What's your predicted loyalty to Tesla whenever replacing current car?

[ElectricTundra]

Until about a year ago I would definitely have gotten another Tesla ...for myself, and we were planning to get my wife an X earlier this year. The way they've treated us so far w/ the eMMC reimbursement spun me around 180°. I still hold out hope that Tesla will do the right thing but sadly my next will likely be a Porsche.

My wife is leasing a Lexus RX until a good BEV is available for her needs. She loved the X but is scared of dealing with the company.

Duct tape has kept my current truck going until I could get a Cybertruck but now am debating between a F-150 and R1T.

 

[dhrivnak]

Tesla has treated me well over the last 10 years, and I will look at them first. But I also want to keep an open mind. We just got a RAV4 Prime for towing our little trailer as I found towing with a Tesla is a terrible experience. Tesla definitely has the edge in charging, infotainment, and maps. But the phantom braking, and erratic autopilot steering is very frustrating. So as with most products there are good and bad points.

 

[El joe]

Things in the EV world change so fast. A few days ago, I was more than happy to sit and wait patiently for my Cybertruck reservation to be realized. Then the Lightning was introduced and now it’s a race to whichever one gets to me first. And just like that, my loyalty took a huge hit.

 

[ucmndd]

If my Model S were to be totaled tomorrow, more likely than not I’d replace it with a Mach E instead of another Tesla. I have a good relationship with the local Ford dealer and trust they would treat me right. They’ve undoubtedly got some software bugs to work out and the DC charging situation seems to be a sugarshow, but I’m confident they’ll be able to address the former soon and maybe the latter given enough time.

I still believe Tesla’s charging network is leaps and bounds ahead of anyone else, and for a long time that was the deciding factor for me. If we were an EV-only family, I’d probably stick with Tesla. But as it so happens my 4.5 year old 100k+ mile car has gotten so slow and unreliable when supercharging due to Tesla’s constant meddling and super aggressive taper that we didn’t even consider bringing it on our current ~2,000 mile road trip. We took the PHEV and haven’t regretted that decision for an instant. Petrol still reigns supreme for long-haul driving. The PHEV Pacifica usually handles around-town duty on 100% electricity, so I’m not feeling too guilty about a gasoline road trip once or twice a year.

 

[roblab]

No question here. Tesla is still technologically ahead of the others, but let's remember that their goal had always been to show that electrics were viable. They wanted other companies to see the light, that it could be done, and every major auto manufacturer has bought a Tesla to tear down and inspect, in detail. Do I care if someone is goony over the Rivian or the Ioniq or the Mach E? More power to them! My car (My fourth Tesla) is quiet, no rattles, no door handle issues, no MCU issues, and I think drop dead gorgeous. I'll put 100K miles on it, (like I did with my last two) and sell it, and buy another Tesla. Why not??? I've owned Toyotas with more problems, plus they had to have oil and filter changes every 7000 miles and air filters and tune ups and smog checks, OH MY!

 

[tengtengvn]

With the announcement of the F-150 Lightning, I bet many people are cancelling their Cybertruck reservation.

 

[ElectricTundra]

With the announcement of the F-150 Lightning, I bet many people are cancelling their Cybertruck reservation.

I would still get a Cybertruck if I thought Tesla was an honest and trustworthy company and I'm sad that I likely will not.

 

[SO16]

With the announcement of the F-150 Lightning, I bet many people are cancelling their Cybertruck reservation.

Perhaps. But the electric f150 was first announced in 2019. And people still reserved the CT. Granted, many will cancel for various reasons. Just like many will cancel the Rivian and Ford reservations.

 

[SO16]

I would still get a Cybertruck if I thought Tesla was an honest and trustworthy company and I'm sad that I likely will not.

Do you think Ford or VW is trustworthy?

 

[ucmndd]

Do you think Ford or VW is trustworthy?

Trustworthy is probably not the exact right term. For me, Tesla has lost my trust because their company policies and culture have become openly hostile toward their customers.

The dealer distribution model certainly has its drawbacks, but good dealers (and there are plenty of good VW and Ford dealers, along with some lousy ones) are highly motivated to be advocates for THEIR customers even when a manufacturer takes a hostile position.

That said, I do think Ford and VW have different attitudes about their owners than Tesla has come to.

 

[El joe]

With the announcement of the F-150 Lightning, I bet many people are cancelling their Cybertruck reservation.

