# An Open Letter to Elon and the Tesla Team



## FRC (Aug 4, 2018)

Dear Elon and the Team at Tesla,

So it's been a bit over 5 1/2 years since I first test drove the model S, a bit over 2 1/2 years since I first loaned you $1,000, and exactly 42 days since I picked up my P3D-, white/white, PUP, EAP, 18" aeros, etc. I thought it might be appropriate to reach out, use a few minutes of my time to bend your ears a bit about the experience looking back.

When I finished that test drive in February of 2013, the sales associates helped my wife and I configure the car of our dreams. I can't recall the $$ precisely, but it was probably around 95K. Well, at the time, we still had 2 kids in college, a grandson to care for, and 95K for a car just didn't make sense. We departed after telling the associate and I quote "Not today, but someday I WILL own a Tesla".

Over the following 3 years, I daydreamed Tesla and followed as best I could the progress of your enterprise. At some point, along comes the Model X. Could this this be my opening? Alas, no. Too large for my wife, too expensive for me. Not the right car, not the right time.

Then one day I hear faint rumblings of a potential new product. The Model E had been conceived, but not yet born. The S, the X, the E. I'll always wonder, Elon, why isn't the car with the gull wings, the E? Can't say when but I learned that this Model E(soon relabeled Model backwards E; really, Elon, you and your crack team of attorneys couldn't foresee that legal glitch? For shame, Elon, for shame.) was purported to open at a shockingly low price of 35K. Now we're talking, Elon, now we're talking. Come to Papa!

Time passes, and while I'm half paying attention, my focus is elsewhere since I know that production is years out. Somehow, I completely missed the big reveal. For shame, FRC, for shame. The very next morning(I think that was April Fools of 2016), I saw coverage of the big reveal on my magic lamp(read laptop). I immediately pulled up the Tesla website and after a bit of reading, and a bigger bit of discussion with YOU KNOW WHO, I decided that it was worthwhile to put $1,000 at risk in pursuit of this (pipe?)dream.

Make no mistake, Elon. While $1K wouldn't kill us, we generally don't throw our money around frivolously. And for us this proposition had no better chance at fruition than 50%. So while our gamble wasn't huge by any means, it was still a gamble. And one we didn't take lightly. I was surprised/delighted/worried to learn that about 454,999 others decided to make that same loan. Which one of those emotions did you feel, Elon? I'm guessing I'm not the only one who pulled out the old abacus to discover that we had loaned nearly half a billion to Tesla on a wing and a prayer. Half a BBBBillion! Not a lot to you Elon, but that's most of my net worth.

Of course in short(is it OK for me to use that word Elon?)order we received confirmation of our deposit/loan and a nice welcome to the Tesla family. So now we're up to about mid April 2016. I'd like to say that this is where the fun begins, but that would be completely inaccurate.

I suppose it was fun in the way that deafening and seemingly never-ending silence is entertaining. From mid April 2016 to I think about February 2017, we heard nothing...not a peep, chirp, notion, idea, thought, or idea(different idea from the first one) from the Mothership. I was extraordinarily patient. The Mothership never heard nothin' from me, neither.

Luckily, I discovered other sources for updates, speculation, and information. Thank you so much for my dozen-a-day news updates Google news, TeslaMotorsClub, and to a lesser extent, Tesla.com. I entered the word T E S L A so often during that ten months that I can no longer make out the R, no, Y, dammit, T, yes T on my keyboard. Unfortunately, I had yet to discover the fine folks at TOO during these dark ages, that would come later.

Now, production begins, and in a few weeks time a meager few lucky and entitled individuals get their shiny new Model 3's. When was this? May 2017, June? The months all begin to run together. Anyway, along in here we enter the dreaded, say it with me now, PRODUCTION HELL, oh no! And while we fretted and calculated production numbers and logged VINs and hoped for someone to take delivery, you retreated to your roof, Elon, with nary a peep to us, your wistful purchasers/loanholders. For shame, Elon, for shame.

Soon we get word of 500 model 3s being produced in a single week(I'm not certain of my numbers, that would require research!). Glory, glory, and hazaa!! It's only a matter of time now! But not so fast, let's recheck our abacus. 455,000 orders divided by(yes, my abacus is a newer model and has a division button) 500 per week gives us something like 910 weeks, divided again by 52. Good googly, that's nearly about 18 years(just admit it, dear reader, you did similar math back then didn't you?). But wait, there's good news. I'm RN142006(for you lucky bastards that didn't have to endure this particular hell, that's my reservation number. You see, back in the olden days we actually thought the reservation number was important to someone. For shame, Elon, for shame.) So now, 142000/500/52...why that's only 5 1/2 years. So, around New Years Day 2023, i'll be riding in style. Never thought I'd be getting Medicaire before getting my car.

But wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. I'm forgetting the ramp-up!! How could I forget the ramp-up, the savior of us all! For shame, FRC, for shame. Well, this ramp-up thing must be some kinda minor miracle cause about here's when the silence is broken and I get a communication(e-mail?) that I should expect delivery between October and December of this year. Hoo-ray, that's only a few month's away. This thing is getting real! Alas, I was unable to double-check your math on this one, Elon, as my trusty abacus's
ramp-up button is in need of adjustment. I suppose I'll take your word for it.

