Lightning order Process and Priority assignment by Dealer

[adoublee]

I'd never pay ADM, but it is a market-discovered price - if someone pays it, then that is what the vehicle is worth. Auctions are always the fairest pricing mechanism. No matter who benefits.

And require no State-mandated dealership to "protect" the consumer from the manufacturer (just like dealers don't protect consumers now with exploration of market value by some).

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[PungoteagueDave]

And require no State-mandated dealership to "protect" the consumer from the manufacturer (just like dealers don't protect consumers now with exploration of market value by some).

It's a tough call. There were good reasons in the 1920s for dealership protection laws when auto manufacturers were initially abusive and engaged in unfair business practices - but then the dealership associations began acting like unions and over-protected their turf, with many acting like mafia, engaging their own anti-consumer behavior, pressure tactics and up-sells. The consumer ultimately empowers all of this bad behavior.

However, the direct-to-consumer model may be no better in many respects. As a four-time Tesla buyer, I have seen them play many pricing games having nothing to do with cost. They look for market pricing and go where the maximum sales/margin yield falls out. My P85D in 2014 was $136K. The same car two years later, a P100D, sold for 89K. Now, the Plaid model successor to both, mostly the same, sells for $119K base. Tesla reduced all of their cars by $8k when the tax credits went away two years ago. Lately they have been raising prices again because demand has far outstripped their ability to produce.

The Tesla forums are full of pissed off consumers, because Tesla is terrible at communicating with buyers. You think Ford is bad? At least there is a dealer to speak to. With Tesla, there is literally no one. There is a kid at a showroom, but they only refer you to the online website, and there is no phone contact possible. Most Tesla buyers would tell you the sales and service component at Tesla, the only pure direct-to-consumer auto sales model currently in place, has gone from decent to horrible. So be careful what you ask for.

 

[adoublee]

Most Tesla buyers would tell you the sales and service component at Tesla, the only pure direct-to-consumer auto sales model currently in place, has gone from decent to horrible. So be careful what you ask for.

I've bought two EVs and exactly zero of them from Tesla. I prefer a local good/reasonable dealer if possible and would likely be aggravated with a Tesla purchase, so no begging for direct sales from me. But legally restricting direct sales based on dealerships ENSURING consumer protection is being exposed as false narrative during this supply constraint.

 

[Viper GTS]

I own and love my M3P, but Tesla the company is terrible to deal with.

As a great example of this, I came close to walking away from my car at delivery. Why? Because while they had left me a voicemail the day before telling me I owed them $4xx at pickup they surprised me with an ask for a $5,000 minimum down payment. With rates as low as they are I have zero interest in dumping cash into a car, and this lack of communication was infuriating. I would have simply brought my own financing had I known that was a requirement. Instead I showed up at delivery In mid December 2019 (so less than two weeks away from losing the last of the tax credit) to a surprise choice of put out cash I didn't want to, or lose the tax credit by passing on the car.

After a few hours they agreed to take $2500 which seemed a reasonable compromise and I've been happy with the car since. I have a MYP on the way too, so clearly I still buy their products. But good lord they are terrible if you have to do anything other than drive the cars (which are excellent, of course).

 

[PungoteagueDave]

I own and love my M3P, but Tesla the company is terrible to deal with.

As a great example of this, I came close to walking away from my car at delivery. Why? Because while they had left me a voicemail the day before telling me I owed them $4xx at pickup they surprised me with an ask for a $5,000 minimum down payment. With rates as low as they are I have zero interest in dumping cash into a car, and this lack of communication was infuriating. I would have simply brought my own financing had I known that was a requirement. Instead I showed up at delivery In mid December 2019 (so less than two weeks away from losing the last of the tax credit) to a surprise choice of put out cash I didn't want to, or lose the tax credit by passing on the car.

After a few hours they agreed to take $2500 which seemed a reasonable compromise and I've been happy with the car since. I have a MYP on the way too, so clearly I still buy their products. But good lord they are terrible if you have to do anything other than drive the cars (which are excellent, of course).

Completely correct - I took delivery of my third Tesla, a Model X in Sept 2019 - a complete Tesla f-up. I was sailing offshore in the Atlantic from Florida to Maryland when I got a satellite message from my wife that the car was ready two weeks ahead of schedule and had to be picked up within 48 hours or it would be given to someone else. I called the "delivery specialist" by sat phone and explained that I was five days away, that they would need to keep it until I could get to Owings Mills - just five days. They said no way - it would be sold to someone else on the waiting list and I could reorder for delivery in four months. So I turned my sailboat westward, came to port in Brunswick, GA (a whole other fiasco, as it was the very day that the Golden Ray capsized in the entrance channel, so I had to get special permission and an escort from the Coast Guard to even enter the port), rented a car one-way, drove to Owings Mills, took delivery, drove to Pungoteague, VA, picked up my wife, and drove back to Brunswick to meet my waiting two-person crew to resume our northward sail. Service has been equally bad. But the vehicles are amazing, and worth the hassle. The annual Consumer Reports survey shows two incompatible things: Teslas have the worst reliability and service histories. They also have the highest owner loyalty and repurchase commitment. I completely understand that - despite all the frustration, I doubt there will be any time that we go without a Tesla - they are that great to own and drive.

 

[Knife Crunch]

I haven’t received any info from my dealer.

Over the past Few months I’ve called2-3 times and the guy I need to speak to isn’t available. I’ve emailed 2-3 times and I’m told they need to forward my email to a different department and no one ever emails me back. I just tell them I have a reservation and have some questions about the process and would like to speak to someone.

i have no idea about ADM (won’t buy if there is) or where I am on the reservation list. I placed a reservation within the first 5 minutes of the system going live on 5/19.

I'm in MA, too. What dealer are you going through?

 

[GreaseLightning]

I ordered within 5 minutes of reservations opening and I’m number 11 out of 65 at my dealer. What a crock of shit. They aren’t even the closest dealer to me but I bought a brand new Platinum F150 from them 2 years ago and it was a painless experience so I used them to place my reservation. Glad I was loyal to them /s

 

[Clickbeast]

Most Tesla buyers would tell you the sales and service component at Tesla, the only pure direct-to-consumer auto sales model currently in place, has gone from decent to horrible. So be careful what you ask for.

Truth, the ordering process with Tesla might've been smooth, but the moment I needed humans to finalize our transaction....pain. Literally took over 6 months for them to complete their paperwork. I had to drive back to the Tesla shop for a new temp tag 3x. Oh, and when they did do the paperwork, they used the wrong forms and had our County DMV have to tell them to start over. LOST my trade in, then found it again. Like ???? scenarios.

And this was 2 years ago, I imagine it's gotten worse.

 

[LightningLover]

Will X-plan pricing be available for the Lightning, do you happen to know?

One of the issues with the Bronco launch was the late (my opinion) clarification that while A/D/Z-plan pricing would be honored, X-plan pricing would not. Some people who chose a dealer without worrying about ADM, because they had X-plan, were left hanging.

No X-Plan for Lightning in 2022.

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