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Tesla's Ridiculous Customer Service for Deliveries

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Not sure how discussed this topic is, but I needed to post somewhere to vent my frustrations. I ordered my first Tesla 6 weeks ago, and was told to expect a delivery beginning to mid September. Last week I got an automated text message that said my Tesla would arrive in 1-3 weeks from that day.

Today (Saturday) I got an email from my local dealer saying that my Tesla would be arriving and that I had to schedule a pickup day, on either Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday or else they would be un-matching me to my car and giving it to the next available person. They had also given me a placeholder appointment for Tuesday. I emailed back and said Tuesday worked perfectly as I didn't have anything busy for work, no other obligations and was available at the time they gave me. I get a phone call not 5 minutes later saying that they made a mistake and in fact there were no appointments available for Tuesday. So i asked if I could come in Wednesday afternoon, and was told no, all of Wednesday was also booked, they only had Monday slots available. I told them that there was no way that I could do Monday, as I have multiple obligations on Monday (work and family) and that I would be busy all day, there was no way for me to re-arrange my plans 2 days before. I told my dealer that I was available basically every other day this week, and that Monday was the only day that I would not be able to make time. My advisor asked if he could un-match me from the car, and that they would be receiving more throughout the weeks, I told him no, because I really did not want to wait for god knows how long to get another one, when I paid my deposit for this one, and had already waited 6 weeks for it.

Im beyond frustrated with the lack of accommodation/ customer service here. To give someone who had paid a deposit for your product, and waited 6 weeks for its arrival, basically 2 days notice, on a weekend, that you can only pick up a car on one day or else they'll be giving it to the next in line is probably the worst customer service I have experienced. I've gone back and forth with my advisor, who said that they'd be giving me a call back later to try and work something out, so I'm hoping that there is something that can be done. I don't think I am being unreasonable here, I could understand that if they gave me a couple weeks notice that I would have to pick up the car on Monday I could at least plan around that. I don't see it being fair to give a customer 2 days notice on a weekend, that they have to pick up their car on a specific date or else they lose that car until another is ordered.

I was wondering if anyone here has gone through something similar and if there was anything they did to ensure they go their car, any advice would be appreciated!
 
This narrow 2-3 day pick up window seems to be standard for recent deliveries (express/contactless). The mentality is "if you don't want it, someone else will". I had the same experience. I ended up accepting a delivery date that did not work with my work schedule, but I had 24 hours from the time I accepted delivery on my Tesla account to pick up the vehicle. I verified this over and over with the delivery advisor via text. For instance, I accepted delivery on my vehicle on Wednesday August 5 at 11am. I ended up picking the vehicle up later that evening at 9pm at the Tesla factory in Fremont after work/dinner/dog walking/exercise. I did this to also avoid the traffic on the freeway leading to the factory. I was the only vehicle sitting in the express delivery area at pick up, and it was truly contactless. Not a soul to speak to or look at. I had until Thursday at 11am to pick it up before it was released. I don't know if they're also doing express pick up at Tesla Canada, but if you offered express delivery, maybe this is an option.
 

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This narrow 2-3 day pick up window seems to be standard for recent deliveries (express/contactless). The mentality is "if you don't want it, someone else will". I had the same experience. I ended up accepting a delivery date that did not work with my work schedule, but I had 24 hours from the time I accepted delivery on my Tesla account to pick up the vehicle. I verified this over and over with the delivery advisor via text. For instance, I accepted delivery on my vehicle on Wednesday August 5 at 11am. I ended up picking the vehicle up later that evening at 9pm at the Tesla factory in Fremont after work/dinner/dog walking/exercise. I did this to also avoid the traffic on the freeway leading to the factory. I was the only vehicle sitting in the express delivery area at pick up, and it was truly contactless. Not a soul to speak to or look at. I had until Thursday at 11am to pick it up before it was released. I don't know if they're also doing express pick up at Tesla Canada, but if you offered express delivery, maybe this is an option.

