Underwhelming and disappointing experience so far with my reservation

[ckessel]

Guys, just to be clear: I am #962. I understand if #1,100 or even # 1,500 gets their car before me.. Thats not a big deal. Batching makes sense in those cases and is somewhat understandable.
But for people in the 3K and 4K range to be getting their car ahead of me is simply wrong..... no matter how you try and rationalize.

I can certainly understand the feeling, though I'd submit it's only wrong within the context of a certain timeline.

For instance, what if the folks at 3k and 4k got their car this morning and you got yours tonight? Would that still be wrong? What if yours was 1 day later? 2? 5? 8? 14?

There's a line, granted, but it's somewhat subjective where that line is. If they ship 3000 cars this month and the order is all jumbled throughout the month, how much does that jumbling really matter?

 

[PRJIM]

I can certainly understand the feeling, though I'd submit it's only wrong within the context of a certain timeline.

For instance, what if the folks at 3k and 4k got their car this morning and you got yours tonight? Would that still be wrong? What if yours was 1 day later? 2? 5? 8? 14?

There's a line, granted, but it's somewhat subjective where that line is. If they ship 3000 cars this month and the order is all jumbled throughout the month, how much does that jumbling really matter?

Tesla should ditch the sequence number game and just take reservations. The sequence numbers do not have a direct correlation to when one may get the car, but rather are a general guideline. Tesla might as well group reservation holders in 1,000 group increments (i.e. A, B, C, D) rather than giving specific reservation numbers which can be cross-tabbed with other reservation holders.

 

[dcopperfield]

OK... So i figured out the problem. Its this damn forum! If i didn't read these posts I would never had known other folks were getting there cars before me. Damn you internet..... And damn you timdorr for that fancy spreadsheet!

Sometimes ignorance is bliss....

All kidding aside, i think Tesla will do the right thing. I've told them the financial implications of paying for the car in 2013 are more costly for me for tax reasons. Hopefully I can still just pay them in December, even if i end up taking delivery in Jan....

 

[joefee]

You will be blown away when you get your car in a few days and you will forget completely about this whole ordeal. Your car will probably be one of the last Signature's built. That is pretty special!

+1
I just took my 1st road trip (150mi) in my P85 and it was a “religious experience” …. everyone with out of sync deliveries will be very happy when you get your cars …. but you should get something for your pain … free stuff... or at least an apology letter from George B!

 

[jerry33]

+1
I just took my 1st road trip (150mi) in my P85 and it was a “religious experience” …. everyone with out of sync deliveries will be very happy when you get your cars …. but you should get something for your pain … free stuff... or at least an apology letter from George B!

I don't think an apology letter is a good idea because there are too many detractors out there just waiting to publish things like that. Some free goodies however would be a great gesture. An RC car or an extra UMC come to mind.

 

[AnOutsider]

Plenty of examples of what can be done for sig holders in: So, What exactly is the value of a Signature Model S?

Personally, I think just removing the sig tax (credit it to us in some way, towards service, a future car?) would be a good choice. If we didn't pay MORE for LESS, I think there would be less animosity. Heck, IMO the sigs should have gotten a DISCOUNT, but I guess we'll see what more they have in store.

My biggest fear is that even if we do get more, it would only be because of the complaining, which would lead me to believe they originally thought what we got and the prices we paid for it was fair. If so, that alters my view of the company in a bad way.

 

[teslasguy]

I can certainly understand the feeling, though I'd submit it's only wrong within the context of a certain timeline.

For instance, what if the folks at 3k and 4k got their car this morning and you got yours tonight? Would that still be wrong? What if yours was 1 day later? 2? 5? 8? 14?

There's a line, granted, but it's somewhat subjective where that line is. If they ship 3000 cars this month and the order is all jumbled throughout the month, how much does that jumbling really matter?

I completely agree with you to a certain extent. I'm P1117 and it wouldn't bother me a bit if P5000 got his/her car today if I get mine within a few days after. Even a week. The rub is that we're seeing such high numbers getting deliveries and notices while many of the very low numbers can't even get any answers at all. I think I saw where someone over 3000 took delivery the other evening. That wouldn't bother me in the least if i could get some real assurance that mine will at least get here this year. As far as part shortages or supplier issues are concerned that just doesn't make sense to me. Remember, Tesla had planned to build 5000 cars until just recently. Furthermore, Elon stated at the NYC event that the parts shortages and supplier issues were behind them as they entered the yearend crunch.
And for those that suggest that these issues are trivial, ask any of the many that have done their 2012 tax planning based upon delivery this year if they see this as a trivial issue.
For me the bottom line issue remains the complete void of any meaningful information or transparency.
I just keep hearing George B. laughingly say (at the NYC event), "...we have abused the hell out of you guys. I get it!"
Really?

