Should dealer provide new License plates at time of delivery?

[Telemark]

Hoping to pick up my new M3 at a relatively new dealership... they say it’ll come with temporary tags (and I’ll have to run to DMV later). All my other cars that I’ve purchased in RI have a dealer runner go to DMV so the plates are all at pickup. What has your experience been with plates at pickup?

 

[Sophias_dad]

Depends on the dealer. Some have special 'effectively-dmv' offices on site, particularly high-volume dealers I expect.

IIRC, the last set of plates I got were arranged and on-site at the dealer. The set before that were picked up at my insurance agent, who has a runner(and a special line, I expect) at the RMV. This is from Massachusetts, where temporary plates don't exist. That might be why dealers bother with their own onsite registration/plating. IIRC the only other state which doesn't have temporary plates is Pennsylvania, but that might be obsolete information.

 

[srs5694]

This probably varies a lot by state. As you're in Rhode Island, I can comment, but my comment is: Be glad you're buying now that the Warwick store is open, rather than before. When I bought my Model 3, I had a choice of accepting home delivery with no plates (so my car was taunting me in my driveway, legally undrivable until I could go to the DMV to get plates) or go to New York state to pick up a car with temporary NY plates and then deal with the RI DMV myself. I chose the former. Oh, and I had to walk uphill in snow both ways.

I've purchased (or leased) two cars in RI from RI dealers, prior to buying my Tesla. The first time, I transferred plates from my previous car. The dealer did that work. The second time was a lease, and as I kept my old car for a short period after starting my lease, I needed new plates. The dealer put temporary tags on the car, but also arranged to get the permanent plates. I had to take the car to the dealer once they'd gotten the permanent plates. Of course, that was a lease, so the procedure may have been a bit different from a purchase.

You'll probably just have to do whatever Tesla says, I'm afraid. Whether they won't put permanent plates on the car or they can't do so for some legal reason, you won't be able to force their hand. The Warwick store has been open for long enough that I doubt if you're running into something as simple as an uninformed salesperson.

 

[Telemark]

This probably varies a lot by state. As you're in Rhode Island, I can comment, but my comment is: Be glad you're buying now that the Warwick store is open, rather than before. When I bought my Model 3, I had a choice of accepting home delivery with no plates (so my car was taunting me in my driveway, legally undrivable until I could go to the DMV to get plates) or go to New York state to pick up a car with temporary NY plates and then deal with the RI DMV myself. I chose the former. Oh, and I had to walk uphill in snow both ways.

I've purchased (or leased) two cars in RI from RI dealers, prior to buying my Tesla. The first time, I transferred plates from my previous car. The dealer did that work. The second time was a lease, and as I kept my old car for a short period after starting my lease, I needed new plates. The dealer put temporary tags on the car, but also arranged to get the permanent plates. I had to take the car to the dealer once they'd gotten the permanent plates. Of course, that was a lease, so the procedure may have been a bit different from a purchase.

You'll probably just have to do whatever Tesla says, I'm afraid. Whether they won't put permanent plates on the car or they can't do so for some legal reason, you won't be able to force their hand. The Warwick store has been open for long enough that I doubt if you're running into something as simple as an uninformed salesperson.

You

This probably varies a lot by state. As you're in Rhode Island, I can comment, but my comment is: Be glad you're buying now that the Warwick store is open, rather than before. When I bought my Model 3, I had a choice of accepting home delivery with no plates (so my car was taunting me in my driveway, legally undrivable until I could go to the DMV to get plates) or go to New York state to pick up a car with temporary NY plates and then deal with the RI DMV myself. I chose the former. Oh, and I had to walk uphill in snow both ways.

I've purchased (or leased) two cars in RI from RI dealers, prior to buying my Tesla. The first time, I transferred plates from my previous car. The dealer did that work. The second time was a lease, and as I kept my old car for a short period after starting my lease, I needed new plates. The dealer put temporary tags on the car, but also arranged to get the permanent plates. I had to take the car to the dealer once they'd gotten the permanent plates. Of course, that was a lease, so the procedure may have been a bit different from a purchase.

You'll probably just have to do whatever Tesla says, I'm afraid. Whether they won't put permanent plates on the car or they can't do so for some legal reason, you won't be able to force their hand. The Warwick store has been open for long enough that I doubt if you're running into something as simple as an uninformed salesperson.

Thanks! The Warwick store has just received (in the past 2 weeks) their lease license and they’ve NEVER taken delivery of an ordered car yet (mine would be the first). I ended up deciding not to lease but they said I can’t buy in MA because of tax reasons. Crazy.