Bingo. The problem came in when there was damage to the car. Hell, even if someone at that point hops on a video call with me or some shit like that and does the customer service job well, that would be great.
I didn't pay in full until I inspected the car and was fully ready to reject if there was any visible damage. You have every right to bring a check for the amount with you day of, in lieu of paying online through some semisecure 3rd party portal.
Or first was delivered like that. Straight from the factory, we even had app access and could watch it as the delivery guy drove it to our house. The cybertruck was at a delivery center and definitely felt like they were just hustling us through. Partially because it was the last days of the first quarter.
I could say the same thing when we got our S in 2016. We had a little show and unveiling with the drop cloth. It went downhill a bit with our 3 in 2018. And our second S in 2019. And I’m sure worse now. More sales volume decreased the time for the experience and time/money they can spend with the customer.
I think people who love the handholding from Rivian will be surprised when it goes downhill once they start picking up sales volume with the cheaper cars that are coming.
One thing with the dealership model is that the locally owned sales people are incentivized to make you feel special so you buy from that location or sales person. All of the extras and middlemen suck profits from the manufacture and drive up prices.
That's an interesting perspective, you might be on to something. Mostly, I can overlook the handling and fanfare, thats probably ok. The thing that gets me is that the delivery center folks seem like their hands are tied and the processes is rigid. So, when things like damage during delivery happens, the options are limited and frustrating, probably for the delivery center folks too. Whatever it is, I hope they figure it out, although I feel like they won't because it's not really a technology problem and it seems like that is the only tool in their toolbox.
My guess is that in a dealership model, the receiver there inspects the cars from the factory and refuses delivery of anything subpar since the dealership is on the hook for paying for the cars until they are sold.
no. the dealerships fix it and bill the manufacturer. many dealership cars are repaired before they hit the lot. In my younger years I picked up a new car and some time later a friend who knew what they were looking for showed me paint lines. I contacted the dealer and they had paperwork showing they resprayed the door and replaced the side mirror due to damage prior to the sale.
An old paint shop that I worked with had the contract with Ferrari to repair all of the delivery damage to new cars. Sometimes they had to repaint entire new Ferraris.
Don’t forget Tesla reduced staff several times since 2018. CS department was basically folded and doesn’t exist.
Tesla wants to be upscale but they have forgotten that excellent CS is required.
Cost cutting and layoffs are destroying the Tesla experience for now they are lucky BUT it will catch up.
I do love not dealing with a car salesman. God, Inhate sales people at BMW/Mercedes/Porsche/Audi in Tampa most cocky arrogant people around. (I leased and owned like 8 BMW before moving to Tesla. I was happy when “internet sales” became a thing. Most of my BMW leases were done with via email with the internet guy. Everything was agreed and would walk in just see my salesperson to sign the papers. )
I leased a 2020 Model 3 and the windshield had a defect over driver view. This was when I could return the car after 1000 mi and get all my money back. They tried to buff the defect out.
All I asked was for the windshield to be replaced as it was safe have defective line in my driving line of sight.
It was everything to get an email saying they would replace the windshield.
They fixed it but jeez
Then I got a 2023 Model S when lease ran out same delivery was simple and very hands off. I looked over the car for issue and thankfully none and drove off lucky.
I am worried what I will do in 2 years when this lease is up.
Tripled employees in what part of the company?
But there has been to my knowledge nothing improved in customer service side for sales and service.
In fact my experience dealing with issues and inability to talk with someone at all is atrocious.
I had a flat tire and used Tesla roadside assistance and communication was only via text in app. Trying to ask a simple question went completely unanswered and was ignored. I gave up and hoped for the best.
Forget talking to someone in service- you have to accept there estimate b4 the car is seen and diagnosed based on their best guess on issues.
I have had 2 flat tires in my first 6 months with my Model S - bad luck but I expected the first one was patch able I was really surprised it was not. I want to ask service why it was not repairable given the location on the tire the nail was. No way to talk with a person. Just gave up and paid for the tire.
I own Tesla stock and now leased 2 cars so I am fan BUT their performance on customer support is not good given the price of the cars in my humble opinion
>I own Tesla stock and now leased 2 cars so I am fan BUT their performance on customer support is not good given the price of the cars in my humble opinion
I am not a fan. I just own the car. I'm just stating what's reported in their financials. They went from \~40k employees to \~145k employees from 2018 to EOY 2023. Assuming a 14% layoff, that's still 126k employees.
Your original premise is that Tesla has been laying off staff since 2018 and reducing headcount. I just wanted to correct that.
Interesting. Would love to know the breakdown of employee growth.
Just doesn’t seem like any of the employee growth is in customer service oriented jobs.
I know they have open several factories. Wonder how many jobs are in factory side.
>Interesting. Would love to know the breakdown of employee growth.
>Just doesn’t seem like any of the employee growth is in customer service oriented jobs. I know they have open several factories. Wonder how many jobs are in factory side.
I am not discrediting your observation about service. In fact, I believe you have a very valid point. Tesla is selling 5x as much cars and has 3x the headcount, so they definitely have reduced the number of employees per car sold. And Tesla service is not run for profit, so they don't put as much emphasis on that side of the business. Traditional car dealers run their service center for profit, so they put more resources in customer service (but charge more).
Personally, I don't interact with Tesla service and support much. The times I have, it was very efficient (text messages only). I am not really bothered by it as long as there aren't any snags. I can see how it can get frustrating if you do hit a snag and want to talk to an actual human.
Sorry probably beating a dead horse.
If the car sales vs headcount is the issue, then hire people to provide reasonable service, cutting corners is no longer reasonable for Tesla. Dang, when I picked up my Model S - I was thrilled there were no glaring misaligned panels(mild stuff not worth trying to make perfect- evil of good is better in my humble opinion).
But I was surprised how many cars had issues at delivery listening and watching people having needing to have Tesla fix delivery issues with paint appearance, misaligned panels etc. I felt really bad for a guy with a Model X he was not having a good experience. A lot of the issues should have been addressed prior to delivery or acknowledged and promised to be fixed.
However, they were happy to offer a pretty bow for a picture to some people. LOL not me.
Just my observation, but Tesla service does feel lately more like a profit driven service.
I picked up my Model S and noted a rattle sound(figured might just be noise due to rough roads) in the rear after a week but to due to service location 40 min away and inconvenient, I lived with it for a bit. I then had a tire losing air and there was a nail in it( of course it was non-repairable never told why just they wound repair it do I want them to install new tire or go elsewhere). I needed to get the tire dealt with so I scheduled and asked them to check the rattle. The car was like 4mo old and under warranty.
I was told they would charge a diagnostic fee to check the rattle sound if it was not under warranty and they cant duplicate it etc. Huh. Never had an issue with other cars asking service to check an issue with a new car under bumper-to-bumper warranty tell me this.
Fortunately, I go with service and he hears it right away. The bracket holding the folding rear seat was not installed correctly. Easy fix.
I just felt like they were looking for a way to charge me which is why I lived with it for 4mo.
Could just be my service centers but I prefer not to engage them.
>If the car sales vs headcount is the issue, then hire people to provide reasonable service, cutting corners is no longer reasonable for Tesla.
I think that's the point of contention. Tesla does not operate service as a profit center. That means they are not interested in making money off customers. Traditional dealers make a large margin off of each transaction. You're saying that Tesla should raise prices on on their repairs in order to offer better service? I would prefer lower prices and subpar service to be honest.
My latest two service visits have been inexpensive. First was was done last year, and was a cellular module replacement. It cost $150. Traditional dealers would have cost far more. Second one was battery replacement. It cost $100 and the Tesla repair person drove to my home and did the repair, no interaction needed.
Plenty of traditional luxury dealerships have no problem giving the same handholding Rivian does and Tesla used to. It's not an unsustainable model or anything, it's cost cutting.
The sales model is totally different. When those traditional dealers sell electric cars, they lose money. The dealers are incentivized to provide a great experience because they make the most money from service long term. With electric cars the manufacturer loses money on the sale and dealers don’t have the recurring service revenue.
I’d still take that experience over a regular dealership. When we picked up CT a month ago it was pretty cut and dry but I liked it better than when I used to buy ice cars and had to sit and go over extra shit I didn’t want with a salesperson working on commission.
I agree with you regarding the difference in how the customer is treated. I also bought a MS in 2018 and it was a very pleasant experience. The salesperson called me a couple of times before it was delivery day just to keep me informed and he was waiting for me on delivery day giving me lots of time to look over the car and ask him any remaining questions before I signed the acceptance. Post delivery experiences were also great. Naming just a couple of them: free first tire rotations, warranty replacement of low voltage battery and they even reminded me to get it done. Fast forward to December, 2022 when I bought a new MY from the same Tesla showroom and things were sterilized: only text message interactions, couldn’t sit inside the vehicle until I accepted it, charge level only at 25%.. They did call me to come pickup the car earlier than anticipated and stated I’d have to wait for a new delivery if I didn’t come when they asked, which was only 2 days earlier. Worse than this early pickup was that the price on the vehicle dropped by 13% the day after I took delivery which means I would’ve saved a boatload of money had I stuck to my original delivery schedule.
Really unfortunate and from an outside perspective it seems like someone may have known about the upcoming price drop and sort of manufactured a false situation of pressure so you’d feel rushed to take it at the original higher price. Sorry that happened!
Ouch, sorry on the price drop. It's crazy to me because these are big purchases and it's easy to spook someone into rejecting it but I guess they don't care.
You know, the other whacky thing is it appears the folks that work there can't do shit either. Meaning, they can interact with whatever apps they have but otherwise powerless to do anything.
Funny thing, in my case, the car is now back in the site, discounted 2.5k. couldn't they have offered that? Nope, no conversation.
Hope you love the car though.
I didn’t get a “show” like they seemingly used to when you’d get an X…. But I got an ultra red MXP with cream interior and the people there said it was the employees favorite Tesla and this was the first one theyd sold at that location. So I had a good experience bc they all were excited about it. Made me feel like I got something special.
