I'm an owner of a MS, and a fan of Tesla vehicles, so I hate to hear that there's cancellations happening. I also have to say that I was not at the rollout, have not watched any media clips, but have been reading the comments. However, it seems to me that Tesla is maybe a bit too avant-gard in designing and producing an unconventional vehicle, that happens to be powered by a superior battery and traction system.
If it weren't for the battery pack and dual motor traction system (and the 17 inch display), the MS could be compared to the late model Jag, or the Maserati Ghibli. There's quite a bit of gee-wiz but unproven technology in the MS, and now, the MX. As I just passed one year of MS ownership and 47,000 miles, I have a more objective assessment of my MS. One DU replacement (and soon to be a second one), as well as a non-retracting door handle has been the extent of my problems, but I worry about the technology over the long haul. If the touchscreen fails, so much for controlling the majority of the vehicles' functions. In 5 or 10 years, do I expect the technology to be as reliable? I don't think so. Putting a $5000 display in a used car worth $60K is far different than the same display in a more depreciated vehicle worth $30K. Will a MS be worth only $30K in 5 years. I would think so, since the battery pack will be degraded, and the 8 year, unlimited warranty doesn't cover a degrading pack.
My point is that technology for technologies sake isn't the best reason to implement. Sure, some owners say they'll just trade in their old one when the factory warranty expires, but I'm not in that position, and I want this car to last.
Now, why am I bringing this up on the MX thread?
I think that Tesla has again produced a technological marvel. I worry about the technology that has made it's way into the MX. Tesla's implementation of their gull wing doors are extremely complicated. What will happen if sensors fail on the door? Will the owner be waiting by their MX, since they may not be able to walk away with the door left open. I also am concerned about long term reliability. There has been so much in flux with the final release of the MX. Sure, QC can exercise many iterations of door opening, etc, but the only really reliable and accurate way to determine longevity is for the clock to tick away. I also worry about things that others may not. Does the mechanism work when the grease is 5 years old, has combined with dust, and maybe absorbed water? Will the battery pack degrade faster if you do tow often, particularly in mountainous and hot climates, and particularly since range degradation is not covered.
A CUV/SUV at > $100K is a serious chunk of money, even if you don't have to count your pennies. The MX is an unusual vehicle, but then again, so was the Nissan Qube (Cube?), and the Aztec. Just because the design studio has the purse strings (and the ok to do something) doesn't necessarily mean that it's a great long term strategy.
What I'd hope to see from the MX is a BEV AWD vehicle with a highly configurable payload capability and options:
1) 6 and 7 passenger seating for the soccer moms
2) Nothing behind the front seats but storage for the Bjorn Nyland's who want to carry cargo
3) Towing capacity of > 5K lbs for the trip with the jetski's or boat
4) Easy SpC access. I don't like hooking / dropping a trailer, but certainly not to SpC
5) Fold-down seats for working between options 1 and 2, on the fly, for the occasional garage sale trip (or Costco run)
A final thought that I have is still relating to the technology that is not necessary in a BEV, but adds to the wow factor of Tesla. If the warranty covers the initial years of ownership and it's a problem, Tesla takes the hit to their bottom line. When the vehicle is out of warranty, then the free-market value will prevail, and the owner takes the financial hit If the reviews show problem areas, like the DU on the MS, even if Tesla extends their warranty, there will be hits to the vehicle and it's value. If Consumer Reports, or any of the car magazines (and particularly the ICE-loving slant) start to rip into a problem area, then it could be a financial nightmare for those who don't have far-reaching or unlimited financial resources.
What I think might happen, further down the road, is that hopefully just a few Tesla vehicles that need a few expensive repairs will hit the market. Someone will step up and see how a kludge or aftermarket solution could be installed. This will exclude Supercharging capabilities, as well as likely precluding network connections including Tesla server connections, software and map updates and broadband connectivity.
Sure, those features would be sorely missed, and an entire book could be written about a limited function MS. It sort of ties in with a salvage title MS right now.
