Starting to regret FSD pre-purchase in a major way

[vikefan]

Just consider what you have paid as a contribution to R&D to make FSD happen quicker - and enjoy your Tesla as it is now. EAP is amazing in itself. If the nags really annoy, then get an Autopilot buddy, or something such like (but make sure you still remain alert and ready to take over). Tesla I am am sure only has the nags to protect themselves legally.

And that would be perfectly fine... if that’s how Tesla advertised FSD. If their website said, “Check this box if you’d like to donate $3000 to Tesla’s mission to deliver FSD someday.” However, as we know, that’s not what their website says, or any of the videos and other information they’ve published about how FSD has worked or will work.

And also like I said earlier, FSD and EAP are two separate topics. To be satisfied with EAP (which I am) is not a tacit agreement to also be satisfied without FSD, precisely because they were each separately sold options on the car.

I think it’s an important thing to point out that Tesla released a promotional video over a YEAR ago of a man sitting in a Tesla as it 100% drives itself through a bunch of side streets, stop signs, pedestrian traffic, etc, and drops him off at his work, and parks itself afterwords. The obvious implication in releasing that video is to say “look how close we are.” It’s not ethical to make that implicit statement in an advertisement only to expect customers who pay for it later to magically know the company is actually still a decade+ away from making it happen.

 

[mswlogo]

I think FSD on the highway is possible in the next 5 years. As the agreement states Tesla is not responsible for legal restrictions.

I’m glad to see the delay. They have guts to hold off until they feel confident. They need to be extremely careful. One bad press moment and it could set things back. I don’t care if they wait a year. I’m also impressed they didn’t hold up releasing other features.

These guys are doing things right.

Accidents WILL happen. But statistically it will probably drive better than the average human (on the highway), fairly soon. But the press will hype it up like they do on many other things I won’t get into if something goes wrong.

I think they are brilliant doing this gradually.

It’s sounding like this V9 is a huge step. Yeah you will have to keep your hands on the wheel.

I have zero regret spending the extra $3k. I have confidence Tesla will deliver “something” for it. There is already rumor it covers a new computer and higher res camera. I think the longer out that happens the better hardware and capability it will be.

 

[mcbarnet007]

V9 is a huge step. I actually regret not getting FSD with my Model 3 purchase.

 

[Vince3]

Pre-purchasing FSD was never an optimal financial decision. In the indeterminate time that it takes for the technology to be developed, regulations to be passed, kinks to be straightened out... you may as well have invested the money in something else.

IMO paying for FSD is a kind of kickstarter/loan, or donation for the R&D. I felt that i "supported the cause" enough with buying the M3+LR+PUP+EAP so i skipped FSD. (I did want to upgrade my support to AWD when the production ramped up, but sales said my car was already assigned... oh well)

 

[Krugerrand]

I won't even plunk down for EAP yet. Still beta IMO. Show me the polished product and i'll decide if it's worth it given the remaining useful life on the car at that time. Prepaying for unfinished (or non-existent) features on a rapidly depreciating asset like a car is crazy IMO. Also consider the risk of total loss due to accident at any time which destroys the value prop.

EAP is like getting to have multiple birthdays and Christmases every year. Each time I get that APP msg : software update is available, I’m like 5 years old again.

Sometimes it’s the Power Ranger I always wanted, sometimes a Slinky, and sometimes it’s sucky underwear. But it’s always fun and something I look forward to. In a world with so much negativity and ugliness and all the rest, the 5k is totally worth it from where I sit.

I imagine FSD will be the mother of all gift giving holidays of my entire life wrapped up into one. I also imagine I’ll pee my pants with excitement (or because of a bladder infection) but that event will totally be worth the price of admission and the extended wait in line outside in the elements; just like in the good ole days of camping out for a ticket to see KISS. And like the good ole days, you sometimes get to the ticket window just to find they’re sold out. Meh. You just learn to camp out sooner next time.

In terms of the whole accident thing; I have never lived my life based on a future negative event that a) may never happen and b) I probably won’t have any control over. It’s like saying, I might get run over by a car so I shouldn’t ever take the chance by walking across the street. That’s ridiculous.

By all means, do what works for you but those of us that laid out money in anticipation are not crazy just simply looking at the world and life as a glass half full and having the time of our lives.

 

[OutofThyme]

Didn't purchase it. Also don't believe it will come in at any reasonable timeline before a massive upgrade to the next generation of cars come out. I'll purchase it then. Took that $3k and invested it instead and with it made more back to pay for after-install FSD and more. Would rather put it into the TSLA stock than FSD option at the moment.

 

[TheLocNar]

I'm not regretting it. I will get the new CPU for no extra cost.

 

[BrandonLive]

I think there’s a fair chance (not at all guaranteed) that FSD on at least some roads/places will come to our cars in the next 2-3 years. Not guaranteed by any means, but not impossible either. I’m hopeful for it.

