Some observations (skip if not interested) from first hands-on with Cybertruck

[carsly]

First off, many thanks to @scohen2002 who was kind enough to invite me to his delivery at the Lawrenceville/Princeton center this morning and permit me to come 'behind the ropes' and get the vehicle run-through with him from the Tesla rep. He's a true class act and is emblematic of what makes this community so fantastic to be a part of.

For context, I've owned a 2019 Model X Performance Ludicrous and drive a 2021 Model S Plaid. Also recently had a 2020 Model Y Performance loaner for a weekend. So not new to Tesla, or larger vehicles (have had many mid-sized, three-row SUV's) and came from a test drive last weekend of a Hummer EV SUV.

Observations:

1. This is an absolutely mindblowing piece of technology - from the fast-responding air suspension (which was whisper quiet from entry all the way up to extract mode) to the details like the gaskets around the edges of the tracks for the tonneau cover to keep out sand, dirt and grime. You can see how this was a labor of love for some of the folks on the engineering team.
2. Fit and finish - my Plaid has some trim pieces that don't fit just right inside and out but this, this was something else. It's Lexus-like levels of precision from the rear seat stitching, seatback pockets, light pipes in the door cards, etc. it's all tight, clean, straight and as perfect as I could tell. If you have the opportunity to spend some time you'll hopefully find similar levels of precision engineering. Tesla's manufacturing and quality is really getting dialed in - and it's impressive improvement.
3. Durability - from the air canisters for the suspension (which appear Hummer-sized/massive) to the bedliner, interior fabrics, trim, panels, etc. this was built to take a beating. Only time will tell how they actually hold up, but related to (2) this was engineered for hard use.
4. Attention - there is a Porsche dealership across a narrow road in this outdoor mall. Two younger gentleman wheeled by in what appeared to be a fairly new Porsche Taycan, which is no slouch in its own right, to behold the Cybertruck. As did a couple taking delivery of a new Model Y. And a 20 something browing. And many, many more people. All were very polite, curious and courteous.
5. Rear seats - Sam let me partake in the walkthrough of the main screen/controls from the rear seat (what a guy) so I got to spend about 30 mins back there and with three teenage boys this was my biggest question mark going in so I was plenty happy to get the time. Seat width is pretty good, but the vehicle is narrower than you might think. Eyes to eyes (no tape measure) rear seat width seemed similar to my old Model X but this bench was pretty flat. Headroom is better without the center bar in the X and the glass roof feels far brighter and more expansive than in my Model S. Seat comfort was a bit of a surprise - they felt pretty stiff (yes, I know it's a brand new vehicle) and the seatback angle is pretty vertical likely due to needing to make the bed so large. I bet the seat foam softens up over time, but I think the seats in the Model S and X offer more lumbar support and comfort for longer trips. Legroom was pretty good, I actually would trade off a little legroom to shift the seat bottom 2 inches forward to provide a little recline on the seatback but it seems it was designed this was for meeting specs. It doesn't seem dissimilar from other pickups.
6. Body - I looked pretty closed at every panel and didn't see any ripples or imperfections in the stainless. Ignore the haters, single-post moaners, and short sellers. If you told me they had already made 1 million of them on the production line and this was number 1,000,001 I'd take it as completely believable. That's how dialed-in it is.

Conclusions:

It's absolutely crazy that something like this even exists, but that's not a new observation. I was skeptical about the quality based on what I've read here and in the mainstream press but this one was dead on. While I have a couple of reservations, one pending the maybe/maybe not shareholder program, I'm not sure I'm ready to pay $100K for it. It's a lot of vehicle for $80K, no doubt, but another 25% on top of that? Need to think about it. Also with trade-in values being what they are, I'm looking at it being roughly 2x the value of my 2021 Model S Plaid. It's an amazing machine, but it doesn't feel like 2x the value. 1.5x? Probably.

I may have more thoughts once I've had a chance to absorb the experience fully. I'll just close by again thanking @scohen2002 for being a true gentleman and being extremely gracious by including me in his delivery experience. I wish you and your family nothing but best wishes and amazing journeys, enjoy your new Cybertruck!

PS, I took a few pics but won't jump in front of my host if he opts to share anything here.

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[HaulingAss]

Yeah, there is a lot of fake "news" out there about the Cybertruck designed to turn people off to it, that's for sure. I knew that going into my delivery on Wednesday, so I wasn't surprised one bit how finished it looked or how well everything worked on the drive home.

Thanks for sharing your first-hand observations.

 

[scohen2002]

@carsly you probably should have come out for a ride. It’s mind blowing how smooth and quick and nimble and responsive. The power is amazing and so is the tight turning. This is it feels like a Porsche 911 with a BMW 750 ride comfort in terms of smoothness and feel.

 

[Mini2nut]

Great post! Most owners feel the AWD CT is a good value at $80k, but not at $100k.

 

[HaulingAss]

Great post! Most owners feel the truck is worth $80k and not a good value at $100k.

What is value? Cybertruck owners wouldn't have paid the $100K, or $120K for The Beast, if they didn't think it offered them good value. Unless you are talking about "value" as being the cheapest way to get you and your cargo from A to B.

The way you wrote it, you are basically saying most people who have taken delivery are disappointed, which is not the impression I get from having read every new owner experience I can get my hands on. I've had mine two days and its just as good as I thought it was. No major surprises.

As to high volume sales, yes, the price has to come down, not because there are more desirable $100K and $120K pickups out there, but because most people cannot buy $100K-$120K pickups while remaining financially responsible. It's a small market until they lower the prices.

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