Quick read on Jalopnik about Tesla

[AZjeff]

The short Jalopnik article is titled "Tesla Is Struggling To Find New Buyers" and links to a Business Insider article that goes further into the topic.

This quote from Business Insider seems accurate, at least it describes my thoughts about an EV. I'm open to the idea of an EV but not interested in cutting edge driver interface tech just for the sake of tech. EG: turn signals on the tablet or whatever.

The typical Tesla driver is so stereotypical that they have a nickname: Tesla bro. These drivers are enticed by Tesla's user experience and high-tech accessories — and have more patience for features that are hard to use or have initial bugs.

But the non-Tesla-bro contingent is looking for something more practical that mimics the experience of their gas-powered car. <<<<

Pretty sure we have one BITOG Tesla bro.

 

[SeaJay]

I guess they are not for me, I have zero patience for things that are not intuitive and do not work correctly first time right out of the box.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

When I buy an EV, it's not going to be a spaceship.
I can appreciate that Tesla made EVs a household thing, but they're just too fancy for me.

 

[PandaBear]

Problem with these medias is they are always hired to write something to pump and dump a stock. I don't trust them more than I trust forums and user reviews.

Problem with Tesla is that the business of selling cars is not like selling computer chips or software, they can't grow infinitely, and there's always some politics involved. The other problem Tesla faces is the early buyers are going to be different than the commodity buyers comparing them to Corolla and Prius, so you have to lower your expectation in profits and revenue. Last one I can think of is the days of 0% interest rate is over, and Tesla need a way to be self sustainable without free money from stock market, loans, gov grants, etc.

I wish Tesla well, but I am not buying their stocks.

 

[John105]

Telsa and EVs in general don't appeal to me. But if they somehow made total sense, I'd be seeking out a Toyota or even a Nissan, i.e. an ordinary EV.

I had never seen the cyber truck until this summer, but when I did, I guessed that it was a Tesla. When I go to the gym in the AM (6 AM'ish), there is a cyber truck that parks literally in another empty lot, so far away, it's literally closer to 7 11 than it is the gym. And I like to park far away myself, but this is an alternate lot. I wondered as I saw this older gentleman walk to his car--is it because he doesn't want people seeing him getting out? It's not for dents/dings, because there are literally 50+ spaces closer. This is another lot and that's what I thought, likely doesn't want to be seen, for whatever reasons...

 

[AZjeff]

Problem with these medias is they are always hired to write something to pump and dump a stock. I don't trust them more than I trust forums and user reviews.

I wish Tesla well, but I am not buying their stocks.

Funny, went back and read both pieces again and didn't see anything about buying stocks. Just not sophisticated enough to catch it probably. Not that I buy stocks.

 

[dubber09]

How else can one drive and text with both hands on and face in the phone? Exactly what I saw on the way to work this morning, a Tesla driving guy on phone for many blocks.

 

[SC Maintenance]

I saw a cyber truck the other day towing an old riding lawn mower on an old rickety trailer. It was kind of funny for some reason. Wish I could have taken a pic.

Back on topic. Business insider really isn't a serious publication I don't think so I wouldn't take a whole lot of their opinion as gospel.

Nonetheless Tesla currently lacks any real product they didn't have a few years ago. If you don't refresh your product line people get bored - look at any automotive product - highest sales numbers are usually always in the first couple years - when adjusted as a percentage of overall sales to the economy. Tesla isn't bringing in new buyers because they don't have anything to lure new buyers in yet. The early adopters have there's already.

 

[kuznetzovcvg]

I guess they are not for me, I have zero patience for things that are not intuitive and do not work correctly first time right out of the box.

Concur. Especially at the price point Tesla asks for their cars. Frankly, they (Tesla cars) have the soul of a 3 minute egg. I rode in a Model 3 recently, the interior build quality was worse than a pre bankruptcy Chevrolet.

 

[John105]

How else can one drive and text with both hands on and face in the phone? Exactly what I saw on the way to work this morning, a Tesla driving guy on phone for many blocks.