But I definitely didn’t pay for it. It’s vaporware without even a vague timeframe or rollout plan. If/when it comes, I’ll probably pay for it. Until then, they got enough of my money.

 

[Bet TSLA]

I paid for it on all both Teslas I bought last year. It is easily worth it to me for the entertainment value of having, quite literally, a front row seat watching a baby driving AI grow up. And it will happen quickly when it happens. One day it will seem far away, and the next we'll see AI drivers superior to humans. Remember, humans are fairly stupid, don't perceive the world accurately, don't have much experience, and can't pay attention -- these traits make people very bad drivers. So an AI with an excellent set of sensors, limitless attention span, sufficient intelligence, and billions of miles of driving experience under all conditions, should easily be better.

The only limiting factor right now is intelligence. The AI that will be going into the car next year will likely be about as intelligent as a mouse (in some composite sense combining its training system and deployment system). Improved training and software will likely improve it exponentially -- doubling each year will probably make it intelligent enough within two years. Or maybe three. So I'm optimistic.

People who are fixated on "paying good money only for working systems" should just wait. This approach will ensure the continue to live dull lives. Techonerds like me will, once again quite literally, be getting the ride of a lifetime buying now and living the evolution. I wouldn't miss it for the world.

 

[rdunniii]

Again, as I posted earlier, victim-blaming is not the appropriate response to an American business / businessman consistently failing to deliver - or even come close to delivering - a product they are actively selling *now*. This attitude of “you should have known he was a snake oil salesman” is exactly the cover of resigned acceptance that allows Tesla to continue to sell a product they may not actually have any intention of delivering within the lifetime of the cars they’re currently selling with it.

Hey don't feel too bad, I contracted with Tesla 15 months ago for a rooftop solar energy system that they have no clue when they will be able to deliver. Their hoping for sometime in 2019. And there ain't no fancy software to be delivered in that case.

Besides don't snake oil salesmen need to make a living too. Tesla is only doing what the entire "conservative" movement is trying to do for every other business by getting rid of those pesky overbearing business regulations.

 

[Trevor B]

People who are fixated on "paying good money only for working systems" should just wait. This approach will ensure the continue to live dull lives. Techonerds like me will, once again quite literally, be getting the ride of a lifetime buying now and living the evolution. I wouldn't miss it for the world.

BS

 

[Uncle Paul]

This thread reminds me of when I lived in Michigan.

In the Fall, many of us would purchase additional wheels and snow tires, at significant cost.

If the Winter ended up very mild, with little show, we would all complain about the money we wasted on the snow tires. (they also were noisy, harsher riding, quickly wearing and poor handling)

Tesla has been overly generous, with lots of great enhancement for the standard autopilot buyers, but not yet delivered for the FSD buyers.

Until significant FSD arrives, those people will feel like the snow tire buyers. After more FSD gets delivered they will feel like the snow tire buyers that got their tires just before the first of many heavy snow storms.

 

[Phrixotrichus]

Tesla has been overly generous, with lots of great enhancement for the standard autopilot buyers,

what are you talking about.
Tesla hasn`t delivered on 99% of what they promised for EAP yet.

 

[diamond.g]

what are you talking about.
Tesla hasn`t delivered on 99% of what they promised for EAP yet.

Once Nav on AP is released and they improve Summon, what else are they missing?

 

[Phrixotrichus]

Once Nav on AP is released and they improve Summon, what else are they missing?

As "Once it`s released" implies it`s not available yet. And those are features Elon promised for AP1 back in the days already.....

 

[Daniel in SD]

I feel like EAP will be complete when it can reliably go onramp to offramp without hitting anything. That's not an easy problem! Self park still runs in to things occasionally and it's only moving at 5mph.

 

[Glamisduner]

I was thinking about adding it back, since I have extra cash available for the car now that it's been another 2 months and I still don't have the car.

 

[Sunshine Speed]

$3K for FSD is a smart purchase, especially when financed over 5 years at 2.5% interest (rolled into the main auto loan). Others will end up buying FSD for $5K about 2 years from now with no ability to finance it over many years.

 

[Canikony]

FSD is not going to happen in the next 5 years. I am willing to bet that a large majority of Model 3 owners that dropped 3k for FSD up front will be in a different car before true FSD is feasible, let alone meet government regulations. I'm sure Tesla will drop small features here and there to try to appease people who dropped 3k but it will not be FSD.

 

[Phrixotrichus]

$3K for FSD is a smart purchase, especially when financed over 5 years at 2.5% interest (rolled into the main auto loan). Others will end up buying FSD for $5K about 2 years from now with no ability to finance it over many years.

how`s a feature that will most likely take longer to hit the market than most ppl will keep the car a "smart purchase"