Consumer Reports not happy with Tesla Delivery experience

[Frankrank]

They just picked up a Cyber Truck. I would have left it:

"The delivery experience: We remember back when picking up a Tesla felt like a special event. (Or going back even further, when Tesla would deliver your car to your door.) That appears to no longer be the case. Upon entering the Delivery Center, we were greeted by a long line of customers waiting to speak to a single person at a makeshift table. Then we were sent to a bench to sign paperwork. When we were finished, we were told to go find the truck in the parking lot ourselves. It felt more like an overcrowded urgent care center than the experience you’d expect picking up a $102,000 vehicle. Once we finally tracked down the truck, it wasn’t fully charged, it wasn’t washed, and it required a software update. Unlike many luxury car dealerships, nobody offered to show us how to set up the vehicle, pair the phone, or use its software."

 

[eljefino]

So are they reporting on the product or the experience? Does CR rate vacations and movies now?

 

[dnewton3]

So are they reporting on the product or the experience? Does CR rate vacations and movies now?

People often complain (rightly so) about the domestic Big Three dealer experiences.
It's only fair to comment on Tesla as well.
And if I spent over $100k and got that kind of treatment, I probably would have walked before signing the papers.

 

[ecotourist]

My experience in '21 was totally different. Do you suppose Tesla might have some not so good outlets?

One problem with Tesla is you can't talk to anyone. How would they know if they had a poor outlet? They wouldn't.

 

[ecotourist]

And if I spent over $100k and got that kind of treatment, I probably would have walked before signing the papers.

Me too.

 

[DuckRyder]

https://www.corvettemuseum.org/museum-delivery/

https://www.bmwperformancecenter.com/delivery/

Better ways to spend your 100,000....

 

[97prizm]

This has been happening for quite a while. I'd surmise that some centers are better than others but. Tesla had way greater demand than supply. They could be jerks and get away with it. Tesla is the only company I've ever seen where customers had to complain to Musk directly on social media to get problems resolved. The Cybertruck forum is littered with HUNDREDS of complaints and problems from current owners. A customer picked up his Cybertruck a couple of months ago and it wasn't washed or charged (I see a pattern here). On the way home he stopped to charge at a supercharger and it leaked battery pack coolant. He called customer service and was told point blank "Oh that's not covered under warranty. " A YouTube influencer got his Cybertruck fixed only after Tweeting to Musk he's never buying another Tesla and the company is garbage. His first one had major electrical problems, so Tesla gave him a new one which bricked itself after two weeks of ownership and he's on his third. He now finally recommends Tesla again.

 

[SaberOne]

That experience would definitely turn me off. Fortunately, I don't think I'd ever face that issue since I could never afford a $100K car anyway. I remember the first car I financed was a 1972 Dodge Dart with a 225 slant six. I've financed cars ever since, but recently I paid off my car loan. It feels weird not having a car payment, but I got used to it quickly!

 

[97prizm]

My experience in '21 was totally different. Do you suppose Tesla might have some not so good outlets?

One problem with Tesla is you can't talk to anyone. How would they know if they had a poor outlet? They wouldn't.

The biggest issue is that Teslas right had doesn't know what the left hand is doing. I mentioned this in a post. Tesla closed their Cherry Creek store and Littleton store a few years ago. They then did a 180 and reopened the Littleton store but failed to post any information about it. I had to call the HQ in California be put on hold for someone to find the number and then transfer me. I will say that Tesla is the ONLY car company that never answered the phone nor returned my phone call when I left my number and info about a couple of open positions at one of their service centers.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Gotta love all the "if it were me...". Well, I can tell you what happened to me. This was the last weekend of June and they were blowing out the cars from the Fremont plant to end Q2.

Yes, wifey and I signed a few papers sitting on a couch drinking Tesla water. Very few signatures, no more than 10, including our trade in (they didn't even need to see it and didn't need the signed pink slip). I gave them a check which they scanned and gave back to me. All sitting on the couch with the rep. They asked me if I wanted an escort to the car for inspection, instructions or whatever. Or I could just walk down the aisle (not far) to parking space #33 (or whatever). My cell phone key was already transferred. I had 60 days to report any issues. I did show them my insurance papers...

None of the, "You need this dealer coating so you never have to wash your car only $499 just for you" or "You need this service contract, only $2000. We even discounted it just for you!" Spent more time mingling and people watching than taking delivery.

And there were hundreds of people getting cars, and many others in the showrooms, getting information, etc.
Easiest purchase ever, except Dec 2018 when they delivered the car to our home.

Tesla Fremont Delivery Center where you sign papers, etc.

Cars fresh warshed for pickup, our's was 7 or 8 cars down in the 1st row.

 

[mrsilv04]

Isn't CR up on the east coast... Connecticut maybe? So, they got the east coast treatment. They should be used to it by now.

 

[97prizm]

Gotta love all the "if it were me...". Well, I can tell you what happened to me. This was the last weekend of June and they were blowing out the cars from the Fremont plant to end Q2.

Yes, wifey and I signed a few papers sitting on a couch drinking Tesla water. Very few signatures, no more than 10, including our trade in (they didn't even need to see it and didn't need the signed pink slip). I gave them a check which they scanned and gave back to me. All sitting on the couch with the rep. They asked me if I wanted an escort to the car for inspection, instructions or whatever. Or I could just walk down the aisle (not far) to parking space #33 (or whatever). My cell phone key was already transferred. I had 60 days to report any issues. I did show them my insurance papers...