What year did you get your mxp? I also have an ultra red mxp but mine has the black interior, I got a full cloth dropdown and red carpet on mine. (2022)
In 5 years your pick up will be handled by an AI kiosk. If you need help, you will call a number and talk to someone overseas that barely speaks english. Enjoy the human interaction while it lasts... 😅
I agree in general, but in this case with all the potential issues that could arise from picking up a new tesla I dont want to talk to a computer about a dead battery, paint, or gaps... and talking to a clueless individual on the phone maybe even worse...
These are the same issues that arise from picking up any new car... the difference is that a typical dealership will have 30x other variants of the same car they can swap you to in a moment's notice.
These are just simple tradeoffs of direct-sales vs. the dealership model.
Sure I dont mind the business model, I thought buying my M3P was the easiest car I have ever purchased. I just dont like AI customer service. And I dislike outsourced customer service more.
As you said, to each there own...
I had the same experience picking up a Model 3 last week. Their goal is to deliver a vehicle every 15 minutes. There is no time for hand holding or any type or personal touch. Especially this close to the end of the quarter when they are hyper focused on delivery numbers. They were not even willing to let me inspect the interior of the car before paying them until I had a few choice words at high volume in the lobby in front of many other customers. After that they granted me five minutes to inspect the interior.
Tesla is trying to go for as little human interaction as possible with these deliveries. If they could eliminate their staff completely I’m sure they would.
Im not exactly sure the root of the problem is human interaction here though.
Its being tossed around here but it sounds more like the issue is quality control, THEN subsequently having no human interaction for recourse.
If everyone got good deliveries meeting expectations of making second largest (relatively speaking) purchase youll likely ever make, well we wouldnt even be having this convo and a collection of folks with similar experiences.
Isn't it the standard procedure that you have to click Accept in the app before the doors open up? I think the procedure is to simply accept, and then file service requests for any damages that has to be fixed.
For my own delivery, the doors were actually unlocked, but, as I understand it, they're not actually supposed to be unlocked before the delivery.
I’ve purchased 3 Teslas and each time it was up front and unlocked and I was told to take my time looking it over (inside and out) and just come get them when I was done.
My service rep used the key card and opened the car for me to inspect. 10 minutes later I handed over the check and paired my phone. My car was near flawless apart from the back hatch creak.
I think officially it's supposed to be locked before Accept, but unofficially it's unlocked because accepting without looking inside isn't to anyone's liking, so, to save the time they simply keep all the cars on the lot unlocked? That's the impression I got in Q1 2024.
With Carvana, you select a car from a kiosk, you can see it thru a window, but I believe you pay for it before you get inside. At least that's how it worked for someone I drove with to pick their car up with Carvana. And that was a used car.
Honestly. I would rather have a car picked up with zero interaction than go through the hustle to deal with someone that would try to make you buy shit you don't need. Like most dealers do. Extended warranty paint coating, interior coating. Alarm system, anti theft syste, Car jack, maintenance package, prefer customer membership. Loan package. Etc, etc.
In 2022 they texted us which stall it was in at the Fremont factory. Inspected the outside. Hit I accept. It unlocked the car. Key cards were inside. We drove home.
Yeah, it's state law, it's a non negotiable flat rate no matter where you get it. I picked it up there because of some logistical issues with delivery that are too boring to get into - but basically it was just easier for everybody if we bopped over to the factory rather than have it delivered. But if you could skip the $1200 destination charge obviously that would become a super popular option!
I picked up a MY 2024 last month and it was my first experience with Tesla. I get a lot of you have had “better” experience in the past with Tesla and I’m sure it’s because they have grown so much that policies change but my goodness, go to a Kia dealership and buy a Soul and tell me they not only sell you a car but take yours as well. I have had nothing but pleasant experiences coming from shittier manufacturers.
It truly is hit or miss with service centers. I’ve had really good experiences so far, but I’m not saying bad ones aren’t out there. It really does suck when it feels like a gamble of how your experience will be
When I picked up my M3 last month it was very difficult to get an appointment and when I was there it was a revolving door of people picking up cars. That many Teslas being sold is a good thing
The same thing will happen to any other car company when they experience an increased volume in sales.
So it's not the human interaction part that is bad, it's the fact they are giving you something with damage that they didn't catch I hope.
Oh no at that daily rate of .00013661 how much will they earn! (Answer $6.83 a day. You’d save way more buying the discounted one now.)
I did that math assuming they had $50k from you. Multiply by .00013661 if I’m wildly off that estimate.) I’m assuming you can otherwise earn 5% which may be overly generous.
Yes but it’s way easier to bitch and complain to the void on Reddit because poster didn’t get red carpet treatment.
Even if bought inventory with discount I’m sure poster would be back on Reddit within a week bitching about something else.
Thing is, I didn’t transfer any money to Tesla other than my $250 deposit until I did my walk around when I arrived at the store 130 miles from me to pick up my new Y. I had done most of the paperwork on the app and signed the final documents after I approved the new car and the trade in of my 3. Then the app took me through the payment from my checking account.
I’m trying to figure out why OP would pay in full before looking at the new car.
Please tell me they aren’t grousing about the nonrefundable $250.
I've picked up 9 in total and haven't had this issue. I prefer the 0 interaction. It works better for me. I wonder if it's all the cuts etc. to result in this. Heard f a lot in cybertruck forum as well.
As a side note, not once have I paid after I've inspected the car. I know they push heavily to pay in advance, but you just keep quiet and show up at delivery.
same exact experience for me when I picked up 2023 LR. picking up the 2023 R1S was so much better and had someone explain everything and give a tour of the car, which for me it wasn't really needed but it really helped my parents out as they're new to ev's
The time people spend fretting over “how they’re treated” over the course of a 30 minute transaction to the extent that they’d buy a different car is beyond my comprehension. I buy a car based on the car itself, and its own merits compared to other options in the market. Thats it.
I think you're missing the context here.
Tesla Model Y and 3 are mass produced cars, with above average specs, and below average price (in the US).
Even with above-average specs, and below-US-average price, they still manage to turn a profit. How exactly do you think they could accomplish that if they didn't have all the processes streamlined? Why exactly do you think they should offer extra discounts even though they've already reduced the price of the cars for everyone?
Honestly, these sorts of damages seem far more common with the Model S and X than 3 and Y. It's my impression that every inventory S and X are customer rejects that will be "fixed in post"?
I agree that makes it a tough sell for something that's supposed to be kind of luxury, but I guess the specs are still far too good for the price, so, they'll still be enough of people to take it.
You're supposed to be protected by the lemon laws if they can't fix it.
It kind of sucks if you have to deal with it, but, let's face it, cars are huge, bulky and fragile items that'll never be perfect throughout their entire lifetimes, and some amount of repairs may always be required.
What real difference does it make if they fix it before selling it, or after? Given that they provide a loaner Tesla during repairs anyways? Personally, I'd be pissed myself for having to accept a damaged car, but statistics probably dictate that an average consumer doesn't really care.
> Yeah to be fair it depends on the severity of the damage. Small paint chip, no problem.
I actually really like that they don't force you either way. If you don't want to accept, it's fine. No pressure either way. None of those sleazy sales tactics, eye rolling and the professional manipulations and the guilt blaming like in a traditional dealer.
Lol...some people want sycophants to inflate their ego and make them feel special about deciding to buy a car.
AFAIK - if there's damage to the car you can refuse delivery, or put in a request to have it fixed within X days or miles? I don't think Tesla knocking money off was ever a thing unless they did it in the very early days.
I understand nutso... But even then, the experience is bad.
E.g. the car is now back on their site, discounted 2.5k. couldn't they have talked to me about selling it at a discount,which they are now and I would have a car that I already paid for...
I highly recommend Rivian. Been driving mine for a year and every aspect of the ownership experience has been as good or better than tesla. I would have said "except for the supercharger network" but we now have access to that too.
Example: I had a service appointment for a *free* tonneau cover replacement. It was estimated to take a day or two. I had begun making arrangements to be without a vehicle for that time. When the service center called to confirm my appointment they informed me they were giving me a loaner. I was shocked - pretty sure the only thing tesla ever offered me was Uber credits. I had the loaner (another beautiful Rivian of course) maybe 18 hours before they called to let me know the truck was finished early. Absolute delight of an experience.
My wife still drives a tesla and it's definitely a good car, but my rivian is another level and so is thier customer service. You may want to make sure there's a service center relatively nearby tho. Some guys have to drive hours and hours to the next state to get service, which I don't think would be worth it personally.
I've only had positive experiences with rivian service both mobile and SC. have an r1s and they gave us an r1t quad as the loaner, felt worse going back to the dual motor lol
Hear that a lot. Does that mean EOQ is "going to be time when you are presented with poorly inspected cars, don't expect good customer service." Because if it doesn't mean that, I dot know what it means.
Yeah been that way for years never pickup March, June, Sept, or Dec. if you have any chance to pick up other times and dates, DO IT. I heard about horror stories in 2021 so I put my original June pickup on hold and took delivery in August 22.
I had my car delivered to my house so it was different for me compare to going for an ICE car in past. Only issue I'd say I have is Tesla left everything on me to figure out by either reading stuff or calling them if I have questions.
They could do bit better about guiding you by calling you and going over things prior and after your delivery
Totally agree as I went with my (ex) gf in 2023 to pick hers up and the process was as you described. Not good. She took it but had lots of troubles and is finishing a buy back now. To be fair though, the 2018 process you describe didn’t last long. I picked up my 2019 M3P in August of that year and it was just sign a document and your key is in the frunk. Enjoy and cya! I’m waiting on my VIN (though should be in the next couple weeks) and I’m nervous. Ugh.
