Tesla

[Guest Lobo]

Can we have a separate thread for the futility and waste of money that are Texas car dealerships?  

[Biff Tannen 45,711]

12 minutes ago, Lobo said:

Can we have a separate thread for the futility and waste of money that are Texas car dealerships?  

[Blotto 23,568]

26 minutes ago, Dahobbs said:

4) Yes, there is. Unlike other manufacturers, Tesla doesn't have dealers with an extensive inventory of supply. Every car produced is basically destined for a customer. When I ordered mine earlier this year, it took about 2 months before I had the car. Tesla also had their European  sales dry up a bit last quarter because the factory that produced cars destined for Europe (Freemont) was shutdown due to Covid-19 (I don't like the way Elon handled that btw). 

5) Cars are low margin for dealers. Manufacturers, particularly luxury manufacturers, have pretty decent margins on their products. Being profitable for Tesla would, at this point, be as simple as slowing their rate of expansion. But it isn't interested in doing that for short term profit.

TSLA recently(May) lowered the prices of almost the entire lineup (exception was the Model Y). Yes we are in the midst of a pandemic, but there isnt currently  unmet demand for their cars. There would be no reason to lower prices if there was. 

[Dahobbs 17,653]

26 minutes ago, Blotto said:

TSLA recently(May) lowered the prices of almost the entire lineup (exception was the Model Y). Yes we are in the midst of a pandemic, but there isnt currently  unmet demand for their cars. There would be no reason to lower prices if there was. 

That's slightly misleading. Tesla actually dropped the cheapest versions of their vehicles from the lineup in combination with a slight decrease on the remaining vehicles. The end result is actually a net increase in ASP.  That decrease also came after the phasing out of the federal tax credit for Tesla, which has resulted in a price drop every time the credit was reduced. At any rate, the fact that Covid-19 has negatively affected short term demand shouldn't be surprising. And none of that changes the fact that Tesla has a buyer for pretty much every car the minute it comes off the line. 

[Blotto 23,568]

7 minutes ago, Dahobbs said:

That's slightly misleading. Tesla actually dropped the cheapest versions of their vehicles from the lineup in combination with a slight decrease on the remaining vehicles. The end result is actually a net increase in ASP.  That decrease also came after the phasing out of the federal tax credit for Tesla, which has resulted in a price drop every time the credit was reduced. At any rate, the fact that Covid-19 has negatively affected short term demand shouldn't be surprising. And none of that changes the fact that Tesla has a buyer for pretty much every car the minute it comes off the line. 

Quote

 

In what appears to be a move to stoke demand amid the coronavirus recovery, Tesla lowered the price tag on nearly all of its models by thousands of dollars starting Tuesday night.

Prices on the Tesla Model 3 lineup have been lowered by $2,000 across the board, while the price tag of the Model X and Model S have been lowered by $5,000. 

According to Tesla’s order site, that puts the Model 3 Standard Range Plus at $39,190. The Model 3 Long Range now costs $48,190, and the Performance costs $56,190. That includes the mandatory $1,200 destination and document fee.

The entry Model S is now $76,190, according to Tesla’s order site, while the Model X costs $81,190

 

https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1128297_tesla-lowers-prices-on-all-but-model-y-appears-to-drop-free-supercharging#:~:text=Prices on the Tesla Model,and the Performance costs %2456%2C190.

Again, you can rationalize all you want, but you don't drop the prices all the way across the board if there are buyers for every car off the line that would buy at the higher price. 

Edited July 24, 2020 by Blotto

[LonghornSean 4,021]

Very efficient

 

[Biff Tannen 45,711]

For fuck's sake.  

[Dahobbs 17,653]

21 minutes ago, Blotto said:

https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1128297_tesla-lowers-prices-on-all-but-model-y-appears-to-drop-free-supercharging#:~:text=Prices on the Tesla Model,and the Performance costs %2456%2C190.

Again, you can rationalize all you want, but you don't drop the prices all the way across the board if there are buyers for every car off the line that would buy at the higher price. 

I have no idea where our disconnect is. I'm not saying demand hasn't dropped as a result of Covid-19. I was asked a broad question about demand for Teslas, and explained the dynamics of the manufacturer, at least up until the rise of Covid-19. Things have cooled as a result, but nothing like what has happened with manufacturers. And, it is pretty clearly a short term disruption, as opposed to representing a fundamental cooling on the brand. Again, even in the most recent quarterly report, sales and production were pretty much even. Unlike other manufacturers, Tesla can't hide behind dealers, so every sale is by necessity a sale to an end customer. Finally, the disruption to its European sales were greater than any actual drop in demand as that drop was the result of the factory in Freemont being shutdown, which is what I was getting at. 

Yes, they dropped prices. Yes, demand has waned overall. But there is still unmet demand, particularly depending on the region and vehicle. 

