Tesla moments

[SteveS0353]

People see what they want to see.

20+ years ago, I had a full load spanking new Nissan Pathfinder... looked really sharp. I also had a 10 year old BMW 733i that I'd bought used as my beater car. It looked nice enough, but clearly had seen some miles and bright sun. If I pulled onto a job site (I'm an engineer) with the Pathfinder, I didn't hear a word. Pull up in the beater BMW and I'd be assaulted with comments about billing rates and how I was obviously rolling in cash. Go figure...

I had a neighbor once who associated BMW as the acronym for "Bloody Money Waster", ironically despite him owning a Jaguar that was rather often at the dealer for out of warranty repairs. Perceptions die hard.

 

[beeeerock]

I had a neighbor once who associated BMW as the acronym for "Bloody Money Waster", ironically despite him owning a Jaguar that was rather often at the dealer for out of warranty repairs. Perceptions die hard.

My acronym was "Bavarian Money Well"... because it truly was. Jag... LOL... the ridiculous irony of that pot calling the kettle black is not lost, believe me!!! :biggrin:

 

[roblab]

I spent part of my weekend slowly driving in the electric car section of a small town parade. Although there were 25 electric cars, ours was the only Tesla, but although the announcers kept asking the cars in front and behind what they were (Volt and Fiat), EVERYBODY knew what a Tesla was, and we were met with numberless cheers, shouts of, "My dream car!", and thumbs up from around 5000 parade watchers.

This is earth week, and Wednesday is earth day. There are hundreds of celebrations going on. It takes a few minutes, but it was time well spent. I would encourage all of you who are not connected to find your local EAA and ask them if they need anyone to bring a Tesla to an event. I have gotten a dozen emails in the last week, but can only go to a very few, yet I know there are hundreds of cars in my area. You folk are missing out. Sitting on the couch watching the game does not save the world. Watching a video by Leilani Munter does not save the world. It takes a village. And it is worth it.

 

[Footbag]

I was in the checkout line at the grocery store today when I felt a tap on the shoulder and a loud "you're the guy". I turn around and the guy continues "you're the guy driving that Tesla Roadster <sic>!" (I had on a Tesla jacket). "Tell me what it is like to be you" to which I replied "what do you mean" "What is it like to drive the best car on the planet". At first (until the 'best car' comment), I wasn't sure quite how to read the fellow, whether he might be looking to be trying to start something, but it was quickly apparent he was just very very excited. I answered a few questions while in line (the checkout clerk had a big smile on her face, I think she thought the whole thing was a bit odd/humorous), and invited him to come check out the car outside. It was a nice pleasant way to wrap up the day.

 

[jimmyz80]

After being a good tree hugger tonight and driving the EV to Whole Foods (lol), I decided to stop at Goodberry's Frozen Custard. Anyone in NC probably knows about Goodberry's and knows how many people can be standing around outside waiting for their ice cream.

Well I pull the roadster into a parking spot right in front, and immediately I see the heads of about a half dozen kids swing over in my direction. I figure I'll have some explaining to do before I leave. As soon as I get out, an older gentleman who just parked next to me commented "nice wheels!" and he and I had a good chat while ordering and waiting for our orders. Meanwhile I see the kids over by the car snapping photos and looking all around it. When I head back over to hop in and drive away, one of the kids asks what kind of car it is. I explain that it's a Tesla, and he replies that he thought it was a Lotus. So I had to tell him he was mostly correct, since it was based on a Lotus, and he quickly yells to his sister "see, I was right", haha.

Two comments...

1. I don't think I've EVER previously met a kid who knew what a Lotus was. That was a little weird.
2. The older gentleman and almost everyone else I speak to about the car, are under the impression that Tesla still manufactures the roadster. It's funny to have people going so cuckoo-bananas over a car they think is so futuristic, and then having to explain it's actually out of production and is five years old!

 

[andydoty]

I find (at least here in MA), that the younger generation is pretty well informed. I have no idea why. As of late, I find that I'm getting almost as many car girls as car guys. I spoke to a friend and he said that Tesla tends to be a topic of discussion while playing video games, etc. Not to mention, Youtube is the new Google when it comes to performing research.

I see more kids and 40-50 year old working class guys (carpenters, plumbers, etc.). Up here, I find the young car guys (and girls) extremely well informed.

 

[shelbri]

Wife and I went to the Tesla Double Black Diamond event in Greenwich, CT. We drove there in my S85 which she bought for me in Sept. '14. Our car has just over 15k already with nearly all those miles put on by me as my wife finds technology a bit intimidating. However, she is a bit of a lead foot and I've been pushing her to drive it more often.