 

[Discoducky]

Plenty of examples of what can be done for sig holders in: So, What exactly is the value of a Signature Model S?

Personally, I think just removing the sig tax (credit it to us in some way, towards service, a future car?) would be a good choice. If we didn't pay MORE for LESS, I think there would be less animosity. Heck, IMO the sigs should have gotten a DISCOUNT, but I guess we'll see what more they have in store.

My biggest fear is that even if we do get more, it would only be because of the complaining, which would lead me to believe they originally thought what we got and the prices we paid for it was fair. If so, that alters my view of the company in a bad way.

Did you by any chance buy some TSLA stock near to when you put down your reservation? If you had, then it's is hard to argue about paying more for less.

Some of us went the other route and put down a "P" reservation and put the rest into TSLA.

 

[AnOutsider]

Did you by any chance buy some TSLA stock near to when you put down your reservation? If you had, then it's is hard to argue about paying more for less.

Some of us went the other route and put down a "P" reservation and put the rest into TSLA.

I did, and sold it back in Septemberish... What does investing in TSLA have to do with anything spoken about here though? I'm not sure how making an additional investment in the company negates the fact that sig owners paid a premium and got less options (or has anything to do with the rest of my post)? Making a profit on the stock means I should be happy to pay it back?

 

[v12 to 12v]

I can certainly understand the feeling, though I'd submit it's only wrong within the context of a certain timeline.

For instance, what if the folks at 3k and 4k got their car this morning and you got yours tonight? Would that still be wrong? What if yours was 1 day later? 2? 5? 8? 14?

There's a line, granted, but it's somewhat subjective where that line is. If they ship 3000 cars this month and the order is all jumbled throughout the month, how much does that jumbling really matter?

I wonder if the gaps appear larger they really are because they are dealing with a sequence that is full of 40kWh and 60kWh cars that are being skipped over while they are only building the 85kWh cars. From what I understand, it won't be long before we'll be seeing the 60kWh cars rolling out.

 

[bluetinc]

I think that you mistook Elon when he said that. I was there and I heard, there will be no more parts shortages by early December that will stop us from getting our production rates up to 400 cars a week. That doesn't mean that they will have all the parts in stock and ready to make each car in order, and they haven't. My car has obviously been delayed while they waited for CF, and that's fine. I would never expect them to stop the production line moving just to make my car in order to make me feel better. I have no issue with #4000 getting their car this week, and while I have to wait a few extra weeks to get mine.

Peter

I completely agree with you to a certain extent. I'm P1117 and it wouldn't bother me a bit if P5000 got his/her car today if I get mine within a few days after. Even a week. The rub is that we're seeing such high numbers getting deliveries and notices while many of the very low numbers can't even get any answers at all. I think I saw where someone over 3000 took delivery the other evening. That wouldn't bother me in the least if i could get some real assurance that mine will at least get here this year. As far as part shortages or supplier issues are concerned that just doesn't make sense to me. Remember, Tesla had planned to build 5000 cars until just recently. Furthermore, Elon stated at the NYC event that the parts shortages and supplier issues were behind them as they entered the yearend crunch.
And for those that suggest that these issues are trivial, ask any of the many that have done their 2012 tax planning based upon delivery this year if they see this as a trivial issue.
For me the bottom line issue remains the complete void of any meaningful information or transparency.
I just keep hearing George B. laughingly say (at the NYC event), "...we have abused the hell out of you guys. I get it!"
Really?

 

[contaygious]

Agree with blue, but they never told us officially that there was actually a delay with cf so we had to figure that out in our own. I am told that nothing should be holding my car back. I guess this could be true now, but maybe wasn't true a few weeks ago when they started making all these other cars being delivered now.

 

[teslasguy]

Agree with blue, but they never told us officially that there was actually a delay with cf so we had to figure that out in our own. I am told that nothing should be holding my car back. I guess this could be true now, but maybe wasn't true a few weeks ago when they started making all these other cars being delivered now.