Edited July 24, 2020 by Dahobbs

[Biff Tannen 45,711]

2 minutes ago, Dahobbs said:

I have no idea where our disconnect is. I'm not saying demand hasn't dropped as a result of Covid-19. I was asked a broad question about demand for Teslas, and explained the dynamics of the manufacturer, at least up until the rise of Covid-19. Things have cooled as a result, but nothing like what has happened with manufacturers. And, it is pretty clearly a short term disruption, as opposed to representing a fundamental cooling on the brand. Again, even in the most recent quarterly report, sales and production were pretty much even. Unlike other manufacturers, Tesla can't hide behind dealers, so every sale is by necessity a sale to an end customer. 

Yes, essentially the cars are made to order.  I believe they do have some "back stock" of the most popular color combos and what not, but overall, the business model is to manufacture each car after an online order has been placed.

[futureman 22,527]

On 7/23/2020 at 9:55 AM, Armybrat said:

If the truck doesn’t rumble, aggy won’t buy it.

 

[tokamak 6,433]

2 hours ago, LonghornSean said:

Very efficient

 

How on Earth did they not use this new factory as a bludgeon to get an exception carved out for this rule? Very un-Elon-like.

[HRSchenker 2,273]

I mentioned this issue a few pages back but it seems like Tesla is okay with it. I doubt the state legislature carves out an exception because it will end up destroying the dealer model for new cars (which is a good thing for consumers but bad for those who work there). 

[RPM 26,339]

I should have bought stock long ago.

[Colonel Sanders 1,366]

1 hour ago, RPM said:

I should have bought stock long ago.

I should have shorted yesterday. 

[Pasken 1,309]

1 hour ago, Lobo said:

Can we have a separate thread for the futility and waste of money that are Texas car dealerships?  

This might be the dumbest article I've ever read.

"Tesla’s direct-sales model deprives consumers of the thrill of driving the car home from the dealership "

https://www.wardsauto.com/dealers/tesla-franchising-and-bottom-line

[Biff Tannen 45,711]

4 minutes ago, Pasken said:

This might be the dumbest article I've ever read.

"Tesla’s direct-sales model deprives consumers of the thrill of driving the car home from the dealership "

https://www.wardsauto.com/dealers/tesla-franchising-and-bottom-line

That's weird because I drove mine home from the service center where I picked it up.  It felt very similar.  I guess I'll defer to that obviously non-biased author though.

[Dahobbs 17,653]

1 hour ago, Biff Tannen said:

That's weird because I drove mine home from the service center where I picked it up.  It felt very similar.  I guess I'll defer to that obviously non-biased author though.

Similar, but minus all the annoying things that take hours of time, like someone trying to sell you on a warranty. I was in and out of the service center in 15 minutes (or less). 

[Pasken 1,309]

You don't get a good idea for how massive a site the factory is when you are looking at it from a satellite. Check out some drone vids:

 

 

[Nice Guy Eddie 13,521]

On 7/24/2020 at 12:59 PM, tokamak said:

How on Earth did they not use this new factory as a bludgeon to get an exception carved out for this rule? Very un-Elon-like.

I can't imagine they won't bring this up with Abbott soon. "We really want to come to Texas and produce XXXX jobs for the next 25 years, what are you going to do to make that happen?"

[Armybrat 40,872]

Tesla building site on east side of Texas 130 looks pretty busy today.

 

[Mack Tripper 696]

Just now saw this thread. Got the LR AWD Model Y on July 1. It is quite a bit bigger than it looks. Interior and cargo space is bigger than my old Q5 and wife’s GLC.

Did nothing but city driving/ home charging until last week when I had to go to SA/Boerne for work. Stopped at a supercharger in Flatonia both ways and the stop wasn’t any longer than a typical gas fill up and restroom visit.

The real issue for road trips is charging at your destination. Had to charge at the super chargers in SA and Leon Springs while I was there.

Overall couldn’t be happier with the Y.

[Ignatius 4,017]

On 8/7/2020 at 6:20 PM, Nice Guy Eddie said:

I can't imagine they won't bring this up with Abbott soon. "We really want to come to Texas and produce XXXX jobs for the next 25 years, what are you going to do to make that happen?"

TADA laughs at the number of jobs they’re talking about compared to the number of geographically-dispersed jobs they’ve been creating for decades. I hate the dealer model, but it’s entrenched here as much as bluebonnets, armadillos, and transplants....

[BLKNSTY 289]

5:1 share split is effective. Trading at $443/share.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[CooterBrown 18,022]

5:1 share split is effective. Trading at $443/share.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Bought 30 shares with my ALT profits at $1490. Planned to hold until $2500. At this rate, I may not adjust my goal for the split. Now we need the S&P500 addition.

Come Monday...

