Price Hikes at Tesla Motors

[Tuckerfan]

Seems they’re worried about becoming profitable soon.

It turns out that customers who already locked in orders recently have been unlocked and asked to reselect options. Some of the previously selected options are now higher priced and other previously standard features are now extra cost options.

This part, however, would really piss me off:

Perhaps most annoying is that the cable that allows the car to be plugged into the high power home charger for a three-hour charge has become a pricey add-on. Until now, these have been included in the cars. Drivers who want three-hour charges going forward will have to fork over an extra $3,000 to get this hefty extension cord.

The recharge time without that “extension cord” is thirty hours! Yeah, yeah, I know, I know, if you can afford to plunk down a $100K for a car, an extra $3K isn’t that big of a deal, but its the principle of the thing. You’re told a feature which makes the car practical will be standard equipment, and then they come back and say, “Sorry, but you’re going to have to pay for that little feature.” I’d be sorely tempted to cancel my order, the amount of the non-refundable deposit would probably wind up being less than the new charges for the features I’d want.

[DaddyTimesTwo]

I just don’t see this company actually, you know, making and selling, well, delivering, cars in any real numbers. Too many manufacturing issues, shady practices. If I were a rich dude I might have plunked some cash down for one, but, since I’m not, I’ll just keep my eyes peeled for the bankruptcy and the lawsuits.

[ASAKMOTSD]

Tires? You wanted TIRES with the car? Next thing you will want GLASS in the windows!

[racer72]

Or reverse in the transmission.

[Ale]

@racer72

Or reverse in the transmission.

Transmission?

[ralph124c]

I really want to see Tesla Motors make it. Since the founder and backer (the founder of PAYPAL) has more money than God, I don’t see why the company is having trouble.:smack:

[ASAKMOTSD]

@ralph124c

I really want to see Tesla Motors make it. Since the founder and backer (the founder of PAYPAL) has more money than God, I don’t see why the company is having trouble.:smack:

Sometimes people that do well with financial ventures just can’t make it with cars - just ask Cerberus.

[amarone]

@ralph124c

I really want to see Tesla Motors make it. Since the founder and backer (the founder of PAYPAL) has more money than God, I don’t see why the company is having trouble.:smack:

Businessman that acquire more money than God don’t generally do so (unless they are bankers) by creating loss-making companies.

[Boyo_Jim]

Seats cost money, bub. There’s plenty of room in the delivered vehicle to fit your lawn chair in, and we even throw in a couple of bungee cords to strap them down.

[Tuckerfan]

Customers are not amused.

It seems that even a new explanatory email from CEO Elon Musk has had little calming effect on the firestorm ignited by the increasing of prices for locked-in Tesla buyers. To avoid further damage from what is fast turning into a PR nightmare, the company is turning to a previously-successful approach and has announced a set of town hall meetings. Scheduled for the 26th and 27th at the Los Angeles and Menlo, CA stores respectively and hosted by Elon and other staff, the events can be attended in person or by phone. What, no internet hookup?

[The_Hamster_King]

The LA dealership is just down the street from me. I’ll have to drive by on the 26th to see if there is an angry mob … .

[Omegaman]

@Tuckerfan

Seems they’re worried about becoming profitable soon.This part, however, would really piss me off:
The recharge time without that “extension cord” is thirty hours! Yeah, yeah, I know, I know, if you can afford to plunk down a $100K for a car, an extra $3K isn’t that big of a deal, but its the principle of the thing. You’re told a feature which makes the car practical will be standard equipment, and then they come back and say, “Sorry, but you’re going to have to pay for that little feature.” I’d be sorely tempted to cancel my order, the amount of the non-refundable deposit would probably wind up being less than the new charges for the features I’d want.

I’ve never seen something that couldn’t be rewired. The biggest cable a house is going to have is Ott on 220. All I need is a plug. And I suspect they wouldn’t be changing the plug on the vehicle end. Otherwise, that 3 k would have to include rewiring your house.

3 grand will buy a shit load of copper cable.

[Xema]

Drivers who want three-hour charges going forward will have to fork over an extra $3,000 to get this hefty extension cord.

$3K? Sounds like another Monster Cable scam.

[Tuckerfan]

Its not looking good for Tesla, I’d say.

For example, when responding to a query about the price hike, Musk responded, “It was a really close call at the last round of investments, I can’t shoulder the load of the company alone and I couldn’t continue the company like that.”

Musk also revealed that the company would be getting an investment from a “well respected company” in the next week or so. In the current environment, that may not have been the safest response if the deal has not yet closed. If something happens and it falls apart, the company could end up looking worse.

[control-z]

They’re nuts for charging that much in the first place. And then changing the deal for people that already put down deposits? Yeah that sounds like something PayPal would do. :rolleyes:

[Cluricaun]

For further information grab the current issue of GQ. They have a long article about Musk and his ventures since Pay-Pal. Interesting kid, going to die broke.

[whitetho]

@Cluricaun

For further information grab the current issue of GQ. They have a long article about Musk and his ventures since Pay-Pal. Interesting kid, going to die broke.

Online article is here (in 11 sections): The Believer

As a founder of PayPal, Elon Musk made $250 million in an Internet minute. But then he got bored. He wanted a bigger challenge. Much bigger. So he asked himself: What are the three largest, most important, most difficult challenges of our time? Then he tried to tackle all three at once.

[Cluricaun]

@whitetho

Online article is here (in 11 sections): The Believer

Nice find.