Official Tesla Model S thread

[ebill3]

"The price increase will not apply to anyone with an existing reservation prior to the effective date of the price increase and who also configures their car and finalizes their order within a fair, predefined timeframe."

The last part of the above statement is a little vague - I'm not exactly sure what it means.

Bill

 

[Randy]

Here's what it means (to me)....

I have a reservation in place for a Model S. My timeframe is probably next summer.

As it gets closer, Tesla will ask me to configure the car and finalize my order. Another option the buyer has is to delay the purchase but still keep the reservation. What Tesla is saying is that I won't see any price increase if I configure and finalize within a "fair predefined" timeframe. If I choose to apply a delay to my delivery, then the price increase will come along with that.

I plan on configuring and finalizing as soon as they let me, so no problem with the price increase....

 

[ebill3]

Here's what it means (to me)....

I have a reservation in place for a Model S. My timeframe is probably next summer.

As it gets closer, Tesla will ask me to configure the car and finalize my order. Another option the buyer has is to delay the purchase but still keep the reservation. What Tesla is saying is that I won't see any price increase if I configure and finalize within a "fair predefined" timeframe. If I choose to apply a delay to my delivery, then the price increase will come along with that.

I plan on configuring and finalizing as soon as they let me, so no problem with the price increase....

Well, I am in a similar situation, and I suspect your take is correct, but I wish it was stated more clearly. I, too, will configure and commit to purchase as soon as they allow me to do so.

Bill

 

[sparky]

I'll wait and see.
I might defer anyway since I want to see how the Model X prices out.
It seems like they're asking people to commit long before the completion date. So those of us with reservation #'s above 11,000 could conceivably be asked to commit in January for an August delivery.

 

[TonyWilliams]

I'll wait and see.
I might defer anyway since I want to see how the Model X prices out.
It seems like they're asking people to commit long before the completion date. So those of us with reservation #'s above 11,000 could conceivably be asked to commit in January for an August delivery.

Does anybody know the cost increase? I was planning to make the deposit on Dec 10 for an S-85(P?).

 

[mitch672]

I'll wait and see.
I might defer anyway since I want to see how the Model X prices out.
It seems like they're asking people to commit long before the completion date. So those of us with reservation #'s above 11,000 could conceivably be asked to commit in January for an August delivery.

Does anybody know the cost increase? I was planning to make the deposit on Dec 10 for an S-85(P?).

Not announced yet Tony, but the speculation (as usual) on the TMC forum of %5 or so, and they'll do it by making standard things on the Model S options, is what the thinking is. I'm a high reservation number as well (P10010, 7/2/2012), car was estimated to be available "Spring 2013", so we'll see when I am asked to "configure"

 

[palmermd]

I'll wait and see.
I might defer anyway since I want to see how the Model X prices out.
It seems like they're asking people to commit long before the completion date. So those of us with reservation #'s above 11,000 could conceivably be asked to commit in January for an August delivery.

Does anybody know the cost increase? I was planning to make the deposit on Dec 10 for an S-85(P?).

I'm in the same position. I want to put down for an S85 (non perf), but I was waiting a bit longer (wanted to wait until after new year). Now that they announced this price increase is coming in the next two to three weeks, I'm going to have to put my deposit down a bit sooner. You have to have your deposit down before the price increase is officially announced, but all we know is that they said it will happen in a couple of weeks.

I'm not positive, but I believe you only have to commit to the build configuration, but no extra money is required. And if you later decide you want to change the configuration, you just have to then pay based on the new price structure. It essentially allows them to get a bunch of more deposits before the end of the year ($5000 each), and they also get everyone to commit to the configuration which allows them to schedule the cars in batches a bit better.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

Is deposit refundable right up to delivery date or build date? sounds like a 'no questions asked" policy on this means you really cant lose if put deposit down now, guessing several months before delivery and if they announce X pricing and specs and you decide that is a better option you can still pull out right?

 

[sparky]

Is deposit refundable right up to delivery date or build date? sounds like a 'no questions asked" policy on this means you really cant lose if put deposit down now, guessing several months before delivery and if they announce X pricing and specs and you decide that is a better option you can still pull out right?

From Tesla website:

4. Order Process
When the start of production of your reservation nears, we will ask you to confirm your option selections and to provide full details of the legal purchaser of the Model S. Tesla will create an order for your Model S containing the information provided by you, and a Purchase Agreement indicating the estimated purchase price of your Model S, taking into account the base price of the model and any options included or that you select, plus estimates of any applicable taxes, duties, transport and delivery charges, and any other applicable fees. Tesla will then submit to you the order and the Purchase Agreement for your review. If you wish to proceed and purchase the Model S, you must sign and return the Purchase Agreement together with any amounts that are then required to be paid. Production of your Model S will then be commenced and your deposit payable under the Purchase Agreement will be held by Tesla as a non-refundable deposit (to the extent permitted by applicable law). At the time you enter into the Purchase Agreement, you may, at your sole option, notify us that you would like to take your Reservation Payment and apply it to your deposit. These procedures may be subject to change.

My interpretation is that, when asked to confirm, your $5k deposit becomes Tesla's. If you choose to defer, you can still opt out and get back your deposit but if you defer and confirm sometime later, it's under the new pricing structure.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

ok so at the stated goal of what??? 400 a week, anyone reserving today would not take delivery for 6-9 months if allowing for continued ramp up to the 400/week?

so delivery would be most likely after specs for the X is announced and reservations for it started? anyone have a time frame on that?

