Underwhelming delivery experience

[DaBean]

I thought that I should share my Plaid delivery experience from last Friday with this group. While I shouldn't be surprised, I was sorely disappointed at the lack of support given during delivery.

For context, while this is my first Tesla, I'm familiar with the cars and have in fact been present for 3 other deliveries (incidentally all also at the Fremont factory): 2 Model Ss (2013, 2017) and a Model 3 (2019). None of those were "top trim" (no P100Ds, no 3P, etc.). All of these had a delivery agent come and assist with the opening of the car, explanation of features, setup, etc.

For my delivery on 6/24, I went in expecting something similar. While I happen to have some level of familiarization with the cars, they're still new to me and I'm sure there's a lot I don't know yet. What I got is "your vehicle is the blue one over there." And that's it. Literally nobody walked over there with me, nobody sat in the car with me to give me an orientation, nothing. Sure, I know how to read a user manual and internet forums, and I can figure things out for myself, but I'll admit I expected more when picking up a $150k vehicle. It really felt so incredibly impersonal.

Is everyone else experiencing the same thing? Is it just an EoQ thing?

The problem is, there's such a huge waitlist for Teslas right now so they have zero incentive to change any of this. It's the same reason we won't get more color and interior options for quite some time. But I do think that this will catch up with the company eventually. Ironically, I thought that the O&O model to replace dealerships was supposed to address exactly this. Evidently not...

I'll still love and enjoy my Plaid when PPF is done, but this leaves a bit of a sour taste...

 

[Murtaya]

I'm supposed to get delivery this week, and to be honest, I'm kinda hoping for an experience where they just point me to a car and let me go over the checklist by myself without having them hang over me....but I'm also fairly anti-social.

That said, I can totally understand your frustration--especially if you've had much more upscale delivery experiences in the past. I think you're absolutely right, though: Tesla has huge demand and is focused on getting as many cars delivered right at the end of the fiscal year. Unfortunately they currently have no incentive to make the delivery experience better (or as good as I assume it once was when they were fighting for sales), for adding new features, or--to be frank--listening to feedback. Long term, will it hurt them? I'd be surprised if it didn't, but again, long term is much lower priority for them.

What was the rest of the delivery experience like? Did you find issues with the car, and if so, did they agree to get them fixed? Or did you ever see any of them again before driving off in your new car?

Hopefully you're still able to enjoy your new rig-

 

[Jayy178]

That was pretty much the same delivery experience for me, although they did help me unlock the car since my app didn't seem to work for a bit lol. It was also last day of quarter so it was a zoo when I picked up in March. Tesla's customer experience is pretty poor compared to other car manufacturers, and you'll see the same on the service side when you get to it. That being said, my friends had already warned me about the lack of customer service so I knew what I was getting into.

 

[sephiroth529]

I just took delivery of a Plaid today and it was similar to what you described. I was only given the option for home delivery. a Tesla employee drove the car and left it in my driveway. he had about 5 mins before his uber came. He didn't bother explaining anything. just said to sign the paperwork in the car for registration and left. The key cards were in the car and I could drive it without "accepting delivery" in the app.

The car drove great but the panel alignment was disappointing. i've driving civics that was better put together and felt more solid. the interior door trim and dash trim doesn't line up. trunk/tailights don't line up. paint is acceptable with no scratches. The rubber molding all around needed to be adjusted as in many places it was pinched. My car was also delivered without floor mats. I setup a service apt. to see if they can fix the trunk and just going to ignore the rest.

 

[Ghettobat]

Wow. I’m not the only one with issues and lack luster customer service.

 

[d16m]

They started contactless pickup during the pandemic and decided to stick to it. IMO they should provide it as an option vs the default.

 

[Murtaya]

So I picked up my Model S today. The agents and receptionist were very friendly, helped me with the paperwork and basic car introductions, and then let me look over the car by myself for an hour to go through my six pages of checkpoints (which was exactly what I was hoping they'd do). Apparently they even had some of the agents who work at our mall's Tesla store helping out for the end of the fiscal quarter.

