WithTesla ’s Model 3somewhere on the horizon , there are 450,000 or more aspirant out there anxiously awaiting the birth of their electric baby . Tesla die - hards are a spot different from other car buyers ; they ’re willing to put down deposits and wait years for their car to be built and delivered – but they might be in for a grueling time than they realize .
The company has surely preserve its commitment to customer table service for Tesla owners . As for the not - yet proprietor who hand over handful of hard - make cash well in improvement ? Tesla has fail to keep the lines of communicating open ; there ’s niggling beyond a mental reservation number to cling to as the maddening muteness of pre - production purgatory turn deafen .
That ’s just the beginning of Tesla ’s order mental process maladies , which can rightly be consider a nightmare . How do we bonk ? We asked a Tesla customer .
Courtesy of Tesla
There’s no way to track your car’s progress or estimated delivery
The official Tesla site state : " rate your Nikola Tesla is just like any buying experience on the Internet . only take your alternative , enroll your contact selective information , and indicate your preferent delivery timing . " Simple , right ?
If set up a Tesla were in truth “ just like any purchasing experience on the cyberspace , ” then customers could track their fomite at every footfall of the mental process , and in real time . Even " normal " carmakers keep you update of exactly where your car is in the production queue once youplace your customs order .
We talk with one Tesla customer , who preferred not to be identified for fright of Elon ’s wrath ( more on that in a second ) , about his purchasing experience . He placed his Model X reservation in April of 2014 , anticipate to take rescue of his prized possession sometime in 2015 . He finally got his car in April … of 2016 .
Courtesy of Tesla
The only major communicating he receive from Tesla during that clip was a holiday greeting card noting the brand ’s excitement to produce his car in the New Year , and an announcement for an event on September 29th , 2015 where next Model X owners could see the rescue of thefirst batch of all - electric SUVs roll out– to other paying customers , naturally .
Tesla drafted $112,000 from an owner’s bank accountwithoutnotice
last , almost two years to the day of the month of placing his reservation , Tesla advise this same customer that his Model X was headed into production and would be ready for delivery in two to three week . The company request that he provide his fiscal selective information to their online system so that payment would be ready when the sentence come .
Within 24 hours of enter his financial datum , he waken to find that Tesla drafted$112,000from his personal bank account for defrayal . Not only was it sudden , but there was no prescribed communicating notifying the purchaser that a lump marrow would even be withdrawn from his bank account – let alone one number six figure . Luckily for him , he had the store . Even if this was just a one - off , a lack of safeguards that severe is jaw - dropping . It should n’t even bepossible .
It takes a year or more to find out what your car will even look like, or cost
Tesla begins soliciting your deposit at such an early stage in maturation that it ’s too early to limit what you ’ll really get with state vehicle . Features and finish are n’t selected until your railcar is actually quick for yield , so you ca n’t even realistically have it away how much it will be in the end . For prospective Model 3 owners hope to get the$7,500 federal subsidy for electric vehiclesthat makes down in the mouth prices possible , there ’s more unfit news : it ’s going to run out before even half of the presently reserved Model 3s are delivered . So look on where you are in the production waiting line ( information that , once again , is n’t available to you ) , that ’s a sizable fiscal striking right off the at-bat before any choice are bestow .
And by that time, your reason for buying your Tesla might even be invalid
Research has exhibit thatgas prices largely drive consumersboth toward and away from electric vehicles , and evenElon Musk prognosticate the dying of electric motorcar salesat the onset of crushed fuel costs . Our Model X owner invest his order when the price of gaseous state was north of $ 4.00 a congius . By the time he took delivery – again , a full two year subsequently – the natural gas cost lookout had completely change , and he was shelling out a bare $ 1.33 per Imperial gallon for the stuff .
Let’s be honest: the Model 3 is basically being crowd-funded
In an unpaired gadget that runs counter to most automakers , Tesla is fairly transparent about the concept and design process , yet secretive about its production . While Musk ( smartly ) builds hype among the Tesla faithful , the troupe and its engineers fine - tune behind the scenes to try and make his dreaming into a reality .
Right now , the realism is that the Model 3 has n’t even been in full let on to the populace . Almost half a million hoi polloi have place deposits to reserve a vehicle that will be made … sometime in the future . Across its batting order , refundable deposition vary between $ 1,000 and $ 5,000 – that means Model 3 booking holders have jointly give way Tesla roughly $ 450 million , just since March of this twelvemonth . They ’re fundamentally bankrolling much of the company ’s vehicle growing and output . This is crowdfunding at the most advanced tier , and no other car maker , in its wildest dream , could ever get away with it . essentially , it ’s the equivalent of shelling out $ 1,000 for a Kickstarter project you have n’t even encounter .
Oh yeah, and Elon Musk might decide to cancel your order
Tesla’sproduction delayshave been well documented , as has evenElon Musk ’s own skepticismabouthisModel 3 product agenda . possibly that ’s why he ’s so keen on canceling client ’ Order ? Musk personallycancelled the orderliness of one customerwho speak poorly of the brand ( Musk said he was being " super rude " ) , a move which only lend to what before long could devolve into a minus customer - manufacturer relationship – not to mention asales approach that recently range dead lastamong all car manufacturer by a full allowance in term of gratification . Sound like a nightmare yet ?
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Courtesy of Tesla
Courtesy of Tesla
Courtesy of Tesla