I keep seeing people here using very definitive words and phrases like "it's a given" and "obviously". So far I see nothing that is a given or obvious. I still see Perf cars rolling out with carbon fiber interior and 21" grey wheels, so I don't think these things are a given. Hopefully though the huge gaps really are mostly due to cancels and 40/60 kw batteries and between now and the rest of this year we'll see the rest of us with fairly low numbers getting notified. I don't know what the highest P number reserved in 2009 is, but it would be really nice if at least everyone that reserved in 2009 got their car this year.

 

[strider]

I think that you mistook Elon when he said that. I was there and I heard, there will be no more parts shortages by early December that will stop us from getting our production rates up to 400 cars a week. That doesn't mean that they will have all the parts in stock and ready to make each car in order, and they haven't. My car has obviously been delayed while they waited for CF, and that's fine. I would never expect them to stop the production line moving just to make my car in order to make me feel better. I have no issue with #4000 getting their car this week, and while I have to wait a few extra weeks to get mine.

Peter

Yes, what everyone needs to understand is that Tesla is building cars in order if they can. So if you have Perf/CF/21's or whatever are in short supply (I have all of those things) then you're going to get your car as soon as it is possible for them to build it. If they're short of parts for your car that is why it's being delayed. It's not being delayed because higher-numbered cars are taking up space on the line. Those cars are on the line because yours isn't ready to be on the line, not because Tesla is messing with you.

 

[Norbert]

Agree with blue, but they never told us officially that there was actually a delay with cf so we had to figure that out in our own. I am told that nothing should be holding my car back. I guess this could be true now, but maybe wasn't true a few weeks ago when they started making all these other cars being delivered now.

I think that info was coming from Tesla employees, though informally, not officially. All such things can change on a daily basis, they might get a few shipments in a week and then none for two weeks, then just one in a week, or whatever. How would you expect to be officially informed about such things?

- - - Updated - - -

I keep seeing people here using very definitive words and phrases like "it's a given" and "obviously". So far I see nothing that is a given or obvious. I still see Perf cars rolling out with carbon fiber interior and 21" grey wheels, so I don't think these things are a given.

The idea about carbon fiber is that the volume delivered was (or still is) lower than the needed volume. So they are still producing them, but at a lower rate.

As was said above, Elon only said that the *total* production rate should not be subject to part supply. And even that he seemed to say more in a sense of 'as-far-as-I-can-tell'.

 

[bonnie]

Mod note: A number of posts have been moved to snippiness - Page 8 - some were getting snippy, others were unfortunate innocents who happened to quote the snippy posts.

 

[Zextraterrestrial]

I think everyone who reserved in 2009 & 2010 will get their cars this year, like willing to bet $ on it (I guess a month long blizzard could mess up some deliveries)

 

[FalconNinetyD]

I'll take that bet! I received my confirmation on Dec. 7th.

If I lose the bet I'll be happy that I have my car, and if I win the bet, well, I win something! Any suggestions on the bet? A gift card to BevMo? Or like mayors do for a big game, a food that each city is known for?

Edit: Since you didn't accept the bet yet, I have to rescind the offer, as I've just been given a delivery window of the last 2 weeks of December

 

[pilotSteve]

Mod note: A number of posts have been moved to snippiness - Page 8 - some were getting snippy, others were unfortunate innocents who happened to quote the snippy posts.

Thank you mods for keeping this civil and on-point. Many of us do appreciate your efforts.

 

[jhs_7645]

I think if we step back even further (and in a different dimension - time), everybody will realize that Tesla will be measured by one thing, and that is how many cars did they deliver in 2012, and how many cars did they deliver in 2013. They will raise/lower prices, move cars around, do factory deliveries when they promised personal deliveries, etc.. but they are going to do everything humanly possible to ship 3500 (or more) cars this year, and 20,000 (or more) in 2013.

When I put my reservation down back in April they told me one thing, "We plan on selling 5,000 cars in 2012 and 20,000 in 2013". They probably told all of you the same thing. When they said that, I put a pin on March as a delivery timeframe. They have been repeating that mantra until the more recent earnings call when they adjusted it to 3,500 in 2012. Time will look upon Tesla as successful if they hit *that* number, and that's it. Time will not care if they ruffle some people's feathers on the way. If they miss that number, they can *never* go back in time and fix it, they have one shot.