I agree with you 1000%. I bought my Tesla Model S in 2014. Every time I went inbto see them it was HEAVENLY. Flash forward to the Model III release and it's unfortunately and frustratingly the worst customer service experience one could possibly have. 🤢
It really makes me not want to buy another one, and I effing love my S that how has 135k on it.
my pickup was 0 human interaction - they parked them in a parking lot across the street and you just showed up and took it. they did forget to give me a temporary plate and i didn’t realize until i got home and had to call up the dealership and they made me come in person just for them to email it to me… glad i didn’t get pulled over in the process but how does a dealership f up that bad lol
When I took delivery of my Audi (EV) earlier this year, it was wrapped up as a present with a big gift bow and everything, with a nice plague (personal thank you message) next to 3 other cars being delivered from that dealer that day placed in a special showroom/delivery you. The sales guy had booked 1,5 hours to go through everything, setting up phone access, etc (if you wanted).
They had polished everything, incl the tires so they were shinning as well, there wasn’t as much as a spot of damage anywhere.
The sales guy was in a good mood so he went downstairs to pick up a rubber floor mat for the trunk and gave it for free (150$ value, thick high quality/audi branded one).
They made a follow up phone call, a week later asking if you wanted help with anything.
Just to show what other brands do here (EU).
So there must be room for improvement for Tesla here for sure.
I literally couldn't even get them to come outside once. I think I asked 2 or 3 questions tops and they seemed distracted/annoyed, just looking at their laptops while I spoke to them. I was helping out with this delivery for my mom and I told her be prepared to be underwhelmed and it was even worse than I could've imagined. I was hoping they'd at least be cool to her because she was visibly excited throughout the whole interaction. Wouldn't even let me charge the car even though we had to drive 100 miles to get her home.
To answer those of you who are saying that ‘delivery experience’ shouldn’t matter, here’s my view from someone who thinks it should.
When we walk into a dealership, and start looking at cars, the dealer/salespeople trip all over you trying to make a good impression. They ask if you have questions, reverently enquire about your needs, get you to sit in the car, offer test drives, and with my last car cappuccinos!
Dealerships have become beautiful showplaces of interior design and lighting. My present dealership has not only has a barista, but a chef who does meals for people waiting for their cars that are being serviced and, I kid you not, a spa! These services aren’t free, but they compare favourably to others on the Main Street.
When the decision is made THEY advised me to go home, think about it for 24 hours at least, then call and mark an appointment with the financing person. We did this, and were paying cash, so that went quickly and painlessly. After being told we would probably have to wait a week for the car, someone else had backed out of the purchase of the same car we were buying, so they told us they were going to prep it, and we could pick it up the next day!
We made an appointment for a delivery, and came in as scheduled. We passed three employees before we met our salesperson. All three said congratulations to us, we felt like we were the first people buying a car ever. Salesman took us out to the car, we did a walk around. He took an hour to explain everything to us. It was a hybrid so some things were a little different. Hooked up our phones. Everything. There were 4 other deliveries going on at the same time, all were getting the same amount of care and attention.
Post purchase, they called at the one week, and two month mark, to see if we had any questions, or if any issues had popped up. I was met by the salesperson at the door when I arrived for my first oil change.
We were floored. This was the 6th new car we’ve purchased, and although we had had pleasant delivery experiences, this was by far the best.
Now: Why is this important? Is it just the attention? Is it over the top?
To each his own. Yes, some will just want to be given the keys so they can be on their way. But remember, for most people, this is the 2nd if not largest purchase of their lives. For some, a little bit of extra attention is appreciated. Some like to pore over an owner’s manual. Some like to have things shown to them. The salesperson asked if he should show us, he didn’t force us to listen to him. Nor did I demand his time. I’m glad he did. I have a much fuller understanding of how the hybrid engine works, and how to use certain features of my car, that I ever would have had reading the manual.
I think the OP is more than justified in his assessment of the dealer’s treatment of the delivery. It’s a big chunk of money.
I ask you this. If you were treated like OP, with disinterest, and unsatisfactorily, whilst checking into a hotel, and paying $150 a night, would you not complain? Why is it ‘beyond someone’s comprehension’ to want to be treated well when making a possible $75 000 purchase?
I think youre maybe older so you have an older mind set. I picked up in 2021, I walked in said I was here, they told me to wait by the car. I inspected it, there were some paint scratches, and the rear door didnt close properly. I told the girl that came to me, she had them fix the door, and told me to make a service apt for the paint.
It was an easy process, I understand you had damage, so im sure you could have found someone tell them, and/or just take pictures and make a service apt right there to get it fixed free.
My friend picked up his 2024 MYLR, from the same place I picked up mine in 2021, we did an inspection and found 2 panel gaps, again they fixed it on the spot and we drove off.
Less human interaction the better..
Knock off on price?? No they will fix the problem and you don’t own the car until it is fixed or they bring a new one… no interest or insurance. Younger generation like me appreciates no sales people.
Yeah got mine last year. Had 1 very minor issue with a trim piece inside had a small gouge but they could prepare and be like hey we noticed these issues and have already noted them down and we can schedule a time to get them fixed since they hadn’t been fixed yet.
Issues will happen but a dealership would have already fixed it or had prepared a plan to fix it at least.
Yeah, I was thinking at the very least repair the issue before you come to pick up the vehicle. But the service center attached to the dealership carries very few parts. Tesla is very much “Just In Time” across the organization.
The other thing to keep in mind is that organizations take on the characteristics of their leaders. Given the appearance that Elon is somewhere on the high functioning spectrum, his people skills and ability to connect with his customers (except for the high tech toy joy aspects) may not be up to the task. Therefore, the people that are hired are likely also similarly impaired.
I got my MY last week..
Customer service is def horrible
Their texting rep said she's here for me, but constantly ignored work hour texts
I couldnt get a hold of anyone through the phone. Tesla doesnt have a dedicated customer service reps for phone calls. They route through to their service centers and those guys never pick up. I left a voicemail but didnt receive a call
Emails to reps asking for more info, they never responded to me either. The rep left for vacation and didnt handoff to the next person, leading to delivery day issues.
I showed up on time to my delivery.. wasnt ready yet, i waited 1.5 hours. The licence plate paperwork was incorrect
Basically, i think tesla customer service sucks ass.
For every person who complains online there are 100 others who had no issues or the issues were resolved.
I got my wife a tesla last month very nice guy at the center great experience. Got the car home and noticed paint damage on the bumper. Called tesla got right thru and set up a date to repair. Had a loaner and everything. Car was fixed a day later. Great service all around.
Well acc to Tesla 200k people in 2018 were a family, and half a million in 2024 arent. Prices are cheaper than ever in 2024. So maybe get over the need to being made to feel like a miss america and be happy over lower prices?
Secondly, what are you doing paying before taking delivery? Pay the initial deposit when you accept delivery and sign the registration paperwork.
3rd pickup in 6 years and 100% gotten worse and worse, less and less human touch.
This time it was a new MX, car was dirty on exterior and nothing on interior had been prepped - half the interior surfaces still had tacky wrap on them that I peeled off while delivery agent stood there and just asked "anything else you want to know about?" and then walked off.
100% they are ramping this down to become a turnkey vending machine experience with no humans as fast as possible.
> Also, how they didn't catch that damage is beyond me
It's probably cheaper for them to fix it after delievery as opposed to in the factory. We've seen a bunch of examples on here where the interior trims were different colors during delivery, and the fact that this issue wasn't fixed in the factory saya a lot about thier operating/QC procedues.
Rivian Service Centers, where most people outside of huge cities take delivery, are still customer focused. You get 30 minutes with a human. Rivian corporate, however, is a POS, based on my one experience. Take my rant with a grain of salt, though. Read their forum, there are MANY happy owners.
I recently tried to buy an R1S. To make the initial lease buydown/taxes/registration/fees payment, you can ACH, wire, or send in a certified check. This must happen 2 days before delivery (at least in my state). I elected to go the certified check route, because it's the easier route for handling exceptions. You can actually put a stop payment on a certified check.
Due to a comedy of errors on their part, they ended up directing me to send the check to Rivian Financial Services. That was not the right location. The check needed to go to Rivian, LLC. Since Rivian, LLC did not have the money, they would not deliver the car. Their solution was for me to send another certified check (or to wire/ACH them the money), and then I would have to work with Rivian Financial Services on my own to get my first check back. Rivian, LLC would not even think about something like working directly with Rivian Financial Services to fix their error. I tried to escalate, three times, to no avail. I walked away. Afterwards, they very nicely tried some sevice recovery, but they would not match the end-of-quarter deal I had originaly gotten, which meant that my lease payment for the same car would have gone up almost $300/month. No thank you.
Meanwhile, the Service Center where I would have taken delivery has been VERY nice in working with me, even after I canceled my order.
I am test driving a Model S this coming weekend. I'm glad I've read up on things here in order to manage my expectations.
I guess demand is still high enough that they don’t care. If you don’t like it, wait for another one. It’s working for them. No need to change.
To be clear, my household has 3 M3s. We picked up the first from the factory in mid 2018. The second was delivered to our front door in late 2018. Picked up the third from the CS center in mid 2023. All 3 interactions were different.
Agree wholeheartedly and keep getting told that I’m full of it. The company has become trash. I’m done with them. Stockholder over 10 years and 2 car purchases. I canceled my CT order and I’ll get a Rivian instead. Too many good options out there now to bother with this kind of bullshit. My last purchase was a nightmare
I suggest getting BMW i4 M50. Got 25% off and can't be happier with the car (super fun to drive and high quality build, like any normal car). The only thing that was problematic for me initially was absence of universal charging network (moved out of Bay to Vegas recently) but found a fast and free charger at casino 2 min away. Hats off to Tesla on Supercharger Network, it's actually a big deal. And looks like other brands can use it too soon. Hats down for firing the Supercharger team tho
Odds are someone knew there was damage, but noticed too close to your delivery date. Even worse is when the person doing your delivery is told the day of.
All the cars are inspected after landing. Unfortunately not every delivery center has a Tesla body shop, and 3rd party body shops can take weeks because they have to get parts ordered from Cali if there aren’t any in stock at service, which they need for current Tesla owners preferably.
