Turned away by Tesla store

[Lasttoy]

Easy choice
1. Sell it
2. Wrap it (and not take a 40k lose)
3. Save your cash till you , YOU find the car you want.

I have been to about 10 show rooms. Not impressed with the people working in any of them. A couple were fantastic, but some were just lost. I would not trust any of them to get me exactly what i wanted in a used car. It took me a month to find the exact car i wanted. The color then option list is very hard to match or you compromise.
Good luck.

 

[thx1139]

Twice you accepted delivery of cars that werent what you wanted?

 

[Pentium2004]

Well, your experience isn't uncommon, unfortunately. The Tesla sales teams have high turnover, and as such, these [young] kids in the stores often don't know as much as they should and it leads to frustrating situations like this, especially with CPO and inventory cars that aren't on their lot and there's limited info on them. (All the details on options are actually there, they just need to know how to look them up.)

It also sounds like they were playing a bit of hardball, although moving from an inventory car to a custom build (and I assume you'd be paying the difference in price) sounds like a good option from their end (move a new car off the line instead of an inventory car), and I feel they could have given you even an old P85 as a loaner for a month or so.

So did you take delivery of the first car? I think you could have refused delivery (maybe you didn't know that, or they didn't tell you that was an option). That would have made your case a little stronger, although that's all water under the bridge now.

I'd just suck it up to experience, get the car wrapped or dipped, and move on and enjoy the crap out of the car. In a few years, you'll want to upgrade anyway (most people do), so you won't be stuck with this car for that long anyway.

When I went to take delivery of my car the roof was ripped out because it came in cracked. I went out in the shop and visually checked the paint and looked down into the car from the missing roof. I never got to drive it or anything since it was being worked on. I asked what I should do about my truck since I was trading it in. I asked them if there was a chance I could leave it that day and get a loaner just because accidents happen and I didn't want something happening to my truck and ruining the deal. They agreed and took the truck and I signed the paperwork. The week after my car was ready. I went to pick it up and they handed me the keys and pointed out in the parking lot and said there is your car. Nobody ever walked out with me or anything. I noticed the options missing as soon as I pulled out of the parking lot. I called and everyone was busy and I was already stuck in traffic so I called when I got home. After the week long fight with Tesla they bought it back but would only give me an option for inventory and inventory was slim at that point. That's why I have a red car now. I told them I absolutely didn't want red but they said the only other options would be blue or black.

 

[HankLloydRight]

Well, I guess you can consider yourself a little lucky they took the first car back. If they didn't, there would have been no way to add back the missing options like that (well, not easily anyway).

Counter that good luck with the bad luck of getting all the options you wanted, except the unwanted color, which is very easy to fix.

It shouldn't have happened, and it sucks, but ultimately, your situation is pretty easily fixable.

 

[Pentium2004]

The depreciation on your current Tesla, should you trade it in for a new one, could easily be $20k. A wrap will cost more like $2k.

When you've accepted delivery of the red vehicle, you're kinda out of luck.

That's all I'm trying to find out is what that depreciation is so I can make a choice. They refuse to even give me a number. I accepted delivery because I had no choice. They already had a large amount of my money and my truck was already sold. The options were fight them for my money back that could go on for a long time or take the car.

 

[McRat]

Not understanding how what I just posted isn't factual. I didn't get any killer deal or anything like that. I believe the first car had maybe $1,000 deduction because it had 100 miles on it. The first one was the color I wanted but without the options I was told. This was my first time buying a Tesla so I relied on my sales person to answer my questions. I have emails and text messages that back up everything. If Tesla did nothing wrong why did they buy the car back?

You said Tesla would not make you a custom car. Why?

 

[BrettS]

Is this normal that you are restricted to the store that you originally purchased from?

There has been a lot of discussion about the whole situation on this thread, but I’m not sure anyone addressed this question. As far as this question goes, I think the answer is... it depends. It depends on what you were trying to do. If you just want to trade in the car and buy a new one like anyone walking in off of the street then I would be very surprised that the Orlando store turned you away. However, as has been stated above, doing so would likely result in a very large loss for you.

If you wanted to “return” the car for the price you paid or very close to it, then I think it would be necessary to deal with the original store. That’s a very unusual situation and they would need to make an exception to their policy for that to happen. As such you would need to deal with the people you bought the car from to understand why you are unhappy and what you were promised that you didn’t get.

 

[Pentium2004]

You said Tesla would not make you a custom car. Why?

Because I had no other vehicle to drive for the 2-3 months it would take and they wouldn't give me a loaner that long. Really sucks because about a month after the whole thing happened the district manager called me to see what happened. She then went on to say oh I could have gotten you a loaner that long so you could custom order but oh well it's too late now. I tried to speak with the district manager multiple times and was told I need to talk with the sales manager because it all comes down to him. I kept asking for the number and was always redirected even by corporate.

 

[jelloslug]

You said Tesla would not make you a custom car. Why?

My only guess that they would not custom order another 75 RWD.

 

[Pentium2004]

There has been a lot of discussion about the whole situation on this thread, but I’m not sure anyone addressed this question. As far as this question goes, I think the answer is... it depends. It depends on what you were trying to do. If you just want to trade in the car and buy a new one like anyone walking in off of the street then I would be very surprised that the Orlando store turned you away. However, as has been stated above, doing so would likely result in a very large loss for you.

