Reconsidering My CT order, YouTube Reviewers stating it's another Edsel, worst new car flop ever

[REM]

Keep at it fanboi.

Reading through your comment history, you are starting to look like someone who is here to just spread FUD.

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[dalton108]

Reading through your comment history, you are starting to look like someone who is here to just spread FUD.

Muted this bozo after my first interaction with him.

 

[PungoteagueDave]

Reading through your comment history, you are starting to look like someone who is here to just spread FUD.

Just bought two Teslas in March, fifth and sixth, but yeah, reality is also part of my deal. Unlike most of the folks around here, I’ve actually been around for the entire Tesla ride, shareholder in 2008.

 

[PungoteagueDave]

So you know for a fact that the 30 you saw weren't sold? That's weird because Tesla normally doesn't ship inventory to delivery centers just to store them there.

Demand for the CT is soft. That's a combination of things some of which include the very high cost, the limited range when towing, and the very unconventional appearance.... also now, and unplanned for by Tesla are all the crazies who have been vandalizing and attacking CTs because of their hatred of Elon.

Tesla has a lot of demand levers they can pull to keep increasing the plant production. The RWD is just the first lever they can pull. They can introduce a shorter range version and they can potentially introduce an even further feature reduced model for other markets.

CT is a technology showcase and just because it is not immediately selling as well as Tesla had hoped does not mean that the product won't eventually be a success.

I would also watch it with the ad hominem attacks. Nobody who has followed my posts thinks I'm a "fanboi". I am long on Tesla because the products are cutting edge and I'm a big fan of technology. While there are things about my CT I'd like to see changed, overall the product is pretty incredible, even at the high asking price.

Yes, of course they are inventory. This has been widely reported - and just look at the Tesla sale webpage - hundreds shown for immediate availability.. And they were all there when I took delivery of my ‘25 CT on March 4 - same trucks in the same places, no tags, and confirmed with the delivery specialist. I have been to three Tesla sales centers in the past month, all the same, huge numbers of CTs sitting on the lot without tags. Mostly ‘24s.

“Demand levers” is an old Tesla fanboi term coined by Elon in 2014 when sales slipped a bit. The RWD will not be widely adopted - it is an intentional de-contented version to push folks into the dual motor for only $10k more - an exercise to show people what content actually costs. I agree with you that it is a tech showcase - I love mine, and argue all the time with naysayers - but that does NOT mean it will ever be a mainstream truck. Real truck guys, plumbers, carpenters will never put up with the flying buttress obstruction to side lift over, one among many design elements that will keep the CT on the sidelines in niche status.

Being currently long and writing responses like the above defines fanboi. Own it, no problem there. But as a finance guy, it is pretty clear than being long Tesla at any time in their history, including when I was a shareholder starting in ‘08, is pure gambling, not actual investing. Investments are subject to analysis. TSLA is instead about faith and emotions. I eschew both, still love and advocate for the cars and the company.

 

[PungoteagueDave]

Yes, of course they are inventory. This has been widely reported - and just look at the Tesla sale webpage - hundreds shown for immediate availability.. And they were all there when I took delivery of my ‘25 CT on March 4 - same trucks in the same places, no tags, and confirmed with the delivery specialist. I have been to three Tesla sales centers in the past month, all the same, huge numbers of CTs sitting on the lot without tags. Mostly ‘24s.

“Demand levers” is an old Tesla fanboi term coined by Elon in 2014 when sales slipped a bit. The RWD will not be widely adopted - it is an intentional de-contented version to push folks into the dual motor for only $10k more - an exercise to show people what content actually costs. I agree with you that it is a tech showcase - I love mine, and argue all the time with naysayers - but that does NOT mean it will ever be a mainstream truck. Real truck guys, plumbers, carpenters will never put up with the flying buttress obstruction to side lift over, one among many design elements that will keep the CT on the sidelines in niche status.

Being currently long and writing responses like the above defines fanboi. Own it, no problem there. But as a finance guy, it is pretty clear than being long Tesla at any time in their history, including when I was a shareholder starting in ‘08, is pure gambling, not actual investing. Investments are subject to analysis. TSLA is instead about faith and emotions. I eschew both, still love and advocate for the cars and the company.

And Tesla centers are FULL of inventory cars - when is the last time you’ve actually visited one? Most now have offsite storage lots in addition to the sales location. Aventura has two entire parking decks full at the Aventura mall location. Most any color, any model available to drive away today. Delray Beach has overflow storage too. That old pre-order sales model has been gone for well over two years - and the old meme about production constraints was NEVER a thing, even in 2013-14 when the original claims were made. I never waited more than 60 days for any of my Teslas, and they were all custom ordered, starting with the ‘12 MS, and including my ‘26 MY and ‘25 CT.

 

[phatjoe]

Yes, of course they are inventory. This has been widely reported - and just look at the Tesla sale webpage - hundreds shown for immediate availability.. And they were all there when I took delivery of my ‘25 CT on March 4 - same trucks in the same places, no tags, and confirmed with the delivery specialist. I have been to three Tesla sales centers in the past month, all the same, huge numbers of CTs sitting on the lot without tags.

With so much Cybertruck inventory sitting, what do you think Tesla's next move is?

The 2024 discounts and low financing don’t seem to have moved the needle much.

Other brands like Ford and Ram go heavy on incentives—curious how Tesla plays it. Also wondering if the RWD model pricing will undercut deals on the AWD and Cyberbeast.

 

[PungoteagueDave]

With so much Cybertruck inventory sitting, what do you think Tesla's next move is?

The 2024 discounts and low financing don’t seem to have moved the needle much.

Other brands like Ford and Ram go heavy on incentives—curious how Tesla plays it. Also wondering if the RWD model pricing will undercut deals on the AWD and Cyberbeast.

