Octopus Overlords

I am going to drive by my local dealership the night before to see if people are lining up. These types of frenzies take on a life of their own.

Jaymann wrote:I am going to drive by my local dealership

I guess it's unlikely I can make the reservation at a texas showroom.

coopasonic wrote:I guess it's unlikely I can make the reservation at a texas showroom.

Yep. You can do it online Thurs night tho.

LordMortis wrote:

Jaymann wrote:I am going to drive by my local dealership

It's weird, but there is also a "dealership" in a local shopping mall, but it looks to be the size of a sunglass hut. I seriously doubt they will be able to handle the crush. And the mall does not open until 10 AM, same time as the dealership. Sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.

I am finally starting to see these around town...it's taken a while. Ironically I almost never see anyone recharging in the Whole Foods parking lot chargers. I don't know if it's because I never am there when the e-vehicles are, or if they just don't need to?

In fact, I was behind a new Tesla the other day on the way to work, and he passed a Ferrari in the oncoming lane - they waved to each other casually as if they knew each other. Both cars were red, and they DID have some similarities, I will admit. Not sure what kind of Ferrari it was (but obviously a hell of a lot more stylish than the Tesla), probably a 360.

Carpet_pissr wrote:I am finally starting to see these around town...it's taken a while. Ironically I almost never see anyone recharging in the Whole Foods parking lot chargers. I don't know if it's because I never am there when the e-vehicles are, or if they just don't need to?

Well, Whole Foods is frequented by very wealthy people who can afford to pay double for everything, and I gather electric cars are owned by people who can't afford gas, so....

Jaymann wrote:

LordMortis wrote:

Jaymann wrote:I am going to drive by my local dealership

It's weird, but there is also a "dealership" in a local shopping mall, but it looks to be the size of a sunglass hut. I seriously doubt they will be able to handle the crush. And the mall does not open until 10 AM, same time as the dealership. Sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.

Weird. Does that mean it's not even big enough to hold 1 Tesla car for folks to get inside and play with? The two Tesla dealerships I've seen were big enough to host 1 car + 1 model of the underbody.

raydude wrote:Weird. Does that mean it's not even big enough to hold 1 Tesla car for folks to get inside and play with? The two Tesla dealerships I've seen were big enough to host 1 car + 1 model of the underbody.

Every one I've seen is about what you describe--big enough for 1-2 cars plus the undercarriage, with configuration TVs on the side walls and a couple of workstations for helping folks configure/order. Kind of similar to a slightly smaller Apple store.

raydude wrote:

Jaymann wrote:

LordMortis wrote:

Jaymann wrote:I am going to drive by my local dealership

It's weird, but there is also a "dealership" in a local shopping mall, but it looks to be the size of a sunglass hut. I seriously doubt they will be able to handle the crush. And the mall does not open until 10 AM, same time as the dealership. Sounds like a disaster waiting to happen.

Weird. Does that mean it's not even big enough to hold 1 Tesla car for folks to get inside and play with? The two Tesla dealerships I've seen were big enough to host 1 car + 1 model of the underbody.

Probably can hold a car or two. I was only looking at the mall map, not a picture of the store.

Confirmed, they jammed a car in there:

Jaymann wrote:Confirmed, they jammed a car in there:

At the Westfield Century City mall in LA, they have a car inside the store and one outside. But the store itself is about half the size of a typical Apple store.

Jeff V wrote:

Carpet_pissr wrote:I am finally starting to see these around town...it's taken a while. Ironically I almost never see anyone recharging in the Whole Foods parking lot chargers. I don't know if it's because I never am there when the e-vehicles are, or if they just don't need to?

Well, Whole Foods is frequented by very wealthy people who can afford to pay double for everything, and I gather electric cars are owned by people who can't afford gas, so....

I know you were half joking, but you have to know what to buy there, and what not. If you buy something that you can find in say Publix, or Food Lion (not sure what large grocery chains are in the Chicago area), yeah, you might pay double for that...so don't buy those things there! Bread, meats, coffee, and in general ANYthing that is their brand, is completely reasonable, and in many cases cheaper, for a higher quality product than in larger retail grocery stores.

Well here I am # 4 in line at the goddamn Tesla motors. I came by at 6:30 pm to check it out and there were already 3 people in line. At least I came prepared with massive layers of clothing, snacks and a lawn chair. I am WAY too old for this shit.

Awesome. I can't get to mine until 9:15 tomorrow for a 10 am opening. Should be fun. Australia stores had something like 60 people in line when they opened a few hours ago.

News story shows someone waiting in line at the Fort Worth showroom, so maybe they will take reservations... or maybe that guy will be disappointed.

In before the lock! At 9:00 AM there were about 400 people in line and helicopters flying over, presumably shooting news video. By 9:05 I plunked down my credit card and made my reservation. My best shot at getting the rebate. The Tesla employees were super, getting pizza for us around 10 PM and coffee and donuts in the morning.

Still in line here after 3.5 hours. Lynne length is well over 600. This is madness.

Zaxxon wrote:Still in line here after 3.5 hours. Lynne length is well over 600. This is madness.

Madness?! THIS! IS! TESLAAAA!

Glad someone picked up on that and ran with it.

115,000 pre-orders so far.

Crazeballs.

That isn't working on me the way it was intended.