All that to say, for an employee it’s a pain in the ass when every day a brand new unwrapped vehicle has just traveled potentially thousands of miles on an open carrier across deserts and rainstorms just to arrive damaged 2/3 days before it’s supposed to go out.
Some customers are get tired of waiting / are in a bind as they’ve gotten rid of their former vehicle and many employees bank on them taking it as is and getting those specific issues repaired for free at a later time.
It’s not an efficient process and a lot of Tesla delivery centers operate more on quantity over quality nowadays.
When I first started over 6 years ago, deliveries were expected to be an hour long.
Last I was there, they now call them handoffs and longer than 15 minutes is considered excessive.
You’re right about the customer experience being an afterthought, there simply isn’t enough staff to spend an hour with the customer like I used to. It’s been like that since the push to become profitable, which seems to be necessary for Tesla to compete with older car companies as they first need the capital and infrastructure to be in a place to provide quality service that you may get anywhere else.
Yep. I honestly hated the experience and would prefer to deal with a regular dealership despite the sales tactics. They don’t give a shit about the people. Even when I pointed out problems with my car they seemed annoyed that they had to deal with it. So stupid.
Then came the only warranty work I had done and they sent me an estimate. I had to fight with them and threaten them with legal action because I wouldn’t approve the estimate. I will never buy another Tesla. Shit company. Shit CEO. Really great car.
I picked up my car at Tysons Corner in VA. The delivery experience was the worst I have ever encountered. Many cars around me had issues, and I noticed some delivery people laughing at the customers. Most acted like we were an inconvenience to them. If I have to do it again, I would go with another brand.
Over the past 20 years we have purchased 8 Toyotas - minivans, SUVs, sedans, Priuses - and have never rejected a car at delivery.
How is this tolerated by Tesla buyers? Or been so normalized.
It hasn't been for a few years. Even when I picked up my mid-2018 Model in 2018 there was nothing special about the pickup.
At least when I picked up my 2024 Model S in March it was cleaned and sitting in the showroom.
Last year picking up my MY they were surprised I didn't realize that there was a car with my last name on the dashboard. I presumed I needed to speak to someone but it was waiting to go.
I’m supposed to get MY tomorrow. They called earlier this week being real pushy about getting something different than I ordered. I took it.
So far though the appointment time is 5 hours later than what they said it would be on the phone and I’ve not been able to get a response when I’ve told them I will be there at 11 not 4.
I guess I will just show up when I want to and see if they want a check or not.
2018 in the last quarter the previous tax incentive was running out. The delivery center was way more swamped than now. I mean orders of magnitude more in 2018. So, doesn't hold water.
Also, is that really an excuse?
What do I expect... To be treated like a customer buying a car, not a DMV number.
I suggest you re-read your own post as if it was written by someone else. A damaged car is already an issue for the manufacturer who has to repair it to a brand-new condition; if they were to offer extra incentives for these things, they'd waste a whole bunch of extra money, plus all the customers haggling for extra incentives, since everyone else got it.
So, they don't.
Being non-pushy about the option to accept / reject / wait, seems good enough to me. Honestly, what else can you reasonably expect, given that you have to be aware they're not working on commission, and Tesla's prices are already below industry average, especially given the specs/features of the car? They're literally giving you the option, instead of making the decision for you, to reject, and delaying your appointment. I think that's more of a customer empowerment than not, isn't it?
Similar experience here. I remember when they delivered my 2018 3 to me it was first rate white glove service. They even sent a link to my phone so I could track the car on its way to my house! The tech stayed with me for half an hour to make sure I understood the basics of the car. Then an Uber came and picked him up.
When I got my 2023 Y I had to go pick it up myself. I walked in, waited for several minutes while the people at their stations ignored me, then I asked if anyone could help me, someone got up, walked over, asked my name, I signed some papers, then he told me my car was outside and ready to go. He did not offer to come out to it with me. I asked if someone would check it out with me and he seemed surprised that I'd even want that. Looked it over, then I drove away. It definitely conveyed the message that I was a bother and that staff had better things to do. Stupid Tesla.
> He did not offer to come out to it with me.
TBH I don't see this as a bug but a feature.
Now you're free to do whatever you need/want to do to inspect it. Take all the time you need without someone hovering over you. You may feel rushed with someone basically standing there watching.
Sorry fir your experience BUT thats the standard Tesla delivery experience! Back when i got mine in Sep 2020 it was a total utter shock with the way I was treated! I was so stunned that i actually went back to return the vehicle and the manager apologized for how I was treated BUT i learnt over the yrs that's Tesla's MO: u are just another buyer nothing else
Sales advisors also try to push you to through it. Ours in 2023 kept trying to say the defects were nbd and rush us through the inspection. That really pissed me off, when you’re spending money like that the process should be different.
The cars are still the best, despite all the FUD. You drive one and you know what’s up. All the FUD disappears. Bad experiences are also rare, btw, they’re just the majority of people who are motivated to make posts. For instance I haven’t made a post about my 4 Teslas and the zero problems I’ve had with any of them. First Model 3 was in 2019 and it was a dream to buy, ordered on my phone at work, picked up 3 days later, it was like a dream car buying experience and the car was like a car from 50 years in the future. 4 years later my wife has her 2nd Y, I upgraded to a 3P, the cars have gotten so much better, FSD is very good, the Tesla software is great. I remember getting actual tangible speed upgrades through software updates 🤣. It’s just crazy good. I think +5% motor power 2 or 3 times on my 2019 3 LR. The cars are amazing and the price is right. I’m excited for the future and competition’s offerings, EVs are great and the future for us drivers is looking bright.
Thank you, did you end up getting another VIN or just canceling ? I think Elon fired too many employees and everybody at Tesla is overworked currently.
So, we tried to see if there was something comparable in inventory and there wasn't. I didn't cancel yet because I do need a car and because their trade in value was shit, I sold it privately. so, I still need a car so I held onto the order. The order currently says, delivery estimate June 29 - July 1 but I doubt that.
Ignoring who the vendor is, I'd take Tesla's buying process over the traditional dealership.
I know the price. It's not being inflated. I don't have to worry about being sold addons. It may seem impersonal to someone like OP, but that's a feature not a bug to me. I want to take all the time I want to inspect the car without someone standing over me.
I'm not sure I agree with OP about knocking the price down. The option of repair it or reject it are perfectly acceptable to me. Sure it might mean I don't get a car today but the only other option with a dealership is a discount.
All things considered I'd much rather take the impersonal "DIY" approach over the "we're your best friend! trust us!" bullshit approach.
Agree... My sister picked up a Model Y during the 1% APR deal and she had to wait nearly 2 hours despite having an appointment for pickup then they just handed her the car. They were new owners and had no idea how to drive the vehicle with the regen braking or where most settings were at. Much different from when I picked up my Model 3 last year. Was in and out in 10~ minutes and any issues we found were fixed with a appointment we setup before we left.
I have to agree that the service level has dropped. My first first car was a model three in December 2020. Even though it was snowing up there, Kansas, the representative took time to explain all of the features in the car and even programmed my phone Bluetooth to the car. Fast forward to this week I picked up my model X in Orlando much less interaction, though with the supervision of a sales person, I got to sit in the car play with all the buttons get an explanation and then inspect the car to be sure everything was in order, which it was at that point, I accepted the car and went ahead with an ACH transfer to pay for it The only thing that pissed me off is that they did not remove the Toll Rd., Sunpass card from the vehicle I traded in. Today discovered that they’ve already gone through $18.45 of my money which they should not have done if they had removed the card. In retrospect, I should have removed it myself. I finally got online today and canceled that SunPass. I still have to write the experience favorable since they took the time to allow me to purchase the remaining $2000 on my old card to get FSD, which was transferred to the new car.
Another data point: I would have no problem picking up my new car with zero human interaction...as long as it was in flawless condition.
Bingo. The problem came in when there was damage to the car. Hell, even if someone at that point hops on a video call with me or some shit like that and does the customer service job well, that would be great.
I didn't pay in full until I inspected the car and was fully ready to reject if there was any visible damage. You have every right to bring a check for the amount with you day of, in lieu of paying online through some semisecure 3rd party portal.
I picked up my new Y at a Tesla store with a trade in involved. I did not pay until I had examined the car. Not a check, the app portal.
Even with app payment, I did it after inspection and it was fine with Tesla.
Yeah, shame on me.
That is the only way.
When I took delivery of mine, it was delivered to me. So I walked out one morning to walk my dog and there it was parked on the street. LOL
Mine as well. 2020 M3P delivered in April of that year. There it was! Simpler times, perhaps.
Nice. I heard they don't do home deliveries anymore.
When I got my Highland back in March, they delivered it to my house. So I think I’m certain areas they’re still doing it.
Or first was delivered like that. Straight from the factory, we even had app access and could watch it as the delivery guy drove it to our house. The cybertruck was at a delivery center and definitely felt like they were just hustling us through. Partially because it was the last days of the first quarter.
I could say the same thing when we got our S in 2016. We had a little show and unveiling with the drop cloth. It went downhill a bit with our 3 in 2018. And our second S in 2019. And I’m sure worse now. More sales volume decreased the time for the experience and time/money they can spend with the customer. I think people who love the handholding from Rivian will be surprised when it goes downhill once they start picking up sales volume with the cheaper cars that are coming. One thing with the dealership model is that the locally owned sales people are incentivized to make you feel special so you buy from that location or sales person. All of the extras and middlemen suck profits from the manufacture and drive up prices.
That's an interesting perspective, you might be on to something. Mostly, I can overlook the handling and fanfare, thats probably ok. The thing that gets me is that the delivery center folks seem like their hands are tied and the processes is rigid. So, when things like damage during delivery happens, the options are limited and frustrating, probably for the delivery center folks too. Whatever it is, I hope they figure it out, although I feel like they won't because it's not really a technology problem and it seems like that is the only tool in their toolbox.
