Time to Put a Model 3 In the Stores - ASAP

[JohnSnowNW]

Enough people seem more than willing to order a Model 3, sight unseen, that it makes very little sense to delay putting vehicles in customers hands so that people on the fence will put their orders in sooner.

For me, nothing in the reviews has brought up a dealer-breaker attribute. The rear seats are for my kids (in car seats) and people whose comfort comes secondary to my interest in the vehicle.

 

[xav-]

The Nissan Leaf gonna be interesting once trump gets rid of the tax credit. Who's gonna spend $400 a month to lease one????

 

[wraithnot]

The devil is always in the details and many may find certain aspects of the Model 3 a make / break proposition. The more reviews that are published the more detail consumers will get to make an informed decision. I do not want to create a non-refundable order based on pictures alone.

Since your location says Northern California, you could try going to the Fremont delivery center if you want to see some model 3s in person: Pictures of production Model 3s

It's not as good as a test drive or even just sitting in the car. But definitely better than only looking at pictures. I thought the car looked better in person than in pictures. I love the shape of my Model S, but something about the size of the model 3 along with the design really spoke to me in person.

After seeing the car in person, I'm pretty confident that Tesla will sell every one of these they can make for the next couple of years. My wife and I confirmed our order yesterday and if it turns out that the car some quirk that my wife just can't stand (it will primarily be her car) then I'm sure I can find someone to take the car off our hands for about what we paid for it.

 

[Runt8]

They don't really need them in the stores right now but doing a Model 3 Test drive even as they did with the S and X would help some people pull the trigger on ordering. I previously had a Model X reservation and attended the Model X test drive event. Unfortunately, it was only a 10 minute test drive and wasn't enough for me to seal the deal. It did convince me to order an S instead.

I've already spent the day in a Model 3 and would have no hesitation buying it if it met my requirements. It's a great car! My mom is interested in the Model 3 but still hesitant to order based on the limited time she's been in a Model 3. She will definitely be along for the ride if/when there is a Model 3 test drive event and hopefully get to test drive one herself.

They are taking names and planning test drive events at the Tesla stores. My local store is planning late January to early February. The sales guy said there will be a "fleet of 10" that will travel the country to all the stores for test drive events.

I think this is a pretty good compromise between not having a chance to drive one at all and slowing down customer deliveries to put on in every store.

 

[MorrisonHiker]

They are taking names and planning test drive events at the Tesla stores. My local store is planning late January to early February. The sales guy said there will be a "fleet of 10" that will travel the country to all the stores for test drive events.

I think this is a pretty good compromise between not having a chance to drive one at all and slowing down customer deliveries to put on in every store.

Yeah, we visit the stores in the Denver area all the time. I'll ask at the Littleton store tomorrow and Park Meadows on Sunday. I'm pretty sure we're already on the list but it wouldn't hurt to double-check.

 

[stopcrazypp]

Although personally I would love to sit in one and test drive one at my local store, it doesn't make sense for Tesla to divert production for these purposes at this moment.

And using RCs for this has its own problems (people may be misled by the built quality or certain parts they changed in production).

 

[shrspeedblade]

It would seem to make more sense to start stocking the stores/demo model pool late in the first quarter if it will help them delay hitting the 200k number until April (if the tax credit still exists) AND they'd still rather have people order an S/X that visit the store, at least until 3 production is really humming.

Right now, they'd just really piss people off who have a chance to get the car by the end of 2017.....and then don't because they had to wait for the demo models to go out!

 

[stopcrazypp]

Right now, they'd just really piss people off who have a chance to get the car by the end of 2017.....and then don't because they had to wait for the demo models to go out!

There's very few people in that boat though. You have to be a current owner, in California, and also reserved on 1st day. The intersection between that group and someone that might be pissed off about not having a test drive is going to be very narrow, especially given the number of non-employee customers that will get the car by end of 2017 is small in the first place.

 

[shrspeedblade]

There's very few people in that boat though. You have to be a current owner, in California, and also reserved on 1st day. The intersection between that group and someone that might be pissed off about not having a test drive is going to be very narrow, especially given the number of non-employee customers that will get the car by end of 2017 is small in the first place.

True, but when you consider these might be the ONLY people who get a tax credit on the Model 3...

I still think it makes a lot more sense for any store cars to come out of 1st quarter 2018 production, for avoiding cannibalization of S/X and optimistically shooting for 200k in the second quarter as well; not to mention the later the demo models are produced it's probably for the better for fit/finish/bugs ironed out. I got to see a Tesla employees car recently, the UI (which didn't bother me in the least!) isn't exactly ready for showroom models either.

