Down Payment Price (Not Reserve)

[GrantP]

how much do you think it will be for the down payment before they start building and add on's?

 

[TrevP]

That's not how Tesla works.

The down payment (reservation) you have them is all that is needed to build your car. However, once you get access to the design studio and confirm your order, you have 1 week to make changes (if I recall correctly). After that it's set in stone and you're committed to buy the car. If you decline after the process starts you forfeit your deposit. Balance is due when you pick up the car from the local service centre. If you need financing you'll have to arrange it before you pick up the car. Talk to your local Tesla showroom if you need more details butt his is the way it works for Model S and Model X.

They try to make it easy as possible. Matter of fact, lease paperwork I've heard is simply done on the Model S touch screen. You press accept and it's done.

 

[teslaliving]

Once you place the order you had a 14 day "grace period" to change/cancel the order. It would auto-confirm after 14 days. You could accelerate your position in the build line by pressing confirm right after pressing order and at that point you're locked into buying it.

Cash is due at delivery, there are lots of ways of arranging payment and with all the prior S and X owners they've probably dealt with most situations/needs.

 

[Skione65]

That's not how Teala works.

The down payment (reservation) you have them is all that is needed to build your car. However, once you get access to the design studio and confirm your order, you have 1 week to make changes (if I recall correctly). After that it's set in stone and you're committed to buy the car. If you decline after the process starts you forfeit your deposit. Balance is due when you pick up the car from the local service centre. If you need financing you'll have to arrange it before you pick up the car. Talk to your local Tesla showroom if you need more details butt his is the way it works for Model S and Model X.

They try to make it easy as possible. Matter of fact, lease paperwork I've heard is simply done on the Model S touch screen. You press accept and it's done.

TrevP,
How soon does one get access to the Design Studio? I'm assuming that corresponds to them working through orders in the 'order of reservations'?

Thanks In Advance!
Ski

 

[TrevP]

Based on how Tesla has done things in the past, they batch invitations based on geographical areas. Once they get confirmations in that area they batch cars together for production and delivery.

As in the past, the more options you order on the car the higher up in the queue it will be. Tesla needs to recoup their capital costs as fast a possible and they can only achieve this with high-margin optioned vehicles.

Given the sheer enormity of the current backlog they could alter things but at the moment I hear that all their efforts are focussed on how to ramp up production as fast as possible once the car is finished sometime next year. This is going to be a monumental undertaking for them. First order of business is to finish tooling design and planning then tool the factory. I expect that to happen sometime this year. The Gigafactory will also surely be accelerated to start making cells ASAP for the stockpile they will need.

Hope this helps

 

[Skione65]

Based on how Tesla has done things in the past, they batch invitations based on geographical areas. Once they get confirmations in that area they batch cars together for production and delivery.

As in the past, the more options you order on the car the higher up in the queue it will be. Tesla needs to recoup their capital costs as fast a possible and they can only achieve this with high-margin optioned vehicles.

Given the sheer enormity of the current backlog they could alter things but at the moment I hear that all their efforts are focussed on how to ramp up production as fast as possible once the car is finished sometime next year. This is going to be a monumental undertaking for them. First order of business is to finish tooling design and planning then tool the factory. I expect that to happen sometime this year. The Gigafactory will also surely be accelerated to start making cells ASAP for the stockpile they will need.

Hope this helps

TrevP,
Thank you! What I'm getting at is I assume I'm approximately 18-24 months out from having access to the Design Studio and 'Optioning'.....I 'Reserved In' at about the 275,000 mark....later than I would have liked....but based on your remarks....it is 'Somewhat' based on that but one must also consider the 'Geographical Batching Areas', is that correct? A lot of moving parts and variables.

Ski

 

[teslaliving]

Its going to be based on geography (CA and moving East), reservation sequence, level of options, and prior owners get priority. How they actually take all 4 factors and spit out a car at a given time is anyone's guess.