None of the, "You need this dealer coating so you never have to wash your car only $499 just for you" or "You need this service contract, only $2000. We even discounted it just for you!" Spent more time mingling and people watching than taking delivery.

And there were hundreds of people getting cars, and many others in the showrooms, getting information, etc.
Easiest purchase ever, except Dec 2018 when they delivered the car to our home.

Tesla Fremont Delivery Center where you sign papers, etc.
View attachment 243057
Cars fresh warshed for pickup, our's was 7 or 8 cars down in the 1st row.
View attachment 243061

So you had a great experience we get it. More and more people are not having great delivery experiences and have to pull teeth to get problems resolved. This is the issue. If Tesla really cared and i don't think they do, they would look at data like this to resolve these type of problems. If your new model 3 broke down with 38 miles on your way home then leaked battery coolant would you still be as gung ho about Tesla as you are?

 

[JeffKeryk]

So you had a great experience we get it. More and more people are not having great delivery experiences and have to pull teeth to get problems resolved. This is the issue. If Tesla really cared and i don't think they do, they would look at data like this to resolve these type of problems. If your new model 3 broke down with 38 miles on your way home then leaked battery coolant would you still be as gung ho about Tesla as you are?

How many people have you talked to regarding their Tesla delivery experience?
Here's a recent Forbes article that may be of help...

 

[Frankrank]

This is part of the first look. Actual testing takes about 4 months: https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/hybrids-evs/tesla-cybertruck-review-a4750335741/

 

[fdcg27]

Gotta love all the "if it were me...". Well, I can tell you what happened to me. This was the last weekend of June and they were blowing out the cars from the Fremont plant to end Q2.

Yes, wifey and I signed a few papers sitting on a couch drinking Tesla water. Very few signatures, no more than 10, including our trade in (they didn't even need to see it and didn't need the signed pink slip). I gave them a check which they scanned and gave back to me. All sitting on the couch with the rep. They asked me if I wanted an escort to the car for inspection, instructions or whatever. Or I could just walk down the aisle (not far) to parking space #33 (or whatever). My cell phone key was already transferred. I had 60 days to report any issues. I did show them my insurance papers...

None of the, "You need this dealer coating so you never have to wash your car only $499 just for you" or "You need this service contract, only $2000. We even discounted it just for you!" Spent more time mingling and people watching than taking delivery.

And there were hundreds of people getting cars, and many others in the showrooms, getting information, etc.
Easiest purchase ever, except Dec 2018 when they delivered the car to our home.

Tesla Fremont Delivery Center where you sign papers, etc.
View attachment 243057
Cars fresh warshed for pickup, our's was 7 or 8 cars down in the 1st row.
View attachment 243061

Sounds pretty nice.
Too bad for Tesla that you have nothing like the reach of the bible of upper middle class consumption.
It is pretty clear that the treatment these folks received in being given the privilege of parting with one hundred large was more like what one would have expected when summoned to take delivery of their long awaited Trabant in another time and place.
I would have walked with my 100K and told the Tesla folks I'd be sure to share my experiences with them widely.

 

[Brons2]

This is part of the first look. Actual testing takes about 4 months: https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/hybrids-evs/tesla-cybertruck-review-a4750335741/

LOL at this:

If the folks at CR’s Auto Test Center were the arbiters of rizz, your TikTok feed would be filled with a new trend called the “check your tire tread depth challenge.”

 

[alarmguy]

So are they reporting on the product or the experience? Does CR rate vacations and movies now?

It says in the OP they were reporting on the delivery experience. CR rates everything about automobiles. The OP highlighted the delivery experience.

 

[AZjeff]

Gotta love all the "if it were me...". Well, I can tell you what happened to me. This was the last weekend of June and they were blowing out the cars from the Fremont plant to end Q2.

Once again your experience in the California bubble at the giant TESLA facility has little to do with reality. Do you think Consumer Reports made up their poor delivery experience? Does your experience excuse theirs?

 

[JeffKeryk]

Once again your experience in the California bubble at the giant TESLA facility has little to do with reality. Do you think Consumer Reports made up their poor delivery experience? Does your experience excuse theirs?

Dunno. I would like to see a customer satisfaction study. As you say, one offs tell us very little. CR had 1 delivery and so did I.
I can tell you 2 things:

1. The hundreds of people at the end of June delivery at Fremont all appeared to be enjoying themselves. There were even factory tours on these little linked car things.
2. Tesla customer sat tends to be very high.

Question for you: Why does the Fremont facility have little to do with reality? It happens to be the largest US car factory by production numbers.

Here is another satisfaction article from Retently

"Tesla currently holds a satisfaction rating of 96, outscoring every other car manufacturer company in Net Promoter Score® ratings.
Tesla has also claimed the top spot in the Consumer Reports' annual owner satisfaction survey, where 91% of Tesla owners stated that they would buy another Tesla vehicle in the future." Mar 29, 2023

 

[Brons2]

Jeff,

I think both your experience and CRs experience are valid data points, generally speaking.

My personal visit to the Tesla showroom was generally pleasant, but on the other hand I was asked to wait for the rep that I had booked an appointment with since he was talking to other customers. Because my wife was not there yet, I didn't care really, but if she had already arrived and we had to wait 20 minutes for an appointment that I made ahead of time, it wouldn't have been a good look in my eyes. As it was, it worked out fine though. $0.02.