Will Tesla “ever” give early Reservation holders priority over new S/X owners?

[stefan.bc]

My car must be the exception
And the other people on the MX sub-forum.

 

[doublebo7]

If it's sitting in Tilford, then it already has a battery pack. The 100D isn't just a firmware thing, it's a totally different battery pack with a different internal design and a bunch more cells. If Tesla gave you an upgrade, you'd have to wait still more months for a new pack to get sent out from the factory, and they'd have to do something with the pack that's sitting in Tilford.

I know it's not what you want to hear, but I'm not surprised that they said no under the circumstances.

I see what you're saying however the car is in pieces in Tilburg, to swap the chassis with 100D is not a problem, after all it was done for customers who swapped to P100D from P90D

 

[Prestoward]

The real answer is no one knows. I was the first person to be in line at the Fort Worth store to reserve a model 3 (Tesla), in July I decided to go ahead and buy a model X. I asked the question about model 3 priority and no one could really give me an answer. They said that since I am a current owner I have priority over non-owners, but they didn't know if I jumped to the top of the owners list given my reservation time or if I was added to the bottom of the owners list given my delivery time of the X. All the delivery calculators say that I am number 1(given owner status) or number 2(non-owner status) in the region.

 

[S3XY]

Wow, that was a lot of money spent just to move up one spot.

 

[strider]

I'm with the people who say "who cares". There are probably a reasonable number of people like me who bought a Model S a while ago and now want a Model 3. But do you imagine there are many people who never previously bought a Tesla and now suddenly want to buy a Model S/X and a Model 3 at the same time? I can't imagine it makes the slightest bit of difference. So yeah, I could see them always giving priority to existing owners, because if somebody does want to buy 2 Teslas at once, why not?

I think the looming tax credit expiration has people more on edge than they were for S/X or will be for Y. Of course there were still plenty of whiners during S/X but they were just that, whiners. For Model 3 there will be a day where 1 person gets a $7,500 discount and the next person doesn't. It will suck to be the person on the line (like the last person to get AP1, or whatever) but it will happen. I do hope that Tesla goes everything they can to maximize like stuff non-USA cars as they approach quarter end so they are a couple cars short of 200,000 at the end of the quarter and then ship as many USA cars as they can the next quarter. But the fact remains that someone will be the first person to not get the credit and that could blow a hole in their ability to buy a Model 3.

So while I have stated clearly in this thread why I think it's a good idea for Tesla to start w/ Employees, then current owners, and then new owners we should all be understanding and patient as people try to figure out where they are and figure out their purchase budgets.

 

[Zaphod]

I think the looming tax credit expiration has people more on edge than they were for S/X or will be for Y. Of course there were still plenty of whiners during S/X but they were just that, whiners. For Model 3 there will be a day where 1 person gets a $7,500 discount and the next person doesn't. It will suck to be the person on the line (like the last person to get AP1, or whatever) but it will happen. I do hope that Tesla goes everything they can to maximize like stuff non-USA cars as they approach quarter end so they are a couple cars short of 200,000 at the end of the quarter and then ship as many USA cars as they can the next quarter. But the fact remains that someone will be the first person to not get the credit and that could blow a hole in their ability to buy a Model 3.

So while I have stated clearly in this thread why I think it's a good idea for Tesla to start w/ Employees, then current owners, and then new owners we should all be understanding and patient as people try to figure out where they are and figure out their purchase budgets.

But it doesn't go from $7500 to $0 after the 200,000 delivery. It first goes down to $3750 for 2 quarters and then $1875 for 2 more quarters. Granted going from $7500 to $3750 sucks, but can't imagine it would impact that many people to either get the car or not.

 

[DarthPierce]

But it doesn't go from $7500 to $0 after the 200,000 delivery. It first goes down to $3750 for 2 quarters and then $1875 for 2 more quarters. Granted going from $7500 to $3750 sucks, but can't imagine it would impact that many people to either get the car or not.

Won't affect if I get one, but it would likely remove some 3-4k (high margin) option from my order - which affects Tesla's bottom line...

It's in Tesla's best interest to absolutely maximize the number of people getting the highest possible credit.

 

[JeffK]

For Model 3 there will be a day where 1 person gets a $7,500 discount and the next person doesn't

It doesn't work that way. It'd have to be at the end of a quarter and the next day would be the cutoff to 50%. Every single person to take delivery on the last day of that particular quarter will be eligible for the full credit.

But the fact remains that someone will be the first person to not get the credit and that could blow a hole in their ability to buy a Model 3.

You wouldn't get the tax credit anyway until after you file your taxes... you will be purchasing the car at current the price of the car. (It's not an instant rebate )
If their budget is that tight then either they shouldn't be purchasing the car or they may not even make enough money to be eligible for the full credit anyway.

Since it is a non-refundable tax credit, if you don't make enough money to claim 100% of it, then you lose the rest.

 

[sports4eva115]

I think what Strider means is that one person will get 7500 tax credit and the next will get 3500. Of course everyone will do their darnest to be in that former group.

 

[JeffK]

I think what Strider means is that one person will get 7500 tax credit and the next will get 3500. Of course everyone will do their darnest to be in that former group.

yes, but never on the same day.

 

[shrspeedblade]

Keep in mind too that among Model 3 buyers there may be a higher likelihood of some buyers not even benefiting from the full 7500 as JeffK mentioned, I don't think you'll see a lot of cancellations from people who don't make the 7500, plus aren't you already committed? I expect there will be some mad as H people posting on the forum come early April or July 2018 though!

