Tracking P85D delivery thread

[Andyw2100]

Do you really expect Tesla to find your train in a railyard somewhere and offload the cars onto a truck and drive them to you? Come on. Blaming Tesla for delays in railroad logistics is a bit ridiculous.

Perhaps blaming them for the actual delays in railroad logistics may be ridiculous, but I think Tesla may be due some criticism for making the decision to move to rail delivery in the first place, if rail delivery is typically much slower and less reliable than the methods Tesla has used in the past. I don't pretend to know the numbers, but whatever the dollars and cents cost savings are in putting a new Model S on a train instead of trucking it, they are being offset at least to some degree by the extra time Tesla employees are spending dealing with the brand new customers waiting for and inquiring about their cars. And more importantly, the lousy experience is leaving Tesla's newest customers feeling lukewarm, at best, about the company when they should be deliriously happy about it. Once you attach a dollars and cents cost to that, I don't think trains can be a winner in the long run.

 

[Sgutz]

Perhaps blaming them for the actual delays in railroad logistics may be ridiculous, but I think Tesla may be due some criticism for making the decision to move to rail delivery in the first place...

Correct. I haven't even suggested that rail shipment is unreasonable. I'm more concerned that the company that chose to ship their car that way isn't prepared to take any sort of responsibility to address a problem that their choice has caused. I can live with delays but I want to hear the straight goods. Every time I ask I get a different story - that's what worries me most. For all I know my car is lying at the bottom of a gorge and they are madly building a new one to replace it. If that's the case they just need to tell me.

 

[Todd Burch]

I agree, it's out of their control. But if they do have the ability to offload and move forward with another method I'd hope they would do that. With the extremely high profit margins on these cars, way more than others, they should go above & beyond to improve the delivery timing & process. Seems like that is a negative influence lately for sure.

Nope. They have to build out a charging network, as well as sales and service centers, as well as one or more $5 billion gigafactories. And that's something no other car company has to do (because other car companies have independently owned dealerships, don't build the gas station infrastructure, and don't have to build the gasoline refineries). Oh, and they also have to grow at a rapid pace, because they're only 10 years old and preparing for mass market adoption. Also something no other car companies have to do.

Tesla is not going to sacrifice several % in gross margins on a car in order to get it to you a little bit earlier, and I don't blame them.

 

[Sgutz]

Nope. They have to build out a charging network, as well as sales and service centers, as well as one or more $5 billion gigafactories. And that's something no other car company has to do (because other car companies have independently owned dealerships, don't build the gas station infrastructure, and don't have to build the gasoline refineries). Oh, and they also have to grow at a rapid pace, because they're only 10 years old and preparing for mass market adoption. Also something no other car companies have to do.

Tesla is not going to sacrifice several % in gross margins on a car in order to get it to you a little bit earlier, and I don't blame them.

Based on your response it almost sounds like you're suggesting that they've taken on too much and are now being crushed under the weight of their own success. I don't understand your logic at all since it has nothing to do with having their cars stuck in transit. What I learned running my own businesses is that customer service is king because selling things today is what finances tomorrow's plans.

It's pretty hard for anyone to rationalize how cars can sit in a rail yard for 8 days not moving and indeed that isn't Tesla's fault. Their fault is simply not addressing the problem. I don't think they're going to lose several percent of margin to make a call to their rail provider to ask why there deliveries aren't moving. Nor do I think they'll lose a significant amount of money to call me and start a conversation to say "We have a problem, but here's what we're going to do to mitigate it...". But they will lose revenue if people start walking away from deals because cars are late and the only justification is "It's not our fault".

Note that at no point in my argument have I suggested that Tesla drive to Chicago and back a truck up to the rail car and unload. All I'm really concerned about is their eagerness to blame someone else for their logistics problem and their lack of planning to mitigate an alternative solution.

 

[bonaire]

Sgutz, there was blame a couple times over the last couple years. "Production constraint" was due to lack of batteries (Panasonic's fault). "Production constraint" in December was for seats as well as a problem with the seat itself (Recaro's fault). Many times, discussions came up where "we may have issues if a part is made by one vendor who cannot keep up". Choosing that one vendor is the decision of the manufacturer so where does fault "really lie"?

Logistics is always the fault of the general contractor making the decisions for those channels of logistics. When you buy a product, everything put into making, shipping and selling that product is owned by the name on the label. Choosing rail means choosing the problems associated with it and aligning it with customer expectations is critical to customer satisfaction and perhaps repeat business. I think Trains are a great idea for inventory cars and CPO and flowing them out at the lowest-cost possible.

I doubt when Model 3 is produced, due to the volume expected, there will be extensive use of trains for filling the sales sites with inventory cars and custom orders may not actually be given the same level of attention as the current MS orders. I don't expect DES human service tracking things but rather a much more mundane computer-only tracking environment for custom orders (or just "watch mytesla"). Cost containment will be critical to Model 3 success longer term. Think of it in golf terms. Model S is more like a country club experience while Model 3 may have to go with public-course experience.

 

[Sgutz]

Bonaire. Look back at the last few posts. At no point did I say rail was a bad idea, in fact I was shocked to discover that Tesla ever used anything else to get cars moved across the country. Similarly I'm not blaming delays on anyone in particular - these just happen when goods are moved long distances.

To reiterate, my one and only issue is that a company trying to play in the luxury space isn't treating customers as well as any of their competitor would. All they really need to do to make me content is acknowledge that there's an issue and tell me they are taking ownership to resolve it. So far they have done none of that and have instead contrived a different excuse every day which conflicts with the day before. Blaming a bridge collapse 400 miles in the opposite direction of where the car is headed isn't even plausible, not when I know the rail route that another car just took to arrive at the same destination.

