Sick of waiting? Vent here

[anticitizen13.7]

Waiting isn’t the issue. It’s the over promising and under delivering to raise the stock price is what bothers me.

Just tell me late 2018 and surprise me early. Don’t tell me Nov-Jan 18... and nothing.

I actually don’t think this has anything to do with stock price manipulation. Setting unrealistic expectations is, for better and worse, part of Elon Musk’s personality.

Today’s Falcon Heavy rocket launch is a good example. It’s over 5 years late!

 

[anticitizen13.7]

My 17 year old car is literally starting to fall apart... I could really use my Model 3 as I can’t bring myself to buy an ICE, and I’m running out of duct tape.

Best solution here is to buy another beater car that can be later sold at close to acquisition cost.

 

[Chris350]

I guess the only REAL issue I have is that they should of broken off a date for current owners.... To have anyone buy something now and jump ahead seems a tad unfair... Where were these people back when we all stood in-line or ordered online and put money up?

So await I shall until my current car dies and then I'll have to make a choice (unfortunately)......... Cause every time someone new picks up a used Tesla and orders a 3, they will bump me back further and further....

 

[N5329K]

My 17 year old car is literally starting to fall apart... I could really use my Model 3 as I can’t bring myself to buy an ICE, and I’m running out of duct tape.

You can always lease a Bolt.
Robin

 

[Garlan Garner]

My 17 year old car is literally starting to fall apart... I could really use my Model 3 as I can’t bring myself to buy an ICE, and I’m running out of duct tape.

Gorilla Tape. That stuff is 10X stronger than Duct Tape.

Maybe Tesla should be handing out 5 rolls of Gorilla Tape to line waiters. Maybe they can afford that.

 

[Garlan Garner]

Best solution here is to buy another beater car that can be later sold at close to acquisition cost.

Why would he want 2 beater cars?

Maybe Tesla could put our line waiter beater cars in the next rocket and blow them all up in orbit. That would be festive.

 

[Garlan Garner]

You can always lease a Bolt.
Robin

The question is:...How long should the lease be? 1yr? 2yr?

 

[TT97]

I guess the only REAL issue I have is that they should of broken off a date for current owners.... To have anyone buy something now and jump ahead seems a tad unfair... Where were these people back when we all stood in-line or ordered online and put money up?

So await I shall until my current car dies and then I'll have to make a choice (unfortunately)......... Cause every time someone new picks up a used Tesla and orders a 3, they will bump me back further and further....

That is my biggest gripe. I understand being grateful for current owners and giving them priority for their dedication, but owners that put deposits down seven months ago are now getting configuration emails while day 1 reservation non-owners are still waiting.

 

[anticitizen13.7]

Why would he want 2 beater cars?

Maybe Tesla could put our line waiter beater cars in the next rocket and blow them all up in orbit. That would be festive.

If the current car is falling apart, I take that to mean that it is close to being unfit for driving. Junk or donate the current car, and simultaneously replace with a newer, more usable beater.

There are plenty of 11-13 yr old cars out there that still have 7-10 years of life left to them. They are mostly depreciated by now, so selling in a year or 2 will impose minimum financial cost. The only thing to look out for is recalled Takata airbags, and getting those replaced (this replacement is free) if the seller hasn’t already done so.

 

[ummgood]

My other gripe is owners gaming the system to give their Model 3 reservation to others to move them up in the queue. If it is family fine but I know for a fact of several people who are using this to make a profit and move people unrelated to the front of the line.

 

[Chewy3]

Gorilla Tape. That stuff is 10X stronger than Duct Tape.

Maybe Tesla should be handing out 5 rolls of Gorilla Tape to line waiters. Maybe they can afford that.

Why would he want 2 beater cars?

Maybe Tesla could put our line waiter beater cars in the next rocket and blow them all up in orbit. That would be festive.

The question is:...How long should the lease be? 1yr? 2yr?

Multi-quote. Its easier and wastes less space than posting 3 times in a row. No wonder you have 6k posts....