 

[sparky]

...so delivery would be most likely after specs for the X is announced and reservations for it started? anyone have a time frame on that?

You can reserve a Model X now. I assume by reserve you mean configure? Deliveries are supposed to start in 2014. So, perhaps no one will be configuring their Model X until April. So, prices would have to be known before that time. I figure at this point, I could own a Model X about 9 mos after my S delivery.
But, I don't know if the X price will be higher than I want to pay. If I go with the X I'm going 85kWh. Sure would be nice to know the price difference before I have to commit/configure the S.

 

[ebill3]

ok so at the stated goal of what??? 400 a week, anyone reserving today would not take delivery for 6-9 months if allowing for continued ramp up to the 400/week?

Oh, I think a bit longer than 9 months. I made my reservation August this year, they are projecting July - August 2013 delivery, May - June finalize the order.

Make the 5K deposit using a 1% cash back card and get 50 bucks back. One percent ain't bad nowadays.

Bill

 

[evnow]

Wow, lots of people thinking of buying the 85kwh model ! I'd like to hear what the most expensive car they have bought earlier. On the Tesla forum there are even some people whose annual income is below the price of the 85kwh who want to buy it !

S & X are too big for us ( & our garage). I'll show my support for Tesla by holding on to it's shares ...

 

[ebill3]

Wow, lots of people thinking of buying the 85kwh model ! I'd like to hear what the most expensive car they have bought earlier. On the Tesla forum there are even some people whose annual income is below the price of the 85kwh who want to buy it !

S & X are too big for us ( & our garage). I'll show my support for Tesla by holding on to it's shares ...

Well, it is going to be a tight fit in our garage, but I'll move some stuff.

I'm planning on an 85 kWh S. Most expensive previous? 2002 Buick for $26,706 before taxes, license, etc. We tend to keep cars 10 years or longer.

In that same musty old file folder is the invoice for a brand new 1961 Ford Falcon station wagon for $2,375.

Bill

 

[jkirkebo]

Wow, lots of people thinking of buying the 85kwh model ! I'd like to hear what the most expensive car they have bought earlier. On the Tesla forum there are even some people whose annual income is below the price of the 85kwh who want to buy it !

The most expensive car I have bought earlier is the Leaf. The Model S P85 with most options will be
about 2.5x more expensive than what I paid for the Leaf, so it's quite a big jump. Thankfully my salary easily allows it, but no ICE cars have ever interested me enough to spend this amount of money on a car.

 

[dgpcolorado]

Wow, lots of people thinking of buying the 85kwh model ! I'd like to hear what the most expensive car they have bought earlier. On the Tesla forum there are even some people whose annual income is below the price of the 85kwh who want to buy it !

S & X are too big for us ( & our garage). I'll show my support for Tesla by holding on to it's shares ...

The S is much too big for my garage also—the LEAF is a tight fit with my other car. I am hoping that Tesla proves to be a successful carmaker and that someday they make an affordable smaller EV. I can dream, can't I?

 

[OttoH]

The proud owner of the 12th Tesla S in Florida - and the first one in Ocala - came by today to let me and my wife do a test drive. All I can say is "WOW!" I have a Leaf, so I'm familiar with EVs, and while some of the stuff was as expected; the lack of noise, the silky smooth power, the touch screen console was not. The door handles, the very nice dashboard, the sunroof. And on and on. Needless to say, I want one. So does my wife. With that kind of range, we would not need an ICE car at all.

I'm not sure yet, but I think I can see a Tesla in our future. We really, really want that kind of range in our EV. We still have a few years left on the lease, and maybe by then the new Leaf will have that kind of range. If not, we will take a long, hard look at the Tesla.

(All this excitement about these EVs are a bit strange to us - we're not "car people". We generally do not care about them at all, but the EVs are different. We do 95% of our driving in the Leaf, and we dread the days we have to start up the van.)

 

[Zythryn]

Yep, before the Model S we were very skeptical about going to two EVs. We wanted to, but with our driving patterns it just didn't seem to be workable.
Now with the Model S, it seems completely doable. We have a couple of years on our hybrid lease and will be looking at available EVs at that time. I am hoping Nissan has a 150 or so mile range EV by that time.

 

[tbleakne]

While visiting my cousins for Thanksgiving I stopped by the Menlo Park Tesla showroom because none are near me. Comments:

GPS display is less distracting with satellite layer turned off.
Sound system in demo car did not sound impressive, but somewhat better than LEAF. I would like to hear premium sound option for comparison.
Rear seats could be uncomfortable, except for folks of less than average height, because their low height means your knees are raised and your thighs do not make good contact with the seat. LEAF rear seats also have this problem, but not as bad.

Staff told me production ramp-up is now on track to build a full 20K Model-Ss in 2013. I believe this might mean they are not yet at a full 400 units per week. Still lots of uncertainty in how much time could elapse before you would be asked to Configure your order, at which point your deposit would become non-refundable.

 

[gmuzhik]

FYI: I am a Leaf owner and have ordered a Tesla model S. I was wondering what the insurance would be for the 85kWh non-performance model. I have Geico and am paying $307 for 6 months on the Leaf for 4000 mi/yr, $300K/500K, 100K and $500 deductible for coll and comp. Putting the same values into the on-line quote, I got $496 for 6 mo. for the Tesla! Not too bad. I was surprised to say the least. For the performance version (no battery size option available), the premium went to $551.

Any other data points out there to share?