After all the articles I read last night I'd probably lean towards the Bolt, despite it looking like a dolled up Honda Fit.

The Model 3 is not a particularly attractive car to me. In the end, I did not put in a reservation (or stay up to watch the reveal). I'm going back to waiting for a new Mazdaspeed 3.

You are a strange person. (Or I am. Actually....)

coopasonic wrote:After all the articles I read last night I'd probably lean towards the Bolt, despite it looking like a dolled up Honda Fit.

I'm old. Boxy means I can put shit in the back. Maybe even an adult passenger.

It may be that it breaks too many automotive conventions to appeal to me. The anti-grill and the muffin-top proportions are completely unattractive to me. The back end reminds of a scion tC and that's not a compliment. That huge windshield just looks expensive... really, I wasn't in the market for this after all.

LordMortis wrote:

coopasonic wrote:After all the articles I read last night I'd probably lean towards the Bolt, despite it looking like a dolled up Honda Fit.

I'm old. Boxy means I can put shit in the back. Maybe even an adult passenger.

That huge bubble of a greenhouse on the Model 3 will certainly comfortably accommodate adults in the back seat.

Zaxxon wrote:Better pics.

I looked through the slideshow on the page and there are some that certainly make it look better than that one pic of a pic, but I'm still not excited by it. I think the mazda 3 5 door is better looking and cheaper. No, it won't put itself in the garage for me (or even open the damn garage door without a dealer option), but I can live without that.

Also, the performance numbers are disappointing. I hope they get better, but that would presumably come with a big bump in price.

The reveal actually made me more pleased with my reservation. Especially the top rated safety, roomy interior, 210 mile radius standard (my understanding is upgradable to 300), and trunk space fore and aft. I am wondering if you can tint that overhead glass, not too fond of a constant sun beatdown.

coopasonic wrote:

LordMortis wrote:

coopasonic wrote:After all the articles I read last night I'd probably lean towards the Bolt, despite it looking like a dolled up Honda Fit.

I'm old. Boxy means I can put shit in the back. Maybe even an adult passenger.

That huge bubble of a greenhouse on the Model 3 will certainly comfortably accommodate adults in the back seat.

From test ride accounts at the reveal, it can. We'll see about heat, bnut it hasn't been an issue in the S or X.

For me, the looks are pretty good, but the killer is a useful all-electric vehicle for $35k. I do not foresee the Bolt getting g 5 stars all around in crash tests, nor having the interior room or fun to drive factor. Virtually impossible since it's a modified Cruze. The Mazda will not drive like a Tesla, either. I feel like focusing on looks is missing the point to a degree: it's not a Prius/Insight in the looks dept, and that's a win in my book.

The grill is a change for sure, but it'll be the new norm in a few years since grills are archaic and counterproductive on an EV.

Jaymann wrote:The reveal actually made me more pleased with my reservation. Especially the top rated safety, roomy interior, 210 mile radius standard (my understanding is upgradable to 300), and trunk space fore and aft. I am wondering if you can tint that overhead glass, not too fond of a constant sun beatdown.

I'm sure it'll have a gradual tint like the X.

Zaxxon wrote:I feel like focusing on looks is missing the point to a degree: it's not a Prius/Insight in the looks dept, and that's a win in my book.

You are coming off a Prius and I am coming off a G37. having us disagree on the looks is probably pretty acceptable. You also live in the land of granola and I live in the land of big trucks/SUVs.

coopasonic wrote:That huge windshield just looks expensive... really, I wasn't in the market for this after all.

The huge windshield, I love. All of the engineering of safety, cost, room, and aerodynamics makes it so I can't see traffic signal or sometimes even street signs because of the slope and cutoff of the windshield. In my focus, if I am at the white line at a traffic signal, I have to lean forward about two feet to see when a light changes to green.

I do have to wonder how the the sun shining down figures into that though.

If I hadn't just put down a 100% deposit on our summer vacation I would be all over this reservation. You can reserve one online so no need to wait in line. This car looks amazing for the price. Here's my question though, is the $35,000 before or after the federal tax credit? In the past Tesla has quoted their price using the cost after you receive the tax credit. If its the cost before the $7,500.00 tax credit then this car is super cheap.

Zaxxon wrote:The grill is a change for sure, but it'll be the new norm in a few years since grills are archaic and counterproductive on an EV.

The lack of a grill doesn't bother me a bit. Without a need to help force air in to help cool the engine, they can save on aerodynamics. I agree that it'll be the way they all end up.

I wish a Tesla was in my future. I adore the concept, I like the cars, and I like the company. It'll probably be the next thing I get in 14 years when the car I bought last year drives it's last mile.

Scraper wrote:If I hadn't just put down a 100% deposit on our summer vacation I would be all over this reservation. You can reserve one online so no need to wait in line. This car looks amazing for the price. Here's my question though, is the $35,000 before or after the federal tax credit? In the past Tesla has quoted their price using the cost after you receive the tax credit. If its the cost before the $7,500.00 tax credit then this car is super cheap.

It's before any incentives. Those reserving today may or may not have any incentives to receive.

Zaxxon wrote:It's before any incentives. Those reserving today may or may not have any incentives to receive.

That and the limited options for me to put money down were the biggest turn offs for me. How come you couldn't make downpayment by internet and see what your number in line was?