 

[T34ME]

The Nissan Leaf gonna be interesting once trump gets rid of the tax credit. Who's gonna spend $400 a month to lease one????

Who's going to lease one? With 150 mile range and no SuC system, only people who want an "around town" car.

 

[Trips]

They are taking names and planning test drive events at the Tesla stores. My local store is planning late January to early February. The sales guy said there will be a "fleet of 10" that will travel the country to all the stores for test drive events.

I think this is a pretty good compromise between not having a chance to drive one at all and slowing down customer deliveries to put on in every store.

That is actually a great plan. They can make it a mini invite only reveal with test drives for reservation holders. They only need 10 vehicles total and they can have corporate reps that should know every detail of the car. You would also have the cars constantly being driven vs sitting in a show room looking pretty and collecting dust.

 

[Saghost]

It would seem to make more sense to start stocking the stores/demo model pool late in the first quarter if it will help them delay hitting the 200k number until April (if the tax credit still exists) AND they'd still rather have people order an S/X that visit the store, at least until 3 production is really humming.

Right now, they'd just really piss people off who have a chance to get the car by the end of 2017.....and then don't because they had to wait for the demo models to go out!

That's a clever thought. If the tax credit survives, it'd make a lot of sense to put demo cars into all the centers right before the quarter break, both in terms of getting the benefit from cars they can't sell right away and as a good time to start building demand.

 

[Cory151]

You can literally go to the Fremont, Qualcomm or Hawthorne superchargers to see one. Every time Im at those chargers I see at least one. I even had a 30 minute conversation/ inspection/ of somebodies model 3 who was charging next to me.

 

[MotoEvCA]

Although personally I would love to sit in one and test drive one at my local store, it doesn't make sense for Tesla to divert production for these purposes at this moment.

And using RCs for this has its own problems (people may be misled by the built quality or certain parts they changed in production).

I constantly see auto reviewers use a pre-production version of a car to perform a review. If the vehicle is noted as pre-production I thinks consumers are smart enough to handle it. In addition, having these vehicles in the store to sit in and touch in person will have zero impact on customer orders.

 

[RVD98072]

Maybe it's just me but pretty much every single car I have owned I bought without ever driving it and I've been perfectly happy with every single one of them.

I have many friends who didn't understand this and would repeatedly tell me that they would never buy a car without driving it first.

But I got my Tesla Model X without driving it and I was happy the first time I drove it. Same with my previous cars - BMW ActiveHybrid 7, BMW 750Li, BMW 128i convertible, Mercedes Benz E320, Ford Explorer XLT, Chrysler Town & Country, Toyota Sienna, Toyota Sequoia, BMW 325e, etc.

Maybe I'm just not that picky.

And I'm pretty sure that the first time I drive a model 3 will be when I take delivery and I'm fine with that.

It would be nice to see one in a showroom so that I can sit inside it, etc. but I'm just as happy without doing that.

 

[iluvmacs]

The top 5 problems you might find
1) no towing ...
2) no purple color available
3) what its not got a gas tank!!!
4) no gauges behind the steering wheel???
5) No 25 inch tire option...

Please just wait until they get one in the showrooms.... leave the line asap!!!

Uh, if there were purple, I'd trade in my S for one, no questions asked!
(Right now it's up in the air for us)

 

[Hitman007]

They cant put them in stores. They cant even fulfill the first 5% of orders and forget about spare parts. It you are lucky enough to get a Model 3 within 12 months. you will be afraid to drive it because something as simple as a broken windshield may take 6 months to fix. So your shiny new 3 will sit in the garage for months waiting for parts. Lease a Nissan Leaf for 3 years, then come back to Tesla if they are still around.

 

[ahagge]

They are taking names and planning test drive events at the Tesla stores.

I too think this would be a good compromise. Do you have a source for your information, or is this just a guess from a Tesla store employee?

 

[Runt8]

I too think this would be a good compromise. Do you have a source for your information, or is this just a guess from a Tesla store employee?

It was what the Tesla employee told me at the store. He also had a form to fill out on his iPad with options for the Model 3 which he used to take down my information. No idea if he knows what he's talking about or not.

 

[Saghost]

Uh, if there were purple, I'd trade in my S for one, no questions asked!
(Right now it's up in the air for us)

I've seen a number of very nice purple wraps...