Tesla has my $61K and jerked me around on delivery for weeks. Now, no car for another month.

[pleeau]

I was told my Model 3 103XX would arrive on around the 21st of March. I took out a personal loan and transferred the money to Tesla on the 19th.

I received no update on my delivery, so I called my sales advisor who then told me, whoops, there are now no delivery spots available until the 29th. Why wasn't my spot booked earlier? I am paying interest on a $55,000 loan. Mildly irritated, but I've been waiting a long time already and what's another week. Interest is not that much over a week, I guess.

I receive a call 2 hours before my appointment at 11am on the 29th to be told, whoops, the firmware isn't updating please come at 8pm instead. Why wasn't this told to me before I adjusted my schedule? Annoying, but fine, I understand.

I turn up at 8pm to pick up the car and, after waiting, am told, whoops, the main screen won't work and we are missing a part. We will have to order a new vehicle for you and maybe it will take a few more weeks. Why didn't someone call me before I drove all the way for pickup? Why has the story changed on what is wrong with the car?

Now, Tesla already has my money and I am paying interest. I love my model X and have referred it others, but this situation is ridiculous.

What would you guys do?

 

[kzod]

Just smile and laugh it off. It's better than crying . Unfortunately that is the big fear these days. Yes, I'm finally getting the car, and then boom 'wtf is this piece of merde'? Look at it this way, it's better to be called off even at the 11th hour, than taking possession and finding out it's a lemon. Hoping they get their part problems ironed out and your replacement arrives shortly and in great shape. I will keep my fingers crossed for both of us.

 

[Zythryn]

What would I do?
I wouldn’t have given them the money before delivery.
I sympathize with you, but when dealing with sums this large, I only ‘hand over’ the check when I take delivery.

 

[Ted Hadley]

My experience is that the delivery process is a little rough. A lot of the reps really don't know that much about the cars. The rep who set up my order was very unprofessional. My delivery specialist was telling me how to connect to WiFi, which the car doesn't even have! I experienced several frustrations throughout the process. However, the car is a dream and it will be well worth the all the hassle and frustration.

 

[Trips]

Something is not adding up with the story. I would think the screen would have been working at the factory, getting it onto the truck, pulling it inside their shop and now the screen won't turn on after they tried an update? Because they don't have a part you are getting a completely new car? They can and have replaced the whole screen in others Model 3 already so that doesn't seem to be the issue.

I will not be paying until after I inspect the vehicle.

 

[WileyTheMan]

I sympathize with you, but when dealing with sums this large, I only ‘hand over’ the check when I take delivery.

Is this possible with the Model 3 process? I would certainly prefer to just hand them a cashier's check on delivery instead of the "wiring of funds" I am hearing will be asked of me.

 

[McRat]

I was told my Model 3 103XX would arrive on around the 21st of March. I took out a personal loan and transferred the money to Tesla on the 19th.

I received no update on my delivery, so I called my sales advisor who then told me, whoops, there are now no delivery spots available until the 29th. Why wasn't my spot booked earlier? I am paying interest on a $55,000 loan. Mildly irritated, but I've been waiting a long time already and what's another week. Interest is not that much over a week, I guess.

I receive a call 2 hours before my appointment at 11am on the 29th to be told, whoops, the firmware isn't updating please come at 8pm instead. Why wasn't this told to me before I adjusted my schedule? Annoying, but fine, I understand.

I turn up at 8pm to pick up the car and, after waiting, am told, whoops, the main screen won't work and we are missing a part. We will have to order a new vehicle for you and maybe it will take a few more weeks. Why didn't someone call me before I drove all the way for pickup? Why has the story changed on what is wrong with the car?

Now, Tesla already has my money and I am paying interest. I love my model X and have referred it others, but this situation is ridiculous.

What would you guys do?

Two weeks late on a Tesla, and a Model X owner is livid?

Is this a parody thread?

 

[seattlite2004]

Is this possible with the Model 3 process? I would certainly prefer to just hand them a cashier's check on delivery instead of the "wiring of funds" I am hearing will be asked of me.

Purchasers can't write a personal check like at other car dealers?

 

[MXWing]

Seriously - it is pretty lame to have you drive down for nothing. If I ran that center, I'd offer you some Tesla merchandise / swag to make things better.

Tesla isn't going to steal your money - but the longer they hold it the more concessions you can ask for.

More phone cables, discount on warranty contract, good will stuff for your X, etc.

 

[MXWing]

Two weeks late on a Tesla, and a Model X owner is livid?

Is this a parody thread?

I think OP is pretty cool to drive for pickup and get disappointed at the 11th hour. Could have wasted uber fare, someone elses time to assist with pickup, etc.

The real whiners are the ones who suddenly want MCU2 when they didn't even know what an MCU was the day before. Or whining about Tesla not selling them 35K Model 3s when they can't make enough 54K Model 3s to sell.