I think there’s a fundamental mis-pricing issue complicated by an overhang inventory of ‘24 trucks that don’t qualify for the $7,500 point-of-sale tax credit. It was clear by last October that Cybertrucks had been reformulated with battery element supplies that would make newly built CTs qualified. But Tesla pulled back on production soon thereafter and before any current inventory CTs qualified.

This persisted through at least January. Many of us in the market knew two things- that 25’s would qualify for the credit, and that many of the early production CTs had features and issues that had only recently been addressed in production models. I went around to several south Florida sales locations and was offered some pretty attractive ‘24 CT deals. However, with the incoming 25’s having better construction, likely no motor replacements, a changed (darker) glass roof, and other known upgrades, I was able to order a ‘25 in mid-February and take delivery on March 3. It was impossible to even order a ‘25 in January or early February because Tesla was holding back to clear the prior year inventory. This strategy didn’t work because many of us made it clear we’d simply wait for the new cheaper pricing with tax credit, unless the ‘24 deals were sweetened by a lot. That didn’t happen and Tesla was forced to open the ‘25 sales book despite the old inventory.

Meanwhile many older CTs still sat on the same lots. They were asking $80-$110k for the old trucks, while my new dual motor CT rolled out for $72k after credit and a referral incentive.

At the time I told a couple of sales agents that it would only be worth taking an older inventory truck if the price were reduced $20k from current ask, to $5-$10 k below a newly built ‘25 - because any knowledgeable buyer would see these as essentially devalued vehicles, that continually age while sitting, already one model year behind. They all agreed and said they expected some sort of move. However, those kinds of overt discounts aren’t part of the Tesla sale model. While smaller discounts have been used for demo models, this issue (as well as an overhang of the prior Model Y) needed and still requires more dramatic steps.

Last month Tesla did a few things with the older inventory to address this, such a free supercharging, moderate discounts, and low interest loans, good lease deals. These may have helped, but the results were still dismal because buyers need a better top line number BEFORE incentives- they aren’t even getting to the table.

The other side of the argument is that Tesla’s former one-price discipline has previously paid off when faced with excess inventory - they could be patient and wait out the pig working its way through the python. This time looks different. The inventory numbers are huge and the products are increasingly stale (old ‘24 CTs and MYs) so there may be a fire sale to clear the decks - more serious top line discounts and fewer lease or charging gimmicks (referred to by TSLA fanbois as demand levers).

 

[johnnykabq]

Troll

 

[HaulingAss]

It’s not a cold weather or rural vehicle because of the charging issues.

What are you talking about? I drove mine to Reno and back, plenty of icy roads, snow, etc., below freezing most of the trip, lots of mountain passes, and it worked a lot better than my gas F-150. I didn't have any charging issues either. I'm confused what you're talking about.

 

[HaulingAss]

The truth is going to be the CT sales numbers which are going to be horrible.

I suspect you're trolling again, but I'll ask you this serious question:

Do you think 2025 Cybertruck sales will be as horrible as the Silverado EV, Sierra EV, Rivian R1T, and F-150 Lightning?

 

[Bridgeboy69]

OK, I did not read 16-pages of replies TL;DR...

But, I love my Foundation Cyberbeast so much that there is no other vehicle on planet earth that I would rather have (yes, including supercars worth $5-milion+).

It is the most sophisticated and badass machine on the road.

It is only a matter of time until all the bad press and brainless sheep who listen to mainstream media come around and start liking and appreciating them too, especially as they drive in their friend's ones, etc. and see first-hand, that all the bad press was bullshit, and then the CT's value will likewise, appreciate. Paradigm shifts always take time. Not everyone can be as smart as us pack-leaders here right away...most people take longer to understand things... We are just quicker to catch on is all...
??‍

 

[area51]

Agreed, I was referring to Steve's tenure. Post Steve is what Tesla would turn into sans Musk

Big difference is that Steve created Apple from day 1. Not true for Elon and Tesla.

 

[PungoteagueDave]

I suspect you're trolling again, but I'll ask you this serious question:

Do you think 2025 Cybertruck sales will be as horrible as the Silverado EV, Sierra EV, Rivian R1T, and F-150 Lightning?

None of those trucks ever intended to take market share like was intended with the CT, so the manufacturers invested nowhere near as much in infrastructure. Apples and oranges. Tesla did not bet the entire farm on the CT, but they did bet a huge chunk. Every company will have dud products at some point, and Tesla is far enough along, with enough capital, to weather this okay. But it is still an epic product flop for the ages. I am adding it to my graduate finance class curriculum as a perfect example of developer/creator hubris and market reaction to the result.

 

[cbertgo]

I am seeing many Youtube posts making the case for the Cybertruck being a total failure and even surpassing the Edsel as the worst new car failure ever.
I have a Foundation CT on order, awaiting recall repairs for the cantrail issue so I haven't received my CT yet.
I am growing concerned that maybe this purchase is a mistake. The FUD is working.
Also, I am thinking if I hold out a little longer, until the 1st quater earnings call, maybe there will be some serious additional incentives on the CT if Tesla really does need to start moving these trucks due to super low sales and all the issues with panels falling off, etc.
I would sure appreciate the community's feedback on this.

My bottom line is :How much enjoyment and value do you realize from driving the CT?
Only 12K miles since last July, treat it like a truck and a roadtrip champion. I drive the Beast , zero concerns.

 

[cbertgo]

It’s a business flop. Won’t sell anywhere near how much they had planned. The headlines are crafted to make it seem like it flopped because it’s a bad car. It’s too expensive and polarizing for a lot of people so there aren’t many buyers. But I think the vast majority of owners are happy with their trucks.

Very happy!

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