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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
 

VAF84

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I'm still split, based on my experience, but agree that in the most practical sense the CT doesn't offer more overall for the price. The most disappointing thing to me with CT was the range, which was my major hangup with the extended range Lightning. They have similar ranges, and for that reason alone I wouldn't pay too much of a delta between the two. Anyway, my number is up with Tesla, but will hold off to make a decision until I see what happens with the tax credit, and then with the range extender. If Ford would throw in another 50-100 miles of range on the Lightning, plus the 2x faster charging as offered by Tesla and GM, I'd happily buy another one.

Currently, RST leads the pack for me when it comes to best package of capability, space, and range. Lightning so far has been the best driving experience of them all.
 

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kubel

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CT is a fad.
F150 is a decades-proven sales leader for good reasons.
Cybertruck is a fad until they can get the price down, but even as a fad it's outselling Lightning. Think of Cybertruck as the Model X. It's an outrageous showcase of innovation but won't be a long term bread and butter product. They didn't get that until they got the Model Y out, and now it's the best selling vehicle worldwide.

I expect Ford to deliver a smaller cheaper truck with T3 (similar to going from Model X to Model Y) that will again force a reaction from Tesla to build a smaller more mass market version of their product.

I really like these pickup truck wars. We as consumers are going to see some really good products out of this battle.
 

RickKeen

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Cybertruck is a fad until they can get the price down, ...
More than just price.
There are hundreds of grains of sand that Ford (and other conventional truck makers) get right with pickup trucks that Tesla is still learning.

For example, the power roll cover. Everybody thinks a power cover would be really cool. Many first time truck buyers get a power roll cover or even a manual roll cover. Experienced truck owners know they ALWAYS eventually fail. Especially if you use your truck to haul stuff, eventually something is going to get bent or some debris lodged in there, or the track corrodes, or ice, or twigs, or bear attack... Even Rivian has trouble with their roll cover. Ford has learned "we built a generic bed, put whatever cover you want on there" and there are hundreds of dealer-installed and 3rd party options.

Another example is rear visibility. People mostly drive their pickups around town as their daily driver. They have to park. Parking involves backing. Backing into things in parking lots sucks. The CT has bad rear visibility. No problem when zooming around and showing off your shiny new truck at the valet, but is going to ruin your day when you back into a pillar in the Target parking lot. The fear of backing into things will make people not enjoy driving it. Conventional pickups have huge rear windows with high visibility out the back for good reasons.

Brake pedal that is easy to learn to use (and non-EV drivers already know how to use). Accelerator to go, brake pedal to stop. No need to think about how much regen you might be gaining. The Ford brake pedal automatically blends regen and friction braking. Tesla's does not.

The stainless seems like a good marketing feature, but in reality, the difference between something that would damage conventional vehicle skin and paint, but would not leave a mark on the stainless is a small margin not worth the added weight and cost. The idea that people would not have to worry about the stainless getting scuffed and scratched is a bad assumption. They want to keep it pristine. Tesla won't be able to compete on the lower end of the price scale with the added cost of the stainless skin.

(If haters key it, it will scratch. If you back into something, it will bend. If you shoot it, it will dent. If you hit it with a loader bucket or forklift tine, those things are also hardened steel and much thicker - still going to leave a scar.)
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