Tesla going bankrupt next Wednesday (if you believe the Media) is of no concern to them.

 

[swegman]

I didn't pay until after I inspected and accepted the Model 3. Tesla had no issues with this (at least not 2 months ago). Upon my acceptance I gave them a bank check for the paynent.

 

[Fusion]

They are trying to hit delivery deadlines and literally hiring anyone with a heartbeat. They are learning as they go with no training.

 

[McRat]

I think OP is pretty cool to drive for pickup and get disappointed at the 11th hour. Could have wasted uber fare, someone elses time to assist with pickup, etc.

The real whiners are the ones who suddenly want MCU2 when they didn't even know what an MCU was the day before. Or whining about Tesla not selling them 35K Model 3s when they can't make enough 54K Model 3s to sell.

Tesla going bankrupt next Wednesday (if you believe the Media) is of no concern to them.

While I might be a bit crass, this is not a Tesla specific issue.

I'd certainly be pissed if it were a dealer. I call to verify the car is ready before I schedule the pickup.
If I arrived and the car wasn't ready? FK them. I can go get another one down the road. I've actually done this 2 times, maybe more. One was fully paid for in advance.

I'd tell them to pound sand at this stage. The car seems to be a problem child.

 

[MXWing]

While I might be a bit crass, this is not a Tesla specific issue.

I'd certainly be pissed if it were a dealer. I call to verify the car is ready before I schedule the pickup.
If I arrived and the car wasn't ready? FK them. I can go get another one down the road. I've actually done this 2 times, maybe more.

I'd tell them to pound sand at this stage. The car seems to be a problem child.

Kind of hard to do that with a Tesla.

There's no need to go down the road really if you are fine with the vehicle. Just ask for reasonable concessions.

Are you giving OP advice so you can take over his car? Those Model 3's are in short supply.

 

[omgwtfbyobbq]

I'd escalate and ask them to credit you the interest on your loan until you take delivery. That's some grade A horse hockey.

At the same time, I'd get a check from the lender for my loan and have a cashier's check or ACH for the difference ready to go. Neither will leave my grubby little hands until I see the car.

 

[NCAviator]

I was told my Model 3 103XX would arrive on around the 21st of March. I took out a personal loan and transferred the money to Tesla on the 19th.

I received no update on my delivery, so I called my sales advisor who then told me, whoops, there are now no delivery spots available until the 29th. Why wasn't my spot booked earlier? I am paying interest on a $55,000 loan. Mildly irritated, but I've been waiting a long time already and what's another week. Interest is not that much over a week, I guess.

I receive a call 2 hours before my appointment at 11am on the 29th to be told, whoops, the firmware isn't updating please come at 8pm instead. Why wasn't this told to me before I adjusted my schedule? Annoying, but fine, I understand.

I turn up at 8pm to pick up the car and, after waiting, am told, whoops, the main screen won't work and we are missing a part. We will have to order a new vehicle for you and maybe it will take a few more weeks. Why didn't someone call me before I drove all the way for pickup? Why has the story changed on what is wrong with the car?

Now, Tesla already has my money and I am paying interest. I love my model X and have referred it others, but this situation is ridiculous.

What would you guys do?

Sorry for your experience. I thought VINs were assigned to an order. So they say you will get a new car (New VIN). Who gets that old car? Will someone who just makes and order be told in a hour that their car is ready for delivery? What is the definition that the press is using for this big production watch game? Do they count if Tesla makes them and then they sit somewhere not delivered. Reminds me of the Tucker movie.

Musk is a young inexperienced CEO. He made a big mistake with his event where he talked about "Production Hell" and made promises on getting cars to customers. Now he is really living it and unfortunately so are his employees and most importantly his customers.

 

[Msjulie]

We paid by personal check and only after we were at the showroom/pickup..

 

[McRat]

Kind of hard to do that with a Tesla.

There's no need to go down the road really if you are fine with the vehicle. Just ask for reasonable concessions.

Are you giving OP advice so you can take over his car? Those Model 3's are in short supply.

If I went to pick up a car, and they told me it was there, but they were having issues with it?

I'd rather have another VIN, but that's just me. I don't want join to somebodies QC dept for free.

 

[MXWing]

If I went to pick up a car, and they told me it was there, but they were having issues with it?

I'd rather have another VIN, but that's just me. I don't want join to somebodies QC dept for free.

Not for free. I was always happy for the Tesla loaners I was hooked up for the few times I was in service.

Even got a loaner for day use when they uncorked my 75D for free, cutting my 0-60 times by about a second. No cost for loaner either.

 

[SDRick]

You lose a lot of leverage paying for a car before you are satisfied with it at the point of delivery. It's just the way things work.