What would prevent your purchase?

Nomader

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Short version:
If you intend on purchasing today, and knowing what we know today and what we don't know yet; when the final product and pricing is revealed, what would prevent you from making the purchase?


Extended read:
I reserved a CT3 w/FSD.
I have a list of questions I 'm curious about, (but don't really care all that much about), a list I care about that will make me more or less inclined to purchase, and a short list of concerns that would prevent me from making the purchase.

I'm curious about...
-What is the battery size?
-Will it have side view mirrors?
-Is the tailgate ramp standard or optional? Price if optional?
-V2H or V2G or V2V options?
-Will it have a mid-gate? Standard or optional? Price if optional?
-Is that full glass roof standard or optional? Price if optional?
-How much is that camping package option they show and can I still use the bed for doing truck things with that package onboard?
-Can the purchase be delayed? If my number come up, and I don't want to make the purchase, can I delay by 6 months or a year. Really only curious about this because I'm about 90k inline for the truck...whatever that means. I'm personally not expecting delivery until late next year. Maybe it will be summer time or even spring...I don't know. I'm retiring from active duty in Oct next year. It would be good to know I secured a follow on job prior to spending my savings for this truck. Ideally, I retire, I get a job, I receive the notification to finalize my CT order.

I care about...
-What is it's actual wheel travel? I know we saw 20" recently posted, but that is so far beyond even a Raptor's spec travel, that I don't believe it until I see it in the actual CT specs.
-What is it's RTI? Not usually a spec released by the company. We probably won't know this until a youtuber posts his/her review.
-What is its turning radius? This should be a Tesla released spec. Some of the videos we've seen make it look like absolute trash. It has to be inline with the Raptor or better. I have a feeling it's going to be pretty terrible (With the 4 wheel steering announcement I'm no longer concerned about the turning radius, but I'm still interested in what it is.) because I think it has a longer wheelbase while being the same length of an F150 (which helps it for the approach and depart angles but hurts it for turning radius and and breakover angle...which the CT compensates for with the massive 16" of clearance. But that clearance does not help with the turning radius. It's going to need a ton of wheel angle range.)
-Is the solar panel cover standard or optional? What's the price if it's an option and how much range does it provide or how much phantom loss does it replenish?
(These next two are danger close to falling onto my next list)
-Are 35's standard or optional and if it's an option, how much will they effect the range...hoping there is an EPA stated range for them if it's an option. If it is an option I just can't imagine the range is 500+ with them. Which means I'd be purchasing the CT3 without 35s which makes me far far less excited.
-Is the interior we've seen the final product? Frankly, I don't like it. It doesn't need to be fancy (ie, Platinum, Laramie, etc...but XLT, Longhorn would be good) What storage is there around the driver and passengers...yes, cupholders and storage matter.

But most importantly, I need to know the following or it will prevent my purchase.
-What is it's EPA range? 500 is the bare minimum. If it's exactly 500 I have a decision to make. I'm not overly concerned with this one as I think the EPA range will be over 500 miles...but that might be with 32" hwy tires. I need it to have 500 miles with at least 32" AT tires. Again, not too concerned but if it turns out I'll only get 499 with 32" ATs, I'm out.
-How much will the insurance be? If it nullifies my fuel saving or significantly cuts into the money saved from buying fuel vs my current cost to insure my F150 $77/mo), it makes the premium price not yet justifiable (for me). Today, I feel like I need to see the payback for the premium I'm paying in under 15 years. By "premium" I'm talking about what I'd normally be spending on a new to me, 2 year old used truck vs the brand new CT. If I'd normally buy a used truck for say $35k (this would be a new high for me) and I'm spending ~ $76k on this new CT then the premium is $41k. Between fuel saving and insurance rates, and yes additional maintenance savings because EVs have so fewer moving parts, (but maybe go through tires faster) I need to save $41k over 15 years. This is going to be a wag, but if the wag seems too far off, it will prevent me from making the purchase. The simple math is that I am going to have to save about $225/mo buying this truck vs something else, when I only drive about 15k miles a year. My electrical rates are $0.105/kWh and gas is currently about $3.50/gal here. So right now I spend about $368/mo on gas and insurance. I estimate spending about $65/mo in electricity from home with the CT (assuming 100% of my charging is at home). I feel like the insurance is going to be more then $128/mo for this CT. Making the premium payback over 15 years.
-Depending on how that immediate concern get answered I may need an answer on the tax incentive. Right now, we don't get one. If one is established it could sway the numbers back in favor of the purchase.