 

[JeffK]

Keep in mind too that among Model 3 buyers there may be a higher likelihood of some buyers not even benefiting from the full 7500 as JeffK mentioned, I don't think you'll see a lot of cancellations from people who don't make the 7500, plus aren't you already committed? I expect there will be some mad as H people posting on the forum come early April or July 2018 though!

I honestly think Tesla will do Canadian deliveries of the Model 3 if they need to in order to stay under 200,000 until Q1 2018. July 2018 would be the 50% credit then.

 

[EVNow]

... then finally to existing owners who will be more understanding than someone who has never owned an EV before. And when you think of all the handholding that has to be done with most new EV owners, that overnight level of customer service could crush Tesla.

Non Tesla owners <> new EV owners. A lot of us have a lot more EV experience than a lot of S/X owners !

Getting back to OP's question - the simple answer is we don't know, since Musk or other Tesla execs haven't answered this question. I even tweeted this question to Musk - which he didn't answer (I'm sure he gets a ton).

What we know is that priority depends on several factors.
- Reservation time : Earlier the better
- Employees, Tesla car owners (alas not stock !) : Employees first, then car owners, then others.
- Geography : Near to the factory first, then the west coast, then "rest".
- Trim/options preference : Higher trims/options first.

We have no idea how all these factors interact with each other. If anyone claims they know, I'd like to see how.

BTW, having reserved around 1 PM (on west coast), I think I'll get the 3 sometime between Q2 2018 and Q4 2018.

 

[bonnie]

Non Tesla owners <> new EV owners. A lot of us have a lot more EV experience than a lot of S/X owners !

True . But new EV owners make up a very large subset of 'no previous Tesla' buyers. No insult intended.

 

[strider]

yes, but never on the same day.

Where did I say it would be on the same day? There is going to be one person who will take delivery at the end of the day on the last day of the quarter and the next person to take delivery will do so on the first day of the next quarter and therefore the cost of the car will "rise" by $4,000 for that person.

Further, I'm well versed in how the tax credit works, thank you. My point above stands. Some people will pay less for the exact same car than others because of the sunset of the tax credit. I'm glad you're Mr. Moneybags and can make pronouncements about who can afford what. $4,000 is a lot of dough and a significant percentage discount, even on a well-optioned car.

My only point was to be patient w/ everyone while this gets sorted out. Two years from now it won't matter but as we run up to the tax credit sunset tensions will be high.

 

[ModelNforNerd]

You may or may not find yourself in a position to personally help your fellow Model 3 purchasers.


Say you're following the delivery numbers, and you know Tesla is rapidly approaching 200K. It's the end of March 2018, and your Model 3 is about to be delivered. If you can hold off until April 1st, maybe...just maybe....you're the one that takes deliver of #200,000 in the US....the day AFTER Q1 ends. Your procrastination helps to put everyone in Q2 and Q3 "in the money" before the phaseout begins.

Something to think about if you're ever in that position.

 

[Az_Rael]

Won't affect if I get one, but it would likely remove some 3-4k (high margin) option from my order - which affects Tesla's bottom line...

It's in Tesla's best interest to absolutely maximize the number of people getting the highest possible credit.

I don't know how much visibility we are going to get for deliveries as the tax credit is phasing out. Odds are, by the time we near the first credit drop quarter, you may have already confirmed your car and received a VIN. If it looks like you won't be delivered until after the quarter ends, making changes at that point in the process might delay you car even more putting you at risk of missing a another quarter and more credits. It's going to be a tough decision if folks really need that credit to buy the car they configured.

I predict the gnashing of teeth here in the forums once the credit is phasing out and people are just missing the full credit will be pretty epic.

 

[dsvick]

Where did I say it would be on the same day?

Right here ...

For Model 3 there will be a day where 1 person gets a $7,500 discount and the next person doesn't..

There is going to be one person who will take delivery at the end of the day on the last day of the quarter and the next person to take delivery will do so on the first day of the next quarter and therefore the cost of the car will "rise" by $4,000 for that person.

Further, I'm well versed in how the tax credit works, thank you. My point above stands. Some people will pay less for the exact same car than others because of the sunset of the tax credit. I'm glad you're Mr. Moneybags and can make pronouncements about who can afford what. $4,000 is a lot of dough and a significant percentage discount, even on a well-optioned car.

My only point was to be patient w/ everyone while this gets sorted out. Two years from now it won't matter but as we run up to the tax credit sunset tensions will be high.

Since it is a tax credit it has no bearing on what anyone pays for the car, regardless of the amount of the credit that someone gets the price they pay for the car will be the same. Yes, there are things they can do with the credit once they receive it to make the financial impact of the car less, but the cost will always be the same.

I do agree we all need to be patient though. I can easily see things getting way out of hand with all the potential "I should be in front of you" and "why are they so special" comments that will undoubtedly start showing up as we get closer to the end of the year.

 

[dsvick]

You may or may not find yourself in a position to personally help your fellow Model 3 purchasers.


Say you're following the delivery numbers, and you know Tesla is rapidly approaching 200K. It's the end of March 2018, and your Model 3 is about to be delivered. If you can hold off until April 1st, maybe...just maybe....you're the one that takes deliver of #200,000 in the US....the day AFTER Q1 ends. Your procrastination helps to put everyone in Q2 and Q3 "in the money" before the phaseout begins.

Something to think about if you're ever in that position.

Very noble words .... never going to happen, but very noble

 

[ModelNforNerd]

Very noble words .... never going to happen, but very noble

True. The more likely scenario is that Tesla does it all on their side. Your delivery date mysteriously "slips" a week with no explanation.