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Upset that Tesla screwed customers who took delivery in the last few months
- Thread starter wishForEV
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My 2 cents opinion. If I were I. Charge of Tesla. I would give anyone that paid ex 10k over what it is now from Tesla. I would give you a coupon code for free FSD or free FSD light. That way I keep my customer satisfied and I also keep the value of the product higher. That’s the only way I can see them adding to the resale value of anyone that purchased before. It would cost Tesla nothing to do since it’s just unlocking software ,increase resale a little for anyone that that took a big hit and maybe toss in free super charger miles. My thought is it will at least help add more value to the cars and smooth over customers a little.
bradtem
Robocar consultant
I felt this frustration myself when the dropped the price of the car I bought within a month of my buying it. I could have had a LR dual motor instead of the mid-range I got for the same money.
But then, just how exactly would you have them lower prices? What should they do?
But then, just how exactly would you have them lower prices? What should they do?
- Never lower prices?
- Never lower them more than a certain amount?
- Refund money to recent buyers? What about the people just before the cutoff on this, or does it have to go back to the beginning of the company?
- Refund less money the further back you go -- but still there are people who miss out?
- Warn people that prices are going down, and kill their sales until they do?
I think instead of a direct cut like that. That kills resale values of customers so drastic. They should make all colors free. Add FSD standard. Things like that. Because at least then it doesn’t tank the market fir anyone that already purchased.
JaeTheDev
Active Member
This is what people should think like. Props to you
Thank you for the compliment! Sometimes we have to accept things we can’t change. The outcome is driving one of the best vehicles ever made for a year more than I was going to, so I’m ok with it!
My problem is Tesla/Musk baited everyone with a $7500 rebate between Dec 21 and Dec 31, 2022 knowing full well that in three weeks he was going to lower the price $13K on Model Y and Model 3 cars. He knew he was going to hang all those buyers out to dry. That was dirty business, any way you slice it! They did this to get their Q4 delivery numbers up, and possibly to help stabilize the stock price.
I took possession of a 2023 MY three weeks ago on Dec 22, 2022. We had been waiting for a year for the price to drop and were planning to wait at least a couple of months in 2023 to purchase a MY, depending on price, availability, and what the federal rebate was going to be ($7500 or $3750). But when Tesla announced they were offering a $7500 rebate for those taking deliveries on new cars during this 10 day window, we thought this was our chance.
Let me be clear: For those who purchased a MY or M3 three or six months ago, there really is not much you can complain about; Tesla may have had some plans to lower prices in the future but most likely didn’t know when. Similarly, nothing could really be said if Tesla had waited three months into 2023 to lower the prices. But they knew they were going to drop prices exactly three weeks after baiting everyone with a $7500 rebate. And please do not justify this as, “Just business”; there is good business and there is dirty business when you purposely screw over customers.
If Musk has an ounce of integrity, he would offer some compensation...say a $13K rebate…to those customers that took delivery during these 10 days in December. He didn’t do it in China, there is no reason to believe he will do it here.
I took possession of a 2023 MY three weeks ago on Dec 22, 2022. We had been waiting for a year for the price to drop and were planning to wait at least a couple of months in 2023 to purchase a MY, depending on price, availability, and what the federal rebate was going to be ($7500 or $3750). But when Tesla announced they were offering a $7500 rebate for those taking deliveries on new cars during this 10 day window, we thought this was our chance.
Let me be clear: For those who purchased a MY or M3 three or six months ago, there really is not much you can complain about; Tesla may have had some plans to lower prices in the future but most likely didn’t know when. Similarly, nothing could really be said if Tesla had waited three months into 2023 to lower the prices. But they knew they were going to drop prices exactly three weeks after baiting everyone with a $7500 rebate. And please do not justify this as, “Just business”; there is good business and there is dirty business when you purposely screw over customers.
If Musk has an ounce of integrity, he would offer some compensation...say a $13K rebate…to those customers that took delivery during these 10 days in December. He didn’t do it in China, there is no reason to believe he will do it here.
LoneStarEve
Member
Third model Y? The car hasn’t been out long.
Why do you trade in for a new one so frequently and how can you afford to do so?
Unless the reason is the increasing prices and resale values have allowed you to do so and either make money or at least not lose on each trade? If so that’s not a normal market.
Based on what you have paid out from the beginning, vs gotten back in trade on each, how much does your current car really owe you? You may not be that bad off in reality compared to a normal market. Yes, in terms of opportunity cost maybe you haven’t optimized this last deal but how have you done over the 3 vehicles?
I understand but disagree with saying those who bought before don’t have much to complain about. Anyone that paid more than the msrp now can complain. They just ranked the resale values. Banks can complain. The just created a situation that a boatload of loans are upside down. Increasing the banks liability. This move Tesla did undermined the system.