If you wanted to “return” the car for the price you paid or very close to it, then I think it would be necessary to deal with the original store. That’s a very unusual situation and they would need to make an exception to their policy for that to happen. As such you would need to deal with the people you bought the car from to understand why you are unhappy and what you were promised that you didn’t get.

I called to trade in and buy another new one. They said for me to go back to Tampa because they are familiar with the situation. I asked "so you are refusing to take my car in for trade" and the response was no but still directed me over there.

 

[Yggdrasill]

That's all I'm trying to find out is what that depreciation is so I can make a choice. They refuse to even give me a number. I accepted delivery because I had no choice. They already had a large amount of my money and my truck was already sold. The options were fight them for my money back that could go on for a long time or take the car.

You had a choice. You could have called a lawyer, but instead you accepted the red Tesla as a satisfactory resolution to Tesla's screwup.

After you've accepted the red Tesla as satisfactory resolution, the initial screwup is no longer relevant. The situation is thus that you've bought a red Tesla, and you have buyers remorse.

I do think Tesla should give you an assessment of the trade-in value of your current vehicle, but I wouldn't be expecting a very nice number.

 

[Pentium2004]

You had a choice. You could have called a lawyer, but instead you accepted the red Tesla as a satisfactory resolution to Tesla's screwup.

After you've accepted the red Tesla as satisfactory resolution, the initial screwup is no longer relevant. The situation is thus that you've bought a red Tesla, and you have buyers remorse.

I do think Tesla should give you an assessment of the trade-in value of your current vehicle, but I wouldn't be expecting a very nice number.

I mentioned a lawyer and they immediately stopped talking to me and directed me to their legal team (which would never respond to an email or phone call). They have a lot more money than I do and can afford to drag it on forever so I opted not to go that route.

 

[McRat]

Every time I buy any new car (and that's a lot of cars), I always study the window sticker prior to purchase. Did the first car have the legally required window sticker that all new cars must have?
For the last decade, I study the sticker BEFORE ever seeing the car. 'No ticky, no laundry'. The wonders of the internet. The window sticker is available on line usually.

I must assume they refused to show you window sticker? Because that tells you what options the car has.

 

[bonnie]

The color is the only issue now. I know it's stupid but when you wait and save up to get your dream car you want the color you want. I've considered a wrap but it really sucks to have to spend a few thousand to change the color for a mistake Tesla sales made.

Not liking the color you signed for on the second car & thinking they should exchange it .... it's not a mistake that Tesla Sales made. No one hid the color from you. I understand that you felt out of options because you had sold your truck. I've leased a car in the past when in a similar situation. You always have a choice.

As far as your first car, what options did you expect and not get? Did they deliver something not on the paperwork? I really don't understand on this one.

 

[Pentium2004]

Every time I buy any new car (and that's a lot of cars), I always study the window sticker prior to purchase. Did the first car have the legally required window sticker than all new cars must have?
For the last decade, I study the sticker BEFORE ever seeing the car. 'No ticky, no laundry'. The wonders of the internet. The window sticker is available on line usually.

I agree to always study the window sticker but I've never seen or been given the window sticker for either of the cars. One came from Miami and the other from Pittsburgh. I've bought about 30 cars and haven't ever had this issue (cars are my weakness and I like a new one about ever 1 to 1 1/2 years for myself and my wife). I don't think window stickers really matter with Tesla because even if the window sticker says something it doesn't guarantee the car will have it. Take the headlights on my red Tesla it says adaptive headlights but the car is missing them. SC says that they have the correct ones in stock but can't put them in yet because the software engineers haven't validated the firmware yet.

 

[MorrisonHiker]

That's why I have a red car now. I told them I absolutely didn't want red but they said the only other options would be blue or black.

If you absolutely didn't want red and they offered you blue or black, why did you choose the red one?

 

[Pentium2004]

Why did you take a red car? It sounds like Tesla has already accommodated you once. Not liking the color you signed for on the second car & thinking they should exchange it .... it's not a mistake that Tesla Sales made. No one hid the color from you.

As far as your first car, what options did you expect and not get? Did they deliver something not on the paperwork? I really don't understand on this one.

What would have been the better option after they took the car back? Pick Blue, Black or have no vehicle and fight for money back?

 

[Pentium2004]

If you absolutely didn't want red and they offered you blue or black, why did you choose the red one?

Because I wanted a light colored car preferably white. Red seemed to be the lightest out of my 3 choices.

 

[Yggdrasill]

I mentioned a lawyer and they immediately stopped talking to me and directed me to their legal team (which would never respond to an email or phone call). They have a lot more money than I do and can afford to drag it on forever so I opted not to go that route.

Yes, your choice was to go for the red Tesla, rather than get lawyers involved. That's good for a quick resolution, but maybe not so good if you don't actually want the red Tesla...

It's like settling a lawsuit. If you accept a given sum, you can't come back a couple of weeks later and say, "I've changed my mind, I want twice as much." The settlement simply won't be revisited.

 

[Pentium2004]

Yes, your choice was to go for the red Tesla, rather than get lawyers involved. That's good for a quick resolution, but maybe not so good if you don't actually want the red Tesla...

It's like settling a lawsuit. If you accept a given sum, you can't come back a couple of weeks later and say, "I've changed my mind, I want twice as much." The settlement simply won't be revisited.

Agreed but I should be to trade it in where I want without hassle.