Was waiting on Taycan...
09-22-2019, 11:26 PM
#16
Pro
Thread Starter
Gallery is where you go to look at new Teslas. In some states that permit direct sales, the product assistants can order it for you. They do it the same way you would do at home. They will set up your account and push the button to order but it’s literally how you would order it on your couch. In states where direct sales are prohibited, they can’t legally do it for you, but they can legally sit there while you do it and tell you what to do. Silly.
Service centers are seperate. We used to have a gallery at the North Houston service center but no more.
But this is the real weakness of Tesla. Yes, I’m criticizing Tesla. Some of you take note, you thought I never would did you? In any event their weakness is their back office that processes the paperwork. They are remote, understaffed, and largely clueless. Bad, bad combo. Honestly my buying experience was so bad that if the car had any legitimate competition at the price point, I would have gone elsewhere. Elon touts “two minutes to buy” but it’s really 2 minutes to order, but the paperwork is a nightmare. God forbid you have a trade. Once your paperwork is clean, though, delivery is pretty seamless.
I have long said on the Tesla forums that if they don’t shape this up they WILL put themselves out of business. The average punter who isn’t tied to a Tesla or an EV won’t stand for it.
Service centers are seperate. We used to have a gallery at the North Houston service center but no more.
But this is the real weakness of Tesla. Yes, I’m criticizing Tesla. Some of you take note, you thought I never would did you? In any event their weakness is their back office that processes the paperwork. They are remote, understaffed, and largely clueless. Bad, bad combo. Honestly my buying experience was so bad that if the car had any legitimate competition at the price point, I would have gone elsewhere. Elon touts “two minutes to buy” but it’s really 2 minutes to order, but the paperwork is a nightmare. God forbid you have a trade. Once your paperwork is clean, though, delivery is pretty seamless.
I have long said on the Tesla forums that if they don’t shape this up they WILL put themselves out of business. The average punter who isn’t tied to a Tesla or an EV won’t stand for it.
SPOT ON! Nothing to compete with them in the price point, but when other options arrive that are priced similarly, Tesla better have their sh*t together.
Really a great observation.
09-22-2019, 11:28 PM
#17
Pro
Thread Starter
Tesla sales experience for delivery is wonderfully simple and typically quick (YMMV) - Teslas sales experience for ordering and tracking your order is beyond horrible and the WORST purchase experience of any automotive vendor - online ordering is simple, but after that process everything "between" ordering and delivery is an exercise in demonstrated incompetence and you typically have to deal with 3 to 4 different people for your order each of which demonstrates different levels of being clueless - it's amazing they are still almost in business - but after product delivery things typically settle down into a happy experience, but yes the purchase process can be an exercise in frustration and I do know people that have not completed it - I respect and understand these people's decisions and it's an area in which Tesla has much much room to grow.
09-22-2019, 11:50 PM
#18
Rennlist Member
I’m not sure of all your issues. I told the Tesla dealership in Santa Monica that I wanted a model 3 performance the first week of July 2019, I filled out a credit app and I picked up my new M3P two weeks later. Couldn’t have been much easier.
And I’m leasing my Tesla through my business which added another layer of paperwork.
And I’m leasing my Tesla through my business which added another layer of paperwork.
09-22-2019, 11:50 PM
#19
Burning Brakes
I guess the difference for me was that I had the dinero pre-arranged - and didn't try to have Tesla do anything with financing. I walked in with a cashiers check for the proper amount. Same as every previous previous car purchase of mine since I was a teenager. I've never financed through a dealership, ever.
When we bought our 2016 Chevy Volt, the salesman was great. But it took two months to get all the mistakes the back office made straightened out. Tesla was a cake walk by comparison.
When we bought our 2016 Chevy Volt, the salesman was great. But it took two months to get all the mistakes the back office made straightened out. Tesla was a cake walk by comparison.
09-23-2019, 12:33 AM
#20
RL Community Team
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
I’m not sure of all your issues. I told the Tesla dealership in Santa Monica that I wanted a model 3 performance the first week of July 2019, I filled out a credit app and I picked up my new M3P two weeks later. Couldn’t have been much easier.
And I’m leasing my Tesla through my business which added another layer of paperwork.
And I’m leasing my Tesla through my business which added another layer of paperwork.
I had Tesla provide a trade in before I signed my contract. They didn’t want to do that, I told them, the hell with you, I’m not signing anything until you provide me a trade in. They did.
Clicked on buy. Entered a credit card for deposit, which was duly charged. I was called by a processor the next day, very excited. Asked about financing. Told them none, don’t worry about it. They were very enthusiastic. I think I got two phone calls, and two emails. Wen through the process. Seemed straightforward.
