Sandy Munro Says Tesla Shouldn't Build A $25,000 Electric Car

[imola.zhp]

Used Tesla Under $25,000: 7 Cars from $20,000 - iSeeCars.com

google search will find many more:
used tesla vehicle for sale < $25,000

That website does not allow you to remove cars that have been in an accident. On a bit more reputable website, arguably, there are just two Tesla's under $25k. One with nearly 200,000 miles on it. Not exactly plentiful or common.

Used Tesla for Sale in Memphis, TN - CarGurus

 

[GeorgeC1]

10 years ahead? Better think first about that nagging quality control and service communication issues. Competition is arriving and former and potential customers are looking elsewhere.

I am one of those buyers. I was ready to buy last spring but after reading the forums here and attempting to get a test drive it was quickly apparent that I would probably not have a happy relationship with Tesla. The car I looked at had numerous flaws that they stated were normal. There were cars all over the lot with big red arrow stickers pointing out flaws awaiting service. I asked if a loaner would be provided while things were fixed and the salesman actually laughed. My Prior BMW had to stay overnight for a issue we caused and they put us in a 5 series loaner for the 3 series we brought in. Every phone call is answered or returned in 30 minutes. I keep watching hoping to see things get better but from what I see on the forums and the volume of cars sold verses the increase in service capacity it’s only going to get far worse.

 

[Uncle Paul]

BMW's tend to have better initial fit and finish, but much more expensive mechanical service needs over their lifetime. Nothing is perfect in all respects.
Not unusual for BMWs to sell perfectly good cars just before their warranty expires. The fear of expensive repair bills causes tremendous anxiety.

 

[SageBrush]

I think Sandy Monro has a decent argument today that a $25,000 Tesla would fail but Tesla improves rapidly and I'm not at all sure that he's right 2 years from now

 

[Tiger]

Can you imagine the panel gaps on that car?

Maybe they'd go panel-less single-piece casting, like robust plastic toy cars

 

[SmartElectric]

Can you imagine the panel gaps on that car?

I know this was a joke, but my Smart ED has plastic panels and few of them vs any Tesla, the Smart panels don't dent (they "give" if a shopping cart hits them), are trivial to snap to the body shell and align and are maintenance free. If a entry level Tesla was designed to "snap" plastic panels to a single piece casting for the entire car (forget two castings, go with one!), and had two less doors (just two doors and a hatch), that would reduce the number of panels and fitment. I only bought my Smart instead of a Model 3 because the Smart had 1/2 of the materials budget to build, and was therefore more sensible for CO2 and waste, of course, we own a Model S as well, and that is for all long distance trips. I truly think an affordable Tesla sized like a two door Civic would be amazing.

 

[SmartElectric]

There were cars all over the lot with big red arrow stickers pointing out flaws awaiting service

Just buy a used Tesla, your expectations will be lower, and the original owner might have gone through the work to get all of the little flaws fixed, of course, you'd have to live with the fact it's not a new car ... we bought a used 2013 Model S, and we love it.

 

[rick8560]

His approach is wrong on many levels.
First of all he thinks only of the American market. I believe this car will be mainly produced in China and Germany factories for the benefit of the Asian/European markets. A small, relatively cheap electric hatch will sell like hotcakes. Roads are far narrower over here. Model S, Model X (never mind Cybertrack) are not really suitable outside US.
Secondly being a Model 3 owner myself that part where apparently people who can afford only cheap cars are less tolerant to quality issues is insulting at least. I bought a relatively expensive car; yes. This does't mean that I am happy to throw money down the sink if it breaks all the time. So far I was lucky but Tesla need to pull their act together on quality.
To close this a 25k Tesla may be the only way for this company to go mainstream outside of the US. So they need to build it, it needs to be a decent quality wise car and it needs to be directed to the right market for it.

I am new on here and I know this is an older thread, but i totally agree with everything you said. Especially the quote from another writer saying "People with less money to spend will also be more sensitive to suspension flaws and quality issues, such as the ones Tesla currently presents." I worked hard for my money and if I choose to spend $50k or more on a car, it needs to be flawless! But that is not what we are getting these days?