So at the event, we took the P85D for a nice drive and I warned the Tesla rep that my wife was an aggressive driver. Well true to form, she put the P85D through her paces and even got a "wow" from the Tesla guy. Needless to say, she loved driving the P85D.

So on the ride home she says she wants to drive. I'm thinking great, we've got her ready for the Tesla. Yet all she could say about our S85 was "this thing is a SNAIL!"

She's still resisting the technology (doesn't like the touch screen controls and says the car is a like difficult to get in and out of) but in still hopeful we'll become an all electric household. Stay tuned!

 

[SW2Fiddler]

So on the ride home she says she wants to drive. I'm thinking great, we've got her ready for the Tesla. Yet all she could say about our S85 was "this thing is a SNAIL!"

Maybe so, but Look At That S Car Go!
:wink:

 

[Andyw2100]

Maybe so, but Look At That S Car Go!
:wink:

How long have you been waiting to be set up that well for that joke?

 

[shelbri]

Maybe so, but Look At That S Car Go!
:wink:

Very well played!

 

[Sad]

Maybe so, but Look At That S Car Go!
:wink:

Genius!

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

How long have you been waiting to be set up that well for that joke?

Probably a long time. The irony is that the original joke is very contrived.

 

[SW2Fiddler]

How long have you been waiting to be set up that well for that joke?

Purt' near my whole life, Andy.

Still feelin' the afterglow!

 

[PaulusdB]

Wasn't there a vanity plate with "S CAR GO" ?

 

[DDotJ]

I've heard that S-CAR GO joke before, from the Elon Musk interview with the Valley Girl. Goodness that was one hard interview to watch, it was hilarious but made me cringe a million times.

 

[Andyw2100]

Purt' near my whole life, Andy.

Still feelin' the afterglow!

I know the feeling.

Some years back I had taken my teenage daughter and her friend, who is sure to be a veterinarian some day, out to dinner. He was trying to count his animals--dogs, cats, sheep, goats, etc., and was up to the twenties or thirties when he paused, looked at my daughter, and said, "Do I count the goose eggs? They should hatch on Sunday." I almost fell out of my chair to answer before my daughter did, with "Don't count your goslings before they're hatched."

No one thought it was nearly as funny as I did.

 

[Randy Dunton]

Tesla moment # 1 for me: at a red light with family in car, just sold my beloved BMW M3 to buy the Model S which I have had for about a week. Deep down I am wondering if I sacrificed something to get the Model S... the M3 was a wonderful wild beast that I dare not drive at it's full limits. A new M3 pulls up next to me, I have a full car, and the rational part of me says, no need for a drag race here. The light turns green, I hesitate for a split second and then I floor it. The M3 is howling trying to catch up, I hear it next to me falling back - and it can not. Then I know I sacrificed nothing. never looked back since.

 

[CHGolferJim]

Video of kids next time!

 

[kevinf311]

Another moment in motion:

Driving home in traffic yesterday, focusing mainly on keeping the cars in front and behind me from occupying the same time-space coordinates as myself, I look over to see an older gentleman in an older Mercury Grand Marquis with his window down (it was raining) giving me an emphatic thumbs up. This took me a little off-guard so I only managed to half acknowledge/smile as traffic in his lane moved past mine. Since I had driven exclusively Lincoln Town Cars, I have a soft spot for the Panther platform so I rolled down my window when my lane was creeping past his to yell that "I used to have one of those!" but he was in the process of yelling "How do you like it?!" as we passed each other. Finally on the last meeting, I paced his lane and let him know how much I loved driving my Model S before returning to the appropriate heavy traffic in MD following distance of "none"

I do hope that he took my telling him that I used to drive a Grand Marquis/Town Car as excitement and not disparagement...

 

[gavine]

I met with my financial adviser at the bank the other day. He saw me pull-up and was curious about the car. He's a "car guy" and a BMW driver. I showed him the car and took him for a ride. He was amazed and said it was the best test drive he ever took, and he didn't drive it. The best part.....when we get back to the bank, I'm showing him the touch screen and a customer walks up signalling me to roll-down the window. I looked-over at the adviser and said, "this happens all the time". I rolled down the window and the customer shook my hand and raved about the car. Like they say, timing is everything. I spoke to the adviser today and he said he told 15 of his clients about the car already this week. I think he's going to buy one himself and hopefully some of his other clients will too. I love selling this car to people.