tesla flurry of recent changes
Lead Lap
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 4,513
Likes: 345
From: In your head
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 25,917
Likes: 4,274
From: Alberta
Racer
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,936
Likes: 0
From: CA
cash grab:
A product designed primarily or solely with the intent of generating profits.
An activity engaged in with the intention of making money quickly.
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/cash_grab
Racer
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,936
Likes: 0
From: CA
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 25,917
Likes: 4,274
From: Alberta
not sure what you are trying to say but that's exactly what cash grab means.
cash grab:
A product designed primarily or solely with the intent of generating profits.
An activity engaged in with the intention of making money quickly.
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/cash_grab
cash grab:
A product designed primarily or solely with the intent of generating profits.
An activity engaged in with the intention of making money quickly.
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/cash_grab
Racer
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,936
Likes: 0
From: CA
An activity engaged in with the intention of making money quickly. = taking deposits 2+ years early. check.
money grab it is.
Moderator
Joined: Nov 2016
Posts: 9,593
Likes: 4,784
From: GA
But, I can't help but agree that changing prices not only so suddenly, but at the amount they are, is pretty shady. I mean they had literal protests about those changes.
they are facts, but you're correct that 'turmoil' is my assessment of all those changes/facts. i don't see how you can deny the recent huge number of pricing, product configuration, announcements, delays, changes of direction, etc.
I'd say growing pains I think you're making a way way bigger deal than necessary.
BTW if you're going to keep changing the thread title it affects the context of what is posted.
but not my intent. 
not sure what you are trying to say but that's exactly what cash grab means.
cash grab:
A product designed primarily or solely with the intent of generating profits.
An activity engaged in with the intention of making money quickly.
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/cash_grab
cash grab:
A product designed primarily or solely with the intent of generating profits.
An activity engaged in with the intention of making money quickly.
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/cash_grab
But, I can't help but agree that changing prices not only so suddenly, but at the amount they are, is pretty shady. I mean they had literal protests about those changes.
The only reason why Tesla price changes are visible is because there's no dealer negotiations and the price is what it is. And I did put a deposit down on a Y 
. If you want a LR or Performance model early it makes sense. If you're looking for base or mid-range you're better off waiting
. If you want a LR or Performance model early it makes sense. If you're looking for base or mid-range you're better off waiting
Lead Lap
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 3,820
Likes: 247
From: NY
does anyone else find the huge number of price and product line up changes in the last couple of months bizarre? (and alarming)
they add and then cancel products. they provide free services then charge for them, then free again for some, maybe, for some period of time, maybe, etc. they're raising product prices, then lowering, then raising again...
they're taking deposits on a vehicle that's likely 2 years+ away from being available... seems like a grab for cash flow now.
it's enough to make your head spin.
i WANT tesla to succeed. they've done something amazing and EXTREMELY difficult, not only technically, but with all the competition, lobbyists, oil industry, etc. gunning to crush them.
but their recent behavior looks a lot like panic. i get that they're trying to squeeze all the sales and deliveries they can into Q1 (few more days) with incentives just like other auto makers, but at some point all the thrashing probably isn't helping.
rumor has it tariffs in china (don't know if enacted already) are/will hurt tesla a lot. rumor has it demand has slowed a lot in the u.s. (maybe after a lot of the 3 backlog was fliled). rumor has it the X is all but dead with products announced from mercedes, audi, and bmw, and already out from jaguar, even if they're not as good.
there was a lot of disappointment over the Y being 'just' a tall 3 with a hatch, but i get totally that that's the quickest way for tesla to get it on the market, and manage costs, plus why not, if the 3 is successful then a cuv version should be very successful.
what do you think?
they add and then cancel products. they provide free services then charge for them, then free again for some, maybe, for some period of time, maybe, etc. they're raising product prices, then lowering, then raising again...
they're taking deposits on a vehicle that's likely 2 years+ away from being available... seems like a grab for cash flow now.
it's enough to make your head spin.
i WANT tesla to succeed. they've done something amazing and EXTREMELY difficult, not only technically, but with all the competition, lobbyists, oil industry, etc. gunning to crush them.