I was pleasantly surprised with both the treatment and the condition of my car (especially considering when it was built)...It might just be the different stores?

 

[EightYears]

So I picked up my Model S today. The agents and receptionist were very friendly, helped me with the paperwork and basic car introductions, and then let me look over the car by myself for an hour to go through my six pages of checkpoints (which was exactly what I was hoping they'd do). Apparently they even had some of the agents who work at our mall's Tesla store helping out for the end of the fiscal quarter.

I was pleasantly surprised with both the treatment and the condition of my car (especially considering when it was built)...It might just be the different stores?

Different stores and different people. It is just like anything else. How well the store is managed and how much the team actually cares.

no different than any other car dealer. I can't tell you how many times I go to a traditional dealer, ford, bmw, etc, every once and a while you get that sales guy that knows everything about current gen cars previous gen, differences and is a true expert. Then you more often get the guy that just took a few training classes and has no clue and you are more of an expert on the car then they are. That irritates me.

I give our experience at delivery a 3/5 stars.

 

[seclinton]

Elon is an engineer, has zero marketing experience, drive to learn it, or humanitarian compassion, and you think he gives a crap about the delivery experience? He pulls people from every corner of the company to finish car assembly and said delivery. Your delivery agent might have been an engineer building seat inserts during assembly the week before. Elon does not believe in value of anything outside the tangible product. And he hides behind the constant evolution to avoid stabilizing and actually fixing even moderately minor design issues (I'm looking at you Model X and Model S roof rubber trim the worst in the industry) There's no marketing or PR team. Even the repair SOPs after replacing MCU doesn't have a fuse block check for blown fuses before handing the car back to customer. Tesla's service reputation is deserved even if the people you work with are nice and trying their hardest. What do you really expect when all the time and money of the company went into engineering the major components and quality on that only and expanding always to the brink of what does he call it Bankruptcy?

 

[DaBean]

Elon is an engineer, has zero marketing experience, drive to learn it, or humanitarian compassion, and you think he gives a crap about the delivery experience? He pulls people from every corner of the company to finish car assembly and said delivery. Your delivery agent might have been an engineer building seat inserts during assembly the week before. Elon does not believe in value of anything outside the tangible product. And he hides behind the constant evolution to avoid stabilizing and actually fixing even moderately minor design issues (I'm looking at you Model X and Model S roof rubber trim the worst in the industry) There's no marketing or PR team. Even the repair SOPs after replacing MCU doesn't have a fuse block check for blown fuses before handing the car back to customer. Tesla's service reputation is deserved even if the people you work with are nice and trying their hardest. What do you really expect when all the time and money of the company went into engineering the major components and quality on that only and expanding always to the brink of what does he call it Bankruptcy?

ok: breathe... breathe... ok, feeling better?

 

[zoomer0056]

Elon is an engineer, has zero marketing experience, drive to learn it, or humanitarian compassion, and you think he gives a crap about the delivery experience? He pulls people from every corner of the company to finish car assembly and said delivery. Your delivery agent might have been an engineer building seat inserts during assembly the week before. Elon does not believe in value of anything outside the tangible product. And he hides behind the constant evolution to avoid stabilizing and actually fixing even moderately minor design issues (I'm looking at you Model X and Model S roof rubber trim the worst in the industry) There's no marketing or PR team. Even the repair SOPs after replacing MCU doesn't have a fuse block check for blown fuses before handing the car back to customer. Tesla's service reputation is deserved even if the people you work with are nice and trying their hardest. What do you really expect when all the time and money of the company went into engineering the major components and quality on that only and expanding always to the brink of what does he call it Bankruptcy?

What happened?

 

[seclinton]

DaBean, breathe, really that's your takeaway?

 

[karkrazy]

Took delivery in Fremont, and I was expecting a low-touch delivery… wasn’t quite expecting the no-touch delivery that I got lol. Zero human contact, and everything was via text. Only time someone actually called me was when they had to confirm some payment info. After that it was text - here’s the stall the car is in, use your app to unlock, and welcome to the Tesla family!