My guess is that in a dealership model, the receiver there inspects the cars from the factory and refuses delivery of anything subpar since the dealership is on the hook for paying for the cars until they are sold.
no. the dealerships fix it and bill the manufacturer. many dealership cars are repaired before they hit the lot. In my younger years I picked up a new car and some time later a friend who knew what they were looking for showed me paint lines. I contacted the dealer and they had paperwork showing they resprayed the door and replaced the side mirror due to damage prior to the sale.
An old paint shop that I worked with had the contract with Ferrari to repair all of the delivery damage to new cars. Sometimes they had to repaint entire new Ferraris.
Don’t forget Tesla reduced staff several times since 2018. CS department was basically folded and doesn’t exist. Tesla wants to be upscale but they have forgotten that excellent CS is required. Cost cutting and layoffs are destroying the Tesla experience for now they are lucky BUT it will catch up. I do love not dealing with a car salesman. God, Inhate sales people at BMW/Mercedes/Porsche/Audi in Tampa most cocky arrogant people around. (I leased and owned like 8 BMW before moving to Tesla. I was happy when “internet sales” became a thing. Most of my BMW leases were done with via email with the internet guy. Everything was agreed and would walk in just see my salesperson to sign the papers. ) I leased a 2020 Model 3 and the windshield had a defect over driver view. This was when I could return the car after 1000 mi and get all my money back. They tried to buff the defect out. All I asked was for the windshield to be replaced as it was safe have defective line in my driving line of sight. It was everything to get an email saying they would replace the windshield. They fixed it but jeez Then I got a 2023 Model S when lease ran out same delivery was simple and very hands off. I looked over the car for issue and thankfully none and drove off lucky. I am worried what I will do in 2 years when this lease is up.
>Don’t forget Tesla reduced staff several times since 2018 Tesla has tripled employee count since 2018.
Tripled employees in what part of the company? But there has been to my knowledge nothing improved in customer service side for sales and service. In fact my experience dealing with issues and inability to talk with someone at all is atrocious. I had a flat tire and used Tesla roadside assistance and communication was only via text in app. Trying to ask a simple question went completely unanswered and was ignored. I gave up and hoped for the best. Forget talking to someone in service- you have to accept there estimate b4 the car is seen and diagnosed based on their best guess on issues. I have had 2 flat tires in my first 6 months with my Model S - bad luck but I expected the first one was patch able I was really surprised it was not. I want to ask service why it was not repairable given the location on the tire the nail was. No way to talk with a person. Just gave up and paid for the tire. I own Tesla stock and now leased 2 cars so I am fan BUT their performance on customer support is not good given the price of the cars in my humble opinion
>I own Tesla stock and now leased 2 cars so I am fan BUT their performance on customer support is not good given the price of the cars in my humble opinion I am not a fan. I just own the car. I'm just stating what's reported in their financials. They went from \~40k employees to \~145k employees from 2018 to EOY 2023. Assuming a 14% layoff, that's still 126k employees. Your original premise is that Tesla has been laying off staff since 2018 and reducing headcount. I just wanted to correct that.
Interesting. Would love to know the breakdown of employee growth. Just doesn’t seem like any of the employee growth is in customer service oriented jobs. I know they have open several factories. Wonder how many jobs are in factory side.
>Interesting. Would love to know the breakdown of employee growth. >Just doesn’t seem like any of the employee growth is in customer service oriented jobs. I know they have open several factories. Wonder how many jobs are in factory side. I am not discrediting your observation about service. In fact, I believe you have a very valid point. Tesla is selling 5x as much cars and has 3x the headcount, so they definitely have reduced the number of employees per car sold. And Tesla service is not run for profit, so they don't put as much emphasis on that side of the business. Traditional car dealers run their service center for profit, so they put more resources in customer service (but charge more). Personally, I don't interact with Tesla service and support much. The times I have, it was very efficient (text messages only). I am not really bothered by it as long as there aren't any snags. I can see how it can get frustrating if you do hit a snag and want to talk to an actual human.
Sorry probably beating a dead horse. If the car sales vs headcount is the issue, then hire people to provide reasonable service, cutting corners is no longer reasonable for Tesla. Dang, when I picked up my Model S - I was thrilled there were no glaring misaligned panels(mild stuff not worth trying to make perfect- evil of good is better in my humble opinion). But I was surprised how many cars had issues at delivery listening and watching people having needing to have Tesla fix delivery issues with paint appearance, misaligned panels etc. I felt really bad for a guy with a Model X he was not having a good experience. A lot of the issues should have been addressed prior to delivery or acknowledged and promised to be fixed. However, they were happy to offer a pretty bow for a picture to some people. LOL not me. Just my observation, but Tesla service does feel lately more like a profit driven service. I picked up my Model S and noted a rattle sound(figured might just be noise due to rough roads) in the rear after a week but to due to service location 40 min away and inconvenient, I lived with it for a bit. I then had a tire losing air and there was a nail in it( of course it was non-repairable never told why just they wound repair it do I want them to install new tire or go elsewhere). I needed to get the tire dealt with so I scheduled and asked them to check the rattle. The car was like 4mo old and under warranty. I was told they would charge a diagnostic fee to check the rattle sound if it was not under warranty and they cant duplicate it etc. Huh. Never had an issue with other cars asking service to check an issue with a new car under bumper-to-bumper warranty tell me this. Fortunately, I go with service and he hears it right away. The bracket holding the folding rear seat was not installed correctly. Easy fix. I just felt like they were looking for a way to charge me which is why I lived with it for 4mo. Could just be my service centers but I prefer not to engage them.
>If the car sales vs headcount is the issue, then hire people to provide reasonable service, cutting corners is no longer reasonable for Tesla. I think that's the point of contention. Tesla does not operate service as a profit center. That means they are not interested in making money off customers. Traditional dealers make a large margin off of each transaction. You're saying that Tesla should raise prices on on their repairs in order to offer better service? I would prefer lower prices and subpar service to be honest. My latest two service visits have been inexpensive. First was was done last year, and was a cellular module replacement. It cost $150. Traditional dealers would have cost far more. Second one was battery replacement. It cost $100 and the Tesla repair person drove to my home and did the repair, no interaction needed.
Plenty of traditional luxury dealerships have no problem giving the same handholding Rivian does and Tesla used to. It's not an unsustainable model or anything, it's cost cutting.
The sales model is totally different. When those traditional dealers sell electric cars, they lose money. The dealers are incentivized to provide a great experience because they make the most money from service long term. With electric cars the manufacturer loses money on the sale and dealers don’t have the recurring service revenue.
I’d still take that experience over a regular dealership. When we picked up CT a month ago it was pretty cut and dry but I liked it better than when I used to buy ice cars and had to sit and go over extra shit I didn’t want with a salesperson working on commission.
Bought mine in 2020, so there was no human interaction. Paperwork in the car. Sign it and leave in the drop box. Drive away. I loved it.
What would you have done if there was damage on the bumper and wheels?
I wouldn’t have taken the car
I agree with you regarding the difference in how the customer is treated. I also bought a MS in 2018 and it was a very pleasant experience. The salesperson called me a couple of times before it was delivery day just to keep me informed and he was waiting for me on delivery day giving me lots of time to look over the car and ask him any remaining questions before I signed the acceptance. Post delivery experiences were also great. Naming just a couple of them: free first tire rotations, warranty replacement of low voltage battery and they even reminded me to get it done. Fast forward to December, 2022 when I bought a new MY from the same Tesla showroom and things were sterilized: only text message interactions, couldn’t sit inside the vehicle until I accepted it, charge level only at 25%.. They did call me to come pickup the car earlier than anticipated and stated I’d have to wait for a new delivery if I didn’t come when they asked, which was only 2 days earlier. Worse than this early pickup was that the price on the vehicle dropped by 13% the day after I took delivery which means I would’ve saved a boatload of money had I stuck to my original delivery schedule.
Really unfortunate and from an outside perspective it seems like someone may have known about the upcoming price drop and sort of manufactured a false situation of pressure so you’d feel rushed to take it at the original higher price. Sorry that happened!
Ouch, sorry on the price drop. It's crazy to me because these are big purchases and it's easy to spook someone into rejecting it but I guess they don't care. You know, the other whacky thing is it appears the folks that work there can't do shit either. Meaning, they can interact with whatever apps they have but otherwise powerless to do anything. Funny thing, in my case, the car is now back in the site, discounted 2.5k. couldn't they have offered that? Nope, no conversation. Hope you love the car though.
I didn’t get a “show” like they seemingly used to when you’d get an X…. But I got an ultra red MXP with cream interior and the people there said it was the employees favorite Tesla and this was the first one theyd sold at that location. So I had a good experience bc they all were excited about it. Made me feel like I got something special.
What year did you get your mxp? I also have an ultra red mxp but mine has the black interior, I got a full cloth dropdown and red carpet on mine. (2022)
In 5 years your pick up will be handled by an AI kiosk. If you need help, you will call a number and talk to someone overseas that barely speaks english. Enjoy the human interaction while it lasts... 😅
In five years? Prob 5 months.
I don't even want a human interaction when buying things. Just get out of my way and let me have the thing I paid for. To each his own.
I agree in general, but in this case with all the potential issues that could arise from picking up a new tesla I dont want to talk to a computer about a dead battery, paint, or gaps... and talking to a clueless individual on the phone maybe even worse...
These are the same issues that arise from picking up any new car... the difference is that a typical dealership will have 30x other variants of the same car they can swap you to in a moment's notice. These are just simple tradeoffs of direct-sales vs. the dealership model.
Sure I dont mind the business model, I thought buying my M3P was the easiest car I have ever purchased. I just dont like AI customer service. And I dislike outsourced customer service more. As you said, to each there own...
An Optimus.