but their recent behavior looks a lot like panic. i get that they're trying to squeeze all the sales and deliveries they can into Q1 (few more days) with incentives just like other auto makers, but at some point all the thrashing probably isn't helping.
rumor has it tariffs in china (don't know if enacted already) are/will hurt tesla a lot. rumor has it demand has slowed a lot in the u.s. (maybe after a lot of the 3 backlog was fliled). rumor has it the X is all but dead with products announced from mercedes, audi, and bmw, and already out from jaguar, even if they're not as good.
there was a lot of disappointment over the Y being 'just' a tall 3 with a hatch, but i get totally that that's the quickest way for tesla to get it on the market, and manage costs, plus why not, if the 3 is successful then a cuv version should be very successful.
what do you think?
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 857
Likes: 47
From: Oregon
As an engineer I am interested in Tesla because they approach the idea of a car from a different angle. The technology is pretty straightforward but interesting nonetheless.
But from a pragmatic point of view I see Tesla partly as a fad and partly as a tool for virtue-signaling to peers.
But we'll see. I've certainly been wrong on many things in the past. I thought the Lear Fan was a brilliant airplane but it never made it. I thought we'd have a thousand Nukes all around the country by now, and we don't. Maybe Tesla will reach Critical Mass and succeed. But maybe not.
But from a pragmatic point of view I see Tesla partly as a fad and partly as a tool for virtue-signaling to peers.
But we'll see. I've certainly been wrong on many things in the past. I thought the Lear Fan was a brilliant airplane but it never made it. I thought we'd have a thousand Nukes all around the country by now, and we don't. Maybe Tesla will reach Critical Mass and succeed. But maybe not.
Last edited by riredale; Mar 26, 2019 at 07:22 PM.
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 20,212
Likes: 260
The only reason why Tesla price changes are visible is because there's no dealer negotiations and the price is what it is. And I did put a deposit down on a Y . If you want a LR or Performance model early it makes sense. If you're looking for base or mid-range you're better off waiting
. If you want a LR or Performance model early it makes sense. If you're looking for base or mid-range you're better off waitingAnd no, nobody else changes their processes as often as Tesla. There is certainly a problem if you make huge changes like closing most of your sales locations and then revert them in mere weeks after. It looks like someone didnt think something through and as if changes were made on a whim of individual, instead of being something that has been researched for a while.
Eventually Tesla will be run properly and technology will be an icing on a cake of superbly run automotive operation.
Lexus Fanatic
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 20,212
Likes: 260
IMHO, it is obvious that their sales dropped significantly due to online only sales and they quickly went back to rethink their original plan.
Lead Lap
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 4,513
Likes: 345
From: In your head
do you really think nobody at Tesla knew the cost of pulling out of stores? I mean that would be pure incompetence that is below level of street vendor selling things out of a booth.
IMHO, it is obvious that their sales dropped significantly due to online only sales and they quickly went back to rethink their original plan.
IMHO, it is obvious that their sales dropped significantly due to online only sales and they quickly went back to rethink their original plan.
Heres my anecdotal evidence
-Tesla Issued the move to online sales in pure silence not even to regional managers
-Tesla/directly from an Elon email, 78 percent of all Model 3 sales occur online and 82 percent of customers bought the car without a test drive.
-Sales staff claim that months prior "they had been directed to have customers buy cars themselves through the Tesla website, even if they’re sitting right next to them in the store. But many buyers place an order on their phones after talking with a salesperson for hours or even making multiple visits. Others come into the store, think about it, and then buy online later. In retrospect, multiple employees now suspect this directive as a scheme to orchestrate their own obsolescence."
-Tesla magically about faced this HUGE DECISION within a short amount of time
Source Jalopnik.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,936
Likes: 0
From: CA
I've never seen an auto company relentlessly attacked at this level, and people opening cheering for the company to fail. And before you say, that's not happening well yes it is I've lost track of how many times people said other auto makers are going to magically march in and put Tesla out of business because reasons.
Tesla had a magnifying glass on them not exactly sure why on some level I think it stems from people fearing change, and their favourite car makers status quo is threatened.
Tesla had a magnifying glass on them not exactly sure why on some level I think it stems from people fearing change, and their favourite car makers status quo is threatened.
yeah people don't like him and want him to fail because he is out there making enemies for no good reason.