Was eagerly awaiting Cybertruck, but getting disillusioned with Tesla

[dodgy-truck]

Hear me out - I have an X with a mid-4 digit VIN. It had its issues in the beginning but we still enjoyed (and continue to do so!) the whole experience. Maybe because the volume of cars was small back then and service centers had the bandwidth to help us when needed.

Unfortunately I am getting disillusioned for the following reasons:
1. Signed up for Tesla insurance - the usual teething problems. They did not have a safety score and put me in some "standard bucket". Eventually my setup was enabled for the safety score -- I keep my safety score at 99%, but the premium has doubled (100% increase)! I was told that there was a general price increase. That aside - I tried to call them last week and waited for more than an hour and gave up.

2. Tesla Solar roof - our project has been going on for 2+ years, in starts and stops. Now Tesla contact tells me they do not have any resources to execute on the project. They offered to give our deposit back. This is after months of going back and forth and wrangling with the utility company.

3. Last month I had an issue with the navigation system - turned out that the sd card had given out. Got a quote from the service center that included an extra $100. I compared to another quote someone had posted on the web - asked the service center, and was told that they would only charge for the work actually performed. Now, the new service center process requires you to sign off on whatever quote they give you. I have not seen an option to dispute and say no to any item. Of course, you are not allowed to have any human interaction. I cancelled the appointment - when was the last time you were not charged for a line item listed in a quote from the service center?

I would rather that Tesla publish steps for DIYers to fix issues on their own - or at least have competition for servicing their vehicles.

4. Tesla charging moat is disappearing - since the Tesla chargers are now open to Ford and Chevy, there is less reason to stay with the Tesla brand. I get that the Tesla mission is to further EVs - but this was a significant differentiator!

The only factor left (for me) is the range on the Cyber Truck. Will wait to see how that shakes out between the competition. Perhaps solid state batteries will come sooner to production vehicles than later - one can dream, right?

On a personal side note - I wish that damn social media monstrosity (twitter) transaction never happened.

If you got this far - thanks, perhaps something resonates with you?

 

[cvalue13]

If it helps any:

Tesla Solar is a notorious sh*t-show

But that business’s challenges (eg competent staffing) are so different from vehicle side

For related reasons, all service is a sh*t show these days

And insurance? God help us all

 

[ÆCIII]

Unfortunately I am getting disillusioned for the following reasons:
. . .

Everything you describe having problems with, is in early adoption phases before Tesla had a chance to either ramp or scale, and refine. First or early adoption of something usually comes with increased risks:

1) Tesla Insurance - Still very new and faces extreme regulator complexity in every state, likely a factor. Those were foreseen challenges but it's difficult to enter insurance markets largely due to the corrupt obstacles that establishment insurance interests have put in place. That's not really Tesla's fault, but it does make it difficult.

2) Solar Roof - Still hasn't had a chance to really scale - and they're finding installation on older homes increases complexity so likely keeping good and capable installers in all areas is a problem.

3) SD Card failure for navigation means you're likely still in the earlier MCU-1 hardware, so you've got quite a few years out of it already. SD cards are not specific to Tesla, and most solid state media types will eventually fail, although the life of some newer types has now greatly improved. But how many years of use did you get before yours failed? Service quotes are estimates to be sure and cover work that might be needed. I had some service done on my charging port, but their final bill was only about half of the estimate. Once they begin work on the car, they often need less parts or labor than anticipated, but they have to allow for a lot in the estimate, to avoid an unexpected increased cost to the customer on the final bill. Better to have a bill less than the estimate, than have a bill cost more than the estimate. Tesla service is just trying to be considerate and fully disclosing to the customer in advance, before they begin diagnosis and work.

4) If you would rather have part of your purchase price go into MSM advertising, dealer network sales pockets, and union funds, then you've never appreciated some of the best fundamentals in the Tesla business model. We still will not see that many other Ford, GM or other brands at the Supercharger sites for quite some time, because the other brands will have trouble scaling EVs due to their business model baggage and leakage I pointed out above. Tesla knew from the beginning that EV innovation and refinement needs a seriously clean business model without all the nonsense, waste, and shenanigans in order to get a decent car to the customer. But if you'd rather have part of your purchase money go to outside skimmers, instead of into innovation or increasing quality of the car, then of course it's your money, your choice.

If you're preoccupied or worried about Elon's other companies, then you might not be as familiar as you could be with Tesla's fundamentals, Elon's team, or the mission - and thus might not realize all the long term factors Tesla has going for it.

Tesla's mission of sustainability requires long term focus on internal processes, the EV products, vertical integration, as well as helping others in their similar processes (charging) along with helping society in general (other companies). I'm not crazy about other brands using Tesla superchargers, but it is consistent with Tesla's sustainability mission.

It does no good to only take care of a planet, if one does not also give attention to helping people On that planet. Elon is not only interested in sustaining clean energy and transportation, but he's also interested in sustaining people, because sustaining the former without the latter is pointless.