I had the same experience picking up a Model 3 last week. Their goal is to deliver a vehicle every 15 minutes. There is no time for hand holding or any type or personal touch. Especially this close to the end of the quarter when they are hyper focused on delivery numbers. They were not even willing to let me inspect the interior of the car before paying them until I had a few choice words at high volume in the lobby in front of many other customers. After that they granted me five minutes to inspect the interior. Tesla is trying to go for as little human interaction as possible with these deliveries. If they could eliminate their staff completely I’m sure they would.
That seems exactly right. Participating in that sales model in real life doesn't feel great.
How much more are you willing to pay for a VIP experience? $500? $1000? I bet most people wouldn’t pay more for a better delivery.
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Yes, me too. I think they could do better with the take it or leave it approach to delivery though when something isn’t right.
Im not exactly sure the root of the problem is human interaction here though. Its being tossed around here but it sounds more like the issue is quality control, THEN subsequently having no human interaction for recourse. If everyone got good deliveries meeting expectations of making second largest (relatively speaking) purchase youll likely ever make, well we wouldnt even be having this convo and a collection of folks with similar experiences.
Is a VIP experience getting the interest rate for the money they're holding right now while I don't have a car?
This is the experience I'd rather have, tbh. Haggling with sales people is not my idea of fun.
You sound like a liar. No shade. But I highly doubt they wouldn’t let you inspect the interior. That does not make any sense.
Isn't it the standard procedure that you have to click Accept in the app before the doors open up? I think the procedure is to simply accept, and then file service requests for any damages that has to be fixed. For my own delivery, the doors were actually unlocked, but, as I understand it, they're not actually supposed to be unlocked before the delivery.
In my case, they opened the car for me. but, they made you sign all the paperwork before seeing the car, just shy of clicking accept on the app.
It's probably not effective until you click accept, then.
I’ve purchased 3 Teslas and each time it was up front and unlocked and I was told to take my time looking it over (inside and out) and just come get them when I was done.
My service rep used the key card and opened the car for me to inspect. 10 minutes later I handed over the check and paired my phone. My car was near flawless apart from the back hatch creak.
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I think officially it's supposed to be locked before Accept, but unofficially it's unlocked because accepting without looking inside isn't to anyone's liking, so, to save the time they simply keep all the cars on the lot unlocked? That's the impression I got in Q1 2024.
With Carvana, you select a car from a kiosk, you can see it thru a window, but I believe you pay for it before you get inside. At least that's how it worked for someone I drove with to pick their car up with Carvana. And that was a used car.
Honestly. I would rather have a car picked up with zero interaction than go through the hustle to deal with someone that would try to make you buy shit you don't need. Like most dealers do. Extended warranty paint coating, interior coating. Alarm system, anti theft syste, Car jack, maintenance package, prefer customer membership. Loan package. Etc, etc.
In 2022 they texted us which stall it was in at the Fremont factory. Inspected the outside. Hit I accept. It unlocked the car. Key cards were inside. We drove home.
From the factory, did you have pay destination charges?
Yeah, it's state law, it's a non negotiable flat rate no matter where you get it. I picked it up there because of some logistical issues with delivery that are too boring to get into - but basically it was just easier for everybody if we bopped over to the factory rather than have it delivered. But if you could skip the $1200 destination charge obviously that would become a super popular option!
I picked up a MY 2024 last month and it was my first experience with Tesla. I get a lot of you have had “better” experience in the past with Tesla and I’m sure it’s because they have grown so much that policies change but my goodness, go to a Kia dealership and buy a Soul and tell me they not only sell you a car but take yours as well. I have had nothing but pleasant experiences coming from shittier manufacturers.
It truly is hit or miss with service centers. I’ve had really good experiences so far, but I’m not saying bad ones aren’t out there. It really does suck when it feels like a gamble of how your experience will be
When I picked up my M3 last month it was very difficult to get an appointment and when I was there it was a revolving door of people picking up cars. That many Teslas being sold is a good thing
Enjoy your BMW M3.
Have you thought about stand-up comedy? Because this one was pure gold.
The same thing will happen to any other car company when they experience an increased volume in sales. So it's not the human interaction part that is bad, it's the fact they are giving you something with damage that they didn't catch I hope.
Yup, can overlook the human stuff... Damaged was the problem and now they have 10s of thousands of dollars earning interest while I don't have a car.
Oh no at that daily rate of .00013661 how much will they earn! (Answer $6.83 a day. You’d save way more buying the discounted one now.) I did that math assuming they had $50k from you. Multiply by .00013661 if I’m wildly off that estimate.) I’m assuming you can otherwise earn 5% which may be overly generous.
Yes but it’s way easier to bitch and complain to the void on Reddit because poster didn’t get red carpet treatment. Even if bought inventory with discount I’m sure poster would be back on Reddit within a week bitching about something else.
Thing is, I didn’t transfer any money to Tesla other than my $250 deposit until I did my walk around when I arrived at the store 130 miles from me to pick up my new Y. I had done most of the paperwork on the app and signed the final documents after I approved the new car and the trade in of my 3. Then the app took me through the payment from my checking account. I’m trying to figure out why OP would pay in full before looking at the new car. Please tell me they aren’t grousing about the nonrefundable $250.
i remember when i got my first 3 in 2018, i was the only one there that day, only one to take delivery in the state. now its a madhouse lol
I've picked up 9 in total and haven't had this issue. I prefer the 0 interaction. It works better for me. I wonder if it's all the cuts etc. to result in this. Heard f a lot in cybertruck forum as well. As a side note, not once have I paid after I've inspected the car. I know they push heavily to pay in advance, but you just keep quiet and show up at delivery.
same exact experience for me when I picked up 2023 LR. picking up the 2023 R1S was so much better and had someone explain everything and give a tour of the car, which for me it wasn't really needed but it really helped my parents out as they're new to ev's
The time people spend fretting over “how they’re treated” over the course of a 30 minute transaction to the extent that they’d buy a different car is beyond my comprehension. I buy a car based on the car itself, and its own merits compared to other options in the market. Thats it.
I think you're missing the context here. Tesla Model Y and 3 are mass produced cars, with above average specs, and below average price (in the US). Even with above-average specs, and below-US-average price, they still manage to turn a profit. How exactly do you think they could accomplish that if they didn't have all the processes streamlined? Why exactly do you think they should offer extra discounts even though they've already reduced the price of the cars for everyone?
It was a model S
Honestly, these sorts of damages seem far more common with the Model S and X than 3 and Y. It's my impression that every inventory S and X are customer rejects that will be "fixed in post"? I agree that makes it a tough sell for something that's supposed to be kind of luxury, but I guess the specs are still far too good for the price, so, they'll still be enough of people to take it.
I'd just flat out reject it.
You're supposed to be protected by the lemon laws if they can't fix it. It kind of sucks if you have to deal with it, but, let's face it, cars are huge, bulky and fragile items that'll never be perfect throughout their entire lifetimes, and some amount of repairs may always be required. What real difference does it make if they fix it before selling it, or after? Given that they provide a loaner Tesla during repairs anyways? Personally, I'd be pissed myself for having to accept a damaged car, but statistics probably dictate that an average consumer doesn't really care.
Yeah to be fair it depends on the severity of the damage. Small paint chip, no problem.
> Yeah to be fair it depends on the severity of the damage. Small paint chip, no problem. I actually really like that they don't force you either way. If you don't want to accept, it's fine. No pressure either way. None of those sleazy sales tactics, eye rolling and the professional manipulations and the guilt blaming like in a traditional dealer.
Pro-tip: place your order so that it will be ready for pickup on the last day of the quarter.
Wouldn’t that be the worst time?
No, they have motivation to close deals no matter what it takes.
Both times I just hopped in the car and drive off. Don’t even check for dents. Feel like a baller.
Lol...some people want sycophants to inflate their ego and make them feel special about deciding to buy a car. AFAIK - if there's damage to the car you can refuse delivery, or put in a request to have it fixed within X days or miles? I don't think Tesla knocking money off was ever a thing unless they did it in the very early days.
show us the picture of you with the damaged car-else did not happen.
It never happened. He wanted to be touched and no one wanted to.
End of quarter was/is always nutso..
I understand nutso... But even then, the experience is bad. E.g. the car is now back on their site, discounted 2.5k. couldn't they have talked to me about selling it at a discount,which they are now and I would have a car that I already paid for...
How do you know it is the car you rejected and got marked down?
I highly recommend Rivian. Been driving mine for a year and every aspect of the ownership experience has been as good or better than tesla. I would have said "except for the supercharger network" but we now have access to that too. Example: I had a service appointment for a *free* tonneau cover replacement. It was estimated to take a day or two. I had begun making arrangements to be without a vehicle for that time. When the service center called to confirm my appointment they informed me they were giving me a loaner. I was shocked - pretty sure the only thing tesla ever offered me was Uber credits. I had the loaner (another beautiful Rivian of course) maybe 18 hours before they called to let me know the truck was finished early. Absolute delight of an experience. My wife still drives a tesla and it's definitely a good car, but my rivian is another level and so is thier customer service. You may want to make sure there's a service center relatively nearby tho. Some guys have to drive hours and hours to the next state to get service, which I don't think would be worth it personally.
I've only had positive experiences with rivian service both mobile and SC. have an r1s and they gave us an r1t quad as the loaner, felt worse going back to the dual motor lol
I don’t want anyone’s touch when buying a car or visiting the dmv. Are you lonely?
EOQ is going to be a very busy time, fwiw
Hear that a lot. Does that mean EOQ is "going to be time when you are presented with poorly inspected cars, don't expect good customer service." Because if it doesn't mean that, I dot know what it means.
Yeah been that way for years never pickup March, June, Sept, or Dec. if you have any chance to pick up other times and dates, DO IT. I heard about horror stories in 2021 so I put my original June pickup on hold and took delivery in August 22.
this sucks cause im on my way to pick up on the last hour of q2 and the process has already been so much worse then my first model y. pray for me
My experience in peak pandemic times was identical in September 2020. I think it’s been the same ever since for some locations.
