker is removed (thought that was nearly impossible), and the ear / clip on the right hand side, which attaches the 2.5 bottom piece to the bumper, is cracked and not holding them together. Might both suggest a 3rd-party repair...?

{shrug} We may never know, but I'll ask the SC to look more carefully at the car at the next service, just to be sure there isn't damage elsewhere that might need attention.

 

[wiztecy]

I've seen Roadster seats without the Tesla logo, that was an option if the owner requested it. As for the velcro side flaps on the seats, the seats without the pneumatic lumbar support had options for the sides and I believe the back where inserts could be bought from Tesla and added to adjust the fit and support of the seat. I believe they still have these inserts available, just ask.

Always a good call to have a tech look over the rear of the car to ensure safety as well as to make everything that should be there is there and bolted up correctly. I'm sure its fine, its rather strong back there. If it was repaired, it most likely was a minor fender bender that just cracked the diffuser and scratched the bumper since anything more would rack up in $$$ to repair and most likely claimed on the insurance.

 

[djp]

As for the velcro side flaps on the seats, the seats without the pneumatic lumbar support had options for the sides and I believe the back where inserts could be bought from Tesla and added to adjust the fit and support of the seat. I believe they still have these inserts available, just ask.

Yes, the seat back cushion is velcro'd to the seat frame. You can lift the cushion and slide a foam insert under the leather for lumbar support. You don't need to buy the inserts from Tesla, any small flat piece of foam will work.