- ÆCIII

 

[charliemagpie]

Buy BYD

 

[Jhodgesatmb]

I am not an early adopter of anything. Call me second-generation Jack, because my money, time, and stress levels are much more important to me than being first. Not so with you; you put a premium on being first, as shown in several of your points. There are obvious downsides to being at the front of the line, and if that is getting frustrating the simple solution is to stop trying to be out front.

 

[dodgy-truck]

Yeah bleeding edge may not be for me anymore...

I continue to love how Tesla came up with a refreshing new ways of making and selling cars - continues to innovate. The scale of people and the resulting "corporate culture", to me, means they are becoming another legacy company.

Maybe BYD is the way to go - whenever they can breach the political barrier and enter the US market lol

 

[dodgy-truck]

@ÆCIII - the dream is still fresh and alive for some of us. Maybe mine will rekindle when the cyber truck becomes real.

I aint holding my breath anymore, which (of course) is my personal take.

 

[rudedawg78]

On a personal side note - I wish that damn social media monstrosity (twitter) transaction never happened

Amen to that. What a mess and way too much political crap coming from Elon. I still don't see how owning Twitter will help save the planet. There will always be fake news on every platform and people fighting on both sides of the political spectrum. All that money he spent could have been used on other visions Elon had or reinvested into companies he already owns.

 

[ÆCIII]

The scale of people and the resulting "corporate culture", to me, means they are becoming another legacy company.

I don't think Tesla will ever be like "legacy" auto.

"Epic" or "phenomenal" would be more aptly descriptive terms IMO.

- ÆCIII

 

[CyberGus]

Amen to that. What a mess and way too much political crap coming from Elon. I still don't see how owning Twitter will help save the planet. There will always be fake news on every platform and people fighting on both sides of the political spectrum. All that money he spent could have been used on other visions Elon had or reinvested into companies he already owns.

Rich people gonna rich

 

[ÆCIII]

Amen to that. What a mess and way too much political crap coming from Elon. I still don't see how owning Twitter will help save the planet. There will always be fake news on every platform and people fighting on both sides of the political spectrum. All that money he spent could have been used on other visions Elon had or reinvested into companies he already owns.

I respectfully and categorically disagree.

Twitter is also an 'environment' structure - for communication and expression. Sustainability for people and their expression is equally as important as the planet, because without people or their creative input, saving a planet is pointless.

Elon has every right to any expression he wants, especially with all the work and contributions he's made - just like the MSM, and just like each one of us.

- ÆCIII

 

[rudedawg78]

I respectfully and categorically disagree.

Twitter is also an 'environment' structure - for communication and expression. Sustainability for people and their expression is equally as important as the planet, because without people or their creative input, saving a planet is pointless.

Elon has every right to any expression he wants, especially with all the work and contributions he's made - just like the MSM, and just like each one of us.

- ÆCIII

I understand and respect your point of view. However, I still wish he didn't buy Twitter.

 

[davelloydbrown]

I have one of the early model 3's (VIN 28 k) and sure it has the large panel gaps etc., but overall I have had very few problems and I am very happy with the the car and tesla, but I really need a truck as my 2009 silverado is getting old and costing me a fortune on repairs.

On that note, I also have a 1st day CT reservation and have also put a deposit on a silverado and sierra EV.

I will never buy another vehicle that is not an EV and I would much prefer to buy another tesla.

Quite frankly, I do not trust the OEM car manufacturers for many reasons (lying to consumers, profits above safety, forced by tesla's competition to make EV's etc. etc.). But one of the major concerns is that service/repairs is a main revenue stream for their dealer network and as everyone knows, tesla has no dealer network and Elon has stated that service/ repairs will not be a profit center such that the vehicles are made to last, not breakdown after 7-8 years.

 

[Circadian Power]

Buy BYD

Have you seen the recent story of tens of thousands of 2021 BYD dumped with a few miles on the odometers and registered license plates….no wonder Berkshire Hathaway dumped shares in Nov 2022 and in April 2023…they must know about this…to run a capitalistic business model in a communistic plan economy does not work imo. I am irate about this…first they built too many buildings, then it was the mountains of rotting ride share bicycles and now rotting brand new 2021 BYU EVs…all to meet production quotas…and what about when these batteries decay? I am not liking this…check out the channel Serpentza on YouTube. I don’t want to believe the story but you’ll be the judge

 

[davelloydbrown]

Have you seen the recent story of tens of thousands of 2021 BYD dumped with a few miles on the odometers and registered license plates….no wonder Berkshire Hathaway dumped shares in Nov 2022 and in April 2023…they must know about this…to run a capitalistic business model in a communistic plan economy does not work imo. I am irate about this…first they built too many buildings, then it was the mountains of rotting ride share bicycles and now rotting brand new 2021 BYU EVs…all to meet production quotas…and what about when these batteries decay? I am not liking this…check out the channel Serpentza on YouTube. I don’t want to believe the story but you’ll be the judge

Yeah I saw that video on youtube, but I always take these things with a grain of salt as it would be difficult to confirm exactly what is going on there.