Tesla told me my test drive is not happening because they have no cars!

[docprego]

Made an appointment Yesterday for Next Monday to test drive a Model 3 Performance. Got an email today that said:

“We have sold all of our test drive vehicles and do not have a vehicle available for test drives. We would be happy to keep your appointment as a consultation with a sales advisor.”

Do they only have a specific vehicles for test drives? How does this happen?

 

[jjrandorin]

Made an appointment Yesterday for Next Monday to test drive a Model 3 Performance. Got an email today that said:

“We have sold all of our test drive vehicles and do not have a vehicle available for test drives. We would be happy to keep your appointment as a consultation with a sales advisor.”

Do they only have a specific vehicles for test drives? How does this happen?

It happens because they are selling cars, and you are trying to book an appointment to test drive a car right after the new yea (which is the expiration of the last of the tax credit that tesla buyers can get). Move your test drive back a couple weeks and they will likely have cars. They are selling everything, because there is a backlog of people trying to buy them (a problem many other manufacturers would be happy to have right now). Thats "how this happens".

 

[skierrob]

It happened because Tesla focused on selling every last possible car to meet short term sales goals for their stockholders instead of worrying about the longer term effects of not having cars for future customers to test drive. So they sold one more car this month, but potentially lost dozens of new customers to other car manufacturers since those customers can’t test drive.
Yes there is the seven day return policy but that isn’t the way to build a sustainable business.

 

[dmurphy]

It happened because Tesla focused on selling every last possible car to meet short term sales goals for their stockholders instead of worrying about the longer term effects of not having cars for future customers to test drive. So they sold one more car this month, but potentially lost dozens of new customers to other car manufacturers since those customers can’t test drive.
Yes there is the seven day return policy but that isn’t the way to build a sustainable business.

As white hot as demand is right now, I doubt they lost anyone due to the delay. There's always a car on the lot someone can show them, or they can refer to another center. They're pulling out ALL the stops to delivery everything absolutely possible.

If they can have another blowout quarter, the pressure comes way off, the stock goes way up and as China Model 3 and US Model Y delivery ramps up, they go into 2020 with a huge wind at their back. It's a Big Deal to deliver everything possible right now. Big.

 

[SMAlset]

No surprised at all. Tesla has been selling all its demo, test drive, loaner cars in addition to what comes out of the factory for quite a number of quarters now at end of quarter. Everything pretty much goes because they have more demand than they can produce. Don’t tell the ICE manufacturers this because they don’t think Teslas sell that well because people don’t want a BEV or more so a Tesla since its a fake company that is going to go bankrupt...oh guess they learned differently.

 

[SMAlset]

Many people ordered their Teslas before doing a test drive, my husband and I included. When I ordered my Model 3 there weren’t even display cars let alone test drive models as the Model was just being produced.

 

[Akikiki]

No cars, huh? YAY !!!! GREAT WORK TESLA.

 

[MichaelP90DL]

As white hot as demand is right now, I doubt they lost anyone due to the delay. There's always a car on the lot someone can show them, or they can refer to another center. They're pulling out ALL the stops to delivery everything absolutely possible.

If they can have another blowout quarter, the pressure comes way off, the stock goes way up and as China Model 3 and US Model Y delivery ramps up, they go into 2020 with a huge wind at their back. It's a Big Deal to deliver everything possible right now. Big.

I read that OWNERS have been showing up at stores to help the staff take care of the customers. When was the last time that happened at Ford, GM or Chrysler?

 

[dmurphy]

I read that OWNERS have been showing up at stores to help the staff take care of the customers. When was the last time that happened at Ford, GM or Chrysler?

... I'd be happy to be part of some kind of "owner's brigade" or something. Tesla inspires a passion few other companies do.

 

[eevee-fan]

Meanwhile in China... haha

Tesla Model 3 cars are overflowing in Gigafactory 3 parking lot - Electrek

 

[Akikiki]

... I'd be happy to be part of some kind of "owner's brigade" or something. Tesla inspires a passion few other companies do.

Look into joining your local Tesla recognized club. Tesla mothership allows the local Delivery manager to coordinate and use owners from the local Tesla club if the delivery manager needs help. We have help ours more than once. Its a lot of fun.

Tesla's policy and insurance won't allow non employees to move/drive cars that belong to customers. So, we volunteered to help customers with orientation, familiarization, and asked them leading questions to help them learn more about their cars, home and public charging, accessories, aftermarket stuff, club meets and club drives. We even washed and detailed new cars for delivery. Made a lot of new friends too. Very rewarding effort.

 

[Ron Johnson]

It happened because Tesla focused on selling every last possible car to meet short term sales goals for their stockholders instead of worrying about the longer term effects of not having cars for future customers to test drive. So they sold one more car this month, but potentially lost dozens of new customers to other car manufacturers since those customers can’t test drive.
Yes there is the seven day return policy but that isn’t the way to build a sustainable business.

That's complete nonsense. You always take the money on the table as a business you don't leave and hope more shows up.

"Let's lose guaranteed clients in December to satisfy test drives in January."

Not to mention the news publicity of "Tesla sold so many cars in December that they're out of test drive vehicles in January.'

 

[MXWing]

Eh.. first time I sat in a Model 3 was when I drove it home.

Somehow the 600,001th buyer is going to find something on their test-drive the predecessors didn't.

HUH? The speedometer is on a monitor in the middle of the car??! And a tablet controls all the functions??

 

[jrs_66]

Pretty sure there’s not a single model 3 available on the entire east coast now.

 

[boaterva]

Meanwhile in China... haha

Tesla Model 3 cars are overflowing in Gigafactory 3 parking lot - Electrek

Yep, all these cars are slated to be delivered next week. And away we go. No purchase tax, either!

 

[Sir Sceptalot]

Marketing / sales 101. You NEVER - NEVER - ever sell your last floor model / demonstrator.
Just shows what RANK AMATEURS Tesla have become. Or always were?
Who the *** is in charge???
Has Elon really become this ignorant?

While I must confess to knowing little about the internal workings of Tesla as a company, I'm fairly certain that the sales manager of that certain Service Center didn't just pop an email to [email protected] to say "Yo Elon, should we sell this car?".

 

[TampaRich]

...So they sold one more car this month, but potentially lost dozens of new customers to other car manufacturers...

Who are they losing customers too? There’s no real competition.

 

[dmurphy]

Marketing / sales 101.

Why are you still here?

 

[Knightshade]

So long as Tesla has (a lot) more demand than they do supply, selling demo cars can't hurt them- because even if keeping the demo got them a bunch more orders- they have no cars to FILL those orders.

The fact there remains so little competition in EVs (especially in the US) suggests this isn't gonna change anytime soon.

And once supply exceeds demand, they won't need to sell demo cars in the first place- so the problem solves itself.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

It's the end of the quarter as we know it.
And no test drive...

Welcome to end YYYYQNM3 with tax credit drop, when Tesla sells everything it can and puts the squeeze on customers.

I'm sorry OP that you didn't know how Tesla works.