[rmtodd]

One of Tesla's selling points is supposed to be that you avoid the traditional car dealer experience. That goes for their online Certified Pre-owned buying system... where you just buy it online, and they deliver it... or don't.

A new video posted Tuesday gained a quarter of a million hits in its first 14 hours. If you heard third-hand all the trouble this used Tesla buyer has had, you wouldn't believe it. It updates a previous heavily-viewed video on the Model X's buyer's experiences:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgMTx_xFezM


Here's another video, from about a month ago, with a guy's 6-month review of the Tesla Model 3. He apparently had no trouble buying the car...
If you click on the link, and watch that section of the video for about 2 minutes, you'll hear what to me is an amazing assessment of what's acceptable in a new car...

View: https://youtu.be/HKHI8PWCXVc?t=561


If FCA had these kind of problems, there would be congressional hearings and the stock would be plunging.

It pays to be the cool kid.

 

[patfromigh]

Then there is this...
Tesla Massively Delays U.S. Title Registrations For Its Cars - Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) | Seeking Alpha (at https://seekingalpha.com/article/4231925-tesla-massively-delays-u-s-title-registrations-cars )

 

[KrisW]

@rmtodd - I didn't even have to play the lower video to see that the right-hand doors are misaligned. But, every single Tesla I've ever seen outside a showroom has had misaligned doors, so maybe I'm wrong: maybe it's actually a styling cue...

...and if you look at the video, it's clear that the hood, the one Tesla "fixed" for him, is still misaligned. I can't imagine how bad it was on delivery.

This guy is such a [person who likes a particular brand] it's nauseating (thanking "Elon"? Does he hang out with Musk or something?), but there is, however, a lesson for FCA here: vocal, self-publicising, customers like him actually don't care about quality defects if you throw enough candy at them. This guy's Model 3 is a near lemon that has been at the garage for nearly 15% of the total time he's owned it, but they were able to buy him off with an upgraded loaner, and now he's spending his own free time doing ads for Tesla.

Still, got to love the Apple-levels of apologism on display here: the wipers don't work at night, but that's understandable because Tesla's super-cool rain-sensing tech can't actually detect rain at night. Er, what??? Dude, it does. not. work. Who cares why not.

("Yeah, I cut myself real bad, but that's understandable because the handles of my golf clubs have a real-sharp serrated edge on them. Which I still totally love by the way: In fact, I find that three fingers is probably way more than anyone really needs on a hand...")

 

[rmtodd]

I'll note that to view just the highlighted section of the 2nd video, you have to click the tiny print under the huge thumbnail, because clicking on the unneeded thumbnail that this site puts into the post puts you at the start of the entire video.

 

[Doug D]

FCA, GM and Ford would be raked over the coals if a customer/consumer had such problems. But I guess since it's a Tesla, it is perfectly acceptable to tolerate such issues since it's such a great vehicle (NOT!).

 

[codypet]

Toyota Subaru and Honda people do it all the time.

 

[gforce2002]

One of Tesla's selling points is supposed to be that you avoid the traditional car dealer experience. That goes for their online Certified Pre-owned buying system... where you just buy it online, and they deliver it... or don't.

A new video posted Tuesday gained a quarter of a million hits in its first 14 hours. If you heard third-hand all the trouble this used Tesla buyer has had, you wouldn't believe it. It updates a previous heavily-viewed video on the Model X's buyer's experiences:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgMTx_xFezM


Here's another video, from about a month ago, with a guy's 6-month review of the Tesla Model 3. He apparently had no trouble buying the car...
If you click on the link, and watch that section of the video for about 2 minutes, you'll hear what to me is an amazing assessment of what's acceptable in a new car...

View: https://youtu.be/HKHI8PWCXVc?t=561


If FCA had these kind of problems, there would be congressional hearings and the stock would be plunging.

It pays to be the cool kid.

Not to defend Tesla, but to be fair it would be pretty easy to find examples from any make, including FCA, of multiple problems on their new vehicle and difficulties getting them fixed.