So what say you? No tax incentive, no purchase? No midgate, no purchase? No V2?, no purchase? No change to the interior, no purchase? Just curious.
As for insurance, insurance companies have ZERO data and info on the CT so no quotes can be generated. Be aware most premiums take great consideration as to the total replacement value of the vehicle. Model 3s are a good example as most premiums run comparable to $35-$40K cars. If I ADDED a Model 3 coverage to my existing policy with no other change in my other covered vehicles, the extra monthly cost is about $35. If your CT costs about $75K, your insurance will probably be in the appropriate premium costs of a $75K Ford Raptor.
Make no mistake to ignore the local and possible Federal tax credits or incentives. My utility offers discounts on the home chargers and credits for buying an EV. Federal tax credits for Teslas may be going away if they sell too many EVs and pass any thresholds of units sold. Since Congress wants to give billions and trillions away, perhaps Elon Musk and his team can influence Congress to continue or increase Federal benefits to EV customers.
You can count on, at least for me, cost per mile based on home charging to be about 50% the cost of using gas and even greater savings since our national energy supply from cheaper sources is being turned back to more expensive imported crude oil through OPEC with higher pollution emissions. Of course the cost of electricity vs gas may remain the same if regulations and other costs to generate electricity are artificially increased to commensurate with the cost of imported crude which has kicked up gas prices approximately 50% higher around the country than before with higher price increases projected by the government.
As for me, I am ready for my bulletproof, dent proof, and glass smash proof CT and expect prices to remain in the same neighborhood as originally projected due to battery cost and efficiency advances, improved production efficiencies at the Texas Gigaplant, and Elon Musk wanting to make the CT a resounding success and succeed on silencing his peanut gallery, ankle biting critics.
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la10slgr

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all of my factors are financial
- purchase price increase, the original price (dual motor) is already above what I ever intended on paying for a truck but so far, the ends seem to justify the means
- cost of repairs, how much is that replacement battery???? Not to mention, we seem to go through windshields pretty quickly here in Colorado...
- insurance, seems pretty well addressed just above by "Nomader" but one never knows...

If all of these things remain in the "manageable" range then I. Am. IN! Having said that, I am very leery about the purchase price being so "low" when compared to the alternatives...
 

Ogre

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Fires.

At the current rate, by the time the Cybertruck is released, everything interesting I would want to visit with the truck will have burned to the ground.
 

Crissa

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Oh, that's fine. The forest spouse visited last weekend had already burned.

And beaches won't burn, so there's that. They can wash away, I suppose, but...

-Crissa
 

Throwcomputer

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500 is the bare minimum. If it's exactly 500 I have a decision to make. I'm not overly concerned with this one as I think the EPA range will be over 500 miles...but that might be with 32" hwy tires. I need it to have 500 miles with at least 32" AT tires. Again, not too concerned but if it turns out I'll only get 499 with 32" ATs, I'm out.
1 mile of range is the difference between you being in or out? For real?

What if it's 501 epa, but it rains the whole way uphill? Ha.

I don't think I've ever had such razor thin hard margins for anything in my life.
 
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SpaceYooper

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1 mile of range is the difference between you being in or out? For real?

What if it's 501 epa, but it rains the whole way uphill? Ha.

I don't think I've ever had such razor thin hard margins for anything in my life.
Then it's still 501 EPA.
 

Mini2nut

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QC & fit and finish. I think all Cybertruck reservation holders are probably aware that Tesla still struggles in this area. Hopefully the new 1.2 billion dollar state-of-the-art assembly plant in TX brings QC up a notch or two. Even the $140k Model S Plaid‘s coming out of Fremont are getting QC complaints by owners.

I rejected two early 2021 Model Y VIN’s because of sloppy QC before finally pushing the “accept delivery” button on my 3rd Model Y. The 3rd VIN # was the charm as it was near perfect. Tesla knows how to build a vehicle with excellent QC but they can’t seem to execute on a consistent basis.
 
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rr6013

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Export restrictions

This happened to SteveJobs NeXT computers due to the choice of power supply.
 

ajdelange

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With the chips and batteries situation as it is today I have to think that the thing most likely to prevent me buying this truck will be my demise.

Thinking about it a little I think it would be a very nice gesture on Tesla's part to erect a tablet of some sort at the Austin factory with the names of all the guys (and gals) who expired while waiting for their trucks graven upon it.
 

Bkent100

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Continual delays and deception by Elon. Not sure why the guy can’t be more transparent. It’s a double edge sword… if it doesn’t start mass producing in early to mid 2022, I’ll want to bail out. That said, longer it takes, more people will buy rivian or Ford which means more CT cancellations and I move up in line!!

hard to know!!
 


Ogre

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Continual delays and deception by Elon. Not sure why the guy can’t be more transparent.
You should just quit while you are ahead then.

This whole project Is a pile of uncertainty. Musk isn’t being deceitful. This is just the nature of shipping a product using unproven tech, in a factory which isn’t built yet.

