Why I Cancelled My Model 3 Order and am No Longer a Tesla Fan

[ohmman]

mod note: 25 posts moved to snippiness. I'm going to lock this thread if people can't stop attacking each other personally. Also, those of you who used disparaging terms should note that doing so again here or elsewhere at TMC will result in an immediate temporary ban.

 

[Stellavator]

In fairness: Tesla uses the same shipping companies as everyone else. A fraction of vehicles (I believe when I looked into it it was about half a percent) develop cosmetic damage at some point during the shipping process. With a dealership, though, when cars arrive they inspect them all for damage, and any with damage go in for repairs before they go out to the lot. Customers never see the damage; it's already fixed and hidden before the car shows up on the lot. With Tesla's lack of "dealership lots", all of the warts of car transport are exposed to the customers. If you're unlucky enough to get a car that gets damaged, you absolutely will know about it. And be stuck waiting.

People need to remember this: dealerships frequently hide shipping damage from you. Usually just paint scratches or the like, but I've even seen some really egregious examples.

This is 100% correct. There are many body shops around that have contracts with dealerships to manage the inevitable transport damage. Truckloads are brought in regularly from local dealerships. And the customer never knows. Just a reality, and a problem for Tesla because they don't have the dealership infrastructure to manage these issues.

 

[Robmil]

I had a similar situation as your.
When they first offered me the time window for delivery in mid-July, I was also on a trip.
They can not hold the car before my return (~ 2 weeks).
A day before I returned, I emailed my sales advisor and asked him to search for a new VIN for me. He was pretty helpful and found me a new VIN in a day and schedule a delivery in the next couple days. Probably because I am in Bay area so finding a new VIN is not that hard.
And probably in your case, you won't wait for another 4-6 week I think. They are really making the car fast now.

But interestingly, i confirmed several time with him that the delivery is in Fremont, not a home delivery. On the day of delivery when I checked in at Fremont, they told me the car was scheduled for home delivery. Fortunately I arrived the delivery center early and they had not driven the car to my home yet, so I still took my car in Fremont. There is certainly some miscommunication inside Tesla.

 

[diamond.g]

This is 100% correct. There are many body shops around that have contracts with dealerships to manage the inevitable transport damage. Truckloads are brought in regularly from local dealerships. And the customer never knows. Just a reality, and a problem for Tesla because they don't have the dealership infrastructure to manage these issues.

So are we all thinking Tesla should capitulate and go with the dealership model? Folks don’t seem to have a problem choosing what is on lots. Wonder if that mean Tesla would have to do traditional model years so folks don’t get picky with changes.

 

[Msjulie]

Regardless of all going wrong, I prefer no dealerships (or stealerships as they are often colloquially known) for Tesla

 

[cmyke]

I will never understand the logic of “I’m so mad that I’m getting it late, I won’t get one at all. That’ll show ‘em!”

A year from now, would you really feel that extra couple months? I’d be filled with regret seeing people driving around in their 3, knowing it could be me if I had just waited and let another month pass.

You were out of the country anyway. It’s not like you were going to drive it.

 

[P85_DA]

I will never understand the logic of “I’m so mad that I’m getting it late, I won’t get one at all. That’ll show ‘em!”

A year from now, would you really feel that extra couple months? I’d be filled with regret seeing people driving around in their 3, knowing it could be me if I had just waited and let another month pass.

You were out of the country anyway. It’s not like you were going to drive it.

...plus u miss tax credit