Express delivery unfortunately is not available where I am located.
 
This narrow 2-3 day pick up window seems to be standard for recent deliveries (express/contactless). The mentality is "if you don't want it, someone else will". I had the same experience. I ended up accepting a delivery date that did not work with my work schedule, but I had 24 hours from the time I accepted delivery on my Tesla account to pick up the vehicle. I verified this over and over with the delivery advisor via text. For instance, I accepted delivery on my vehicle on Wednesday August 5 at 11am. I ended up picking the vehicle up later that evening at 9pm at the Tesla factory in Fremont after work/dinner/dog walking/exercise. I did this to also avoid the traffic on the freeway leading to the factory. I was the only vehicle sitting in the express delivery area at pick up, and it was truly contactless. Not a soul to speak to or look at. I had until Thursday at 11am to pick it up before it was released. I don't know if they're also doing express pick up at Tesla Canada, but if you offered express delivery, maybe this is an option.

its not "recent deliveries". Its been that way for quite some time. It was that way when I picked up my car in 2018 for example, pre covid-19 and all the other madness of this year.
 
I was wondering if anyone here has gone through something similar and if there was anything they did to ensure they go their car, any advice would be appreciated!

Car sales are reported monthly by the manufacturers and Monday is the end of the month. They want to get this particular VIN included in the August sales numbers. So you were caught by a month-end push. If you cannot accept it in August, they will try to find someone else who can accept it in August and get you a different VIN in September. So you will get a car next month - just probably not this one.
 
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I recommend trying to make it work on Monday if at all possible. You probably wouldn't have to wait too long for another car, but why take that chance. If you absolutely can't on Monday, plead with them some more. I don't see how they can't make an exception and fit just 1 more car in on Tuesday.

You're right. It's terrible customer service. Right now you hate Tesla, and justifiably so. But in a few days when you're driving your car, you'll forget all about this drama.
 
I recommend trying to make it work on Monday if at all possible. You probably wouldn't have to wait too long for another car, but why take that chance. If you absolutely can't on Monday, plead with them some more. I don't see how they can't make an exception and fit just 1 more car in on Tuesday.

You're right. It's terrible customer service. Right now you hate Tesla, and justifiably so. But in a few days when you're driving your car, you'll forget all about this drama.


I think the problem is that Tesla just shrugs its shoulders and says “There is somebody else who will pick it up.” This “snooze you lose” mentality leaves a bad taste in peoples mouths. Especially, if it is a company that DRAGS their feet in getting your vehicle. And it shouldn’t be like that. They need to go above and beyond to appease a customer.
 
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That is so strange...my SA was more than willing to accommodate my as-of-now-unassigned delivery date to my convenience, as I'll be out of town right in the middle of the delivery window.

Seems like dealing with Tesla customer service isn't much better than the cable company. Just depends on who you talk to get the best/worst deal unfortunately.
 

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That is so strange...my SA was more than willing to accommodate my as-of-now-unassigned delivery date to my convenience, as I'll be out of town right in the middle of the delivery window.

Seems like dealing with Tesla customer service isn't much better than the cable company. Just depends on who you talk to get the best/worst deal unfortunately.
Wow! I wish my SA was as accommodating. They've told me they won't hold my car.
 
Wow that is crazy... Miy delivery popped up a calendar on the website and I had a 10-14 day window to select any day in there and it was probably a week out from the earliest day to choose when I got it. Only issue was I selected the first day available and a few days before my pickup date got a call the car was stuck on a train outside of Chicago and wouldn't be there until that day so they wouldn't have time to prep and in case there was a further delay didn't want me to have to waste my day, so we pushed it back a day but gave me the option of any day over the next week.

Only issue is a tiny burr on the paint on the front end they couldn't buff out at the service center (where I picked mine up). And they had me schedule an appointment for what ended up being 2 weeks later to replace the entire bumper. Might get a loaner today lol.
 