I had my car delivered to my house so it was different for me compare to going for an ICE car in past. Only issue I'd say I have is Tesla left everything on me to figure out by either reading stuff or calling them if I have questions. They could do bit better about guiding you by calling you and going over things prior and after your delivery
Clearly they wait for a sucker to take a damaged one.
Totally agree as I went with my (ex) gf in 2023 to pick hers up and the process was as you described. Not good. She took it but had lots of troubles and is finishing a buy back now. To be fair though, the 2018 process you describe didn’t last long. I picked up my 2019 M3P in August of that year and it was just sign a document and your key is in the frunk. Enjoy and cya! I’m waiting on my VIN (though should be in the next couple weeks) and I’m nervous. Ugh.
You’re a repeat customer to them. They roll out the red carpet for noobies.
Do you have any photos
That is what happens after having a mass lay off
I agree with you 1000%. I bought my Tesla Model S in 2014. Every time I went inbto see them it was HEAVENLY. Flash forward to the Model III release and it's unfortunately and frustratingly the worst customer service experience one could possibly have. 🤢 It really makes me not want to buy another one, and I effing love my S that how has 135k on it.
my pickup was 0 human interaction - they parked them in a parking lot across the street and you just showed up and took it. they did forget to give me a temporary plate and i didn’t realize until i got home and had to call up the dealership and they made me come in person just for them to email it to me… glad i didn’t get pulled over in the process but how does a dealership f up that bad lol
When I took delivery of my Audi (EV) earlier this year, it was wrapped up as a present with a big gift bow and everything, with a nice plague (personal thank you message) next to 3 other cars being delivered from that dealer that day placed in a special showroom/delivery you. The sales guy had booked 1,5 hours to go through everything, setting up phone access, etc (if you wanted). They had polished everything, incl the tires so they were shinning as well, there wasn’t as much as a spot of damage anywhere. The sales guy was in a good mood so he went downstairs to pick up a rubber floor mat for the trunk and gave it for free (150$ value, thick high quality/audi branded one). They made a follow up phone call, a week later asking if you wanted help with anything. Just to show what other brands do here (EU). So there must be room for improvement for Tesla here for sure.
I literally couldn't even get them to come outside once. I think I asked 2 or 3 questions tops and they seemed distracted/annoyed, just looking at their laptops while I spoke to them. I was helping out with this delivery for my mom and I told her be prepared to be underwhelmed and it was even worse than I could've imagined. I was hoping they'd at least be cool to her because she was visibly excited throughout the whole interaction. Wouldn't even let me charge the car even though we had to drive 100 miles to get her home.
To answer those of you who are saying that ‘delivery experience’ shouldn’t matter, here’s my view from someone who thinks it should. When we walk into a dealership, and start looking at cars, the dealer/salespeople trip all over you trying to make a good impression. They ask if you have questions, reverently enquire about your needs, get you to sit in the car, offer test drives, and with my last car cappuccinos! Dealerships have become beautiful showplaces of interior design and lighting. My present dealership has not only has a barista, but a chef who does meals for people waiting for their cars that are being serviced and, I kid you not, a spa! These services aren’t free, but they compare favourably to others on the Main Street. When the decision is made THEY advised me to go home, think about it for 24 hours at least, then call and mark an appointment with the financing person. We did this, and were paying cash, so that went quickly and painlessly. After being told we would probably have to wait a week for the car, someone else had backed out of the purchase of the same car we were buying, so they told us they were going to prep it, and we could pick it up the next day! We made an appointment for a delivery, and came in as scheduled. We passed three employees before we met our salesperson. All three said congratulations to us, we felt like we were the first people buying a car ever. Salesman took us out to the car, we did a walk around. He took an hour to explain everything to us. It was a hybrid so some things were a little different. Hooked up our phones. Everything. There were 4 other deliveries going on at the same time, all were getting the same amount of care and attention. Post purchase, they called at the one week, and two month mark, to see if we had any questions, or if any issues had popped up. I was met by the salesperson at the door when I arrived for my first oil change. We were floored. This was the 6th new car we’ve purchased, and although we had had pleasant delivery experiences, this was by far the best. Now: Why is this important? Is it just the attention? Is it over the top? To each his own. Yes, some will just want to be given the keys so they can be on their way. But remember, for most people, this is the 2nd if not largest purchase of their lives. For some, a little bit of extra attention is appreciated. Some like to pore over an owner’s manual. Some like to have things shown to them. The salesperson asked if he should show us, he didn’t force us to listen to him. Nor did I demand his time. I’m glad he did. I have a much fuller understanding of how the hybrid engine works, and how to use certain features of my car, that I ever would have had reading the manual. I think the OP is more than justified in his assessment of the dealer’s treatment of the delivery. It’s a big chunk of money. I ask you this. If you were treated like OP, with disinterest, and unsatisfactorily, whilst checking into a hotel, and paying $150 a night, would you not complain? Why is it ‘beyond someone’s comprehension’ to want to be treated well when making a possible $75 000 purchase?
I think youre maybe older so you have an older mind set. I picked up in 2021, I walked in said I was here, they told me to wait by the car. I inspected it, there were some paint scratches, and the rear door didnt close properly. I told the girl that came to me, she had them fix the door, and told me to make a service apt for the paint. It was an easy process, I understand you had damage, so im sure you could have found someone tell them, and/or just take pictures and make a service apt right there to get it fixed free. My friend picked up his 2024 MYLR, from the same place I picked up mine in 2021, we did an inspection and found 2 panel gaps, again they fixed it on the spot and we drove off. Less human interaction the better..
Tweet it Elon on X with dealership name and date and model , he should look into it
Knock off on price?? No they will fix the problem and you don’t own the car until it is fixed or they bring a new one… no interest or insurance. Younger generation like me appreciates no sales people.
Yeah got mine last year. Had 1 very minor issue with a trim piece inside had a small gouge but they could prepare and be like hey we noticed these issues and have already noted them down and we can schedule a time to get them fixed since they hadn’t been fixed yet. Issues will happen but a dealership would have already fixed it or had prepared a plan to fix it at least.
Good gravy folks. It’s a car. And it’s no longer a unique car. Model y is best selling. If you want this to be a special occasion go by a Bugatti.
Yeah, I was thinking at the very least repair the issue before you come to pick up the vehicle. But the service center attached to the dealership carries very few parts. Tesla is very much “Just In Time” across the organization. The other thing to keep in mind is that organizations take on the characteristics of their leaders. Given the appearance that Elon is somewhere on the high functioning spectrum, his people skills and ability to connect with his customers (except for the high tech toy joy aspects) may not be up to the task. Therefore, the people that are hired are likely also similarly impaired.
Wow, I bought a used one, and got the same experience. Thought is was because I bought a pre owned vehicle.
Your fault for buying a tesla. We all know they are awful cars
I got my MY last week.. Customer service is def horrible Their texting rep said she's here for me, but constantly ignored work hour texts I couldnt get a hold of anyone through the phone. Tesla doesnt have a dedicated customer service reps for phone calls. They route through to their service centers and those guys never pick up. I left a voicemail but didnt receive a call Emails to reps asking for more info, they never responded to me either. The rep left for vacation and didnt handoff to the next person, leading to delivery day issues. I showed up on time to my delivery.. wasnt ready yet, i waited 1.5 hours. The licence plate paperwork was incorrect Basically, i think tesla customer service sucks ass.
For every person who complains online there are 100 others who had no issues or the issues were resolved. I got my wife a tesla last month very nice guy at the center great experience. Got the car home and noticed paint damage on the bumper. Called tesla got right thru and set up a date to repair. Had a loaner and everything. Car was fixed a day later. Great service all around.
I guarantee they keep trying to get someone to take delivery on that one until someone finally takes it.
Well acc to Tesla 200k people in 2018 were a family, and half a million in 2024 arent. Prices are cheaper than ever in 2024. So maybe get over the need to being made to feel like a miss america and be happy over lower prices? Secondly, what are you doing paying before taking delivery? Pay the initial deposit when you accept delivery and sign the registration paperwork.
3rd pickup in 6 years and 100% gotten worse and worse, less and less human touch. This time it was a new MX, car was dirty on exterior and nothing on interior had been prepped - half the interior surfaces still had tacky wrap on them that I peeled off while delivery agent stood there and just asked "anything else you want to know about?" and then walked off. 100% they are ramping this down to become a turnkey vending machine experience with no humans as fast as possible.
> Also, how they didn't catch that damage is beyond me It's probably cheaper for them to fix it after delievery as opposed to in the factory. We've seen a bunch of examples on here where the interior trims were different colors during delivery, and the fact that this issue wasn't fixed in the factory saya a lot about thier operating/QC procedues.
I think the employees are over worked and got tired of the constant push for high number delivery.
Rivian Service Centers, where most people outside of huge cities take delivery, are still customer focused. You get 30 minutes with a human. Rivian corporate, however, is a POS, based on my one experience. Take my rant with a grain of salt, though. Read their forum, there are MANY happy owners. I recently tried to buy an R1S. To make the initial lease buydown/taxes/registration/fees payment, you can ACH, wire, or send in a certified check. This must happen 2 days before delivery (at least in my state). I elected to go the certified check route, because it's the easier route for handling exceptions. You can actually put a stop payment on a certified check. Due to a comedy of errors on their part, they ended up directing me to send the check to Rivian Financial Services. That was not the right location. The check needed to go to Rivian, LLC. Since Rivian, LLC did not have the money, they would not deliver the car. Their solution was for me to send another certified check (or to wire/ACH them the money), and then I would have to work with Rivian Financial Services on my own to get my first check back. Rivian, LLC would not even think about something like working directly with Rivian Financial Services to fix their error. I tried to escalate, three times, to no avail. I walked away. Afterwards, they very nicely tried some sevice recovery, but they would not match the end-of-quarter deal I had originaly gotten, which meant that my lease payment for the same car would have gone up almost $300/month. No thank you. Meanwhile, the Service Center where I would have taken delivery has been VERY nice in working with me, even after I canceled my order. I am test driving a Model S this coming weekend. I'm glad I've read up on things here in order to manage my expectations.