I heard that a lot of people are canceling their CT reservations after the Lightning’s unveiling (just as people supposedly were when Elon “caused” the Bitcoin drop), but I still don’t see why. Why cancel either and lose your place in line? Doesn’t make sense to me. I plan on keeping both and cancelling one when they start production and my time comes up.

 

[SO16]

Trustworthy is probably not the exact right term. For me, Tesla has lost my trust because their company policies and culture have become openly hostile toward their customers.

The dealer distribution model certainly has its drawbacks, but good dealers (and there are plenty of good VW and Ford dealers, along with some lousy ones) are highly motivated to be advocates for THEIR customers even when a manufacturer takes a hostile position.

That said, I do think Ford and VW have different attitudes about their owners than Tesla has come to.

I guess the same could be send about some Tesla service centers being better than others. So far so good with mine.

 

[trekkie]

Unlike most folks who own Tesla it was my third EV. My first was a Bolt, then I got a used Fiat 500E for the teenagers, and finally swung getting the X to replace the Expedition.

My Bolt lease was up, and we gave it back this month. So Soon(tm) I need another car. Unlike a lot of folks, I have an extreme dislike for the model 3/y/CT cabin. I do not want a screen in the middle of the dash. I'm the driver, I want a display in front of me. FSD is marketing name, not a capability and I will be needing to drive or partially drive my car for years.

At the moment we have a Model S LR on order to replace the bolt. I looked very closely at the Mach E GT as an option, and have farted around on the Audi eTron Sportback. I was a big Audi person prior to going BEV.

The chip shortage has really messed up my ability to replace my car, but COVID has kept me from needing a daily driver. I commute for two hours a day so the cabin is important to me, and while I have had not a bad experience with my X at all, the lack of Apple CarPlay is annoying as I still have to touch my phone occasionally when the bluetooth integration gets wonky. I'm also disappointed in the constant price increase on the FSD option with little/no real gain. The X was a big purchase for me and I needed a year to be able to add on FSD, and instead of locking the price when you bought the car, the $4k increase has made it a non-spousal approval option because she currently has a kitchen remodel she'd rather spend that on, or something else because she dislikes the FSD as just the AP option has caused some butt clenching moments a few times.

So I'm a definite maybe, I like the car we own, the supercharging network is excellent and the largest selling point for this road tripping family. Though I will probably drive an Audi eTron soon, but on paper it doesn't look that exciting but it has gimmicky things in the cabin I like, like a HUD on the glass, and more importantly to me Apple CarPlay (and Android Auto) support

 

[TessP100D]

Unlike most folks who own Tesla it was my third EV. My first was a Bolt, then I got a used Fiat 500E for the teenagers, and finally swung getting the X to replace the Expedition.

My Bolt lease was up, and we gave it back this month. So Soon(tm) I need another car. Unlike a lot of folks, I have an extreme dislike for the model 3/y/CT cabin. I do not want a screen in the middle of the dash. I'm the driver, I want a display in front of me. FSD is marketing name, not a capability and I will be needing to drive or partially drive my car for years.

At the moment we have a Model S LR on order to replace the bolt. I looked very closely at the Mach E GT as an option, and have farted around on the Audi eTron Sportback. I was a big Audi person prior to going BEV.

The chip shortage has really messed up my ability to replace my car, but COVID has kept me from needing a daily driver. I commute for two hours a day so the cabin is important to me, and while I have had not a bad experience with my X at all, the lack of Apple CarPlay is annoying as I still have to touch my phone occasionally when the bluetooth integration gets wonky. I'm also disappointed in the constant price increase on the FSD option with little/no real gain. The X was a big purchase for me and I needed a year to be able to add on FSD, and instead of locking the price when you bought the car, the $4k increase has made it a non-spousal approval option because she currently has a kitchen remodel she'd rather spend that on, or something else because she dislikes the FSD as just the AP option has caused some butt clenching moments a few times.

So I'm a definite maybe, I like the car we own, the supercharging network is excellent and the largest selling point for this road tripping family. Though I will probably drive an Audi eTron soon, but on paper it doesn't look that exciting but it has gimmicky things in the cabin I like, like a HUD on the glass, and more importantly to me Apple CarPlay (and Android Auto) support

Well said. I’m so glad you saved your money on FSD. Good choice. Keep the wife happy with that remodel.

 

[ahkahn]

Trustworthy is probably not the exact right term. For me, Tesla has lost my trust because their company policies and culture have become openly hostile toward their customers.

