Tesla, TSLA & the Investment World: the Perpetual Investors' Roundtable

[Dr. J]

Relax. The magic of the car is what's on the inside.

They've been saying that about us homely folks for hundreds of years, but people still aren't buying it.

 

[mongo]

I think I saw a video on the cybertruck, where they were showing that welding stainless steel can be very tricky. I imagine this might be a possible area of complaint, perhaps not at first, but bad welds might cause problems down the road. Can't recall just now which youtube channel did that video. Maybe Rich rebuilds, or the Electrified Garage?

Have you seen Boca Chica lately???

 

[johnm6875]

Have you seen Boca Chica lately???

A very, very large amount of knowledge and experience with stainless steel.

 

[mulder1231]

Electrek - half hour ago: Tesla secures new cobalt deal as it phases out the controversial mineral - Electrek

That's two hit pieces in one day, what's up with this guy!

 

[Causalien]

I agree that some cars have problems, though I am skeptical of the "highly overstated" part. I think unhappy buyers tend to be vocal, for sure. But the majority are silent, take their cars, and go on with their lives. Which Tesla's counting on.

I'm starting to think Tesla's management strategy with car quality is "management by luck." They're continuing to count in incredible levels of customer goodwill, generated through the sheer delight and fun of the Tesla driving experience, the look and functionality of the cars, the feeling of being set FREE from the clutches of the oil and gas industry, and the feeling of helping the overall company mission and climate crisis mitigation and the sense of "belonging" with the millions of others who've already taken the plunge, etc. So there's all this goodwill that historically has helped out Tesla with customers overlooking/forgiving quality issues going back to day one.

I agree with others that the Y is still new, and anything new with relatively low VINs may have some issues. Most will be forgiven by new owners, if they even notice them. The detail-oriented, checklist-carrying mavens among us might send the car back, or demand repairs/corrections, and I think this is where the luck factor comes in: Tesla's counting on the number of such send-it-back-and-fix-it demands to be relatively low. If it got really big, then it becomes an Issue. And Tesla is also incentivized, by Wall Street and shareholders in general, to perform well in each quarter, especially in the current Q2 due to the pandemic. All these pressures come bearing down on Tesla and I think the company continues to count on luck with regard to the quality control issues that probably affect a small-to-medium portion the factory's output. Me, personally, I'd raise holy hell if I were Elon and fix the effing QC problems, put new management in place, do whatever it takes. But that's just me.

Cars for me has always been just a means to get somewhere as a last resort choice and I only ever owned a car right out of school because I had to commute far away for work. So I've never experienced a luxury car and hence my taste hasn't been honed and refined to that of a connoisseur. From that perspective Tesla Model 3s are amazing. And looking at the number of Toyota owners upgrading to 3 I am pretty sure Tesla will be fine.

Perhaps they can cater to the richer clients with luxe interiors in the future once the mission of saving the earth's climate is achieved.

 

[Causalien]

It's a feature not a bug. Another reason I'll never wash mine, just knock off the big chunks of dirt.

Pretty sure there's going to be a whole industry that gets established on Patina patterning on aluminium once Cybertruck start getting delivered.

 

[Nairb]

A very, very large amount of knowledge and experience with stainless steel.

Good points. I haven't been following along to know if structural and pressurized parts are stainless as the outer skin is, but I imagine robots welding trucks at volume production is going to be quite a different situation compared to the low production situation at SpaceX. It's been 8 years of highly variable quality in paint jobs coming out of Fremont from what I hear at least.

 

[EVDRVN]

Yep. But I’m positive there will be recorded complaints about how the stainless steel doesn’t have a consistent color and then later how the color changes to a patina. Just wait for it.

No, it will have scratches that Tesla will say are "in spec". The panel gaps will be large to help you climb in the bed.

 

[mekberg]

Pretty sure there's going to be a whole industry that gets established on Patina patterning on aluminium once Cybertruck start getting delivered.

I would like a large hawksbill turtle pattern on the side of my Cybertruck before I ship it off to Bonaire.

 

[Curt Renz]

Benzinga - 2 hours ago:

Tigress Analyst Ivan Feinseth On Tesla Trading Near $1,000, Says There Continues To Be Enthusiasm On Expectations For Increasing EV Demand; Notes There Will Be 'Significant' Expansion Into China As China Has Mandated 100% EV Vehicle Sale By 2030

UPDATE: Feinseth On Tesla Competition From NIO Says Believes Tesla Will Be A Dominant EV Company; Notes Co. Has Extensive Model Lineup And Has Gained 'many hundreds of millions if not that point billions' Of Miles Of EV-Driven Data To Optimize Products

UPDATE: Feinseth On Tesla-NIO Competition Says 'It will come down to consumer choice and of course cost which tariffs will play a major issue but Tesla will make their cars that are sold in China in China.'

 

[Buckminster]

Wowsers:
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1272972228326379520

 

[wipster]

Illuminaughty... Ha ha!!

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1272972751460917250?s=19

 

[PeterJA]

I can hardly wait for my year one CYBRTRCK; paint issues and all. Bring it!

I'll make my own paint issues.

 

[Krugerrand]

I think I saw a video on the cybertruck, where they were showing that welding stainless steel can be very tricky. I imagine this might be a possible area of complaint, perhaps not at first, but bad welds might cause problems down the road. Can't recall just now which youtube channel did that video. Maybe Rich rebuilds, or the Electrified Garage?

Fortunately, I own two welders.

 

[StealthP3D]

Fortunately, I own two welders.

You would need an inert gas welder to weld 30x SS.

 

[jerry33]

Fortunately, I own two welders.

I thought we outlawed slavery?

 

[Krugerrand]

Cars for me has always been just a means to get somewhere as a last resort choice and I only ever owned a car right out of school because I had to commute far away for work. So I've never experienced a luxury car and hence my taste hasn't been honed and refined to that of a connoisseur. From that perspective Tesla Model 3s are amazing. And looking at the number of Toyota owners upgrading to 3 I am pretty sure Tesla will be fine.

Perhaps they can cater to the richer clients with luxe interiors in the future once the mission of saving the earth's climate is achieved.

I’m a used vehicle connoisseur.

My 3 is only the second brand new vehicle I’ve ever owned. The first was a bare bones pickup (no air con, no power doors or windows) that my daddy co-signed. I paid it off myself and I owned that truck for 15 years and then gave it to farmer for parts.

The CYBRTRCK will be my third brand new vehicle and I can guarantee I will not wash, wax or otherwise pamper it. I will try my damnedest to dent that puppy and drive over every obstacle in my way. I will haul max loads. I will pull max loads. I will race it. And I will love that truck like I loved my first.

 

[dl003]

I thought we outlawed slavery?

are you telling me the Fed can buy individual corporate bonds but @Krugerrand is not allowed to own a couple welders?

 

[Krugerrand]

Pretty sure there's going to be a whole industry that gets established on Patina patterning on aluminium once Cybertruck start getting delivered.

And etching. I’ve already got my design picked out.

 

[Krugerrand]

You would need an inert gas welder to weld 30x SS.

Yes. Thank you. Have a MIG welder.