Quick update from Fremont. Some buyers who were promised 12/31/2019 8 pm "Factory Delivery Event" pick-ups have been texted their Model 3's will not be ready come back next year (with no tax credit). I advised them to show up anyway and play dumb since it is always a crazy time and some people will get drunk and forget to pick up their cars (just joking). Seriously, with all the employees pulled into this event, it will not be organized. I shared my 9/30/2018 story to help make sure every car gated out the door into the Fremont Factory Outboard Logistics Lot is SOLD!!
I will be at FDC 5-7 pm on 12/31/2019 and plan to head for the factory after that. I'll see if Tesla lets me Livestream it. It should be crazy times!
Russ Engle wrote:
"You might still get a car since some people will get cold feet, etc. They are *really* disorganized at end of quarter with all their internal volunteers that don't know what they are doing! It is a zoo in my experience and very fluid situation.
I will be volunteering this year on 12/31 and volunteered last year to show people how to pair their phones, etc.
Here is my 9/30/2018 last day of 2018 Q3 Model 3 story: (briefly) I'm a stockholder so I was doing them a favor I could have waited until Q4 with the same tax credit.
1. They let me out of my $2K+/month March 2016 Model X P90D lease 6 months early so I could buy a Model 3 Performance. Note it had to be a Performance model to cover their hit on the early lease return. Okay - whatever.
2. They were supposed to home deliver it to my Fremont house on 9/30 midday from their home delivery hub south of factory on Kato (used to be old Fremont service). No show and no contact. WTF?
3. I drove to said home delivery hub. The manager searched "no cars" for home delivery we're really sorry. Why don't you go to the Fremont Delivery Center to see if they can help you?
4. Drove to Fremont Delivery Center and talked to a manager who searched inventory: "We have a VIN we can give you, it's not Performance, and it is black instead of the white interior, would that work?" [me: Yes! I didn't really want Performance anyway since my wife didn't like it whenever I "launched" our Model X].
5. I asked like 5 times "Are you sure I can return the X 6 months early to buy this Model 3 Dual Motor w/ AP"? They called "Ownership Loyalty" and got approval.
6. Closed the deal on the iPad around 11 pm. Hung around to help other people with the basic operation of their new cars.
7. Left our Model X parked where they told me to. Was amazed to see the variety of old gassers people got rid of to get into a Tesla, from old clunkers to name brand Euro and Japanese models.
8. It took until January 2019(!!!) for TSLA and US Bank to inspect the 2016 Model X P90D and close out my lease. Good thing I saved a bunch of photos to document the condition. There were no extra charges except for some extra miles.
Bottom line: Tesla is all hands on deck 12/31/2019. If I were in your shoes, I would just show up with my original email invitation (play dumb) and try to pick up your car. if they can locate a Model 3 that meets your requirements they will definitely sell it to you to help their 2019 Q4 and 2019 annual sales and financials.
You might even see Elon there if he's in town at this "event". He dropped by on 12/31/2017 with former CFO Uhuja at Fremont Delivery Center. My friend said CFO was personally "approving" personal checks to pay cash! No kidding.
Worst case you can enjoy a special Tesla event with DJ, food, and drinks (if it's like other "events" I've attended), and meet some other owners.
Good luck!!
Russ"