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Not sure how discussed this topic is, but I needed to post somewhere to vent my frustrations. I ordered my first Tesla 6 weeks ago, and was told to expect a delivery beginning to mid September. Last week I got an automated text message that said my Tesla would arrive in 1-3 weeks from that day.

Today (Saturday) I got an email from my local dealer saying that my Tesla would be arriving and that I had to schedule a pickup day, on either Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday or else they would be un-matching me to my car and giving it to the next available person. They had also given me a placeholder appointment for Tuesday. I emailed back and said Tuesday worked perfectly as I didn't have anything busy for work, no other obligations and was available at the time they gave me. I get a phone call not 5 minutes later saying that they made a mistake and in fact there were no appointments available for Tuesday. So i asked if I could come in Wednesday afternoon, and was told no, all of Wednesday was also booked, they only had Monday slots available. I told them that there was no way that I could do Monday, as I have multiple obligations on Monday (work and family) and that I would be busy all day, there was no way for me to re-arrange my plans 2 days before. I told my dealer that I was available basically every other day this week, and that Monday was the only day that I would not be able to make time. My advisor asked if he could un-match me from the car, and that they would be receiving more throughout the weeks, I told him no, because I really did not want to wait for god knows how long to get another one, when I paid my deposit for this one, and had already waited 6 weeks for it.

Im beyond frustrated with the lack of accommodation/ customer service here. To give someone who had paid a deposit for your product, and waited 6 weeks for its arrival, basically 2 days notice, on a weekend, that you can only pick up a car on one day or else they'll be giving it to the next in line is probably the worst customer service I have experienced. I've gone back and forth with my advisor, who said that they'd be giving me a call back later to try and work something out, so I'm hoping that there is something that can be done. I don't think I am being unreasonable here, I could understand that if they gave me a couple weeks notice that I would have to pick up the car on Monday I could at least plan around that. I don't see it being fair to give a customer 2 days notice on a weekend, that they have to pick up their car on a specific date or else they lose that car until another is ordered.

I was wondering if anyone here has gone through something similar and if there was anything they did to ensure they go their car, any advice would be appreciated!
When I recently received my text message from Tesla telling me my car was being delivered and to pick a time - they said "by 6 p.m." to pick the date/time. Literally gave me 3 hours notice to select my delivery date. What if I didn't have my cell phone with me to see that text in time? would they have given my car to someone else? I guess this is what everyone means by worst customer service .
 
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ed my text message from Tesla telling me my car was being delivered and to pick a time - they said "by 6 p.m." to pick the date/time. Literally gave me 3 hours notice to select my delivery date. What if I didn't have my cell phone with me to see that text in time? would they have given my car to someone else? I guess this is what everyone means by worst customer service .

If you don't respond (by picking a delivery time), then someone else gets those delivery times. You still keep your vin, you just get a later pickup date. If you are still unable to pick up the car, they give the car (with your vin) to someone that can it pick up.

Tesla does not have huge parking space for new cars - when they come in, they must go out immediately to make room for the next batch of cars. Tesla simply does not have the option of letting cars sit for days, waiting for a buyer to come by.

I think many of us are programmed how dealerships have the cars on the lot, ready to go. They have been sitting there for months. We can choose whenever we want to pick one up.

Tesla is a violent growth mode. They sell out all the cars before they are even built. This won't last forever. Eventually they will fix this issue.
 
If you don't respond (by picking a delivery time), then someone else gets those delivery times. You still keep your vin, you just get a later pickup date. If you are still unable to pick up the car, they give the car (with your vin) to someone that can it pick up.

Tesla does not have huge parking space for new cars - when they come in, they must go out immediately to make room for the next batch of cars. Tesla simply does not have the option of letting cars sit for days, waiting for a buyer to come by.

I think many of us are programmed how dealerships have the cars on the lot, ready to go. They have been sitting there for months. We can choose whenever we want to pick one up.

