Who did NOT get the tech package?

[DITB]

For the delivery tally for Hong Kong, where we expect the first (RHD) deliveries some time towards the end of July 2014, of 24 TMC users, 100% have gotten the tech package.

I am curious - who didn't get the tech package, and how do they feel about it today?

If there are very few cars like that, it might some day become a collectors item.

Did you regret not​ getting it?

 

[tliving]

Small numbers but about 85% of buyers get the technology package. It enables so many other things. For the stats:
Tesla Model S by the numbers | Tesla Living

I personally wouldn't consider not buying the tech package but then again I bought the car more for the technology than anything else

 

[DITB]

Small numbers but about 85% of buyers get the technology package. It enables so many other things. For the stats:
Tesla Model S by the numbers | Tesla Living

I personally wouldn't consider not buying the tech package but then again I bought the car more for the technology than anything else

85%?

I just haven't yet heard of someone who didn't get the tech package, so that is why I wonder - who didn't get it, and do they regret not getting it.

 

[Tacket]

I did not get it. I do not regret it based on the feature set available at the time. If I were buying new I would get it as they have changed the feature set since purchasing my vehicle (VIN 13xxx).

 

[DITB]

I did not get it. I do not regret it based on the feature set available at the time. If I were buying new I would get it as they have changed the feature set since purchasing my vehicle (VIN 13xxx).

Good to hear someone finally, who didn't get it, and that you didn't regret it.

 

[arg]

Only one out of 53 early buyers over on the UK section of the TM forums didn't select tech package. Over here, I suspect the fact that you have to have tech pack before you can order parking sensors is a significant factor (this car is too big for our roads!).

I also wonder what the impact will be on the future navigation features (promised for V6 software etc.). Tech package at the moment gets you the offline routing, non-tech just the google maps: will future enhancements make the offline nav less important, or will many of the new features be tech-pack only?

 

[Mnlevin]

My question is why would someone want the tech package? for $3500 you get, a turn by turn navigation (gps is already in the car) and a rear hatch that goes up and down by itself (I am capable of putting it up and down with either arm) and door handles that present when approaching (I just click the fob and they open when I approach) and some additional things that will add expense when they break. The standard stuff has been more than adequate for me.

 

[tiblot]

My question is why would someone want the tech package? for $3500 you get, a turn by turn navigation (gps is already in the car) and a rear hatch that goes up and down by itself (I am capable of putting it up and down with either arm) and door handles that present when approaching (I just click the fob and they open when I approach) and some additional things that will add expense when they break. The standard stuff has been more than adequate for me.

Not sure if or when these were added, but there's more stuff:

LED Cornering/Daytime lights
Homelink
Driver profiles
Auto Folding/Dimming/heated mirrors

 

[golfski]

I did not get it either. I don't really regret it, but not sure if I would forgo it again. The only thing I cared about was the key-less entry, but I had a misunderstanding about how the non-tech key-less entry worked. I thought that without the Tech package, you just had to touch the handle for it to unlock and present, I was wrong . Tesla employees really need to be trained better and have access to cars with/without all possible options to truly offer advice to consumers on what to get and what not to! You actually have to double click the key to enter the car. Homelink would have been another cool feature to use, but again, not needed. I could care less about folding mirrors, driver profiles, DRL, auto-liftgate and cornering lights, but did want navigation but didn't want to pay so much for it. For me, not having the tech package means that I need to click buttons on remotes (key/garage door) instead of having it done automatically.

I did some research though, and navigation can be added on later. If you have no tech package, but do have premium sound, this is a $1000 software activation. If you don't have the premium sound (like me), then you need to get a whole new infotainment center, which is 6k! So, I didn't want to spend $3750 on navigation, I certainly don't want to spend 6k! But, if you just want navigation and premium sound, then that might be a better use of your money.

 

[ecarfan]

If there are very few cars like that, it might some day become a collectors item.

I think that possibility is highly unlikely. What is more likely is that because almost all Model S cars sold to date have had that option, a used S without the Tech Package will be either harder to sell of worth many thousands less because it will be far easier to find a used S with that option. I think the Tech Package is totally worth it and am glad I got it. That said, I think most of the features in it should be standard on a car as expensive as the S.

 

[brianman]

I've always thought it a little odd to get a "tech car" without the "tech package". Put another way, I suspect Tesla hoped/expected the package to have a high "attach rate". If they didn't want it so, they would/should have gone with a different name.

 

[seanahan]

85%?

I just haven't yet heard of someone who didn't get the tech package, so that is why I wonder - who didn't get it, and do they regret not getting it.