Frankly wasn’t expecting much more, but the zero-human contact part threw me off. Luckily I didn’t have (major) issues At delivery…

 

[DimaCA]

My delivery was being delayed so I had spent around 5-6 hours walking around Fremont delivery lot. I saw some things I wish I hadn't. The worst is the detailing stage, some examples:
- Dropping microfiber towels on the ground and picking them up to continue detailing seems to be not a big deal there
- Two girls could not reach some parts of Model X Plaid windshield so one of them found some old broom with long handle laying around and put her microfiber towel on the broom to facilitate reaching hard-to-reach areas. Their engineering ingenuity and problem-solving skills were praised by another nearby detailer.

I was lucky enough to see my own car being driven to the delivery lot and detailed. I was a bit unlucky since the car came with one broken handle (hence the delay as it was driver's side).

 

[NeuroRad]

I won’t do home delivery again.

If it’s not an option, I wont buy another Tesla.

 

[AndrewZ]

The problem is, there's such a huge waitlist for Teslas right now so they have zero incentive to change any of this. It's the same reason we won't get more color and interior options for quite some time. But I do think that this will catch up with the company eventually.

I don't know if there's a huge waitlist for Plaids, there are five brand new ones listed in stock on the Tesla website right now around the Orinda zip code

New & Used Electric Cars | Tesla

Find new and used Tesla cars. Every new Tesla has a variety of configuration options and all pre-owned Tesla vehicles have passed the highest inspection standards.

www.tesla.com

 

[Barry]

Wow. I’m not the only one with issues and lack luster customer service.

It will only get worse.

 

[Ziddy]

My delivery was being delayed so I had spent around 5-6 hours walking around Fremont delivery lot. I saw some things I wish I hadn't. The worst is the detailing stage, some examples:
- Dropping microfiber towels on the ground and picking them up to continue detailing seems to be not a big deal there
- Two girls could not reach some parts of Model X Plaid windshield so one of them found some old broom with long handle laying around and put her microfiber towel on the broom to facilitate reaching hard-to-reach areas. Their engineering ingenuity and problem-solving skills were praised by another nearby detailer.

I was lucky enough to see my own car being driven to the delivery lot and detailed. I was a bit unlucky since the car came with one broken handle (hence the delay as it was driver's side).

Yep i figured thats where my swirl and scratches came from

 

[AllanFish]

I thought that I should share my Plaid delivery experience from last Friday with this group. While I shouldn't be surprised, I was sorely disappointed at the lack of support given during delivery.

For context, while this is my first Tesla, I'm familiar with the cars and have in fact been present for 3 other deliveries (incidentally all also at the Fremont factory): 2 Model Ss (2013, 2017) and a Model 3 (2019). None of those were "top trim" (no P100Ds, no 3P, etc.). All of these had a delivery agent come and assist with the opening of the car, explanation of features, setup, etc.

For my delivery on 6/24, I went in expecting something similar. While I happen to have some level of familiarization with the cars, they're still new to me and I'm sure there's a lot I don't know yet. What I got is "your vehicle is the blue one over there." And that's it. Literally nobody walked over there with me, nobody sat in the car with me to give me an orientation, nothing. Sure, I know how to read a user manual and internet forums, and I can figure things out for myself, but I'll admit I expected more when picking up a $150k vehicle. It really felt so incredibly impersonal.

Is everyone else experiencing the same thing? Is it just an EoQ thing?

The problem is, there's such a huge waitlist for Teslas right now so they have zero incentive to change any of this. It's the same reason we won't get more color and interior options for quite some time. But I do think that this will catch up with the company eventually. Ironically, I thought that the O&O model to replace dealerships was supposed to address exactly this. Evidently not...

I'll still love and enjoy my Plaid when PPF is done, but this leaves a bit of a sour taste...

View attachment 821778

I took delivery of my Y 6-29 has had the same sour taste. Plano Tx location is a mess. No signage, totally unorganized. Car was dirty inside and out. They really dropped the ball at the most important part of this 7 month transaction.