Tesla is a violent growth mode. They sell out all the cars before they are even built. This won't last forever. Eventually they will fix this issue.
My local delivery center said they have 40 spaces for new cars, and they get 150 cars a week. That’s why they need people to get their cars as soon as they get in.
 
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Not sure how discussed this topic is, but I needed to post somewhere to vent my frustrations. I ordered my first Tesla 6 weeks ago, and was told to expect a delivery beginning to mid September. Last week I got an automated text message that said my Tesla would arrive in 1-3 weeks from that day.

Today (Saturday) I got an email from my local dealer saying that my Tesla would be arriving and that I had to schedule a pickup day, on either Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday or else they would be un-matching me to my car and giving it to the next available person. They had also given me a placeholder appointment for Tuesday. I emailed back and said Tuesday worked perfectly as I didn't have anything busy for work, no other obligations and was available at the time they gave me. I get a phone call not 5 minutes later saying that they made a mistake and in fact there were no appointments available for Tuesday. So i asked if I could come in Wednesday afternoon, and was told no, all of Wednesday was also booked, they only had Monday slots available. I told them that there was no way that I could do Monday, as I have multiple obligations on Monday (work and family) and that I would be busy all day, there was no way for me to re-arrange my plans 2 days before. I told my dealer that I was available basically every other day this week, and that Monday was the only day that I would not be able to make time. My advisor asked if he could un-match me from the car, and that they would be receiving more throughout the weeks, I told him no, because I really did not want to wait for god knows how long to get another one, when I paid my deposit for this one, and had already waited 6 weeks for it.

Im beyond frustrated with the lack of accommodation/ customer service here. To give someone who had paid a deposit for your product, and waited 6 weeks for its arrival, basically 2 days notice, on a weekend, that you can only pick up a car on one day or else they'll be giving it to the next in line is probably the worst customer service I have experienced. I've gone back and forth with my advisor, who said that they'd be giving me a call back later to try and work something out, so I'm hoping that there is something that can be done. I don't think I am being unreasonable here, I could understand that if they gave me a couple weeks notice that I would have to pick up the car on Monday I could at least plan around that. I don't see it being fair to give a customer 2 days notice on a weekend, that they have to pick up their car on a specific date or else they lose that car until another is ordered.

I was wondering if anyone here has gone through something similar and if there was anything they did to ensure they go their car, any advice would be appreciated!


They changed my delivery date 4 times. Finally picked it up on 09/09/20.
 
My local delivery center said they have 40 spaces for new cars, and they get 150 cars a week. That’s why they need people to get their cars as soon as they get in.

Good info.

I just can see a truck, filled with new tesla cars, sitting waiting to unload - charging by the hour. Meanwhile the sales people are calling all those buyers to get them to come in and get their car (from the parking lot). Voice mail hell...

That must be super stressful.

Meanwhile people are bitching about the worst customer service....
 
My local delivery center said they have 40 spaces for new cars, and they get 150 cars a week. That’s why they need people to get their cars as soon as they get in.

I get it but that seems like THEIR problem. There are many ways of smoothing out the supply/demand issue without resorting to a “take it or leave it” approach. I’m not saying that it might not have to come to that but they definitely haven’t tried hard enough. The short lead-time between notice and pick-up window isn’t workable for most people with crammed work calendars. We all gotta be somewhere else too, ya know. Respect goes both ways.
 
I get it but that seems like THEIR problem. There are many ways of smoothing out the supply/demand issue without resorting to a “take it or leave it” approach. I’m not saying that it might not have to come to that but they definitely haven’t tried hard enough. The short lead-time between notice and pick-up window isn’t workable for most people with crammed work calendars. We all gotta be somewhere else too, ya know. Respect goes both ways.
They gave me a two week advance notice of delivery. Three days before delivery date, I got a text saying that I could have it "tomorrow" if I wanted. It was an option; I could still have waited those two days and taken delivery as originally scheduled.
 
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