 

[valiant67]

Here's the thing: People that buy a Tesla very well have some different reason for owning that car that may outweigh some of the "inconveniences". The few owners I've talked to own one either "because it's the latest tech thing" or because they are "saving the planet". When that's why someone buys a car like this they may just tolerate more issues than someone buying a car as an appliance or fun transportation.

 

[hmk123]

I don’t know how the guy in the second video can call the design stunning. To me it looks like frowning Donald Duck from the front... And here in the SF South Bay I doubt they turn heads anymore since you see them everywhere...

 

[KrisW]

I don’t know how the guy in the second video can call the design stunning. To me it looks like frowning Donald Duck from the front... And here in the SF South Bay I doubt they turn heads anymore since you see them everywhere...

Having been a (far too) regular visitor to Cupertino and Santa Clara in previous lives, I'm going to suggest that a major factor in that is that you can ride single-occupancy in the HOV lanes if you've got an EV - so, not only do you get cheap fuel and a tax-break, you get to sail past the plebs every morning and evening.

I see that it's now only limited to the first three years of ownership, but in the Bay Area's horrible commuter traffic, it's almost priceless.

 

[codypet]

Not to defend Tesla, but to be fair it would be pretty easy to find examples from any make, including FCA, of multiple problems on their new vehicle and difficulties getting them fixed.

The most recent issue of Motortrend talks about crappy dealership experience on a Ram 2500 Powerwagon trying to get an alignment fixed. It happens with all makes for sure!

 

[hmk123]

Having been a (far too) regular visitor to Cupertino and Santa Clara in previous lives, I'm going to suggest that a major factor in that is that you can ride single-occupancy in the HOV lanes if you've got an EV - so, not only do you get cheap fuel and a tax-break, you get to sail past the plebs every morning and evening.

I see that it's now only limited to the first three years of ownership, but in the Bay Area's horrible commuter traffic, it's almost priceless.

Totally agree. And that has helped also Leafs and Plug-in hybrids. People were even buying natural gas powered Civics for that privilege. Tesla I would argue has one other thing going for them out here: an almost Apple like cult status. Well, maybe not just here...

 

[CherokeeVision]

I don’t know how the guy in the second video can call the design stunning. To me it looks like frowning Donald Duck from the front... And here in the SF South Bay I doubt they turn heads anymore since you see them everywhere...

I see quite a few in the Austin, TX area. I think if I was a Model 3 owner I would print up a fake grill to stick on the front. That dished in empty spot on the front looks odd.

 

[hmk123]

Totally agree about the front.

And I am trying to up the Mopar cult status by telling everyone Mopar or no car.

 

[Mastertech63]

The owner of the Model 3 in the second video bragged about not buying gas during the hurricane scare but what would happen if the power was out and he could not charge his car? I also wonder when AAA will be using mobile charging stations to bring you some electricity like they do with gas when you run out!

 

[Doug D]

The owner of the Model 3 in the second video bragged about not buying gas during the hurricane scare but what would happen if the power was out and he could not charge his car? I also wonder when AAA will be using mobile charging stations to bring you some electricity like they do with gas when you run out!

It's not a question if of if the power goes out, but when! Trust me, even a tropical storm can cause significant area power outages.

 

[mopar22]

The owner of the Model 3 in the second video bragged about not buying gas during the hurricane scare but what would happen if the power was out and he could not charge his car? I also wonder when AAA will be using mobile charging stations to bring you some electricity like they do with gas when you run out!

Well if i had to guess the type of person who gets a tesla more then likely has solar power of some sort or would be getting it somewhat soon since tela has those solar panel shingles now. If that was the case then you could charge a car somewhat off of what

 

[ramajama]

Meh, every single person I see driving a Tesla seems to be in some state of worry. You can see some form of tension in their face...It’s a weird phenomena.

 

[gforce2002]

The owner of the Model 3 in the second video bragged about not buying gas during the hurricane scare but what would happen if the power was out and he could not charge his car? I also wonder when AAA will be using mobile charging stations to bring you some electricity like they do with gas when you run out!

Though, most gas stations are also closed during a power outage.

 

[Doug D]

Meh, every single person I see driving a Tesla seems to be in some state of worry. You can see some form of tension in their face...It’s a weird phenomena.

Same look many have when their cell phone is low on charge.