When my last car was delayed due to rail issues, Porsche didn't tell me it was someone else's fault. They called me to tell me there was a problem but that they were doing everything they could to ensure my car was delivered on the date they promised. They owned the problem and even though the car arrived a couple days later than expected they kept me in the loop along the way.

As the buyer I don't really care where the delay is. I'm buying my car from Tesla which makes any issue entirely their responsibility. If they gave me an option when ordering allowing me to select my own mode of delivery then it be my own fault when things went bad.

If there is a problem with the paint on your car do you complain to Tesla or the paint manufacturer? Who would you expect to take ownership of solving that problem? Why would delivery of their product be any different than the manufacturing process? It all affects your customer experience with the company.

 

[Andyw2100]

To reiterate, my one and only issue is that a company trying to play in the luxury space isn't treating customers as well as any of their competitor would.

I can't express how strongly I agree with the post I excerpted above. In many cases I feel like Tesla is treating its $100,000-plus car customers like Walmart shoppers. I occasionally shop at Walmart. There's nothing wrong with that. When I do, I expect a certain level of customer service. But when I spend about $140,000 on a car and the accessories to go with it I expect a very different level of customer service. That's where Tesla has often fallen short. Far, far short.

 

[InsaneDriver]

Like many things in life, regardless of the journey the destination usually makes everything worthwhile at the end of the day (sometimes it's the journey that is special) but in this case it's the destination for sure!!! Took Delivery TODAY!!!

 

[dcohen]

Like many things in life, regardless of the journey the destination usually makes everything worthwhile at the end of the day (sometimes it's the journey that is special) but in this case it's the destination for sure!!! Took Delivery TODAY!!!

View attachment 82625

Congrats. Your car looks great. Enjoy! Did you get the wall charger, or are you using the one that came with the car?

 

[Sgutz]

Congrats! Great looking car. I envy anyone who takes delivery as I wait with growing impatience for my own, especially when you got yours in 16 days, while my own has been in transit for 24 days. I hope it serves you well.

 

[Ben]

Congrats! Great looking car. I envy anyone who takes delivery as I wait with growing impatience for my own, especially when you got yours in 16 days, while my own has been in transit for 24 days. I hope it serves you well.

Same here! I vicariously live through other people's deliveries until I finally get mine

Enjoy the ride!

 

[InsaneDriver]

Congrats. Your car looks great. Enjoy! Did you get the wall charger, or are you using the one that came with the car?

We installed a wall charger, charges super fast too!

 

[rdavidw]

Moving quickly! When I ordered it the sales rep speculated I would get it around mid to late June.

Ordered: 4/28
Confirmed: 5/6
In Production: 5/21
In Transit: 5/26

Delivery rep said they are expecting it middle of next week and I can take delivery around Friday or Saturday.

I have an apt to take it for a paint correction and coating of 5 layers of Ceramic Pro 9H the following week. When I get it back I am taking it on a road trip from MD to FL for a week or so. Very exciting!

- - - Updated - - -

Anyone know where I can add my car info at the bottom of my post? For example:

_____________
P85D / Obsidian Black / Body Color Roof / 19” Wheels / Smart Air Suspension / Tan Next Gen Seats / Premium Interior With White Headliner / Carbon Spoiler / Carbon Décor / Ultra High Fidelity Sound / All Weather Mats / Ceramic Pro 5 Layer 9H Paint Coating / CHAdeMO Adapter

 

[wayner]

Anyone know where I can add my car info at the bottom of my post? For example:

_____________
P85D / Obsidian Black / Body Color Roof / 19” Wheels / Smart Air Suspension / Tan Next Gen Seats / Premium Interior With White Headliner / Carbon Spoiler / Carbon Décor / Ultra High Fidelity Sound / All Weather Mats / Ceramic Pro 5 Layer 9H Paint Coating / CHAdeMO Adapter

Add it to your signature. Click on Settings in the top right corner and then Edit Signature.

 

[rdavidw]

Thanks Wayner. I don't see that option and I did a search and I says I need about 9 post before I can add one. So here is one more post :wink:

- - - Updated - - -

It just showed up so perhaps it only 6. Thanks again

 

[Albatross]

It now appears that my car is finally out if purgatory at rail yard in Toronto and on a truck to Montreal !delivery I am told is looking good for Friday ! I'm trying not to get my hopes ups!!! But hard not to do !!!

 

[Ben]

It now appears that my car is finally out if purgatory at rail yard in Toronto and on a truck to Montreal !delivery I am told is looking good for Friday ! I'm trying not to get my hopes ups!!! But hard not to do !!!

Awesome! I wish you the best (and quickest!) delivery.

I hope S_gutz and mine are on the same train/truck/oxcart/whatever-they-use-for-delivery-these-days! :smile:

 

[rdavidw]

I am scheduled for delivery this Friday. I stopped by yesterday with some title paperwork and the car is on the lot. Looks good! I did notice that the hood panel gaps are very large on both sides, I don't know if that is something they can or will fix but I will ask on Friday. Also, the little shelf under the 17" screen was detached and on the floor with some wires and connections hanging out under the screen. Perhaps they were hooking something up? I am sure that will be fixed before delivery.

Ordered: 4/28/15 ~ Confirmed: 5/6/15 ~ In Production: 5/21/15 ~ In Transit: 5/27/15 ~ At Service Center: 6/1/15 ~ Delivery: 6/5/15

 

[Albatross]

Wooohoooo. It's at the dealer being prepped for delivery !! Looks like this Friday ! Could it be ????

 

[Law&Disorder]

I have a delivery appointment this Friday. Fingers crossed. Car was promised for "late May," so in contrast to many here, my car is officially late.