In the end you don't have much control over it or a good sense of the timing. This can make things tricky if you're trying to get an old ICE car to last, etc.

 

[Stringer Bell]

Three quick questions:

1. If you buy a Model S between now and Model 3 release date, do you go up in priority?
2. Can you game your way up in priority by buying more options?
3. Can you take delivery on the West Coast even if you live on the East Coast? (That would seem to defeat the purpose, which would be faster turnaround for fixing early problems/bugs.)

 

[teslaliving]

Three quick questions:

1. If you buy a Model S between now and Model 3 release date, do you go up in priority?
2. Can you game your way up in priority by buying more options?
3. Can you take delivery on the West Coast even if you live on the East Coast? (That would seem to defeat the purpose, which would be faster turnaround for fixing early problems/bugs.)

Good questions:

1) If you do this you may not need/want the 3. But I'm sure you could make the case and they'd honor it.
2) Yes, higher optioned cars should have priority just like they did on the S and the X.
3) It can be done but note that there are issues around taxes. Currently you'd pay CA and your states taxes. They're trying to fight that (as it can drive "tourism") but its still an open issue. So financially it may not make sense. Also taking delivery of an EV and then driving it a very long distance as your first experience isn't something i'd recommend.

 

[Skione65]

Stringer,

Elon has specified that the 'Higher Optioned' vehicles will be up on priority and will be manufactured and delivered first (obviously to help build his Capital to Reinvest in the lines and factories to help 'ramp up') but also I believed grouped in 'geographical areas'. I have also read that Tesla (TrevP correct me if I'm wrong) may use some type of 'algorithm' consisting of variables such as Reservation Date/Optioning/Geographical Area/Pre-Owner/East West Coast and computing using the algorithmic formula. All speculation of course as you know.
Hope this helps.

Ski

 

[Stringer Bell]

Thanks for the response, guys. It seems that taking delivery on the West Coast for the East Coast is a non-starter as an idea.

And I wasn't really thinking of getting an S until I started looking into it more. I could barely stretch into the lower ranges of a base S - but when you get all of the options, you are looking at a $100k+ car. I would be better off tricking out a Model 3 and taking my chances that way.

I just don't know how they will set priority and the 2 Model 3 reservations I have are in the 8s, so I don't really know how it will play out...

 

[Skione65]

Stringer Bell,

You say "stretch into lower ranges of Model S" due you mean financially or height wise? If height wise how in the world would you anticipate having adequate leg room in the Model 3, it's a shorter wheelbase. I'm assuming you're a tall guy. (One of my favorite actors....apologize for t-drift).

Ski

 

[Stringer Bell]

I'm tallish - but not crazy tall.

What I was thinking was this:

If you can only really count on the federal and state incentives into mid 2017, would you be better off buying a 70D Model S and taking the $10,500 you can get in MD from the feds and the state and getting an S for about $60,000, OR are you better off waiting for the Model 3, tricking it out to $50,000 to $55,000 knowing that you will probably not get the federal or state credit?

I can imagine you can get more options on the 3 - and you may even get greater range and acceleration. The car will be smaller though. And maybe the base S is still well above a tricked out Model 3. Do you guys have any opinion on that?

 

[MelindaV]

You can go in and 'build' a model S now and see what the standard base model gets you now. IMO, your tricked out Model3 will have more to it than the base S in a smaller footprint. Lining up the two with similar features/options, the 3 I expect to cost significantlay less.

 

[Skione65]

You can go in and 'build' a model S now and see what the standard base model gets you now. IMO, your tricked out Model3 will have more to it than the base S in a smaller footprint. Lining up the two with similar features/options, the 3 I expect to cost significantlay less.

That's exactly what I did to get a "ballpark" idea.....then took a percentage off....but I agree it will cost significantly less. I believe Elon will offer the options at a lesser cost than the S as well. So the overall cost will be less although will still be 'Sticker Shockish"

Ski

 

[Stringer Bell]

Thanks, Melinda and Ski. I will check it out. Do either of you own the S?

