Tesla in Australia

[timpoo]

Drove the car down to our wine district - Red Hill, today. First time I had a chance to test out a long stretch of freeway driving and it was A-MAZ-ING. Overtaking at highway speeds probably the most fun I've had in a long time. FLAC playback was awesome, as was the quality of Rdio once I set it to "best".

Visibility in the rear view was pretty good after I got used to it.

Seats were pretty comfortable.

Had two Tesla moments - we parked at the winery and when we came back out the car park was full and a Ferrari was parked next to me. There were quite a few groups of people all ignoring the Ferrari and were looking at the Tesla. When I walked up to it they all said - what's this car? It's a hybrid isn't it? I didn't have time to talk them through it, but I said nope it's fully electric and it's a Tesla! Got in, and when I started driving off without any noise some of the kids' jaws literally dropped!!

We stopped for coffee at another spot and someone walked past the car and did a double take. He goes to me - is that a Tesla? And I said yep. He said I can't believe it! I walked past it and saw the badging and thought it must be, but didn't realise they were on the road already. He got his whole family across and started telling them about Superchargers, and the range etc. I showed them the trunk and the frunk and they loved it.

Hopefully a few more converts!

 

[mspcooper]

Leasing

For potential buyers, a private bank is going to announce leasing info very soon. Goss!

 

[Davide]

Nice Story Tim! Did you get your car?

 

[timpoo]

Nice Story Tim! Did you get your car?

Not yet Davide in a loaner! Mine next week!

 

[Mark E]

Althought the car seems to not attract as much attention as others I've owned from the public at large, yesterday I had a madly gesticulating passenger in a car give me the thumbs up. The interest from colleagues and friends however has been amazing.

I suspect that this may change a bit as more of the public become aware that the cars even exist.

 

[Dborn]

For those of you impatiently waiting, was at the service centre this afternoon. 12 cars awaiting delivery there including at least one signature.

 

[TesAus]

We spotted today that the headrests on the rear seat are not the same height for all cars.

On DBorn's car (and mine when I checked) the headrests extend maybe 50-100mm above the back rest.

On Meloccom's car the headrests extend nearly to the roof line (maybe 200-300mm).

Just shows that the car is in a state of constant evolution even for cars built maybe a month apart.

 

[Roentgenium]

Excuse the silly question but whos car was built first?

 

[meloccom]

Excuse the silly question but whos car was built first?

As both Dborn and TesAus cars are signatures, I'm pretty sure mine was built last. It was built between October 31 and November 7, 2014.

 

[Dborn]

Mine was built 9 October onwards for nearly 3 weeks!

 

[MangroveMike]

We spotted today that the headrests on the rear seat are not the same height for all cars.

On DBorn's car (and mine when I checked) the headrests extend maybe 50-100mm above the back rest.

On Meloccom's car the headrests extend nearly to the roof line (maybe 200-300mm).

Just shows that the car is in a state of constant evolution even for cars built maybe a month apart.

Mine has the higher head rests as well. I think it was also one of the last ones made of the 2014 delivered cars based on the notification of car is in transit. The re-built Sigs would have had priority so I assume they were built first.

 

[houdini]

For potential buyers, a private bank is going to announce leasing info very soon. Goss!

Awesome. Did this come from a reliable source? And is this a real very soon or a Tesla very soon?

 

[gizmonty]

We spotted today that the headrests on the rear seat are not the same height for all cars.

On DBorn's car (and mine when I checked) the headrests extend maybe 50-100mm above the back rest.

On Meloccom's car the headrests extend nearly to the roof line (maybe 200-300mm).

Just shows that the car is in a state of constant evolution even for cars built maybe a month apart.

I'm glad to hear this. I had my first ride in the back seat of a Model S last month and the low headrests were noticeable. My car should be in the high headrest group based on what is being said here. Not that Tesla can tell me when they're going to give it to me.... :cursing:

 

[timpoo]

Model X to be first electric tow car – Car Reviews, News & Advice - carsales.com.au


Have a look at the comments in this article - some people are just IDIOTS. Argh makes me so mad.

 

[danielp]

Timpoo, yeah. Best not to read them sometimes. People who see the car are simply impressed. The slightly trolling question I get is "so can you drive it Sydney to Melbourne". Funnily I'd never do that in an ICE, but I'm going to in a Tesla because it is fun and elegant to drive. I even stopped driving to Canberra (fly instead). No more. I'm back on the road. This car reinvigorates a love of the road.

Those posting on car sales don't see it that way. In fine with that.

 

[gizmonty]

Those posting on car sales don't see it that way. In fine with that.

Those posting on car sales are probably somehow involved in the ICE industry at a wholesale or retail level (or the compressed dinosaur extraction industry) and have a strong vested interest in maintaining the status quo.

 

[ecarfan]

Model X to be first electric tow car – Car Reviews, News & Advice - carsales.com.au
Have a look at the comments in this article - some people are just IDIOTS. Argh makes me so mad.

G'day from California to my EV mates down under,

I read through most of the comments posted in response to that article. Yes, a lot of EV ignorance is on display in some of those comments, but there are also EV defenders responding. No worries! As more and more Teslas start to show up in your great country the word will spread and more and more people will start to understand the advantages of a great EV. It's a gradual process of education and facts overcoming ignorance and fear. I'm sure in the end rational thought will win out. After all, look at how solar power is catching on in Oz!

 

[TesAus]

I gave a couple of my colleagues a lift from the city out to Macquarie Park today. They didn't know I had got the Tesla and didn't at first recognise what it was until I offered that it didn't have an ICE engine and one of them queried "Is it a Tesla?".

They seemed pretty impressed and had a lot of tech questions as they are both electrical engineers by training. The comment as we were nearing our destination summed it up for me "There has been talk of electric cars being the future and with this I can see it being a reality much sooner than I expected. I had no idea there was something of this standard available".

 

[Roentgenium]

The company's that's going to be offering Teslas financing is experienced in the area, has the phone lines and emails setup but yet to register the business name against their company

 

[ggr]

I'm glad to hear this. I had my first ride in the back seat of a Model S last month and the low headrests were noticeable. My car should be in the high headrest group based on what is being said here. Not that Tesla can tell me when they're going to give it to me.... :cursing:

I heard that the reaction to the decreased visibility of the high headrests means that they might backtrack, and go back to the original height.