Tesla not appearing in a hurry to get Model 3s to showroom. . .why not?

[gregincal]

Totally disagree. I believe there are many people, including myself, who are waiting to test drive the M3 before purchase. I test drove a Model S a few years back and loved it. However: the M3 is not a Model S. Yes there are some similarities but they definitely are not the same. I also had considered the BMW a few years back and liked the pictures and reviews. When I actually went in to the dealership to see it in person however; I hated the interior and the layout of things in the vehicle. Thus, did not purchase. So far I'm fairly confident I will purchase the M3 but definitely not without a test drive.

I also agree it's not a small subset. I don't need a test drive, but I absolutely need to sit in one in person before buying it, and that's from a 5 year Tesla owner. I think the number of people who are willing to spend 50 grand on a car sight unseen is a small subset.

Right now they are selling to employees, who have probably gotten a chance to at least see the car in person. I still stand by my guess that they will start to roll out showroom cars in October as they transition to general public sales.

 

[Cyclone]

Totally disagree. I believe there are many people, including myself, who are waiting to test drive the M3 before purchase. I test drove a Model S a few years back and loved it. However: the M3 is not a Model S. Yes there are some similarities but they definitely are not the same. I also had considered the BMW a few years back and liked the pictures and reviews. When I actually went in to the dealership to see it in person however; I hated the interior and the layout of things in the vehicle. Thus, did not purchase. So far I'm fairly confident I will purchase the M3 but definitely not without a test drive.

I just want to make mention that the latter half of what you say is why I am waiting on a Model 3 in a showroom before I confirm. I don't need to go for a drive, but I need to sit in the seats and feel the seats and layout before confirming. I already know I wouldn't buy a Model S with next-gen seats because they are extremely uncomfortable for me to sit in, while the X-style seats in the Model S and X work fine for me. Similarly, I need to sit in a Model 3 before confirming, but I know many won't care and will confirm before having that opportunity while others, like you, will care and wait.

 

[internalaudit]

When is the all new Model S coming anyway? Is it just going to be another front fascia refresh or will it be a totally new design in 2020 when competitors will bring to market limited numbers of compliance vehicles?

With the Acura Integra, that last production model lived from 1995 to 2000 I believe and the S is approaching seven years already.

I think a good number of people who would have bought a S, already did. It's not like they were waiting for their nest egg to grow from $1m to $3 before making the move.

The reverse is true too. Competing BEVs from other car makers can SLIGHTLY (don't want to get bashed) cut down these Model 3 reservation numbers and Model S and X sales.

 

[Cyclone]

When is the all new Model S coming anyway? Is it just going to be another front fascia refresh or will it be a totally new design in 2020 when competitors will bring to market limited numbers of compliance vehicles?

With the Acura Integra, that last production model lived from 1995 to 2000 I believe and the S is approaching seven years already.

I think a good number of people who would have bought a S, already did. It's not like they were waiting for their nest egg to grow from $1m to $3 before making the move.

The reverse is true too. Competing BEVs from other car makers can SLIGHTLY (don't want to get bashed) cut down these Model 3 reservation numbers and Model S and X sales.

I personally would hope there is no major change in the S exterior styling in the next few years. That said, I would like to see the fold out center armrest, storage pockets, and other such items to be brought to the Model S.

 

[brianman]

If Model 3's appeared in showrooms today, the number of reservations would skyrocket and the sales of S/X would drop. Tesla can't have that, not yet with Model 3 production still ramping up.

That's one rationale, but I believe it's the wrong one.

Rewind to November 2012. If Tesla had Model S vehicles in the stores rather than delivering my car that was reserved a year before, I'd probably be confused and upset by that decision. Now imagine there are 400,000 people like me.

 

[timk225]

Tesla needs to put fully loaded Model 3s in their showrooms and service centers NOW.

It is true that they have a year+ worth of orders backed up. But those orders haven't been specced out yet, they could be stripper base model $35K cars, or loaded deluxe $60K+ cars. People need to drive the fancy 3's NOW to induce them to spend more on Tesla's grossly overpriced options, thereby making more profit for Tesla.

Yes, I quoted my own post, because rarely have I been more RIGHT than in this paragraph right here...

 

[ModelNforNerd]

Yes, I quoted my own post, because rarely have I been more RIGHT than in this paragraph right here...

You've been deemed right?

Based on what criteria? I'm not saying you're completely wrong, but being that it's 8am, maybe I missed some news overnight that made you "more right" than anyone else....

Did I miss something?

 

[AlanSqB]

Posto ergo veritas.
I posted it, therefore it must be true.

 

[TaoJones]

S

Yes, I quoted my own post, because rarely have I been more RIGHT than in this paragraph right here...

Except that Tesla doesn't need to get demos into showrooms before they're about to produce volume enough to support the first batch of reservation holders.