 

[Brando]

Model 3 single RWD - s/n #~ 9000 2018
Many great/informative videos on long term ownership - 109,000 miles so far.
Resist commenting until watch the entire clip.

 

[tangible1]

So only people with less money mind if their 2 hour old new car loses a roof on a highway, or a bumper in the rain? Shocking! I guess that is more sensitive than a guy who would just leave the car on the side of the road, call for his helicopter to pick him up, then hop into one of his other 50 cars in his local collection after ordering a new Tesla on his phone during the helicopter ride.

People on tighter budgets get more upset when things don't go well.
Put another way, when your Tesla is your tertiary (third) car, you can be more patient about problems.
Chose your point of view, but the message Sandy Munro is communicating is correct.

 

[EvilNuff]

...
new $25,000 Tesla + AutoPilot $8,000 = $33,000 Or more as AutoPilot increases in price.
...

People in the market for the most budget EV are not the people who will pay for FSD.

 

[Brando]

People in the market for the most budget EV are not the people who will pay for FSD.

Fleet buyers would - such as rental or taxi companies as it saves money on driver cost. I'm confused as to why electric London Cabs aren't being sold in all big cities. Electric trolley yes, but even electric buses just getting started. (except in China) But that requires governments to buy.

 

[EvilNuff]

Fleet buyers would - such as rental or taxi companies as it saves money on driver cost. I'm confused as to why electric London Cabs aren't being sold in all big cities. Electric trolley yes, but even electric buses just getting started. (except in China) But that requires governments to buy.

Fleet is a completely separate market than individual purchasers. Fleet buyers won't buy until level 5 is a reality which is well over a decade (likely much farther) away. So irrelevant for the purposes of any short or mid-term discussion.

 

[Brando]

People on tighter budgets get more upset when things don't go well.
Put another way, when your Tesla is your tertiary (third) car, you can be more patient about problems.
Chose your point of view, but the message Sandy Munro is communicating is correct.

Are you talking about the Ford Mach e recall for glass roof re-glue ? U can search for other reports

Ford recalls Mustang Mach-Es over risk of glass roof flying off

The windshield and roof might not be stuck on correctly.

www.theverge.com

 

[tangible1]

Are you talking about the Ford Mach e recall for glass roof re-glue ? U can search for other reports

Ford recalls Mustang Mach-Es over risk of glass roof flying off

The windshield and roof might not be stuck on correctly.

www.theverge.com

Not specific to the Mach-E.
More about Tesla issues and buyer sensitivity to them.
But it would cover the expected buyer reactions to the circumstances of what happened with the M-E.

 

[thesmokingman]

Not producing a cheap EV would be counter to Tesla's mission.

 

[Earl]

Not producing a cheap EV would be counter to Tesla's mission.

I can see that opinion as possibly being valid.
However, I can see the opposite also being valid:
By Tesla holding the high ground, they are leaving some part of the market still open to other manufacturers. If Tesla gets their production volumes high enough to produce a cheap car, it will be game over for everyone else. They won't be able to produce an EV that can compete with Tesla.
Tesla will be the only one in the car business.

 

[tangible1]

I can see that opinion as possibly being valid.
However, I can see the opposite also being valid:
By Tesla holding the high ground, they are leaving some part of the market still open to other manufacturers. If Tesla gets their production volumes high enough to produce a cheap car, it will be game over for everyone else. They won't be able to produce an EV that can compete with Tesla.
Tesla will be the only one in the car business.

It's pretty clear Tesla plans to offer products for most market segments. When? is of course the question. Elon gets ahead of the internet.
Tesla, on history, will garner major market share but it's impossible to get it all. Too many differing expectations, opinions, and tastes. Not gonna happen.
That's why it's a marketplace. Even in the Soviet Union, there were 6 'popular' car brands !!!

 

[voyager]

Tesla shouldn't do the obligatory hatchback perhaps. In electromoblity there is an ever-widening gap
between rather bulky EVs and two-wheelers...

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Not producing a cheap EV would be counter to Tesla's mission.

Given Musk's view that they'll crack autonomy, it doesn't make sense to make a cheap car until it's an autonomous vehicle.
Cheap autonomy would destroy the low-end market.