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Why a Day 1 Cybertruck reservation holder is getting a Lightning

kubel

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Story time and rant below.

I was a day 1 Cybertruck reservation holder. I'm also an all-in TSLA investor and have been for several years. I'm currently driving a 6 year old Model 3 which was paid in part from TSLA stock, and have a 18 year old Crown Vic that's still running strong. With close to 80,000 miles on my Tesla, I was looking for an upgrade, but I wasn't about to pay $100,000. So I waited for the $80,000 model with the $7500 tax credit.

In the meantime, I test drove a Lightning and loved it, but it was too much back then. I then rented one on Turo, and loved it even more. Tesla then started offering test drives of the Cybertruck. I liked the Cybertruck, but to be honest, I wasn't as blown away by it as the Lightning. I don't know why not- Cybertruck is arguably the better truck in nearly every metric. I think because I already own a Tesla and I knew pretty much what to expect and it aligned with my expectations. But I wasn't expecting Ford to deliver such a nice comfortable truck with the Lightning. I can't tell if I like the massive frunk more, or the comfortable ride, or the Tesla-like acceleration.

A few weeks ago Tesla started emailing early reservation holders saying the $80,000 Cybertruck was available, so I immediately converted my reservation to an order at 2AM, put a non-refundable $250 deposit down, and then went to bed. The next morning I realize that despite Tesla previously saying Cybertruck would qualify for the tax credit (it even appeared on EPAs site), it in fact does not, because it uses some Chinesium in the 4680's which disqualifies it for the tax credit, even though it's below the $80,000 threshold. The non-Chinese sourced components were supposed to come in a few months when Tesla finalizes their dry electrode process.

I tried to reach out to Tesla's non-existent customer service (they only exist to sell cars and help get orders through, they aren't interested in actual customer service- in fact I was eventuallly ghosted by them). I was willing to eat the $250 fee if they could just put me back in my place in line, but they refused to hold the order and said the only way I could get out was to cancel my order (and reservation).

I was bummed out after having waited years for this truck only to be screwed. Maybe it was just a coping mechanism, but in pure spite, I decided to immediately save ~$30,000 and get the truck that I actually was more impressed by, from a company that put a roof over my head as a kid, put food in my stomach, and put me through college.

My truck should arrive this week, built in the same factory my dad worked at for years. :)
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Madtroniks

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Thanks for sharing your experience. What configuration lightning did you decide on?
 

Scorpio3d

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I have no experience on the vehicle side of Tesla, but I have experience with the solar side! I also had no luck with them on getting a solar quote or installation at my house and they could not answer my questions very well If at all! I had many quotes from other companies that answered all my questions, I did end up getting the powerwall 3, but that was through the company I chose for the solar installation.
I do like the technology, but dislike Tesla’s customer no-service!
hope you love your Lightning as much as I do!
 

hturnerfamily

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Yes, there will always be the few hard-core Tesla fans who just 'have to have' the latest, greatest, brushed aluminum body 'Delorean' throw-back... most of us 'regular folk' just want a PRACTICAL truck, a much more practical VEHICLE, without the throngs of onlookers and gawkers...

it just gets the job done, and done well... and, yes, just as 'fast' as any other EV, sport or truck, or not...
 

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kubel

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Thanks for sharing your experience. What configuration lightning did you decide on?
312A (Flash)
+9.6kW ProPower Onboard
+Max Tow Package
+Mobile Connector
+Spray in Bedliner

I do like the technology, but dislike Tesla’s customer no-service!
hope you love your Lightning as much as I do!
I wish I could get a Lightning with Tesla software. The weakest link in the Lightning is with charger routing. It sometimes enters into a panic mode thinking you can't reach any nearby chargers and then refuses to route.

Yes, there will always be the few hard-core Tesla fans who just 'have to have' the latest, greatest, brushed aluminum body 'Delorean' throw-back... most of us 'regular folk' just want a PRACTICAL truck, a much more practical VEHICLE, without the throngs of onlookers and gawkers...

it just gets the job done, and done well... and, yes, just as 'fast' as any other EV, sport or truck, or not...
I don't think there's anything particularly impractical about Cybertruck's design, it's just different, innovative, polarizing, and attention grabbing. The most impractical thing is the price and availaibility. Not having paint that scratches and using dent resistant panels is very practical for a truck that's expected to be tough. I hope Ford copies the HFS idea.
 
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RickKeen

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Disagree a bit that the Cybertruck beats the Ford on _every_ truck metric.
F150 has more interior cargo volume, larger interior, bigger frunk, higher frunk payload, larger usable cargo bed (the roof line does not overhang), more versatile cargo bed, is lighter, is faster than the CT AWD, includes a spare tire (and the spare tire weight is included in the payload calc), larger battery in the ER, largest 3rd party accessory ecosystem, better rearward visibility and ease of parking, more available factory colors and trim options, significantly lower price options, and better service availability.

CT is a fad.
F150 is a decades-proven sales leader for good reasons.
 

Ricks Lightning

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Kubel, sounds like my story too. Except that I was also invited to the Tesla Reveal event last November 30th.

after waiting 4.5 years for the 49.990 CT, I wasn’t about to shell out 100 k for it.
So in May I purchased A Lightning Pro. Was so impressed with the pro, that I upgraded to a Flash in Sept. yes I have 2. But the Pro is in the process to be sold and they will get my 0% loan 0 down. Win win, except it takes 6 weeks to get all the paperwork processed. On week 3 now.
Rick
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