Tesla is Not Treating Us Like Customers

[HaulingAss]

I agree, man. Switched from a Tri-mitor to a dual to get better range and to not have to wait 6 months to a year and I am second guessing my decision. I have loved my Model Y but still have a bad taste in my mouth when I took delivery and just two weeks later Tesla dropped the price 20k and destroyed the value of my new car. Tesla doesn't car about customers. Likening them to Apple is spot on and I think about it all the time. Someday Tesla will pay the price of the karma they are building up right now when true competition exists and we that have memories are looking for other options. That time feels a long way off right now though.
Very torn about whether to just take the $1000 deposit loss and move on with my life. 111k after taxes is a lot of money. Fighting a serious case of FOMO.

In my opinion, if karma exists, and I believe it does in a form, Tesla is building good karma by redirecting human civilization to a more sustainable future.

That is a very important impact. It's like humanity was frozen, and unable to act before Tesla came along. Dark interests, worth billions of dollars, had humanity in handcuffs, unable to change, always making excuses why we couldn't change. Those excuses sounded plausible to most people.

Elon and company came along and said "It ain't so. Look at how we can do it. The existing technology is already better, we just need to scale it quickly."

Those dark interests are still trying to slow the transition down with lies and deceit. Greed is a terrible thing when it prevents humanity from taking the path that leads to the best future.

Sponsored

 

[HaulingAss]

Look, complainers will always find something to complain about. You've have four years to build your own EV truck company if you didn't like the direction Tesla was headed. How are your vehicles turning out?

No, no, no. They want someone else to do all the hard work, and take all the risk. Only then can they complain. They don't want to complain about themselves!

Are you saying that putting a $100 fully refundable deposit doesn't buy them the right to complain?

/S

 

[CyberGus]

That is the rated range. The EPA range is not supposed to translate to a typical trip duration.

 

[Cam Salazar]

Tesla, in my opinion, gives a reasonable amount of information.

First of all, I'm not talking about reservation holders. The Cybertruck was delayed a lot for a lot of reasons and it's not all that uncommon to reserve something and hear basically nothing back for a long period of time from a company. Especially when your reservation was a very minor cost compared tot he actual price tag.

As for the wanting a 50k truck that beats the competition, there is no point in making that argument ever. The Cybertruck could cost $50 to make and deliver and I wouldn't blame Tesla for charging 100k for it because that's supply and demand. Regardless of how much they spend to make or how much profit they get from it, they are a business and should sell their trucks like any other company. You want a cheaper Cybertruck? Wait until they run out of people who are willing to buy at the current price, the next price, and even the next price, and we will see what Tesla would be willing to go down to.

But as it stands, if the AWD was at 50k, who would buy any other truck unless they absolutely hated Tesla or the design. The Cybertruck would be sold out probably for the next 7+ years even if they ramped up production and built another factory. While at the same time, they can make more profit by selling it for what they can get. The 80-100k price tag makes sense with their demand and competition and the foundation series is also just a smart business decision for launch that isn't uncommon to do.

How about you go get a Ford Raptor and feel like a customer as the dealership explains why you should feel lucky to pay above MSRP for a used one.

And the biggest thing I would be looking at here is that it's a brand new truck, with very limited numbers in the world, where you have 2,000,000+ people who want to sit in one and test drive it, even people that don't even want to buy it. And probably 0 of these people have ever driven a steer by wire vehicle.

We should also be aware that most Cybertrucks are the only one there on display. It's a display to look at, not to drive. Many of these say Foundation and are very likely to eventually be a Cybertruck going to a customer when Tesla is ready to release it. Maybe they are waiting for a software update, maybe they have something they want to add or test first. Either way, I'm 100% certain that Tesla would rather have that truck sitting in one spot in each location rather than have it booked for test drives for the foreseeable future.

100% agree with you

All this text and none of it addresses my overall point...

Also I do own a Raptor and had a great experience. Paid sticker and Ford paid for offroad driving school for a weekend, among other perks

He more than addressed your points

 

[ricinro]

Why should they treat you like a king, why even bother have a dealership for the CT or have testdrives ? What people seem to forget is, that the CT is sold out for the next 5 to 8 years. Would you buy or order a car now, when you know for 100% that you'll never get it before 2029-2032 ? Let's say as independent your order book being full for the next 5 years at least, would you look for new customers or rather do everything to fulfill your orders ? What do you think ?

CTs are not "sold out". There are many reservation holders but until they purchase a CT there is no sale. Tesla will convert some reservations into sales early but as the CT loses its novelty people will base purchasing decisions on more practical things like price, range, quality, cost of ownership and anecdotes of good or bad service.
I remember the introduction of the CT and the battery day event. It seemed like Tesla HAD the tech to produce the CT/batteries they promised but now it appears as if, like FSD, it was all aspirational.
To me it seems that rather than give the market what it wanted Tesla went down the model X rabbit hole making a technical masterpiece but not a competitive truck for what truck buyers valued (like affordability and practicality).

 

[cvalue13]

There sure a lot of complainers on the COC forums.

it's only just getting started (if my time on the Lightning forum before, during, and in the months after release are any indication)

 

[TexasRaider]

Anyone wishing to get the "full customer experience" should visit a traditional dealership.

Love it! ?
Generally, (in my own experience of purchasing 7 vehicles in traditional dealerships) to have the ‘down home great experience’ is to personally know most of the individuals working on your sale. Any other way, the dealership employees have a VESTED incentive for you to pay more. With knowing the individuals through either growing up with them or family or some other long term community interactions, is how those individuals would benefit from NOT making money from your choice of purchase.

At the end of the day, dealerships are a whole business in of themselves. So, they “have” charge the customer $1 for a $0.10 service. Sadly.

When it comes to Tesla, I’m still perplexed on why the ordering process isn’t more transparent to deposited customers.

 

[Rutrow]

The society of Foundation Series owners inductees.

 

[tenetke]

do you have any details on the off-road driving school? I’d be interested in that even on my own dime.

It also applies to Bronco Owners.
https://broncooffroadeo.com/

*edit
For non-owners too:
https://broncodrives.com/

 

[alan auerbach]

Define ‘customer’

I'd like to, but it hertz too much.

 

[tedmoss]

The people getting FS invitations aren't 'real' people. Lets just get that out of the way. They are employees, buddies, illuminati, and people that would do anything to get their Cybertruck now. If you do not fancy yourself in that group there there is something wrong if you were invited to order.

The FS Cybertrucks are going out before the documentation or certifications are even done. Some of the features aren't even done yet. So you cannot act like you are somehow missing out or being lied to. All of this will change in the next 6 months to a year. Tesla has never given out specs or other details in advance of the vehicles being sold. We have been over this many times on the forum. Not new, not going to change.

The range is likely going to improve over time as will the charging curve. As has been said before, Tesla is using a new battery (and is constantly changing their battery chemistry) and they need a fleet of CTs on the road in order to dial in the battery management. Same with FSD. So once again, if you are upset about any of this you should not buy the FS.

We have all been frustrated with some of the things that you are mentioning but this is how Tesla is. Frustration is fine, but if your anger is really getting to you the only real solution is to get something else.

I got mine, but it was a little frustrating not to be treated like a customer that is paying $112,000. I got over it.

 

[igs]

CTs are not "sold out".

If I have to wait to get my truck then it "is" sold out.

Sponsored