Fast forward a few days. Processor goes dark. It’s coming time for me to send my money so I don’t miss my delievery window. Still no response to repeated phone calls and emails. Finally gets in touch. Tells me can’t process final contract because they can’t get my payoff from VW. Basically asked me to reconsider trading the car. Said no. Long story short, through a nightmare involving the sales guy that helped me locally, got the payoff. Finally send my contract at the 11th hour. Tax is wrong. I inform them that in TX, there is a credit on tax in the amount of your trade, please reduce the amount. Radio silence for 36 hours, until the day my payment was due to hit the delivery window (in TX, you must pay in full before your car is shipped. You are buying direct from manufacturer in CA, Tesla cannot sell direct in TX. Advisor tells me she was told the docs are right, I am wrong. There is no tax credit on trade because it’s a lease. I’m not wrong, I tell them to change the docs to remove all registration and taxes, I’ll register the car myself and pay all fees and taxes directly since I am paying in full anyway. A day later they finally do, and I get the contract. Race to get a bank check cut and FedEx’d out on Friday PM to arrive Sat (payment was due Friday). Get that done.
Car is delivered on time and delivery goes well.
30 days later, VW calls and asks where my payment is. I tell them car was traded, I don’t own car any longer. They say, ok. We see it was paid. Another 30 days later, they call again. I am 60 days past, about to be sent to collections, they want a payment over the phone. Tell them, again, I don’t own the car. They call back and say, Tesla has paid them in full, but that Tesla hasn’t sent them the affadavit of sale so they can’t close my file out. Seems that people have been sending checks, without the affadavit, and then bouncing them. So that VW gets no money for the car. So they need the paperwork. Reach out to Tesla. 3 days later, no response to phone and emails. Get my old sales guy involved again, he finds out original person was fired. Gets me a new person. They call and realize that they LOST THE PAPERWORK I SENT THEM. I had FedEx tracker it was delivered. Ask me to kindly re-sign the paperwork which transfers title and they will send to VW. I say ok, shaking my head that Tesla has had my car for 60 days without legally owning it. So they clearly haven’t tried to sell it! That’s 60 days of interest on over 20k worth of car.
Next day i get paperwork from Tesla for my trade. It’s wrong. I call and tell them this. No response. Email. No response. A few days pass again. I get a phone call (or email I forget) from Tesla asking why I haven’t sent my paperwork back? I tell them, check your email and voicemail. You sent me wrong paperwork. They apologize, send correct paperwork. Which I send in. Finally VW gets their paperwork after I get another phone call about being sent to collections.
So yeah, I have no reason to doubt any story about Tesla completely making a hash out of even the simplest purchase.
The following 2 users liked this post by Needsdecaf:
daveo4porsche (09-23-2019),
thebishman (09-23-2019)
09-23-2019, 12:55 AM
#21
Pro
Thread Starter
Heh, I can WELL believe his problems.
I had Tesla provide a trade in before I signed my contract. They didn’t want to do that, I told them, the hell with you, I’m not signing anything until you provide me a trade in. They did.
Clicked on buy. Entered a credit card for deposit, which was duly charged. I was called by a processor the next day, very excited. Asked about financing. Told them none, don’t worry about it. They were very enthusiastic. I think I got two phone calls, and two emails. Wen through the process. Seemed straightforward.
Fast forward a few days. Processor goes dark. It’s coming time for me to send my money so I don’t miss my delievery window. Still no response to repeated phone calls and emails. Finally gets in touch. Tells me can’t process final contract because they can’t get my payoff from VW. Basically asked me to reconsider trading the car. Said no. Long story short, through a nightmare involving the sales guy that helped me locally, got the payoff. Finally send my contract at the 11th hour. Tax is wrong. I inform them that in TX, there is a credit on tax in the amount of your trade, please reduce the amount. Radio silence for 36 hours, until the day my payment was due to hit the delivery window (in TX, you must pay in full before your car is shipped. You are buying direct from manufacturer in CA, Tesla cannot sell direct in TX. Advisor tells me she was told the docs are right, I am wrong. There is no tax credit on trade because it’s a lease. I’m not wrong, I tell them to change the docs to remove all registration and taxes, I’ll register the car myself and pay all fees and taxes directly since I am paying in full anyway. A day later they finally do, and I get the contract. Race to get a bank check cut and FedEx’d out on Friday PM to arrive Sat (payment was due Friday). Get that done.
Car is delivered on time and delivery goes well.
