Tesla moments

[kyalami]

I have had my P85 CPO MS for 11 days, and every one of them has had at least one, if not more, Tesla moments. A short sample:

In front of Dunkin Donuts at 7AM:

What kinda car is that?
It's a Tesla
What's that?
An Electric Car...
Who makes it?
Tesla Motor Corporation
Is it a Hybrid?
No, it's pure electric
How fast does it go?
Very!
Are your sure it's not made by Ford?
Quite sure!
Nice curves!

At the Barber Shop:

My barber, the proprietor sees the car when I pull in. Once I'm in the chair he inquires about the car
and I explain that its a Tesla Electric....He leaves me in the chair and walks outside to inspect the car.
From the chair I unlock it with my cellphone and also pop the trunk open. He peeks in the windows and
then sits in the drivers seat taking it all in....I spend the next 5 minutes in the barber chair while he musses
with the touchscreen!

 

[Pilot_51]

After this happened last week, today I finally got to check out and ride SteelGrey's P85D. In fact, it was the first time I've ever ridden a Model S as passenger. It is truly insane. Even though I expected it, my heart still skipped a beat. Knowing how quick it is isn't the same as feeling it. I still love my 60 and have no thoughts of upgrading (not financially worth it for me).

After the ride, he dropped me off at my car and I followed him most of the way home until our routes diverged and he waved. I saw one guy in a car behind me sneak a quick vertical photo and I'm sure several others were thrilled to see two Model S's in a row.

I don't know how exciting he found it since he's been to some Tesla events and met other owners before, but since I haven't, it was by far my best Tesla moment. We do both have the Tesla virus, so it's a wonder we ever managed to stop talking about it and go home.

 

[vvanders]

Yesterday, for the first time ever, I took my Roadster to a local car show. For those of you who aren't familiar with these small-town car shows. . . They're mostly classic/antique cars and hot rods, but just about anything and everything will turn up: exotics, military vehicles, tractors, rice rockets, rusty VW beetles. . . So, I thought this would be a good opportunity to parade the car a bit, and maybe educate some folks. It was fun. I learned some lessons, though:

Lesson 1: Use sunblock, even if you plan to stay in the shade most of the time. UV rays go everywhere!

Lesson 2: Next time I need to make up some kind of informational flyer to put on the window, like a FAQ list. Some people were quite interested and excited about the car. There were also a lot who had no idea what it was.

The funniest moment for me was when grade school aged boy went up to the car, peered into the cabin, and then turned to leave, declaring loudly that it was "not sporty enough to have paddle shifters!"

We did something similar a few weekends ago and it was a blast. You don't need to make anything fancy, we put this together the night before on a simple foam board in the frunk. There's a great thread on posters for car shows that you can find although some parts are now a tad out of date.

We approached it very much as a chance to educate people about Tesla and EVs in general. It was pretty surprising how few people knew about either Tesla or the Model S and we probably talked to at least 120-150 people. The car works really well being that it's American made, has gobs of Torque and tons of other things to talk about. I had many conversations that started with talking about the performance(and me telling them that this is the "slow one") that quickly moved into the practical side of owning and EV and all the benefits that people don't realize until they are familiar with them.

We ended up having to leave a tad early and didn't get to stay for the awards/raffle ceremony. Imagine my surprise when I got a call, we had won in the only category we entered('82 and newer)!

If you enjoy talking about Tesla(and who doesn't on this forum) then I can't encourage people enough to get out to these local car shows. It's a great way to get the word out about Tesla and enjoy the spring/summer weather at the same time!

 

[DavidB]

"The Tesla virus"

I've got it bad!

 

[S'toon]

"The Tesla virus"

I've got it bad!

Language is a virus.

 

[1208]

We did something similar a few weekends ago and it was a blast. You don't need to make anything fancy, we put this together the night before on a simple foam board in the frunk. There's a great thread on posters for car shows that you can find although some parts are now a tad out of date.

