Why bother to pre-order the new Model 3 (or whatever it is called now)

[Tam]

My credit card gives me 1% cash back on purchases...

I never thought about it when it comes to a deposit.

Thanks, very wise investment indeed!

 

[Auzie]

First of all - thank you.

You're welcome

Second - it's quite interesting, that the most obvious reason i.e. pissed-off customer, alludes you.

The specifics of who you are allude me. I find these specific details irrelevant.

It is more relevant that it does not allude anyone here that you are someone who is pissed off at Tesla, by your own admission. It is quite transparent from the language in your posts. Perhaps you can tell us why. That would be relevant. If the stated reason is nonsensical, it will be disbelieved.

 

[Tam]

...A lot of folks, who ordered cars in the lover price range are quite unhappy after waiting for two years and then for one more year and ... apparently for one more year again.

That's fair that owners may need lots of patience with Tesla timeline.

 

[MTL_HABS1909]

I hope it's a royal "We". Because, I doubt you really have enough ground to speak for more then yourself.

I'm pretty sure he speaks for all of us.

 

[Krugerrand]

I was not really hiding the fact I had Mod X reservation.

Whaaa? So the assumption we must make is that someone who cancels a reservation is automatically a pissed off customer. And again,

 

[cfttester]

Perhaps you can tell us why, that would be relevant.

I hope, you read the title of this topic. Because, reservation process makes no sense. And essentially it's a complete waist to put a deposit if you plan to buy anything except Signature edition or a top of the line modification. It's not clearly stated when you are going through the reservation process.

Sorry, for re-iterating it again and again.

 

[cfttester]

I'm pretty sure he speaks for all of us.

One more royal "we"?

 

[Tam]

People are assuming that Model 3 will be delayed...

I think it is better to expect the worst delay rather than to promise an earliest possible date.

Historically, with each model, Roadster, S, then X, an initial ramping up takes time.

It's possible that Model ≡ will not need a slow ramping up time but I would not encourage people to ignore the past.

 

[Auzie]

I hope, you read the title of this topic. Because, reservation process makes no sense. And essentially it's a complete waist to put a deposit if you plan to buy anything except Signature edition or a top of the line modification. It's not clearly stated when you are going through the reservation process.

I asked for the reason why you seem to be pissed off at Tesla so much to be moved to start a thread like this. You reply (above) that the reason is that the Model 3 reservation process makes no sense.

Your reply makes no sense to me.

....
If the stated reason is nonsensical, it will be disbelieved.

If I do not like a business reservation process, then I just ignore that business, it usually does not piss me off to such a degree to move me to log on to a customer's forum to disparage the business.

 

[cfttester]

If the stated reason is nonsensical, it will be disbelieved.

Nonsensicality of a reason quite often depends on observer.

 

[Tam]

...for sure that base Mod 3 will have fast charging support?

Nothing is for sure until a price is finalized.

The trick is how to strip all options down to fit a price of $35,000.

In the past, a base Model S did not include Supercharger indeed!

However, Tesla updated its policy that ALL, even barebone, models must have Supercharger.

If that policy continues, there's no reason that barebone Model ≡ would lack Supercharger.

 

[JRP3]

One more royal "we"?

I give the forum members more credit than you. Most of us do indeed know what we are talking about.

I hope, you read the title of this topic. Because, reservation process makes no sense. And essentially it's a complete waist to put a deposit if you plan to buy anything except Signature edition or a top of the line modification. It's not clearly stated when you are going through the reservation process.

Sorry, for re-iterating it again and again.

Sorry, but it's a waste in your opinion, which obviously none of us seem to share. Repeat it all you like, you don't have any data to support your claim, and you still seem unaware that there is no Signature edition for the Model 3. You also have no idea when Tesla will start adding lesser optioned models into the mix, so you have no idea how much sooner a reservation might get someone their car if they reserve early. You also have no idea if someone might be in a position to upgrade their order in the future, which an early reservation would allow them to get the car even sooner. There are in fact a number of good reasons to reserve early, but hey, keep trying to talk some people out of it, that only moves the rest of us up a bit further.

 

[Auzie]

Nonsensicality of a reason quite often depends on observer.

That is true.

If I understand your post correctly, you just confirmed to me with your post above that you are pissed off at Tesla because their model 3 reservation process makes no sense to you.

It does not make sense to me that anyone would be pissed off at Tesla to the degree that you seem to be for such trivial reason.

 

[JRP3]

Nonsensicality of a reason quite often depends on observer.

Right, when a crazy person starts babbling nonsense it's because of all the sane people around them...

