Tow bar no longer available for new Model 3 orders?

[looseend]

I've had a test drive in a Model 3 today, nothing to say about it that hasn't been said before.

I would have to have a tow bar for a bike rack if I were to get one. I'm not happy with roof bars and getting two bikes inside might be possible but not with camping gear for a week.

I was talking to the advisor and he said that the tow bar for the Model 3 was discontinued. The Model Y will be retrofittable with one, though he didn't know when or how much.

Is this what anyone else has been told? I was under the impression it was something you could add after you'd ordered?

Cheers.

 

[Cardo]

It has been available as an off the shelf item, however maybe with all the difficulties sourcing the tow bars (the latest deliveries are missing the tow bars and a few owners have been waiting months for Tesla to supply these) Tesla have decided to call it a day, altogether?

Fortunately, the Model Y has a more sensible build and the tow bar is a retrofit option.

 

[otherslackjaw]

If it is, then they haven't told me, and I have one on order! RWD model 3 ordered new years day and I added a towbar via email a few days later. They told me that it would mean that I wouldn't get the car until May (would have been march otherwise). I've read online and rumor was that they needed a voltage convertor for the towbar electrics because of the new SLA battery which runs at a slightly higher voltage than the old lead acid one. So my theory is they are not shipping model 3 with towbars until that gadget comes in. Very much hoping they are temporarily not available, and not discontinued!

 

[otherslackjaw]

Weirdly, my M3 RWD is now showing back on my online account as estimated delivery in March. It has not had an estimated delivery since the towbar was added to the order and when I was told it would be May. Curious.

 

[fyonn]

Weirdly, my M3 RWD is now showing back on my online account as estimated delivery in March. It has not had an estimated delivery since the towbar was added to the order and when I was told it would be May. Curious.

I ordered a Blue on black M3 LR with a towbar at the end of November and I still don't have any estimated delivery date on the website. it just continues to say "We are drafting up your contract and will contact you when you can make your final payment."... I'm a bit jealous of everyone else having a delivery date...

 

[otherslackjaw]

I ordered a Blue on black M3 LR with a towbar at the end of November and I still don't have any estimated delivery date on the website. it just continues to say "We are drafting up your contract and will contact you when you can make your final payment."... I'm a bit jealous of everyone else having a delivery date...

Just spoke to them on chat and all model 3 cars with towbars are expected in May. I will ignore the march date that my account page is showing, no idea why it is there. The advisor implied the March estimate I have showing is wrong.

 

[fyonn]

Just spoke to them on chat and all model 3 cars with towbars are expected in May. I will ignore the march date that my account page is showing, no idea why it is there. The advisor implied the March estimate I have showing is wrong.

Delayed to May? that would bne disappointing. When I ordered the site told me to expect my car in Feb so a three month delay where i have no car (on top of the three months sine I sold my car) would be very annoying.

I emailed my advisor last week asking if he had any news about timelines and he just said this:

It is hard to give an ETA until your order is matched with a vehicle, however your order is eligible so all should still be on track.

 

[otherslackjaw]

Delayed to May? that would bne disappointing. When I ordered the site told me to expect my car in Feb so a three month delay where i have no car (on top of the three months sine I sold my car) would be very annoying.

I emailed my advisor last week asking if he had any news about timelines and he just said this:

If you're generally just speaking to a single person ('my advisor'), try asking via chat or emailing the sales email asking about towbars but not mentioning your order number. The reply you quoted sounds like a generic "customer asking about ETA - tell them we'll know when we know". There is also this twitter post from a "famous Tesla leaker".

In fairness to Tesla, when I ordered it was estimating March, but that was for cars without towbars, given it wasn't possible to see the estimate for cars with towbars on their website.

 

[fyonn]

If you're generally just speaking to a single person ('my advisor'), try asking via chat or emailing the sales email asking about towbars but not mentioning your order number. The reply you quoted sounds like a generic "customer asking about ETA - tell them we'll know when we know". There is also this twitter post from a "famous Tesla leaker".

