Should I add EAP before or after I get a VIN?

[dave999z]

I'm pretty sure I want to add EAP to my order. Current delivery estimate is Sept.-Nov. Payment method is all cash, so all steps are done. The secret Edit Design URL still works for me. No contact from Tesla. So I'm pretty sure I don't have a VIN assigned.

I'm wondering if it'd be better to add EAP now (I would do it by calling, not the secret URL), or wait until later when I have a VIN and delivery approaches. I don't want to have my delivery estimate change to Oct-Dec (even if that's just an automatic thing), and I don't want to be bumped back in line at all.

So I'm inclined to just wait, and once I have a delivery adviser, tell him or her that I want to add EAP to my VIN. I don't even care if the car has it installed on day 1. I just don't want to have to pay $6k for it later instead of $5k now.

If any of the other price increases would apply (delivery fee, paint, AWD), or a $500 change fee, I won't add it, because then I'm hardly saving anything (possibly losing).

Something tells me when I call Tesla and get a random rep on the line, they're going to have no idea how any of this works and their answers will be basically guesses.

Why is this so hard, Tesla.

 

[slipnslider]

Unless you spend a lot of time on long highway drives, or spend a lot of time in traffic james, EAP is overpriced at $5k.

I bought it and it was awesome on a road trip I took, but for everyday driving I don't need it at all.

 

[dave999z]

Right, but assuming it is overpriced and unnecessary, should I add it before or after getting assigned a VIN?

But seriously, I do spend a ton of time in a traffic jam every single morning coming over the 14th Street bridge in DC. It's awful.

 

[Abstrakt1]

Assuming it is overpriced and unnecessary you should wait until after, you don't want a software change pushing back your delivery date

 

[brkaus]

I’m in the same boat. The when to add boat, not the unnecessary boat.

I deal with lots of stop and go traffic daily.

 

[skitown]

Two related data points. I know of two Model 3 orders that had FSD added after we received notice of the vehicles being shipped to our Service Centers, but before we were given VINs. One is mine. The FSD additions bumped the date ranges out on our accounts, but it's meaningless. We are getting our cars in the next week or so, and our accounts now say Oct-Dec. In other words, we experienced no real-world delay. Use that info as you wish....

 

[dsvick]

I would think that the sooner you add it the less likely it is that you'll be charged the additional $1K and also the more time you'll have to work on expediting your delivery if it does indeed change the date.

 

[CrazyCoconut]

Unless you spend a lot of time on long highway drives, or spend a lot of time in traffic james, EAP is overpriced at $5k.

I bought it and it was awesome on a road trip I took, but for everyday driving I don't need it at all.

This is pretty much me. Rarely on highway, and usually not much traffic on my commute either. $5k for AP seems like an overkill for the occasional use.

 

[skitown]

I would think that the sooner you add it the less likely it is that you'll be charged the additional $1K and also the more time you'll have to work on expediting your delivery if it does indeed change the date.

This was my logic.

 

[dave999z]

Two related data points. I know of two Model 3 orders that had FSD added after we received notice of the vehicles being shipped to our Service Centers, but before we were given VINs. One is mine. The FSD additions bumped the date ranges out on our accounts, but it's meaningless. We are getting our cars in the next week or so, and our accounts now say Oct-Dec. In other words, we experienced no real-world delay. Use that info as you wish....

Thanks. How did you make the change to your order? On the website? Through your delivery adviser? Did prices for delivery fee and any other options change to the new pricing? Were you charged a $500 change fee.

Thanks all, but my question is when would be the most strategic time to add EAP, not whether to add it.

 

[skitown]

Thanks. How did you make the change to your order? On the website? Through your delivery adviser? Did prices for delivery fee and any other options change to the new pricing? Were you charged a $500 change fee.

Thanks all, but my question is when would be the most strategic time to add EAP, not whether to add it.

We had no "Edit" button as long as I could remember, so I figured the best thing to do was to wait for our service adviser to contact us about our car being ready. When we received the "Your Model 3 is Almost Here!" email from our adviser (your subject line may vary, I suppose), we simply replied back via email asking if we could still add FSD for the original offered price of $3000 and without additional charges. I'd read elsewhere that Tesla was still honoring this if done before taking delivery - or even at the delivery in person. However, we are getting direct delivery, shipped to our homes, so I didn't want to miss that window of opportunity. We were not charged a change fee and got the original pricing. My guess is that they would do the same with EAP, but can't speak from experience.

 

[Goatdan]

Two related data points. I know of two Model 3 orders that had FSD added after we received notice of the vehicles being shipped to our Service Centers, but before we were given VINs. One is mine. The FSD additions bumped the date ranges out on our accounts, but it's meaningless. We are getting our cars in the next week or so, and our accounts now say Oct-Dec. In other words, we experienced no real-world delay. Use that info as you wish....

I've heard this is the way to do it. If you add EAP, it apparently does change your estimated delivery date. If you haven't had a VIN assigned yet, this may push you back even though it's the same car.

If the car is in transit, I've heard you can ask your delivery specialist to add it and they can. I understand it can just be turned out this way. This won't "reset" your configuration date and since the car is already coming, you'll have it.

I was convinced of EAP with a combo of trying a Leaf with ProPilot Assit, which within five minutes of use I saw how it improved safety and trying someone's EAP car. I had no interest in FSD, but then they announced they will start making FSD differences with the next update and I'm curious what those are. If they are enough to get me to consider the upgrade, I fully intend to ask my delivery specialist for that, and not a moment before that to not screw up the dates...

 

[b_ack51]

I added EAP after receiving a delivery date. Did not push my delivery date back. No extra fee, just the $5000 for the option.

 

[Knightshade]

FWIW my IDA (who seems to take 1-2 days to reply to anything and then only answers 1 out of every 5 questions so confidence is pretty low there right now) told me twice when I asked about adding FSD after my car left the factory that he can't add anything, including software-only changes, to the car- if I ask him to then I lose the car and have to wait for a new one to be built.

I know this is bullshit- based on the people who've done it in this and other threads- but he insists that's how it is.... so I just reiterated I don't want another car and go ahead and deliver this one- My plan currently is to just tell the actual dealership to add it before I officially take delivery (which I've also read of some folks doing even as late as day of pickup).