It should be clear that TMC is not a perfect representative sample of Tesla owners. I would bet that the tech package is one such area. People who post on forums tend to perceive themselves as more tech savvy, leading them to want to get the tech package.

 

[dsm363]

It should be clear that TMC is not a perfect representative sample of Tesla owners. I would bet that the tech package is one such area. People who post on forums tend to perceive themselves as more tech savvy, leading them to want to get the tech package.

I definitely agree on your larger point but still would guess well over half of people getting this car would get the tech package for the Nav and other features because it is required for parking sensors and other options as well.

 

[paco3791]

I didn't get the tech package and I haven't really missed it. If funds were no barrier I would have gotten it but that was most certainly not the case for me, and because of the significantly lower budget cars I was driving up to now I don't really notice the lack of extra features. No regrets and the car still has miles of tech compared to the competition even without the "tech package".

 

[karmamule]

My question is why would someone want the tech package? for $3500 you get, a turn by turn navigation (gps is already in the car) and a rear hatch that goes up and down by itself (I am capable of putting it up and down with either arm) and door handles that present when approaching (I just click the fob and they open when I approach) and some additional things that will add expense when they break. The standard stuff has been more than adequate for me.

> I use turn-by-turn navigation frequently, and not needing to use my phone is convenient
> Self-presenting lighted door handles are wicked cool
> I wanted LED daytime running lights and driver profiles
> For wintertime heated mirrors are a big plus here in New England
> Smart air suspension and parking sensors require tech package, and I wanted both of those too

So, for me, the tech package was an absolute must.

 

[paco3791]

> I wanted LED daytime running lights and driver profiles

I have both these features without the tech package although that may have changed since I picked up my car last October.

 

[youlikeadajuice]

I did not get it either. I don't really regret it, but not sure if I would forgo it again. The only thing I cared about was the key-less entry, but I had a misunderstanding about how the non-tech key-less entry worked. I thought that without the Tech package, you just had to touch the handle for it to unlock and present, I was wrong . Tesla employees really need to be trained better and have access to cars with/without all possible options to truly offer advice to consumers on what to get and what not to! You actually have to double click the key to enter the car. Homelink would have been another cool feature to use, but again, not needed. I could care less about folding mirrors, driver profiles, DRL, auto-liftgate and cornering lights, but did want navigation but didn't want to pay so much for it. For me, not having the tech package means that I need to click buttons on remotes (key/garage door) instead of having it done automatically.

I did some research though, and navigation can be added on later. If you have no tech package, but do have premium sound, this is a $1000 software activation. If you don't have the premium sound (like me), then you need to get a whole new infotainment center, which is 6k! So, I didn't want to spend $3750 on navigation, I certainly don't want to spend 6k! But, if you just want navigation and premium sound, then that might be a better use of your money.

Interesting...my car does not have tech but I can unlock and open by simply pushing the handle of the driver's door. I can also open the trunk while locked with the key just in my pocket. I have an early VIN so perhaps the behavior is different on earlier cars?

I also do not regret forgoing the tech package...the only thing I really missed was navigation, and that was not worth $3750 to me. My non tech car came with LED DRLs, lighted door handles, premium interior lighting, and electro chromatic mirrors. Parking sensors and heated/folding mirrors weren't even an option when I ordered. I also have air suspension which didn't used to require tech.

 

[karmamule]

I have both these features without the tech package although that may have changed since I picked up my car last October.

The design studio now lists both those features (driver profiles and LED DRLs) under the Tech Package so yes it is now required. Looks like they've been tweaking the tech package to make it feel necessary to more people.

 

[yobigd20]

The design studio now lists both those features (driver profiles and LED DRLs) under the Tech Package so yes it is now required. Looks like they've been tweaking the tech package to make it feel necessary to more people.

If they've been moving things that were standard into the tech package it does nothing to tesla except increase their margins for people who buy without the tech package.

 

[Chas F]

I didn't get the tech package and don't regret it either. I bought my car more than a year ago when the feature set was different. Back then, driver profile (a biggie for me) was included with my leather seat package. Parking sensors did not exist. For me, the only interesting features were navigation and self-presenting door handles. I reasoned (helped by less than deep pockets) that the door handle thing would lose it's novelty eventually and just touching the handles to present was almost as good. I rarely use navigation as I am almost never in an unfamiliar place. My Iphone is an adequate standin. At the end of the day, those features were not worth $3750 (plus tax) to me.
If I were buying today, it would be a different story because of how it's packaged. I may upgrade anyway in a few years.