In fairness to Tesla, when I ordered it was estimating March, but that was for cars without towbars, given it wasn't possible to see the estimate for cars with towbars on their website.

Where is live chat? I couldn't seem to see it on the tesla website..

 

[otherslackjaw]

Where is live chat? I couldn't seem to see it on the tesla website..

Go on the UK model 3 order page and just leave it sitting for a bit and you'll see a chat icon in the bottom left corner.

 

[fyonn]

Go on the UK model 3 order page and just leave it sitting for a bit and you'll see a chat icon in the bottom left corner.

how long do you need to be there as I've left the page at the model 3 screen for an hour and no chat window has appeared...?

 

[otherslackjaw]

how long do you need to be there as I've left the page at the model 3 screen for an hour and no chat window has appeared...?

Showed up easily for me yesterday but no sign of it today. Try again tomorrow or send them a generic enquiry email to UK sales as if you were a potential customer?

 

[fyonn]

Showed up easily for me yesterday but no sign of it today. Try again tomorrow or send them a generic enquiry email to UK sales as if you were a potential customer?

okay, so I used the live chat and asked what additional order time is added by ordering a towbar. he reckoned it would add a quarter so if I ordered now, I'd be looking at may/june. I explained that I had already ordered in Nov and that people on forums who ordered after me have their cars already.

So he said he'd look into my case, told me that they currently have more orders for cars with towbars than they have cars with towbars coming in and that none had been allocated yet, so he went and manually allocated me one and agreed a collection date! so I'm now collecting from the trafford centre on the 17th Feb.

awesome! he also told me it has the ryzen processor and the new 12v battery too. so that's a win. My tesla account now has a VIN allocated too, can I do anything with that? can I tell which boat my car is on or anything?

Anyway, thanks for telling me how to access the live chat as I now have a date

 

[looseend]

So it sounds like it is still possible to add a towbar to an M3 order but it’s unlikely any will be popping up on inventory with one.

Or get a Model Y earlier but with the tow bar available at some unknown future date…

decisions, decisions….

 

[Mrklaw]

So it sounds like it is still possible to add a towbar to an M3 order but it’s unlikely any will be popping up on inventory with one.

Or get a Model Y earlier but with the tow bar available at some unknown future date…

decisions, decisions….

Inventory | Tesla

appeared in inventory yesterday with tow hitch (I was looking for one in that colour without tow so the slight price difference confused me, which is why I remember it)

 

[otherslackjaw]

My Jan 1st RWD model 3 Blue aero order is now showing an estimated delivery of March again. No VIN in source code. I'm starting to wonder if I will actually get it in March instead of May like I was told to expect.

 

[JonB]

I contacted Tesla today via a service appointment and it looks like the missing tow hooks may be with us in a couple of weeks. I have a service visit scheduled so they can drop it off. Fingers crossed!

 

[fyonn]

I contacted Tesla today via a service appointment and it looks like the missing tow hooks may be with us in a couple of weeks. I have a service visit scheduled so they can drop it off. Fingers crossed!

I collected my Blue M3LR yesterday from the trafford centre and it had the towbar included. I've not tried using it yet so after a 30 explanation of it from the SA I've not looked at it further, but there you go

I would say that the towbar is genuinely disappointing. I mean I'm sure it's fine but for that money BMW, Merc or Volvo would be selling you one that auto deploys electrically. Not have my lieing on my back using a coin to undo a plastic panel and exposing a downfacing electrical socket that risks having wires just dragging along the floor... (I assume, not plugged it in yet )

 

[JonB]

I don't tow often so that is no big deal for me. Seems very awkward though, I agree. Yet on the rare occasions I need to tow, I'm very happy I have a tow bar on my car. In other words, for me, it's worth the cost and aggro.

 

[Morhydro]

I use the tow bar all the time. Just bought a Ski carrier to fit on it. Would not have bought an M£ if this was not an option as (in 2020) the M3 was the only EV, other than the Jaguar, that could have a tow bar.