[Mack Tripper 696]

Anyone ever do a Big Bend/Alpine/Marathon/Ft. Davis/Marfa trip in a Tesla? Looks like there is a supercharger in Ft Stockton and destination chargers in Marfa and Ft. Davis. 

[Superhero 8,834]

May not be the right thread to ask, but wife wants a model S. I told her she married the wrong guy if she expects a new one, so we’re looking at ones just a couple of years old.

I know nothing about electric car ownership other than it doesn’t need gas. I’m assuming stuff will break will break along the way. What does it cost to maintain? Does it need regular maintenance, and how much will that cost?

[Hagbard Celine 10,909]

 

[Dnaguy 12,044]

On 7/24/2020 at 12:59 PM, tokamak said:

How on Earth did they not use this new factory as a bludgeon to get an exception carved out for this rule? Very un-Elon-like.

Once he has this thing up and churning, you better believe he’s going to go fucking hard to the paint on every Texas pol there is. 

He is going to go carpet bomb them on twitter until he gets the rules changed.

He has no Texas capital now... but it’s only a matter of time now.

[52-80 19,226]

56 minutes ago, Superhero said:

May not be the right thread to ask, but wife wants a model S. I told her she married the wrong guy if she expects a new one, so we’re looking at ones just a couple of years old.

 

she was impressed by her boyfriend's model S, so you're going to have to keep up

[Bosco 56]

1 hour ago, Superhero said:

May not be the right thread to ask, but wife wants a model S. I told her she married the wrong guy if she expects a new one, so we’re looking at ones just a couple of years old.

I know nothing about electric car ownership other than it doesn’t need gas. I’m assuming stuff will break will break along the way. What does it cost to maintain? Does it need regular maintenance, and how much will that cost?

I’m only a 3-month Y owner so take this with a grain of salt.  No regular maintenance costs like oil changes, just tire rotation and replacement.  I’d strongly suggest getting a warranty though if you buy used, they are expensive to fix and you usually have to get it done at Tesla service center so difficult to price shop service.

 

[Biff Tannen 45,711]

2 hours ago, Superhero said:

May not be the right thread to ask, but wife wants a model S. I told her she married the wrong guy if she expects a new one, so we’re looking at ones just a couple of years old.

I know nothing about electric car ownership other than it doesn’t need gas. I’m assuming stuff will break will break along the way. What does it cost to maintain? Does it need regular maintenance, and how much will that cost?

Maintenance is rotating the tires.  That's it.  No oil changes.  Brakes will last forever with regenerative braking.  I've had a couple of small problems in 3 years with my Model 3 and all were covered by warranty and most were fixed with mobile service at my house.  One time had to take it into the service center for 4 days to get a control arm replaced, but had a loaner Model S during that time.

[Mack Tripper 696]

6 hours ago, Superhero said:

May not be the right thread to ask, but wife wants a model S. I told her she married the wrong guy if she expects a new one, so we’re looking at ones just a couple of years old.

I know nothing about electric car ownership other than it doesn’t need gas. I’m assuming stuff will break will break along the way. What does it cost to maintain? Does it need regular maintenance, and how much will that cost?

Technology wise the S is bit behind the 3 and especially the Y. There are rumors of a new Model S coming in the near future. Once that happens, you will see a big price drop for the current version. You can pay a few hundred bucks to update the Model S computer to the new version. If it were me, I'd try to buy a pre-owned one from Tesla. I believe you're in the Bay Area, so the Fremont factory is close and should have decent inventory. 

[Biff Tannen 45,711]

1 minute ago, Mack Tripper said:

Technology wise the S is bit behind the 3 and especially the Y. There are rumors of a new Model S coming in the near future. Once that happens, you will see a big price drop for the current version. You can pay a few hundred bucks to update the Model S computer to the new version. If it were me, I'd try to buy a pre-owned one from Tesla. I believe you're in the Bay Area, so the Fremont factory is close and should have decent inventory. 

This. Honestly, if she wants a sedan, just get a model 3. 

[royiv 9,339]

30 minutes ago, Biff Tannen said:

This. Honestly, if she wants a sedan, just get a model 3. 

Agreed. The Model S is getting long in the tooth. It's getting so old that it's beginning to look like a Crown Vic.

[Walte464 450]

I have the 3, been looking at the y but I can’t leave the speed of my dual motor AWD.

[Tailgate 3,022]

19 minutes ago, royiv said:

Agreed. The Model S is getting long in the tooth. It's getting so old that it's beginning to look like a Crown Vic.

Ya, I’ve been eyeballing it and the X. Hoping they reveal some potential alterations to those vehicles on battery day coming up.

[Mack Tripper 696]

I have the 3, been looking at the y but I can’t leave the speed of my dual motor AWD.

I have a dual motor AWD Y, and it’s plenty fast.

