Tesla is a "Novelty Vehicle"...

[texex91]

So I just got off the phone with my Porsche Sales Mgr, of whom I have bought 3 911's in the past 4 years. I told him that I'm thinking about a Tesla, but will reserve judgement until I can test drive next Friday.

The first thing out of his mouth was "I have test driven it, and it's a nice 'novelty vehicle' to have."

I didn't get into it with him because it would be a losing proposition.

But I can get a Tesla for under $100K and next Porsche is probably about $130K, so novelty or not, looks like a better price :biggrin:

 

[Todd Burch]

So I just got off the phone with my Porsche Sales Mgr, of whom I have bought 3 911's in the past 4 years. I told him that I'm thinking about a Tesla, but will reserve judgement until I can test drive next Friday.

The first thing out of his mouth was "I have test driven it, and it's a nice 'novelty vehicle' to have."

I didn't get into it with him because it would be a losing proposition.

But I can get a Tesla for under $100K and next Porsche is probably about $130K, so novelty or not, looks like a better price :biggrin:

If he says it's a novelty, he hasn't really test driven it.

If he has test driven it and still says it's a novelty, then he hasn't lived with it to experience how great it is on a day-to-day basis.

If he has test driven it, and lived with it to experience how great it is on a day-to-day basis, then he's just a moron.

Pick one.

 

[Zextraterrestrial]

haha, novelty....like I can go to the hardware store, haul serious ass, sleep in my car, go anywhere for free in silence!
race autocross in a 4 door sedan and beat quite a few quick and tiny cars

of course he wants to sell a Porsche not a Tesla...

oh, missed the last line...I pick the last one :wink: wait, all of them

 

[Twiddler]

Lie #1: Inherent to a dealer (sorry if I offend but it is true)

Lie #2: "I have test driven it"

 

[JPP]

...he really cannot have driven it...I think of lolachampcar's line after letting his long time friend/BMW sales rep drive his S, and after the drive, said only 2 words: I understand.

 

[texex91]

Oh I agree with all of you.

I would love to sell one of my Porsche's and pick up an 85.

Right now that's the plan, but just waiting to get to drive one.

Austin store is booked, so order can't go in until next Friday after test drive :biggrin:

 

[GlennAlanBerry]

I was a longtime Acura owner, with a 2000 TL, and 2004 TL w/6MT, and a 2012 TL SH-AWD w/6MT that I bought from the same salesman at Courtesy Acura in Littleton, CO. After I got my P85, I stopped by the Acura dealer, and within about five minutes, there were about 20 sales people and techs surrounding it, admiring it and asking me questions. This went on for a while, but finally, I took my old salesman for a little ten minute test drive, which simply blew his mind... He understood why I switched to Tesla.

Once you have your test drive, I think you will be convinced...

 

[towman26]

I had a Mercedes S550 and when we turned in the lease they were ready to put me in a new one, but I had to respectfully decline. Two weeks before we turned it in my wife saw the Model S on the news, made me find it on the web, and then put the deposit on it before even seeing or driving one. The Mercedes dealer said the same thing and said that we would be back for a "real car" soon. Well we waited for two years but we love it. I took it to the Mercedes dealer last month & the salesman asked if we were ready to trade it in, but then asked me for a ride.LOL After we got back the GM wanted a ride also!!

 

[strider]

I have to assume that if you've been doing this level of business w/ the guy he's not going to flat-out lie to your face. Having done some sales work in my time I would never lie to a customer or potential customer because if they catch you they will never buy from you no matter how great your product is. But of course you try to sow FUD (fear, uncertainty, doubt) so I think he actually has driven one and is scared for his job. So he's going to hit you with this kind of stuff. "In a gas car you're free! You could drive to the middle of Idaho in a day! Can't do that in a Tesla!" Try to play on your emotions. "That company could go out of business tomorrow, then who's going to service your fancy EV?" and on and on.

There is still a leap of faith required to buy a Tesla today and you need a stronger stomach than you do to buy a Porsche or whatever but IMO it's worth it. The driving experience is simply superior, period.

 

[Doug_G]

The first thing out of his mouth was "I have test driven it, and it's a nice 'novelty vehicle' to have."

That is clearly a put-down. Kinda like calling someone "spry" as a backhanded way to draw attention to his age.

Coming from a Porsche dealer that's actually pretty funny. Clearly he has no way to counter the sales proposition so he just tries to dismiss it.

 

[TokyoRush]

The first thing I thought about is how I consider a Porsche (most of which I love btw) as a true novelty vehicle. Where I live in the northeast, you can't drive most of their cars except 4-5 months a year. Not sure what is "novelty"?

 

[PokerBroker]

I would think the only reasonable response from a luxury car salesman should be "are they hiring?"

 

[aznt1217]

I wouldn't believe a word of what he says. At the end of the day he is looking out for his best interests. Novelty car. You have to be kidding me.