Once they're near that volume, siphoning off 100 cars for 100 showrooms (arbitrary top 100 number)
will be a) no big deal, b) sufficient for 350 reservation holders per week per store per that 1 car per store to experience at least a ride in a Model 3, and c) analogous to how they said they'd handle this in the early days to begin with.

Put another way, I'd expect to see demo Model 3s at showrooms in Oct/Nov.

As well, if one recalls the geographic focus, they don't even need 100 demo cars in October - they just need enough for CA, WA, OR and NV.

Although 2 per showroom wouldn't be a bad thing.

 

[timk225]

I don't think we will see 3's in showrooms and service centers before mid October at the earliest, but the sooner the better.

 

[gregincal]

That's one rationale, but I believe it's the wrong one.

Rewind to November 2012. If Tesla had Model S vehicles in the stores rather than delivering my car that was reserved a year before, I'd probably be confused and upset by that decision. Now imagine there are 400,000 people like me.

Tesla did have cars in the stores. I went and looked at one at Santana row and went for a test drive during the first week of October 2012. I would never had made a reservation for the Model S otherwise, and since I got my car delivered in February 2013 it would have been silly of them to just count on people who had reserved before me and wait a long time to get test drive cars in the stores. There aren't 400,000 people like you, because I am a first day reservationist who not only wants them to get cars in the store before delivering mine, but indeed won't finalize my order until I see one.

 

[ummgood]

I think they might not have a car in the showrooms. But they might have a car around back or sitting where they keep their test drive vehicles. In addition I still think the "gift for line waiters" will be a gathering for the people who waited in line. They could cater some snacks and have a few model 3's per region setup so over a few days invite a couple hundred people per night. Let them sit in the cars and even take them for a little spin. Have some music and beverages. I think that would be a great line waiter gift and per head the costs would probably be that of a t-shirt and hat.

 

[diplomat33]

That's one rationale, but I believe it's the wrong one.

Rewind to November 2012. If Tesla had Model S vehicles in the stores rather than delivering my car that was reserved a year before, I'd probably be confused and upset by that decision. Now imagine there are 400,000 people like me.

Exactly. Tesla needs to focus on meeting all those Model 3 reservations as quickly as possible. Plus, I would venture a guess that most of those reservation holders don't need to see the Model 3 in a showroom to complete their order. They are ready now to order online and get their car ASAP. So it makes sense for Tesla to focus on production and satisfying those reservations rather than putting Model 3s in showrooms.

 

[osu_cowboy_007]

I had a Model S test drive couple of days ago and the rep told me that they are expecting a model 3 for test drives by the end of the year in Plano, TX.

 

[gregincal]

Plus, I would venture a guess that most of those reservation holders don't need to see the Model 3 in a showroom to complete their order.

That's your guess, but does Tesla want to risk that you're right? Especially since building some demo cars would delay deliveries by a couple days. Does that really matter?

 

[ModelNforNerd]

That's your guess, but does Tesla want to risk that you're right? Especially since building some demo cars would delay deliveries by a couple days. Does that really matter?

it depends on where in the S-curve they build those cars.

If they build 50 demo cars at the point where they are putting out 500/week, I don't think it would delay deliveries noticeably for anyone.

 

[diplomat33]

it depends on where in the S-curve they build those cars.

If they build 50 demo cars at the point where they are putting out 500/week, I don't think it would delay deliveries noticeably for anyone.

Which is why I think Tesla is waiting until they hit a certain production threshold before they put Model 3s in showrooms. Tesla will obviously put Model 3s in showrooms eventually, it is just a question of when. They can't do it now because it would delay production too much but as you stated, once the demo cars for showrooms don't impact production, I am sure they will.

 

[shrspeedblade]

The demos probably won't show up until after the end of September and the 3rd quarter. I fear outside the continental U.S. it may not be until after the 4th quarter. I sure hope that and a lot of the other anti-selling starts to go away then as well. At first I didn't mind, and I understand the reasons for it, but after over a year and a half of it my annoyance threshold has finally been crossed.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a big Tesla fan and pulling for their success, but it almost feels like they want "To Be Like Apple" and the secretive BS that company engages in (and I've owned 3 iPhones) doesn't translate well to automobiles.

 

[ummgood]

Also as they are tooling the cars and getting fit and finish right I am sure they don't want the cars to go out until they have production stream lined and the cars are meeting the quality levels they have set. The reason why is people are going to find flaws in the car and if they can minimize that it is better for everyone.

 

[gregincal]

it depends on where in the S-curve they build those cars.

If they build 50 demo cars at the point where they are putting out 500/week, I don't think it would delay deliveries noticeably for anyone.

Yes, definitely. If they are on schedule they should hit 500/week by the end of September. If they are behind then demo cars will be later, but so will when we are asked to configure. The first demo cars will go to stores in California, since that's where the first deliveries will be.