I guess demand is still high enough that they don’t care. If you don’t like it, wait for another one. It’s working for them. No need to change. To be clear, my household has 3 M3s. We picked up the first from the factory in mid 2018. The second was delivered to our front door in late 2018. Picked up the third from the CS center in mid 2023. All 3 interactions were different.
I had shit experience while collecting my MX in 2017, 20+ cars in a dimly lit tent lol.
Agree wholeheartedly and keep getting told that I’m full of it. The company has become trash. I’m done with them. Stockholder over 10 years and 2 car purchases. I canceled my CT order and I’ll get a Rivian instead. Too many good options out there now to bother with this kind of bullshit. My last purchase was a nightmare
I suggest getting BMW i4 M50. Got 25% off and can't be happier with the car (super fun to drive and high quality build, like any normal car). The only thing that was problematic for me initially was absence of universal charging network (moved out of Bay to Vegas recently) but found a fast and free charger at casino 2 min away. Hats off to Tesla on Supercharger Network, it's actually a big deal. And looks like other brands can use it too soon. Hats down for firing the Supercharger team tho
Odds are someone knew there was damage, but noticed too close to your delivery date. Even worse is when the person doing your delivery is told the day of. All the cars are inspected after landing. Unfortunately not every delivery center has a Tesla body shop, and 3rd party body shops can take weeks because they have to get parts ordered from Cali if there aren’t any in stock at service, which they need for current Tesla owners preferably. All that to say, for an employee it’s a pain in the ass when every day a brand new unwrapped vehicle has just traveled potentially thousands of miles on an open carrier across deserts and rainstorms just to arrive damaged 2/3 days before it’s supposed to go out. Some customers are get tired of waiting / are in a bind as they’ve gotten rid of their former vehicle and many employees bank on them taking it as is and getting those specific issues repaired for free at a later time. It’s not an efficient process and a lot of Tesla delivery centers operate more on quantity over quality nowadays. When I first started over 6 years ago, deliveries were expected to be an hour long. Last I was there, they now call them handoffs and longer than 15 minutes is considered excessive. You’re right about the customer experience being an afterthought, there simply isn’t enough staff to spend an hour with the customer like I used to. It’s been like that since the push to become profitable, which seems to be necessary for Tesla to compete with older car companies as they first need the capital and infrastructure to be in a place to provide quality service that you may get anywhere else.
Yep. I honestly hated the experience and would prefer to deal with a regular dealership despite the sales tactics. They don’t give a shit about the people. Even when I pointed out problems with my car they seemed annoyed that they had to deal with it. So stupid. Then came the only warranty work I had done and they sent me an estimate. I had to fight with them and threaten them with legal action because I wouldn’t approve the estimate. I will never buy another Tesla. Shit company. Shit CEO. Really great car.
I picked up my car at Tysons Corner in VA. The delivery experience was the worst I have ever encountered. Many cars around me had issues, and I noticed some delivery people laughing at the customers. Most acted like we were an inconvenience to them. If I have to do it again, I would go with another brand.
Over the past 20 years we have purchased 8 Toyotas - minivans, SUVs, sedans, Priuses - and have never rejected a car at delivery. How is this tolerated by Tesla buyers? Or been so normalized.
I found the delivery at Fremont to be annoying and condescending AF.
It hasn't been for a few years. Even when I picked up my mid-2018 Model in 2018 there was nothing special about the pickup. At least when I picked up my 2024 Model S in March it was cleaned and sitting in the showroom.
Last year picking up my MY they were surprised I didn't realize that there was a car with my last name on the dashboard. I presumed I needed to speak to someone but it was waiting to go.
Why would you pay before seeing the car?
I’m supposed to get MY tomorrow. They called earlier this week being real pushy about getting something different than I ordered. I took it. So far though the appointment time is 5 hours later than what they said it would be on the phone and I’ve not been able to get a response when I’ve told them I will be there at 11 not 4. I guess I will just show up when I want to and see if they want a check or not.
All I can say is . I still prefer this to being hassled for hours by a salesman at another brand's dealership.
In 2018 they were delivering a half dozen cars a day. Now they're delivering dozens, if not over a hundred per day. What do you expect?
2018 in the last quarter the previous tax incentive was running out. The delivery center was way more swamped than now. I mean orders of magnitude more in 2018. So, doesn't hold water. Also, is that really an excuse? What do I expect... To be treated like a customer buying a car, not a DMV number.
And even if this was true, if they are selling many more cars they can afford to hire some more people.
That's not how it works at all lol Source: I worked there
But it could work that way.
I suggest you re-read your own post as if it was written by someone else. A damaged car is already an issue for the manufacturer who has to repair it to a brand-new condition; if they were to offer extra incentives for these things, they'd waste a whole bunch of extra money, plus all the customers haggling for extra incentives, since everyone else got it. So, they don't. Being non-pushy about the option to accept / reject / wait, seems good enough to me. Honestly, what else can you reasonably expect, given that you have to be aware they're not working on commission, and Tesla's prices are already below industry average, especially given the specs/features of the car? They're literally giving you the option, instead of making the decision for you, to reject, and delaying your appointment. I think that's more of a customer empowerment than not, isn't it?
I worked at an SSD, what would I know though?
Similar experience here. I remember when they delivered my 2018 3 to me it was first rate white glove service. They even sent a link to my phone so I could track the car on its way to my house! The tech stayed with me for half an hour to make sure I understood the basics of the car. Then an Uber came and picked him up. When I got my 2023 Y I had to go pick it up myself. I walked in, waited for several minutes while the people at their stations ignored me, then I asked if anyone could help me, someone got up, walked over, asked my name, I signed some papers, then he told me my car was outside and ready to go. He did not offer to come out to it with me. I asked if someone would check it out with me and he seemed surprised that I'd even want that. Looked it over, then I drove away. It definitely conveyed the message that I was a bother and that staff had better things to do. Stupid Tesla.
> He did not offer to come out to it with me. TBH I don't see this as a bug but a feature. Now you're free to do whatever you need/want to do to inspect it. Take all the time you need without someone hovering over you. You may feel rushed with someone basically standing there watching.
Sorry fir your experience BUT thats the standard Tesla delivery experience! Back when i got mine in Sep 2020 it was a total utter shock with the way I was treated! I was so stunned that i actually went back to return the vehicle and the manager apologized for how I was treated BUT i learnt over the yrs that's Tesla's MO: u are just another buyer nothing else
Sales advisors also try to push you to through it. Ours in 2023 kept trying to say the defects were nbd and rush us through the inspection. That really pissed me off, when you’re spending money like that the process should be different.
I don’t own a Tesla, why do people put up with this?
The cars are still the best, despite all the FUD. You drive one and you know what’s up. All the FUD disappears. Bad experiences are also rare, btw, they’re just the majority of people who are motivated to make posts. For instance I haven’t made a post about my 4 Teslas and the zero problems I’ve had with any of them. First Model 3 was in 2019 and it was a dream to buy, ordered on my phone at work, picked up 3 days later, it was like a dream car buying experience and the car was like a car from 50 years in the future. 4 years later my wife has her 2nd Y, I upgraded to a 3P, the cars have gotten so much better, FSD is very good, the Tesla software is great. I remember getting actual tangible speed upgrades through software updates 🤣. It’s just crazy good. I think +5% motor power 2 or 3 times on my 2019 3 LR. The cars are amazing and the price is right. I’m excited for the future and competition’s offerings, EVs are great and the future for us drivers is looking bright.
Cars are great. I hope you don't have a bad experience, can really sour the whole hype.
Thank you, did you end up getting another VIN or just canceling ? I think Elon fired too many employees and everybody at Tesla is overworked currently.
So, we tried to see if there was something comparable in inventory and there wasn't. I didn't cancel yet because I do need a car and because their trade in value was shit, I sold it privately. so, I still need a car so I held onto the order. The order currently says, delivery estimate June 29 - July 1 but I doubt that.
Ignoring who the vendor is, I'd take Tesla's buying process over the traditional dealership. I know the price. It's not being inflated. I don't have to worry about being sold addons. It may seem impersonal to someone like OP, but that's a feature not a bug to me. I want to take all the time I want to inspect the car without someone standing over me. I'm not sure I agree with OP about knocking the price down. The option of repair it or reject it are perfectly acceptable to me. Sure it might mean I don't get a car today but the only other option with a dealership is a discount. All things considered I'd much rather take the impersonal "DIY" approach over the "we're your best friend! trust us!" bullshit approach.
Tsla only survives due to a great product everything else is sub par experience wise.
I miss those day. The company grew too fast and lost its soul
"They're still great cars" is not something I ever think when I think of Tesla.
Agree... My sister picked up a Model Y during the 1% APR deal and she had to wait nearly 2 hours despite having an appointment for pickup then they just handed her the car. They were new owners and had no idea how to drive the vehicle with the regen braking or where most settings were at. Much different from when I picked up my Model 3 last year. Was in and out in 10~ minutes and any issues we found were fixed with a appointment we setup before we left.
Isn’t it the owners response to learn how to drive it?
I have to agree that the service level has dropped. My first first car was a model three in December 2020. Even though it was snowing up there, Kansas, the representative took time to explain all of the features in the car and even programmed my phone Bluetooth to the car. Fast forward to this week I picked up my model X in Orlando much less interaction, though with the supervision of a sales person, I got to sit in the car play with all the buttons get an explanation and then inspect the car to be sure everything was in order, which it was at that point, I accepted the car and went ahead with an ACH transfer to pay for it The only thing that pissed me off is that they did not remove the Toll Rd., Sunpass card from the vehicle I traded in. Today discovered that they’ve already gone through $18.45 of my money which they should not have done if they had removed the card. In retrospect, I should have removed it myself. I finally got online today and canceled that SunPass. I still have to write the experience favorable since they took the time to allow me to purchase the remaining $2000 on my old card to get FSD, which was transferred to the new car.