Proflig8tor
Member
Seeing as how Elon invested ~$300 million and sold $44 billion, he made money (no actual loss of wealth on the stock price, quite the contrary). Later investors like me and my children (down about $170,000) have transferred wealth directly to Elon because we bought when it was expensive while he was selling and lying about never selling….
So yes, I literally did send Musk a check for $15,000. More than 10x that actually. I think there is some chance the Cybertruck getting built and other new products turns the share price around. Then again, I might take another 60% haircut.
But, the utility here was to try to save something from my hourly earnings to give to my kids. Total fail, but I am not whining about it. It is how a market functions and I am grown up enough to know that.
Your best option is to enjoy the thing you bought and not worry about the resale of something you are not reselling right now anyway.
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In a traditional car company you can count that MSRP will be stable for a particular model year regardless of any incentive. Not so with Tesla. The same model year 2023 now have at least 2 price points. 
Proflig8tor
Member
Hmmm… if people walk away…
Might be time to start watching banks at the used car auctions.
Proflig8tor
Member
In a traditional car company you can count that MSRP will be stable for a particular model year regardless of any incentive. Not so with Tesla. The same model year 2023 now have at least 2 price points.
That is not how this works. It will take a few months to work through the system.
GM, Ford, Chrysler, Mazda, Toyota … hell VW… they have all done incentives like this and much much more.
Proflig8tor
Member
Elon has been saying for a long time that the model Y was too expensive to buy, while the company has been working to redesign the thing to make it much less expensive to build.
ElectricIAC
Good-Natured Rascal
Pricing is anything but stable in the traditional auto sales world.
I could pull up a desk log with such a disparity in pricing that it would make your head spin, and that’s just in one day.
And while the legacy automakers may not change base list pricing there is a thing called rebates which may or may not be customer facing.
This - exactly this has been my point. Legacy auto dealerships have had similar percentage differences charged to different customers on the same business day.
I don't recall timing, but prices dropped 10% or more after I bought my 3 in 2019, but I'll still be going back to the well - maybe now or maybe later when its time to replace wife's car. Someone has to take that depreciation hit so that the masses can get cheap used EV's
there is a reason they do rebates instead of base price cuts. Let's look at it from another angle. How many financial institutions just had their a+ loan turned into an upside down loan. The major lenders that were financing Tesla .The reason they do rebates is not to directly cut 20k or more value from collateral that the banks are holding. If were Tesla I would not give a penny back I would do any of a few things which really is more about customer service and brand stability. If I were any bank/CU and someone came to me with a Tesla I would require a much larger down payment because I couldn't predict the values in a traditional depreciation calculation. So if I were Tesla as I said before I would offer unlock code for FSD/FSD Lite depending what you paid which would cost me nothing, it would give Tesla tons of data and since fed may never be released its basically a band aid Tesla could offer that they may never deliver on and assist in bumping resale value of all cars affected assist the lenders have collateral with a higher value. 2 . I would offer anyone affected a trade in coupon towards a new Tesla which should increase my sales. Also I would think that this will shake future buyers confidence in the ricing of the brand so I would add the give aways so that they will feel Tesla Cares. Also it should help stock prices.
So, if I can summarize, lowering prices on an opportunistically overpriced product is a Bad Thing, especially if you then lower them again later.
How often do humans need to re-learn the economic lessons of buying on a bubble? I probably should have waited a year or three for the market in EVs to settle down, but while I knew it was extremely likely that there would be better economic choices to be had in the relatively near future I needed/wanted a new vehicle and chose to pay more than a "rational" amount for it. Though by some ways of thinking about it I've lost a few thousand dollars, I've also had a really nice car for several extra months. Sure I wish my timing were better, but overall I think that more sensible pricing will be a net benefit.
How often do humans need to re-learn the economic lessons of buying on a bubble? I probably should have waited a year or three for the market in EVs to settle down, but while I knew it was extremely likely that there would be better economic choices to be had in the relatively near future I needed/wanted a new vehicle and chose to pay more than a "rational" amount for it. Though by some ways of thinking about it I've lost a few thousand dollars, I've also had a really nice car for several extra months. Sure I wish my timing were better, but overall I think that more sensible pricing will be a net benefit.
howardnj
Member
I waited 256 days for my Y which finally arrived in September. Am I sorry that I missed out on the now lower prices? No!
My Y has been perfect and I love it.
Back in 2016 I purchased a curved 55 inch Samsung and paid $1999 for it
A 55 inch similar TV is a fraction of that price today. Should I have waited? No!
I enjoy my TV almost as much as I enjoy driving my 2022 Y
The price was reduced to spur demand and make vehicle purchases eligible for the Inflation reduction act tax credit.
Not bad points guys. If you read my post you notice that also didn’t complain about buying a few months ago when the price was higher. I’m mainly touching on the effects the largest and number 1 EV company can have on the auto finance industry and the overall market doing such a drastic drop.
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