 

[RedModel3]

It also doesn't hurt to release a pretty good but still a work-in-progress car to your two most forgiving audiences: employees and loyal owners. The general public is a harsher mistress.
Robin

I'm not sure that those of us who stood in line on March 31 can be considered "general public." As a stockholder, it bothers me to know that Tesla keeps pushing non-owners to the end of the line. I get why current owners are given priority, but there should have been a cut off date for that priority.

 

[N5329K]

I'm not sure that those of us who stood in line on March 31 can be considered "general public." As a stockholder, it bothers me to know that Tesla keeps pushing non-owners to the end of the line. I get why current owners are given priority, but there should have been a cut off date for that priority.

You're right. Some- maybe most- of those line waiters were already convinced about Tesla in general and Model 3 in particular. You'd have to really work at shaking them loose as customers. But I know plenty of line waiters who'd never considered buying a Tesla, or an EV, before. This was a giant step into the unknown, and they came with notions about (expensive for them) new cars, value, reliability, finish and features that Tesla will have to work hard to fulfill.
Robin

 

[RDaneel]

I am getting pretty excited, but as the excitement grows, so does the frustration. I probably shouldn't drive a Kia Stinger any time soon. If the Model 3 didn't exist, that would be my next... Too bad remote climate control, OTA updates, zero emissions, home charging, etc. have spoiled me (and I don't have a Tesla yet!).

 

[Chris350]

You're right. Some- maybe most- of those line waiters were already convinced about Tesla in general and Model 3 in particular. You'd have to really work at shaking them loose as customers. But I know plenty of line waiters who'd never considered buying a Tesla, or an EV, before. This was a giant step into the unknown, and they came with notions about (expensive for them) new cars, value, reliability, finish and features that Tesla will have to work hard to fulfill.
Robin

Must agree with this!

How many non-owners who were ready to take that leap have become non-tesla owners due to getting the brush-off. Can't imagine how many have become disenchanted and canceled to never become a tesla owner... To see someone who just purchased a Tesla (new or used) in the last 6 months jump to the front is very disappointing... I mean, it's only a grand that I had to fork over, but I did that almost 2 years ago.... and then comes along a recent purchaser of an S or X and we get shoved back further...

 

[israndy]

I know it sucks to wait in line for us new customer's but if you say they will never shake off those old customer's it's not a bad strategy to have all the problems with the cars happen to them and then by the time they get to us we will be getting pristine cars that we too will be customers for life. Nothing harder to shake than a bad first impression.

-Randy

 

[narcoleptic]

Spare a thought for the people in right-hand drive countries like Australia. If all goes to plan, production doesn't even start on those until sometime in 2019, and I'd bet it'll easily be more like 2020 before we see them here.

 

[geometro]

If the current car is falling apart, I take that to mean that it is close to being unfit for driving. Junk or donate the current car, and simultaneously replace with a newer, more usable beater.

There are plenty of 11-13 yr old cars out there that still have 7-10 years of life left to them. They are mostly depreciated by now, so selling in a year or 2 will impose minimum financial cost. The only thing to look out for is recalled Takata airbags, and getting those replaced (this replacement is free) if the seller hasn’t already done so.

I was exaggerating for effect, but some trim pieces are quite literally falling off. Very safe (and fun) to drive (3 series wagon with stick + sport pkg), but I appreciate the recommendation for Gorilla tape!!

 

[jayhawk3]

I guess the only REAL issue I have is that they should of broken off a date for current owners.... To have anyone buy something now and jump ahead seems a tad unfair... Where were these people back when we all stood in-line or ordered online and put money up?

So await I shall until my current car dies and then I'll have to make a choice (unfortunately)......... Cause every time someone new picks up a used Tesla and orders a 3, they will bump me back further and further....

Which is why it is theoretically possible you will never get a Model 3. If production can't outstrip existing owners and people buying S/X a non-owner will never get one.

 

[InspireAU]

Spare a thought for the people in right-hand drive countries like Australia. If all goes to plan, production doesn't even start on those until sometime in 2019, and I'd bet it'll easily be more like 2020 before we see them here.

I hear your pain as an Aussie here too! I’m thinking of jumping ship and getting the leaf later this year instead.