 

[ohmman]

I've stayed out of this insane thread for a while, mostly because (forgive me) it is way too TM Forum style. But.. I'll just say the reason I'm reserving a Model ☰ is to stay active on this forum. Otherwise, I'll get my Model X and probably disappear. It's a lot more fun to keep all of you looking at my avatar and dealing with my ridiculosity for an indefinite amount of time.

 

[Oil4AsphaultOnly]

This thread went in a wrong direction...
My intention was not to discuss expected features of Model 3 (that I don't know anything about) or compare it to an upcoming competitors (that I know very little about), or to find-out that the most important feature of Tesla cars is, apparently, Supercharger . My point is quite simple - before considering to put a deposit for Mod 3 you should check Model X forum for the current experience with reservation process at Tesla Motors (70D Model X Delivery Start for example). A lot of folks, who ordered cars in the lover price range are quite unhappy after waiting for two years and then for one more year and ... apparently for one more year again.

cfttester, if you're sincere, then your post above pretty much provides all the answers in my opinion.

You placed a model X reservation in 2012/2013 (before significant supercharger roll out), and in the intervening years you never kept abreast of the company (not saying that's a bad thing, just your prerogative) and its mission. It seems that you had expected everyone else here (or maybe just most of us) to go into the model 3 reservations with equal naivety. Perhaps you need to realize that most people here know exactly what we're getting ourselves into and have more than a superficial understanding of what's in store for the next 2-3 years.

Granted, there will be plenty of people who don't comb this forum and will indeed be surprised with initial production quality and that the high-optioned model 3 will be built before the base model 3 (despite reservation order), but that's a different topic.

You being upset about Tesla's reservation process is one thing, and there's no excuse for the poor communication that caused it (which is why Musk mentioned that the high-optioned model 3's will be produced first during the conference call to avoid any doubt). The early production quality issues is also a known factor amongst the forum members (happened to model S AND X). And I'm sure there will be some new issue that crops up during the production process for the model 3 as well.

None of this translates to any reason why we would choose to withhold our support for Tesla to deliver the model 3. Which is what that deposit represents, a sort of kickstarter-funding as well as a placeholder before the rest of the unwashed masses gets a chance to order one.

 

[Yggdrasill]

That's fair that owners may need lots of patience with Tesla timeline.

True. Especially if you don't reserve as soon as possible. If Tesla hits 500k reservations before launch, that's like 2-3 years of production. Reserving at launch doesn't necessarily translate into 2-3 years of additional waiting time, as this depends on location, options, and a few other factors, but it might.

(And if one doesn't trust Tesla's production ramp up timeline, it becomes even more important to reserve as soon as possible. A slow ramp might mean that those 500k reservations will be 5 years of production, or something similar...)

 

[Tam]

...And if one doesn't trust Tesla's production ramp up timeline...

I first made my deposit for my Model S in March 2009 and I didn't get it until December 2012. That's almost 4 years (3 years and 8 months to be exact, but that's still a long time. I could have dropped dead by then.)

If it's faster this time, then it'll be a pleasant surprise.

But otherwise, waiting is nothing new in Tesla department for me.

 

[dsm363]

Thank you, for correcting me. Twice is too good for the Supercharger. IRL the CHAdeMO provides about 110A versus 126A for 85kwh battery. For 70kwh the difference will be negligible. Proof link below.

110A? Are you sure you have that correct? Supercharging is much quicker than the CHAdeMo stations that are deployed in most of the US at least. Do you know of any above 100kW CHAdeMO stations anywhere in the US?

And why is it a waste to place a deposit if you plan to get anything other than the fully optioned version? If you want an early car and a decent chance of getting the federal tax credit you want one of the first cars.

 

[cfttester]

110A? Are you sure you have that correct? Supercharging is much quicker than the CHAdeMo stations that are deployed in most of the US at least. Do you know of any above 100kW CHAdeMO stations anywhere in the US?

Check the article DC Quick Charging Battle Just Beginning: CHAdeMO Vs. SAE Combo Vs. Tesla Supercharger - Inside EVs
Basically:
Bringing the required power to the charger includes both the cost of the hardware as well as the cost of connecting to the grid at the required level. The majority of utility companies around the world supported CHAdeMO’s view in eventually setting the most appropriate power level at 50KW.

And why is it a waste to place a deposit if you plan to get anything other than the fully optioned version?

Because your early deposit will give you very little if any priority over. Check the Model X forum. Unless, of course, you believe Tesla will collect 500000 pre-orders by April 1st.

If you want an early car and a decent chance of getting the federal tax credit you want one of the first cars.

Federal credit is a very much an unpredictable target. And it looks like you will be better of to get the tax credit if you order the car with the bigger battery option with or without early reservation.