It's March 27, 2021 and Tesla still has inconsistent and confusing information about its "delivery" process, whether you go to a Service Center or have the vehicle dropped at your home. The biggest concern is that I was told twice by my "Tesla Advisor" (who's functioned as our sales consultant) that:
"Tesla's contractor will leave the car at your house with the key card locked inside.
You have to accept delivery in your phone app in order to unlock the doors.
BEFORE that point, you are free to inspect the vehicle (from the outside) and refuse delivery within 24 hours of the dropoff text they send you, if you choose."
That's unacceptable, especially from a manufacturer with Tesla's spotty reputation for build quality. I might trust a built-in-Japan Honda (like our S2000) for something like that, but not Tesla (or Lotus, which took us a year of service visits to correct issues).
3 days after re-entering the VIN eligibility queue, our VIN was assigned for a Mon 3/29 delivery.
Being uncomfortable with the Tesla Advisor's guidance, I called my local Service Center phone number with the original intent to request Service Center delivery and to see if the car had arrived early so we could "preview" it like at some auctions. I pressed 4 for delivery questions, and spoke for 10 min with an incredibly well-trained Delivery Rep (much better than my sales advisor). When I asked about changing delivery to the Service Center (8 mi from our home), the rep's direction was VASTLY different re: delivery: at one's home:
"For touchless home delivery, the vehicle is left in your driveway, locked, with the key cards and paperwork inside. They text you as they're leaving.
You open your phone's Tesla app and you'll have an option to Review vehicle before Accepting Delivery.
The Review phase will unlock the doors and even allow you to take the car around the block.
You have 24 hours to evaluate and elect to accept or refuse delivery."
I said that sounded much more reasonable, but if it was all the same I'd prefer to do inspection of a Tesla (strike one...) built in March/EOQ (strike two...) with a Service Advisor nearby, at the Service Center, so we could review what was "in spec" vs what would go on an order to be fixed before I took delivery.
Saves them the time and expense of a loaner (or Uber credits, which doesn't solve my wife's need for a vehicle to haul crates of books to the library as part of her remote work agreement during the pandemic (we're Gen X and earliest shot availability is going to be June).
Rep then says, "I've checked on your vehicle and it shows as just having left the SF dock/distribution headed to...Massachusetts. Other side of the USA from us in Portland, OR. Apologizes profusely and I tell him it's fine, we're already leery of how we got rushed into an end-of-quarter delivery of a vehicle likely rushed by tired, punch-drunk Tesla elves rushing for quarter end. We are fine waiting for the right car, and do not want a car "right now" that may be slapped together worse than usual.
Bottom line, what is the situation with inspection before accepting delivery at this point in time? I looked through several (harrowing) threads about delivery, and do not see a hard cut-in date of whether Tesla actually does what the Delivery Rep said, or does like my Tesla Advisor said (which is more consistent with the link below).
MYLR delivery declined-no pre-delivery interior inspection
Please let me know what your delivery experience has been during 2021. Tesla dropped the 7 day test drive in Oct 2020 if memory serves, so they are FAR behind CarMax and others in terms of earning a shopper's confidence that a vehicle is not "nightmare fuel." If they show some fortitude and implement a 24 hour review period like the Delivery Rep said, that would indeed go a long way toward earning our trust. We're already having to function as Tesla's Quality Assurance team... I'm hoping someone chimes in and provides more clarity to this either way (Tesla Advisor's "You're on your own" vs. Delivery Rep's 24 hr Review).
"Tesla's contractor will leave the car at your house with the key card locked inside.
You have to accept delivery in your phone app in order to unlock the doors.
BEFORE that point, you are free to inspect the vehicle (from the outside) and refuse delivery within 24 hours of the dropoff text they send you, if you choose."
That's unacceptable, especially from a manufacturer with Tesla's spotty reputation for build quality. I might trust a built-in-Japan Honda (like our S2000) for something like that, but not Tesla (or Lotus, which took us a year of service visits to correct issues).
3 days after re-entering the VIN eligibility queue, our VIN was assigned for a Mon 3/29 delivery.
Being uncomfortable with the Tesla Advisor's guidance, I called my local Service Center phone number with the original intent to request Service Center delivery and to see if the car had arrived early so we could "preview" it like at some auctions. I pressed 4 for delivery questions, and spoke for 10 min with an incredibly well-trained Delivery Rep (much better than my sales advisor). When I asked about changing delivery to the Service Center (8 mi from our home), the rep's direction was VASTLY different re: delivery: at one's home:
"For touchless home delivery, the vehicle is left in your driveway, locked, with the key cards and paperwork inside. They text you as they're leaving.
You open your phone's Tesla app and you'll have an option to Review vehicle before Accepting Delivery.
The Review phase will unlock the doors and even allow you to take the car around the block.
You have 24 hours to evaluate and elect to accept or refuse delivery."
I said that sounded much more reasonable, but if it was all the same I'd prefer to do inspection of a Tesla (strike one...) built in March/EOQ (strike two...) with a Service Advisor nearby, at the Service Center, so we could review what was "in spec" vs what would go on an order to be fixed before I took delivery.
Saves them the time and expense of a loaner (or Uber credits, which doesn't solve my wife's need for a vehicle to haul crates of books to the library as part of her remote work agreement during the pandemic (we're Gen X and earliest shot availability is going to be June).
Rep then says, "I've checked on your vehicle and it shows as just having left the SF dock/distribution headed to...Massachusetts. Other side of the USA from us in Portland, OR. Apologizes profusely and I tell him it's fine, we're already leery of how we got rushed into an end-of-quarter delivery of a vehicle likely rushed by tired, punch-drunk Tesla elves rushing for quarter end. We are fine waiting for the right car, and do not want a car "right now" that may be slapped together worse than usual.
Bottom line, what is the situation with inspection before accepting delivery at this point in time? I looked through several (harrowing) threads about delivery, and do not see a hard cut-in date of whether Tesla actually does what the Delivery Rep said, or does like my Tesla Advisor said (which is more consistent with the link below).
MYLR delivery declined-no pre-delivery interior inspection
Please let me know what your delivery experience has been during 2021. Tesla dropped the 7 day test drive in Oct 2020 if memory serves, so they are FAR behind CarMax and others in terms of earning a shopper's confidence that a vehicle is not "nightmare fuel." If they show some fortitude and implement a 24 hour review period like the Delivery Rep said, that would indeed go a long way toward earning our trust. We're already having to function as Tesla's Quality Assurance team... I'm hoping someone chimes in and provides more clarity to this either way (Tesla Advisor's "You're on your own" vs. Delivery Rep's 24 hr Review).