[Fudge Nuggets 19,211]

On 8/29/2020 at 8:33 AM, CooterBrown said:

Bought 30 shares with my ALT profits at $1490. Planned to hold until $2500. At this rate, I may not adjust my goal for the split. Now we need the S&P500 addition.

Come Monday...

Oooooopsie

[CooterBrown 18,022]

Oooooopsie

My stop loss was triggered at $350. Made around 17% profit. Should’ve sold at $498 but it was soooo close to my $500/share goal. Fuck I left a lot of money on the table.

[Pasken 1,309]

On 9/7/2020 at 10:30 PM, Tailgate said:

Ya, I’ve been eyeballing it and the X. Hoping they reveal some potential alterations to those vehicles on battery day coming up.

X is a beautiful car inside and out. 

[Blotto 23,568]

40 minutes ago, Pasken said:

X is a beautiful car inside and out. 

I cant speak to the interior as I have never sat inside the X, but I couldnt disagree more on the exterior. I think the Model X is bland as fuck. The S was a striking car, and despite being a bit long in the tooth, I still think they look sharp when I see them around town. The Model X looks like a mid range cross over from Detroit or Korea....with those stupid ass gull wing doors. Just not my thing I guess. 

For comparison here is a 2013 Prius

Edited September 10, 2020 by Blotto

[Mack Tripper 696]

Yeah no. Those don’t look alike at all.

[52-80 19,226]

There were a few instances I thought the X looked modern and cool.  Maybe with its doors swung open.  But now it looks extremely bland and dated.

Model S has a good basic shape, especially the rear fenders.  It looks great in dark colors at night when you just barely catch the outlines... but in actual OEM finish with the chrome, the headlights, the wheel design, all the other small detailing, it's all quite unattractive.

 

 

The new Roadster, if it comes out of production looking like this, will be aesthetically the most attractive sports car in the world.

 

 

[troph 24,905]

Anyone ever do a Big Bend/Alpine/Marathon/Ft. Davis/Marfa trip in a Tesla? Looks like there is a supercharger in Ft Stockton and destination chargers in Marfa and Ft. Davis. 

Don’t go too far off the highway. We went to the trans pecos festival last year with my S and it was fine. El cosmico has a charger and we used that for about 5-6 hours. We then walked the whole city or drive short distances mostly. I would be cautious about trying to make Ft Stockton to Big Bend and back. They have added more recently I think so it is getting easier. But still that drive south from the interstate and back would concern me. Put it this way, we are going to Marfa next week and taking our truck.

[troph 24,905]

May not be the right thread to ask, but wife wants a model S. I told her she married the wrong guy if she expects a new one, so we’re looking at ones just a couple of years old.

I know nothing about electric car ownership other than it doesn’t need gas. I’m assuming stuff will break will break along the way. What does it cost to maintain? Does it need regular maintenance, and how much will that cost?

I bought my S used. Would still be driving it if someone hadn’t rear ended me and totaled it. I bought from Tesla. It was easy. Replaced with an X. I want my S back though. Buy preowned from Tesla and you’ll likely get 2/4 warranties - 2 on everything and 4 on motor and battery. Maintenance? What maintenance? The Teslas have something like 1000 less mechanical parts than other vehicles.

[CooterBrown 18,022]

The looks of the Tesla are what keeps me away. Driving them is so much fun...but they look like complete shit. Boring as fuck.

I would consider a Polestar from Volvo though...

[NotActuallyALonghorn 4,977]

1 hour ago, troph said:

Don’t go too far off the highway. We went to the trans pecos festival last year with my S and it was fine. El cosmico has a charger and we used that for about 5-6 hours. We then walked the whole city or drive short distances mostly. I would be cautious about trying to make Ft Stockton to Big Bend and back. They have added more recently I think so it is getting easier. But still that drive south from the interstate and back would concern me. Put it this way, we are going to Marfa next week and taking our truck.

Not to mention that Big Bend is huge and you pretty much have to do a lot of driving if you want to see more than one area.

[troph 24,905]

Not to mention that Big Bend is huge and you pretty much have to do a lot of driving if you want to see more than one area.

Exactly this. Big bend really demands a truck or a vehicle that’s not scared of a dirt road, and with enough range to drive a bunch of hundreds of miles.

[Dahobbs 17,653]

22 minutes ago, CooterBrown said:

The looks of the Tesla are what keeps me away. Driving them is so much fun...but they look like complete shit. Boring as fuck.

I would consider a Polestar from Volvo though...

Yeah, Polestar is a nice looking car. But, I don't see much point in the plug in hybrids for me. And, if I'm spending that amount of money, I'm getting the Taycan Turbo (or Turbo S), which is a  gorgeous, no compromises, BEV. 

Edited September 16, 2020 by Dahobbs

[troph 24,905]

I can’t wait for used taycans to hit the market.