Tesla's cars are amazing, but one big part of the allure of owning a Tesla is not having all those hassles with car dealers. Here are three surprises for new Tesla owners.
Follow us today...
Tesla will soon have a huge number of new customers. Or it will be out of business. We suspect that the Model 3 will succeed and that Tesla will march onward. Will Tesla be selling 5,000 cars per week in the next six months? We doubt it. However, after the initial ramp-up period, Tesla will eventually be selling Model 3s from stock. Here are three things Tesla fans who are in part attracted to the idea that they will never have to deal with a darn car dealer ever again should keep in mind.
1 - No Negotiations
The biggest hassle at car dealers is the negotiation. If you already own a Tesla or are an arm-chair EVangelist you already know this; All Tesla buyers pay the full sticker price. Elon Musk has told employees, "There can never -- and I mean never -- be a discount on a new car coming out of the factory in pristine condition," Musk went on, saying "This is why I always pay full price when I buy a car and the same applies to my family friends, celebrities, no matter how famous or influential." Walk into any car dealership in America and tell the salesperson loudly and firmly that you insist on paying full price. We guarantee you will have a pretty easy time of it from there. On the topic of paying for cars, Elon Musk got the first Model 3 for free. One of Tesla's board members paid for it and gave it to Musk.
2 - Destination and Delivery Fees
After you have come to terms with paying full price (and oh, by the way, Chevy dealers were offering $6,000 off the price of a new Bolt the first month they had them) be prepared for the "above full price experience." Above full price means that, in addition to paying full price, Tesla is going to sting you with a delivery fee. Just like car dealers do! Yes, even if you pick your car up in Freemont, where Tesla builds the car, you still have to pay a destination and delivery fee according to recent buyers. Model S buyers pay $1,200. Maybe Tesla will cut the new Model 3 owners some slack. Here's a tip; Some owners have reported getting their delivery fee waived. Maybe they knew somebody at the Tesla dealership? Woops! We meant to say, "delivery center."
3 - Loaner Cars
People who pay $50K, $75K, or $130K for a car are used to being given a loaner car by the dealership when work will take more than an hour or two. The Lexus Dealer in Norwood, Mass., for example, has 92 loaner vehicles and 45 service bays. Tesla feels its owners deserve the same treatment. Elon Musk promised to supply every Tesla service customer with a car just like theirs or better in 2013. Musk said, “If your car does need service, then it should be swapped with a car that is ideally better in some or many ways. To this end, Tesla is building a fleet of top of the line Model S loaners. These will not be our basic model – they will be state of the art with all the best features and options.” But that is not how things actually work. Sure, some Tesla Service Centers do have loaner Model S cars. However, many owners report being rented a car from a local rental car agency. Some are, "GASP!" ICE cars! Some have been smoked in. While we are on the topic of service, it would be wise to check to see if Tesla even has a service center in your state. Vermont? Nope. New Hampshire? Nope. Rhode Island? Nope. Maine? Nope. Here's a link to the handful of places Tesla services cars in America.
Related Stories:
2018 Tesla Model 3 Will Have to Succeed Without Federal Tax Rebate
Myth busted - Electric vehicles cost more to maintain than gas cars do
Follow us today...