Well, that was a mistake. I know you meant well, Elon. But, seriously, you got it backwards. The saying is under-promise and over-deliver. What business school did you attend? Oh, you didn't? For shame, Elon, for shame(my fingers are starting to ache , so in the future I'll use fs,E,fs. We are a community of acronymites after all aren't we?)

So the months and the promises roll by. Make no mistake, some folks are getting their cars, but I ain't one of 'em. And those that do get 'em are dealing with paint flaws, panel gaps, mis-matched trim pieces, and all sorts of bothersome quirks. fs,E,fs. Lucky for me, my car wasn't in that batch! Then October/December became January/ March became April/June. Then, when I'm at the beach for a week in late June, the other 454,999 waitees get the faithful missive of redemption. YOU MAY NOW CONFIGURE YOUR MODEL3! Elon, when did you learn that I would be at the beach with my family away from all electronics(family vacation rule)? fs,E,fs.

So, when I get home I got to configure a bit later than most of you. I believe as a configurer I was about number 454,273(about 727 reservationists passed away during the wait). But no biggee, I've got my relatively small RN142006 to fall back on. Right, Elon, Elon? More than at any time in the entire process, Elon, this is when it most applies...FOR SHAME.

But in the end I'm given a delivery window of August to October of 2018, I'm assigned a delivery adviser who never once communicated with me(fs,E,fs). With the horrors of the Q3 delivery debacle ongoing(no shame there Elon, you guys busted your tails), I actually felt like I might get a car in this window. And finally, a VIN, a VIN, a VIN! A wonderful miraculous magnificent beautiful VIN. The first I'd seen over 100k...VIN#100XXX. From here to delivery not much happened, a couple of dates assigned and reneged upon(3 I think). Absolutely no direct communication from any employee, only assigned dates and cancellations by e-mail.

This, Elon, is when I suppose the stress had overcome you and you began your incredibly stupid public stunts. No need to enumerate them, you know what you did and what it cost you, better than I do. As an aside, I will say that these blunders aided me in making off with a pretty fair number of dollars from those nasty short-sellers. So for that I suppose thanks are in order.

Then, amazingly, came that faithful day of delivery. September 24, 2018. A day that shall go down in infamy. Wait, that's not right. A day that shall go day in famy? That doesn't seem right either. Oh well, I hope you get the point. I had A 1:00 delivery appt. and arrived at 12:30, was greeted promptly, quick paperwork and then the first time that Cloud9 got to meet me. She is beautiful. Absolutely no blemishes, no flaws, no problems. And thanks to all I had learned from my good and knowledgeable friends here at TOO, almost no initiation was needed at delivery and I drove away 10 minutes before my appointment was set to begin.

A moment of reality about the car, there have been several software glitches. But time, updates, and reboots seem to work magic. In six weeks I've put 5400 miles on the car(I averaged 1000 a month on my previous car). I've done two football game Road trips(GO DAWGS), and I spent 6 nights in the back quite comfortably(camping mode is still at the top of my request list however, Elon). I fall more in love with this beautiful machine every day, Elon.

In summary, Elon let me first say that over these past 5 1/2 years you've screwed up a lot, as have many of your employees. I don't believe that you have shown the loyalty to those of us that loaned you a half billion dollars that we have shown to you. That said, you and your team have concieved, produced and delivered an incredibly remarkable product. A vehicle I will drive with pride and continuing awe for many years to come. As those years pass, I know that the pain and scars of these recent years will fade as quickly as my affection for this car grows.

I hope, Elon, that your pain and scars from this process will also be salved by the incredible work that you and your team have accomplished.

Thank You, Elon, Thank You(TY,E,TY).

Sincerely,

FRC
A Loyal and Appreciative 
Customer for Life


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## KarenRei (Jul 27, 2017)

Might want to trim that waaaaay down before sending it. Just a tip.


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## garsh (Apr 4, 2016)

Might want to trim that waaaay down before posting it here even.


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## Love (Sep 13, 2017)

FRC said:


> Dear Elon and the Team at Tesla,
> 
> So it's been a bit over 5 1/2 years since I first test drove the model S, a bit over 2 1/2 years since I first loaned you $1,000, and exactly 42 days since I picked up my P3D-, white/white, PUP, EAP, 18" aeros, etc. I thought it might be appropriate to reach out, use a few minutes of my time to bend your ears a bit about the experience looking back.
> 
> ...


Well written/done! That was a great read!

@KarenRei @garsh You two just need to read this at work... prioritize!


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## Watzon (May 7, 2018)

We have all gone through some part or version of this experience yet without complaint. First world whining? Don’t know dont care. Thanks to the Tesla team for creating a fine set of wheels.


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## Ed Woodrick (May 26, 2018)

What did you say? I stopped reading at the end of chapter 1, paragraph 1, first sentence.

First rule in trying to get a point across, let people know what it is, before they go to sleep


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## garsh (Apr 4, 2016)

Lovesword said:


> @KarenRei @garsh You two just need to read this at work... prioritize!


I usually prefer reading than watching a video or listening to audio. But that's a pretty hefty tomb there.

I skimmed it to get the gist, which I believe is "Tesla screws up a lot, but the cars are worth it in the end."


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