That has always been the case with cars. There will always be people who want to buy used or demonstrators and others who want to order their own.
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Tesla will never stop innovating. Major revisions every 12-18 months.
- Thread starter Az_Rael
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Sure, but at the same time cars in general have fairly predictable reelase schedules if you want to follow those. Model years with some changes, small mid-year update with small changes, facelift after 3-4 years with mediocre changes, new model after 6-8 years with the biggest changes. There are usually either very specific calendar weeks or pre-announced schedules for these.
With Tesla everything is bound to change all the time, there have been at least four changes already in January alone, three of them at different dates.
I'm not saying Tesla should go the exact same route as other manufacturers, of course not. But their hectic schedule is starting to feel a bit much even for an enthusiast like myself who changes cars fairly frequently. A bit more predictability would be nice.
Not true. There are year end deals on new cars before "new features" come out. Tesla is not compareable to the traditional model.
Or Tesla is training people to always lease, which would be a sustainable model. I would lease, but I drive too much.
Is it impossible to lease a Tesla in Georgia?
TESLA has almost the worst leasing program I have ever seen.
IMO lease is even worse, you are stuck with the quickly outdated car... I would never risk leasing a Tesla.
IMO lease is even worse, you are stuck with the quickly outdated car... I would never risk leasing a Tesla.
Well, that 24 month lease they ran for a short while was pretty tempting.
mmd
Active Member
The problem with these continuous changes is that by the time your car is out of production and in your hands, it's no longer "new". You pay top dollars, but still receive a slightly outdated car. That's the situation with those who ordered 90D in the last few weeks, and are now seeing 100D before they even got their cars.
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I understand it can be frustrating when things are updated before you even get your new car, and having the "old version" is (almost) never a good thing when you want to sell. And always having the latest and greatest with Tesla means you are gonna change cars very often...
I got a great deal on an inventory car just before the end of the year. Bought on the 28th, took delivery on the 31st... I'm glad I didn't have to wait 3+ months to take delivery, would have been painful second guessing my choices for months while new features were introduced. If anyone is worried about taking a huge hit on value once they take delivery, I would recommend checking out inventory cars at the end of a quarter.
I got a great deal on an inventory car just before the end of the year. Bought on the 28th, took delivery on the 31st... I'm glad I didn't have to wait 3+ months to take delivery, would have been painful second guessing my choices for months while new features were introduced. If anyone is worried about taking a huge hit on value once they take delivery, I would recommend checking out inventory cars at the end of a quarter.
Inventory cars help a little with the immediate obsoletion angle, of course. It helps a lot emotionally to get to enjoy the car for a while as new, without being obsolete. So, useful advice, thanks.
Still, I wonder if there wouldn't be some a bit more relaxed change schedule that would allow Tesla to remain a leader in innovation while also making the purchase process less like jumping onto a fast moving freight train.
dc_h
Active Member
I'm sure innovating at twice? the pace of the rest of the industry can be frustrating when you have a new car and it's not the newest every 6 months. On the bright side, your car will be more innovative then any other brand next year and the year after.
In some ways, sure. That's why many of us are here, of course.
But really, the changes Tesla makes are not all for the sake of innovation. They are almost erratic in the way they change the products all the time.
Some maturing of this process would be welcomed I think.
Seems to be working out pretty well for Tesla over the last 4 1/2 years since the Model S started production. Every year production has increased dramatically in response to greater and greater demand and that shows no sign of slowing down.
The traditional auto maker "model year" concept is a marketing gimmick designed to get people regularly excited about the "all new" blah blah blah when in fact it is never "all new" and the improvements have been incremental at best.
As usual, Tesla is breaking the mold, defying convention, and succeeding despite constant pronouncements by "experts" (I am not referring to anyone in this thread) that the company is going to go bankrupt very soon.
Let's not kid ourselves, though. Tesla has had to backtrack many times based on feedback - the latest being the Countergate where they made a full reversal of their mold breaking policy.
Good feedback is important, not everything Tesla does is great the first try out.
Such a dialogue does not diminish the value of their achievements. Quite the opposite.
mmd
Active Member
Do you mind sharing the details?
Umm, no. Last year, worldwide Model S deliveries (true measure of demand) was flat (+0.6%) over 2015.
Spyder14
Member
As almost all here in this forum, I have some skin in this game. Sometimes I wish that by "innovating" Mr. Musk really/also meant continuous improvement in customer service & communication (new Ranger costs, lack of response from on-line orders), product quality & availability (i.e. Premium Rear Console, 12 volt battery) and updating the Owner's Manual (Fuse Box locations and fuse assignments). My experience has been less than stellar in these areas. Keep on innovating but don't turn your back on your current customers. The shortened product cycle is new to many of us and it may sting when a new car or technology hits the market every 18 months rather than 3 or 4 years.
OlavA
Member
When I bought my MS75 last Sept. my use case was simple:
"To make my commute as painless as possible which is some 180 miles round trip"
The result of research:
An electric commuter car.
Needs to get me to work and back on one charge.
Be able to use the white stickers so I don't get caught in traffic.
Never have to to to a gas station again.
Big enough to cart the family around too.
Looking at the current available choices we settled on a Tesla.
These criteria will always be met by my current MS75 regardless of future innovations.
As an aside: I only use cruise control and no AP, just wanted the electric drive train and range.
I was lucky and got my car during the manufacture incentive program that allowed me to get my 2016 after all rebates at a affordable 56K.
Another benefit. Where I work there are a bunch of ChargePoint chargers that are free to use. So, I can top off my car at work for free!
So, regardless of advancements my needs will be satisfied. I didn't buy the car to be the latest and greatest just enough to fulfill my requirements all the rest is just gravy.
"To make my commute as painless as possible which is some 180 miles round trip"
The result of research:
An electric commuter car.
Needs to get me to work and back on one charge.
Be able to use the white stickers so I don't get caught in traffic.
Never have to to to a gas station again.
Big enough to cart the family around too.
Looking at the current available choices we settled on a Tesla.
These criteria will always be met by my current MS75 regardless of future innovations.
As an aside: I only use cruise control and no AP, just wanted the electric drive train and range.
I was lucky and got my car during the manufacture incentive program that allowed me to get my 2016 after all rebates at a affordable 56K.
Another benefit. Where I work there are a bunch of ChargePoint chargers that are free to use. So, I can top off my car at work for free!
So, regardless of advancements my needs will be satisfied. I didn't buy the car to be the latest and greatest just enough to fulfill my requirements all the rest is just gravy.
Indeed, Tesla's constant "innovation" is actually taking some steps forward and some steps backwards all the time. There is very little consistency there. That is part of why buying in and owning a Tesla is such a mixed bag.
Overall it is still IMO positive, but Tesla would be wise to sort this out before the competition catches up on the product - because they are much more consistent in the rest of the stuff.
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