We approached it very much as a chance to educate people about Tesla and EVs in general. It was pretty surprising how few people knew about either Tesla or the Model S and we probably talked to at least 120-150 people. The car works really well being that it's American made, has gobs of Torque and tons of other things to talk about. I had many conversations that started with talking about the performance(and me telling them that this is the "slow one") that quickly moved into the practical side of owning and EV and all the benefits that people don't realize until they are familiar with them.

We ended up having to leave a tad early and didn't get to stay for the awards/raffle ceremony. Imagine my surprise when I got a call, we had won in the only category we entered('82 and newer)!

If you enjoy talking about Tesla(and who doesn't on this forum) then I can't encourage people enough to get out to these local car shows. It's a great way to get the word out about Tesla and enjoy the spring/summer weather at the same time!

Good work! Great way to spread the word about Tesla! Especially to oldskool car enthusiast who wouldn't necessarily give ev's a second look.

 

[LetsGoFast]

I'm not entirely sure this qualifies, since it is something of a negative. This morning, my wife looked over at me and smiled her sweetest smile, which I know from experience means trouble. "Can we trade cars today?" "Umm, sure. Why?" "My car is out of gas. Your car is never out of gas."

 

[ecarfan]

Positive for Tesla. Negative for you.

 

[ibdb]

I was at a Dodge dealer yesterday to meet a paint guy to talk about fixing a scratch someone keyed onto the hood of my Audi TTS convertible. I happened to have parked close to a Hellcat they had on the lot. While I was waiting, a salesman came out of the office with someone he apparently already knew talking all kinds of smack about how the Hellcat was quick enough to smoke any of the exotics the other guy apparently owned. He was really laying it on thick. Sure that I'd be impressed, he looked over at the TTS and said that it would blow my little sports car away off the line. I took the bait:

Trying hard to undersell it, I responded. "Yeah, it's quicker than this one. I don't think it's quicker than my wife's car, though."
He tried to hold back a laugh before firing back. "What?!? Do you even know what this is?"
I nodded. "Yeah."
Rolling his eyes to his buddy, the smack talking sales guy continued, "What's she drive that's quicker than this?"
"A Tesla."
[Imagine a long, awkward pause here.]
"Oh."
Then he turned and continued in silence on to the Hellcat to give the guy he'd been trying to impress a ride.

We don't have a P85D, just an 85D, but he doesn't have to know that. :wink:

 

[Cyclone]

Trying hard to undersell it, I responded. "Yeah, it's quicker than this one. I don't think it's quicker than my wife's car, though."
He tried to hold back a laugh before firing back. "What?!? Do you even know what this is?"
I nodded. "Yeah."
Rolling his eyes to his buddy, the smack talking sales guy continued, "What's she drive that's quicker than this?"
"A Tesla."
[Imagine a long, awkward pause here.]
"Oh."
Then he turned and continued in silence on to the Hellcat to give the guy he'd been trying to impress a ride.

We don't have a P85D, just an 85D, but he doesn't have to know that. :wink:

Now I wish you had access to their security footage. His expression must have been priceless!

 

[Half Dollar Bill]

I'm not entirely sure this qualifies, since it is something of a negative. This morning, my wife looked over at me and smiled her sweetest smile, which I know from experience means trouble. "Can we trade cars today?" "Umm, sure. Why?" "My car is out of gas. Your car is never out of gas."

Know the feeling quite well. Even though we traded my Jeep in for the MS, it's still my job to fill up her car when it's running low. I think of the responsibility as a humbling experience that keeps me grounded.

 

[Hugh Mannity]

That hellcat story is fantastic!

 

[Max*]

First day of ownership
-Drove 90 miles just to get a feel for the car
-Went to Costco, had 2 people approach me when they saw how I was loading the kids in the trunk. They asked what kind of car it is, and said "ooo"
-Drove to a Gelato place, and was loading the kids in the trunk. Had a guy walking by tell me his Tesla can do the same, and asked what car it was. I told him it's [also] a Tesla, he said his is on order and he can't wait.

I got more attention in 1 day, than I did in 9 years with my previous car.