30 days later, VW calls and asks where my payment is. I tell them car was traded, I don’t own car any longer. They say, ok. We see it was paid. Another 30 days later, they call again. I am 60 days past, about to be sent to collections, they want a payment over the phone. Tell them, again, I don’t own the car. They call back and say, Tesla has paid them in full, but that Tesla hasn’t sent them the affadavit of sale so they can’t close my file out. Seems that people have been sending checks, without the affadavit, and then bouncing them. So that VW gets no money for the car. So they need the paperwork. Reach out to Tesla. 3 days later, no response to phone and emails. Get my old sales guy involved again, he finds out original person was fired. Gets me a new person. They call and realize that they LOST THE PAPERWORK I SENT THEM. I had FedEx tracker it was delivered. Ask me to kindly re-sign the paperwork which transfers title and they will send to VW. I say ok, shaking my head that Tesla has had my car for 60 days without legally owning it. So they clearly haven’t tried to sell it! That’s 60 days of interest on over 20k worth of car.
Next day i get paperwork from Tesla for my trade. It’s wrong. I call and tell them this. No response. Email. No response. A few days pass again. I get a phone call (or email I forget) from Tesla asking why I haven’t sent my paperwork back? I tell them, check your email and voicemail. You sent me wrong paperwork. They apologize, send correct paperwork. Which I send in. Finally VW gets their paperwork after I get another phone call about being sent to collections.
So yeah, I have no reason to doubt any story about Tesla completely making a hash out of even the simplest purchase.
I had Tesla provide a trade in before I signed my contract. They didn’t want to do that, I told them, the hell with you, I’m not signing anything until you provide me a trade in. They did.
Clicked on buy. Entered a credit card for deposit, which was duly charged. I was called by a processor the next day, very excited. Asked about financing. Told them none, don’t worry about it. They were very enthusiastic. I think I got two phone calls, and two emails. Wen through the process. Seemed straightforward.
Fast forward a few days. Processor goes dark. It’s coming time for me to send my money so I don’t miss my delievery window. Still no response to repeated phone calls and emails. Finally gets in touch. Tells me can’t process final contract because they can’t get my payoff from VW. Basically asked me to reconsider trading the car. Said no. Long story short, through a nightmare involving the sales guy that helped me locally, got the payoff. Finally send my contract at the 11th hour. Tax is wrong. I inform them that in TX, there is a credit on tax in the amount of your trade, please reduce the amount. Radio silence for 36 hours, until the day my payment was due to hit the delivery window (in TX, you must pay in full before your car is shipped. You are buying direct from manufacturer in CA, Tesla cannot sell direct in TX. Advisor tells me she was told the docs are right, I am wrong. There is no tax credit on trade because it’s a lease. I’m not wrong, I tell them to change the docs to remove all registration and taxes, I’ll register the car myself and pay all fees and taxes directly since I am paying in full anyway. A day later they finally do, and I get the contract. Race to get a bank check cut and FedEx’d out on Friday PM to arrive Sat (payment was due Friday). Get that done.
Car is delivered on time and delivery goes well.
30 days later, VW calls and asks where my payment is. I tell them car was traded, I don’t own car any longer. They say, ok. We see it was paid. Another 30 days later, they call again. I am 60 days past, about to be sent to collections, they want a payment over the phone. Tell them, again, I don’t own the car. They call back and say, Tesla has paid them in full, but that Tesla hasn’t sent them the affadavit of sale so they can’t close my file out. Seems that people have been sending checks, without the affadavit, and then bouncing them. So that VW gets no money for the car. So they need the paperwork. Reach out to Tesla. 3 days later, no response to phone and emails. Get my old sales guy involved again, he finds out original person was fired. Gets me a new person. They call and realize that they LOST THE PAPERWORK I SENT THEM. I had FedEx tracker it was delivered. Ask me to kindly re-sign the paperwork which transfers title and they will send to VW. I say ok, shaking my head that Tesla has had my car for 60 days without legally owning it. So they clearly haven’t tried to sell it! That’s 60 days of interest on over 20k worth of car.
Next day i get paperwork from Tesla for my trade. It’s wrong. I call and tell them this. No response. Email. No response. A few days pass again. I get a phone call (or email I forget) from Tesla asking why I haven’t sent my paperwork back? I tell them, check your email and voicemail. You sent me wrong paperwork. They apologize, send correct paperwork. Which I send in. Finally VW gets their paperwork after I get another phone call about being sent to collections.
So yeah, I have no reason to doubt any story about Tesla completely making a hash out of even the simplest purchase.
YIKES, you have me beat by a long shot thus far.
In addition to the financing issues, they messed up on the payoff number for my trade as well...there's a lot of little stuff I left out because there is too much to go over.
Getting back to financing, I could easily secure my own financing, but since they have offered at an attractive rate, I want them to do the work at the rates we agreed upon, plain and simple. I have messed up before in business, and I make it right, I expect they do the same. I don't think that is asking too much.