I won’t pay to add FSD to my Model Y. For exactly this reason. If I was confident they could actually get it out the door in 6 months or even a year, I’d might pony up for it, but it’s been just around the corner for 5 years.

Cybertruck, is a lot less tricky and I’m willing to pay 100 to wait an uncertain amount of time to get one. The opportunity cost of waiting is low.

Unless you are Cybertruck #1, there is a ton of uncertainty regardless since we have no idea how quickly production is going to ramp up. This isn’t going to be fun if uncertainty bothers you.
 
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SpaceYooper

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Been a couple months since this has been discussed and with the pending news coming next week, it will be interesting to see if any of the concerns discussed in this thread will receive any kind of attention or clarity.

I reread through the thread and here's the Cliff Notes version of concerns in no particular order.

1) Prices and to a much lesser degree the fed credit on EVs
2) Time to delivery...seems to be a lot of concern about dying before being able to take delivery
3) Options and their associated price...in particular, the possibility of a midgate
4) Insurance cost and Inferred that to also mean Tesla Insurance availability
5) Overall dimensions and bed length dimensions
6) EPA Range
7) Towing Range
8)Will 35s be stock...or how much will 35s effect the range if 32s are stock
9) Is a "Cybervan" coming "soon"
10) Competition that's competitive
11) Significantly better battery tech then the 4680 just a few years away (i.e. will "solid state" batteries become reality in the next few years)
12) 4680 battery warranty
13) Structural battery serviceability (Can it be repaired or is replacement the only option...or is that not even an option)
14) Poor fit and finish
15) Integrated full size spare
16) Suspension upgradability
17) Ability to attach racks
18) Overseas availability/Export restrictions
19) Must have seating for 6...or conversely, front buckets seats availability (see #3 above)
20) Ability to handle soft beach sand driving (maybe the concern is that the truck will be to heavy to do this well)
 

Dusty

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My main concerns are:

- Winch. Self recovery is just a total gamechanger when offroading. You can get stuck in a bad mud rut even in an offroad beast on the simplest trail.

- Will 35" tires fit. I don't care if they are equipped by Tesla, just being able to fit 35"s are a must. I'll take a range hit all the way down to 220 miles per charge, which I currently get with my Jeep.

Note on sand/beach: The CT should be fine. It'll (supposedly) be similar in weight to a TRX or Raptor. Those are monsters on sand. Musk also wants it to be a Baja dominator, so I wouldn't worry about beach driving. I gave some thought to this as well, being that I beach drive most often. But if you're concerned, a winch and a mantis anchor make beach self-recovery a total cake walk.
 
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Jeepster

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Been a couple months since this has been discussed and with the pending news coming next week, it will be interesting to see if any of the concerns discussed in this thread will receive any kind of attention or clarity.

I reread through the thread and here's the Cliff Notes version of concerns in no particular order.

1) Prices and to a much lesser degree the fed credit on EVs
2) Time to delivery...seems to be a lot of concern about dying before being able to take delivery
3) Options and their associated price...in particular, the possibility of a midgate
4) Insurance cost and Inferred that to also mean Tesla Insurance availability
5) Overall dimensions and bed length dimensions
6) EPA Range
7) Towing Range
8)Will 35s be stock...or how much will 35s effect the range if 32s are stock
9) Is a "Cybervan" coming "soon"
10) Competition that's competitive
11) Significantly better battery tech then the 4680 just a few years away (i.e. will "solid state" batteries become reality in the next few years)
12) 4680 battery warranty
13) Structural battery serviceability (Can it be repaired or is replacement the only option...or is that not even an option)
14) Poor fit and finish
15) Integrated full size spare
16) Suspension upgradability
17) Ability to attach racks
18) Overseas availability/Export restrictions
19) Must have seating for 6...or conversely, front buckets seats availability (see #3 above)
20) Ability to handle soft beach sand driving (maybe the concern is that the truck will be to heavy to do this well)
With #20 being the most important issue! ?
 

anionic1

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Really for me it seems like the sophistication is so much further ahead of the competition with the structural battery pack unibody design and their new cells. The crazy durable stainless exoskeleton is exactly what a durable truck needs. And top it off with the cool Tesla glass roof and the state of the art auto software it just seems like a much better choice than the competition. I am not much of a tech guy so I actually would prefer a lot less tech (which can ultimately fail), but I guess times are what they are. I think the deal breaker for me is pricing and options released. If they are only selling some dumb sub 3 sec. quad motor for $100k for the first two years I will probably pick a different option out there. I need a new truck and its been a long wait already. The slap in the face of only a super high end option which to a large degree will go to people who don't actually even need a truck may be too much to bear. If the quad motor is $80k or less I won't be as frustrated, but it would be really nice to see an initial option closer to $70k. But if its a $100k truck, forget it.
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