If it helps you at all. My friend owns an Aston Martin Vantage S and a GLK. He drove the Model S and he immediately put a deposit on the Model X. He was so impressed that he's debating getting a Model S also (Fully loaded P85+)

 

[texex91]

The first thing I thought about is how I consider a Porsche (most of which I love btw) as a true novelty vehicle. Where I live in the northeast, you can't drive most of their cars except 4-5 months a year. Not sure what is "novelty"?

Very true. My 911 sit's in garage most of the time..and I live in Texas.



I think Tesla S would be a more 'practical' second (or third) car over Porsche. I would be interested to know how many drive Tesla daily vs second car.

 

[KineticFlow]

The Tesla is an attractive novelty in so many ways... the power train, the dash, the touch screen, the connectivity, the design, the 'dealership network', etc... these things are all new and refreshing - someday they will be commonplace though. There is so much more to it than its novelty though, but not accepting it's novelty is like trying to deny it is a luxury vehicle. There is nothing novel about the Panamera... been there done that for many years now.

Somewhat off topic:

I know that Porsche is having training out in Salt Lake now for their sales people and have a Panamera E-Hybrid and Tesla P85+ to drive around in - so a lot of Porsche people will have driven both soon.

The fit and finish, as well as the interior overall, in the Panamera is substantially better than the Tesla. The Panamera probably the high mark of a luxury car today which makes anything else seem inferior, be it Mercedes or Tesla. The performance of the Tesla is more comparable to a Panamera Turbo, which would run you $30k more than a P85+ and you would get around 14 MPG in town.

I hear the Porsche guys don't think much of the Tesla due to the fit and finish, and the harshness of the ride with 21" rims. They do not have to pay the $100 a week gas bills or $250 oil changes for owning with such powerful daily drivers, which in the end was the deciding factor for myself ordering a Tesla.

 

[texex91]

The Tesla is an attractive novelty in so many ways... the power train, the dash, the touch screen, the connectivity, the design, the 'dealership network', etc... these things are all new and refreshing - someday they will be commonplace though. There is so much more to it than its novelty though, but not accepting it's novelty is like trying to deny it is a luxury vehicle. There is nothing novel about the Panamera... been there done that for many years now.

Somewhat off topic:

I know that Porsche is having training out in Salt Lake now for their sales people and have a Panamera E-Hybrid and Tesla P85+ to drive around in - so a lot of Porsche people will have driven both soon.

The fit and finish, as well as the interior overall, in the Panamera is substantially better than the Tesla. The Panamera probably the high mark of a luxury car today which makes anything else seem inferior, be it Mercedes or Tesla. The performance of the Tesla is more comparable to a Panamera Turbo, which would run you $30k more than a P85+ and you would get around 14 MPG in town.

I hear the Porsche guys don't think much of the Tesla due to the fit and finish, and the harshness of the ride with 21" rims. They do not have to pay the $100 a week gas bills or $250 oil changes for owning with such powerful daily drivers, which in the end was the deciding factor for myself ordering a Tesla.

Great write up--being a Porsche person in the past I can relate to most of this. Having sat in Tesla for first time today, I too was very disappointed in finish and seats--might keep me from buying one. Is the ride of the 21" that 'harsh' in Tesla????

 

[TexasEV]

You're not buying it for the finish and seats of a Porsche. You're buying it because it's electric, and it has completely acceptable finish and seats. No gas, no oil, none of the maintenance of internal combustion engines. You get to stop supporting the OPEC oil cartel and the Texas Auto Dealers cartel at the same time. What more could you want? I would have never considered a Porsche no matter how nice its finish and seats. Maybe we have different priorities.

 

[Mr X]

You should not buy a Porsche just for him saying that.

 

[texex91]

You're not buying it for the finish and seats of a Porsche. You're buying it because it's electric, and it has completely acceptable finish and seats. No gas, no oil, none of the maintenance of internal combustion engines. You get to stop supporting the OPEC oil cartel and the Texas Auto Dealers cartel at the same time. What more could you want? I would have never considered a Porsche no matter how nice its finish and seats. Maybe we have different priorities.

Probably. My goal buying a Tesla is not being 'anti oil', rather just having a great car with cool technology, that just happens to not use gas. I'm probably different than most as I'm not changing my life to be anti-oil company. I'll leave that to Prius owners.

Now the anti competitive Texas Auto dealer monopoly--that is a real reason to buy one. Those guys run the rules in Texas regarding cars--and THAT does need to change. Capitalistic economy please--not what they believe in.

 

[jomo25]

Novelty car my a$$. It is an extremely practical car. I have had the car for 4 months. Driven 5300 miles. Weekdays it is my daily driver for a 60 mi round trip that includes dropping off and picking up my 3YO daughter at daycare. It allows me to use the HOV lanes cutting my daily commute by 15 min each way. I pay less than $2 each day for the commute.

On weekends, we go out as a family on both days. It hauls: me, my wife, my 3YO in her car seat, my 4 month old in her carseat (carseats side-by-side), my mom-in-law, a Britax double stroller, and an Aprica stroller in the frunk. We can do a full Costco load & groceries. The car is always pre-cooled, which is important in the summer here. My weekend "fuel" costs range between $2 and $5.

Try that with any Porsche. Can't. Be. Done.