The dealer distribution model certainly has its drawbacks, but good dealers (and there are plenty of good VW and Ford dealers, along with some lousy ones) are highly motivated to be advocates for THEIR customers even when a manufacturer takes a hostile position.

That said, I do think Ford and VW have different attitudes about their owners than Tesla has come to.

Just the words "So, what kind of payment are we looking for today so I know which cars to show you!" or "What can I do to get you into a car today?" are enough to remind me how much I f***ing hate dealers. It's kill or be killed when walking into a car dealership.

 

[jerseygirl18]

Curious what the sentiments are out there. I have to admit, as problems with my 2019 Performance Raven continue to go unfixed (eg, front half shaft "death rattle"), as I grow more and more skeptical of ever seeing anything close to FSD and as the competition matures from other, more traditional car manufacturers, I've gone from "Tesla for life!" to "Hmm, I think I'll have to look around" when it comes to my next car. I'm not replacing current car for many years to come, but I'm growing disenfranchised with Tesla as time passes, which is sort of a bummer.

AGREE Tesla has its shortcoming
s...Mostly with Service the car i love...the service & customer support is horrible...but i think the builtin infrastructure rivals all competitors..i also paid plenty for 2 hses to have the electric chargers installed...so i a.m. hooked ..much like i a.m. to anything Apple

 

[PrGrPa]

Just the words "So, what kind of payment are we looking for today so I know which cars to show you!" or "What can I do to get you into a car today?" are enough to remind me how much I f***ing hate dealers. It's kill or be killed when walking into a car dealership.

This. The sinking feeling of stepping into a car showroom, even with my professional negotiator SO, and feeling cheated irrespective of the deal was something I really liked NOT experiencing when I got a Model S back in 2018.

Could another manufacturer turn up with the right vehicle for me before Q4 2021? Maybe. But on what I've seen to date I'm skeptical.

I'm waiting for news of the Y's availability in the UK before pondering a lot and then probably ordering another Model S to replace my current Model S next year. I wonder about a Model X, just because, but they are expensive and not quite as pretty as the Model S. The Model Y I think would be the right car, but the Model S has been so good that I'm prepared to put practicality to the side and get the 'same' again.

 

[dipper]

Difference for me with Dealership is.... They want your money, so they will talk to you.

Tesla? Do they even care about making money? Not returning a call or email. You wonder if it is a scam sometimes.

Customer Service says a lot to me.

 

[ucmndd]

I guess the same could be send about some Tesla service centers being better than others. So far so good with mine.

To an extent, maybe, but service centers have very little autonomy these days. They take basically all of their orders from the mothership.

Just the words "So, what kind of payment are we looking for today so I know which cars to show you!" or "What can I do to get you into a car today?" are enough to remind me how much I f***ing hate dealers. It's kill or be killed when walking into a car dealership.

Agree, which is why I choose to kill vs. be killed. I’ve bought two new cars in the last 18 months and had both deals completely done via email/text on my terms. Never leave anything to chance at the dealership. Covid has changed the dealership sales model for the better, sleazy sales pressure is harder from social distance.

 

[whitex]

.

I guess the same could be send about some Tesla service centers being better than others. So far so good with mine.

As the Elon's focus on profit narrows, service centers may not have an option to be as great as they used to. I've been driving Model S'es since 2013. Service used to be stellar. Over the years I got to know a few of them, from the manager to the foreman and techs in the shop. They were all great people offering stellar service. But, they get their wings clipped when corporate says things like "tell the customer screen yellowing is the customer's fault for exposing the screen to oxygen and sunlight" - I had a service advisor trying to keep a straight face telling me this. I asked "really?" and all they could do is say "yes". The very same advisor who used to be great and reasonable, now has to stick to Elon's "every penny counts", leaving them with no option but to provide crappy service and for example threaten customers to charge them diagnostics fees if they keep bringing in a car for a problem the service center cannot reproduce even though the customer has a video of the problem happening.

That is the biggest advantage of the dealer service model over the Tesla model - dealers don't have a conflict of interest to fix your car as they make money on every service/repair, while Tesla loses money on each and every one (under warranty of course, I presume things like charging $800 for a door handle replacement post warranty has some profit built into them), so they are incentivized to do as little of them as possible, whether by refusing to do it, or simply reducing the overall service capacity (which results in long waits so bad for customers, but less repairs done per quarter is savings for Elon).