Now, back to the MX release. How reliable do you think the MX will be, both short term and long term? Falcon doors? Seat system? Sensors? Additional options?
Scotty
If it weren't for the battery pack and dual motor traction system (and the 17 inch display), the MS could be compared to the late model Jag, or the Maserati Ghibli. There's quite a bit of gee-wiz but unproven technology in the MS, and now, the MX. As I just passed one year of MS ownership and 47,000 miles, I have a more objective assessment of my MS. One DU replacement (and soon to be a second one), as well as a non-retracting door handle has been the extent of my problems, but I worry about the technology over the long haul. If the touchscreen fails, so much for controlling the majority of the vehicles' functions. In 5 or 10 years, do I expect the technology to be as reliable? I don't think so. Putting a $5000 display in a used car worth $60K is far different than the same display in a more depreciated vehicle worth $30K. Will a MS be worth only $30K in 5 years. I would think so, since the battery pack will be degraded, and the 8 year, unlimited warranty doesn't cover a degrading pack.
My point is that technology for technologies sake isn't the best reason to implement. Sure, some owners say they'll just trade in their old one when the factory warranty expires, but I'm not in that position, and I want this car to last.
Now, why am I bringing this up on the MX thread?
I think that Tesla has again produced a technological marvel. I worry about the technology that has made it's way into the MX. Tesla's implementation of their gull wing doors are extremely complicated. What will happen if sensors fail on the door? Will the owner be waiting by their MX, since they may not be able to walk away with the door left open. I also am concerned about long term reliability. There has been so much in flux with the final release of the MX. Sure, QC can exercise many iterations of door opening, etc, but the only really reliable and accurate way to determine longevity is for the clock to tick away. I also worry about things that others may not. Does the mechanism work when the grease is 5 years old, has combined with dust, and maybe absorbed water? Will the battery pack degrade faster if you do tow often, particularly in mountainous and hot climates, and particularly since range degradation is not covered.
A CUV/SUV at > $100K is a serious chunk of money, even if you don't have to count your pennies. The MX is an unusual vehicle, but then again, so was the Nissan Qube (Cube?), and the Aztec. Just because the design studio has the purse strings (and the ok to do something) doesn't necessarily mean that it's a great long term strategy.
What I'd hope to see from the MX is a BEV AWD vehicle with a highly configurable payload capability and options:
1) 6 and 7 passenger seating for the soccer moms
2) Nothing behind the front seats but storage for the Bjorn Nyland's who want to carry cargo
3) Towing capacity of > 5K lbs for the trip with the jetski's or boat
4) Easy SpC access. I don't like hooking / dropping a trailer, but certainly not to SpC
5) Fold-down seats for working between options 1 and 2, on the fly, for the occasional garage sale trip (or Costco run)
A final thought that I have is still relating to the technology that is not necessary in a BEV, but adds to the wow factor of Tesla. If the warranty covers the initial years of ownership and it's a problem, Tesla takes the hit to their bottom line. When the vehicle is out of warranty, then the free-market value will prevail, and the owner takes the financial hit If the reviews show problem areas, like the DU on the MS, even if Tesla extends their warranty, there will be hits to the vehicle and it's value. If Consumer Reports, or any of the car magazines (and particularly the ICE-loving slant) start to rip into a problem area, then it could be a financial nightmare for those who don't have far-reaching or unlimited financial resources.
What I think might happen, further down the road, is that hopefully just a few Tesla vehicles that need a few expensive repairs will hit the market. Someone will step up and see how a kludge or aftermarket solution could be installed. This will exclude Supercharging capabilities, as well as likely precluding network connections including Tesla server connections, software and map updates and broadband connectivity.
Sure, those features would be sorely missed, and an entire book could be written about a limited function MS. It sort of ties in with a salvage title MS right now.
Now, back to the MX release. How reliable do you think the MX will be, both short term and long term? Falcon doors? Seat system? Sensors? Additional options?
Scotty