 

[MelindaV]

no S for me. I never was really interested in it because of it's size (and price,...but I was totally interested in the roadster despite the price even though no hope of affording one )

 

[John Garton]

Don't forget, if you do some work to garage or home:
The federal government recently extended a tax credit intended to support installation of Alternative Fuel Infrastructure. This credit is worth up to $1,000 for an individual, or 30% (up to $30,000) for a business

 

[Scott]

Based on how Tesla has done things in the past, they batch invitations based on geographical areas. Once they get confirmations in that area they batch cars together for production and delivery.

As in the past, the more options you order on the car the higher up in the queue it will be. Tesla needs to recoup their capital costs as fast a possible and they can only achieve this with high-margin optioned vehicles.

Given the sheer enormity of the current backlog they could alter things but at the moment I hear that all their efforts are focussed on how to ramp up production as fast as possible once the car is finished sometime next year. This is going to be a monumental undertaking for them. First order of business is to finish tooling design and planning then tool the factory. I expect that to happen sometime this year. The Gigafactory will also surely be accelerated to start making cells ASAP for the stockpile they will need.

Hope this helps

Trevor,
Is there any benefit for me to take delivery in Freemont? Save on delivery charges, earlier Delivery?

 

[AEDennis]

I'm tallish - but not crazy tall.

What I was thinking was this:

If you can only really count on the federal and state incentives into mid 2017, would you be better off buying a 70D Model S and taking the $10,500 you can get in MD from the feds and the state and getting an S for about $60,000, OR are you better off waiting for the Model 3, tricking it out to $50,000 to $55,000 knowing that you will probably not get the federal or state credit?

I can imagine you can get more options on the 3 - and you may even get greater range and acceleration. The car will be smaller though. And maybe the base S is still well above a tricked out Model 3. Do you guys have any opinion on that?

Purchasing an inventory car still counts as new. With the new front end design announced, I would expect a lot of inventory cars to flood Tesla's CPO/inventory sales. You still get your incentives and. A lower prices, just not a bespoke Tesla.

If you like the S, it's only substitute is an X in the EV space. But Tesla is not selling any inventory X right now.

no S for me. I never was really interested in it because of it's size (and price,...but I was totally interested in the roadster despite the price even though no hope of affording one )

Keep an eye out on eBay or Shift, these keep coming in at somewhat affordable prices (relative to what they had been). The Roadster is a driver's car. I get to borrow one when my wife lets me drive.

Trevor,
Is there any benefit for me to take delivery in Freemont? Save on delivery charges, earlier Delivery?

Yes. You can schedule your factory tour. Get to hang out in the Bay Area/Silicon Valley. We went to Sonoma, then back down to LA when we picked up our S.

http://pascual.co/ActiveE/2013/11/reflections-on-the-model-s-fremont-factory-pickup-experience/

Just remember what @teslaliving already said.

...
3) It can be done but note that there are issues around taxes. Currently you'd pay CA and your states taxes. They're trying to fight that (as it can drive "tourism") but its still an open issue. So financially it may not make sense. Also taking delivery of an EV and then driving it a very long distance as your first experience isn't something i'd recommend.

The bill in question has passed the state Senate and awaiting the Assembly. Also as it was drafted in the version that passed this is limited until 2020 and you have to permanently take the car out of California by the 31st day of picking it up. It only applies to New EV sales, you can also pick up the car in San Diego or LA or some other Tesla delivery center.

The destination charge is a de-facto tax. We paid for ours even with a factory pickup.

Though not impossible to take a brand new Tesla across the country or wherever, it does take a shift in travel paradigm and we suggest that you adjust your expectations and give yourself time when traveling long distances with an EV. Research. Here is the start of our Coast to Coast Model S journey last year. (My pre-trip planning here.).