 

[Aussie Bob]

I had my own Tesla moment in reverse today. It was raining quite heavily in Ottawa today but we needed to pick up plants at a local nursery as it was our only free day to do this chore.
So I had to drive our old 1993 ICE Lexus 400 as I surely did not want to dirty the inside of our lovely Model S, especially in the heavy rain. My saga follows:

1. First of all I had to use a key to start the car.

2. Well, as I tried to put the Lexus in gear, the windscreen wipers started swishing back and forth. What have I done? Why won't the car move? It turns out that my Lexus wipers are in the same position as The Model S's DRN lever!!

3 During our drive I kept saying to my wife that I preferred driving our Tesla.

4. We finally arrived at our destination; We got out of the car to look at the plants. We started walking away towards the nursery when my wife kindly reminded me - "The car is still going Dear!"

5. After selecting our plants I went to the car so that I could use it to pick up the plants. With an umbrella in hand I actually had to struggle to use a key to open the car door! I was not a Happy Camper as the longer it took to open the door, the wetter I became despite the assistance of an umbrella.

6. It was also necessary to back the old car up a narrow lane to collect the plants to avoid the downpour so we could load the car without getting too wet! Well, did I miss the camera view and, most of all, the lines in the back-up screen. It was hard to see with the pouring rain. The big screen camera would have been of much assistance.

7. I also kept thinking that I will have to fill the car up with gas soon!!!

 

[JER]

My first Model S test drive met my expectations in almost every way, except I was so taken with the motorised everything and driver profiles that I was briefly surprised at having to adjust the rear view mirror manually.

I guess that can happen when the next decade's car has to source its parts from the present.

 

[Cyclone]

-Drove to a Gelato place, and was loading the kids in the trunk. Had a guy walking by tell me his Tesla can do the same, and asked what car it was. I told him it's [also] a Tesla, he said his is on order and he can't wait.

I got more attention in 1 day, than I did in 9 years with my previous car.

I bet the expression on his face was priceless at this! Glad you had a Tesla moment and he gets even more stoked for his car!

 

[Max*]

I bet the expression on his face was priceless at this! Glad you had a Tesla moment and he gets even more stoked for his car!

O man his eyes lit up. He was with his son, and he said that it's the fastest car he's test driven. He was thinking of getting the 85D, but they didn't have one for a test drive, and he was sold on the 70D, same color as mine (blue).

 

[DavidB]

I was at the Washington Passport Agency today. I kept thinking how MVA could take notes on how to make their system slower, more inflexible & more diabolic. Finally, after about 4 hours, I left--unable to get the passport card. I was not a happy camper.

Once back in the parking garage, I was bombarded with questions by the parking attendant. He loved seeing a Tesla, and was fascinated with the changes I've made to my car. Several blocks away, on my way back home, two men in a small pickup truck pulled up beside me on my right and both were giving me two thumbs up! Several traffic lights later, a man pulled up beside me on my left and gave a happy nod.

My Tesla grin is back!

 

[S'toon]

I was at the Washington Passport Agency today. I kept thinking how MVA could take notes on how to make their system slower, more inflexible & more diabolic. Finally, after about 4 hours, I left--unable to get the passport card. I was not a happy camper.

I find these things puzzling whenever they're mentioned by Americans. I got my Canadian passport renewed recently. I could have mailed it in, but I decided to go in person. The woman took my form, asked a couple of clarifying questions, and I went home. I was online and my childhood best friend who I had put on as a reference told me that they had called him, like an hour after I turned in the form. I got my passport a few days later.

As for the MVA, I keep reading stories about how slow they are, the lineups, etc. I've never had any problem with them up here.

 

[Cyclone]

I find these things puzzling whenever they're mentioned by Americans. I got my Canadian passport renewed recently. I could have mailed it in, but I decided to go in person. The woman took my form, asked a couple of clarifying questions, and I went home. I was online and my childhood best friend who I had put on as a reference told me that they had called him, like an hour after I turned in the form. I got my passport a few days later.

That's how it worked for me too. Went on a Saturday morning to the main post office in town (I had called and gotten an appt for time and location of my choosing), I had the paperwork pre-filled, she went over it, and after 30 minutes total (including the wait for the people in front of me to finish up when I got there) I was driving home. Got my passport two weeks later (I did NOT do rush processing).