Am I dreaming this up or was a woman doing makeup, while her Tesla merged onto 76E? I mean it did, but did she assist it or did the car cam actually do it on its own. I’m talking heavy traffic…I would prefer to handle it the old way.

Nobody is getting ahead of us and we’re not being left behind, if we do only one thing at a time imho

 

[fdcg27]

I think that what Panda means is that you can make money on a stock in either direction. The shorts want to see a decline in market value so they can cover their positions more cheaply and make more money. Those on the other side are looking for a price decline so that they can buy back in more cheaply.
These kinds of shenanigans work best with a very volatile stock, which Tesla certainly has been.
WRT the market for cars, I suspect that all of the must-haves have already bought a Tesla and that going forward Tesla may find itself in a more price competitive market, forcing lower margins and more development spending.
We'll see how this all plays out, but I personally don't think it's yet time to consign the company to a declining future.

 

[GON]

Telsa and EVs in general don't appeal to me. But if they somehow made total sense, I'd be seeking out a Toyota or even a Nissan, i.e. an ordinary EV.

I had never seen the cyber truck until this summer, but when I did, I guessed that it was a Tesla. When I go to the gym in the AM (6 AM'ish), there is a cyber truck that parks literally in another empty lot, so far away, it's literally closer to 7 11 than it is the gym. And I like to park far away myself, but this is an alternate lot. I wondered as I saw this older gentleman walk to his car--is it because he doesn't want people seeing him getting out? It's not for dents/dings, because there are literally 50+ spaces closer. This is another lot and that's what I thought, likely doesn't want to be seen, for whatever reasons...

My 30 year old Son is not into cars. His 16 year birthday present from me was a 1998 S10 ZR2. I would have died for anything like that vehicle at age 16. He was super grateful, but didn't care what it was---after I spent many months searching for the S10.

Last time we spoke about vehicles, he stated if he would buy a new vehicle, it would be a Tesla. His generation is not motivated on a MACRO basis the way many of us on BITOG are about vehicles. Tesla has the features he wants; not features I am necessarily motivated for.

In a supplemental note, I read an article today the U.S. Army made a 11 million USD marketing mistake, spending recruiting dollars using professional sports. The U.S. Army missed the fact that today's young adult population, is not only NOT into cars, they are not into professional sports like older generations are.

The Army Bet $11M on The Rock and UFL Ginning Up Enlistments. It May Have Actually Hurt Recruiting Efforts.

The high-dollar, high-profile deal likely didn't lead to a single new Army recruit and may possibly have had a negative impact on finding new enlistments, internal documents and emails reviewed by Military.com show.

www.military.com

 

[SC Maintenance]

My 30 year old Son is not into cars. His 16 year birthday present from me was a 1998 S10 ZR2. I would have died for anything like that vehicle at age 16. He was super grateful, but didn't care what it was---after I spent many months searching for the S10.

Last time we spoke about vehicles, he stated if he would buy a new vehicle, it would be a Tesla. His generation is not motivated on a MACRO basis the way many of us on BITOG are about vehicles. Tesla has the features he wants; not features I am necessarily motivated for.

In a supplemental note, I read an article today the U.S. Army made a 11 million USD marketing mistake, spending recruiting dollars using professional sports. The U.S. Army missed the fact that today's young adult population, is not only NOT into cars, they are not into professional sports like older generations are.

The Army Bet $11M on The Rock and UFL Ginning Up Enlistments. It May Have Actually Hurt Recruiting Efforts.

The high-dollar, high-profile deal likely didn't lead to a single new Army recruit and may possibly have had a negative impact on finding new enlistments, internal documents and emails reviewed by Military.com show.

www.military.com

Neither of my daughters want a Tesla / EV (20 and 22). I asked them and they said no. I asked why and they said because they would need to remember to plug it in and they hate when their phone dies like that. Not kidding.

However the only part of the car they do care about is the infotainment.

They also don't think linearly. The idea of having to watch something on TV at a particular time, or not being able to fast forward - is completely lost on them. They can't imagine.

I know when one of my daughters is texting me because I get 10 texts in succession, not 1. Typical daughter text.

When you
go to
the store can you get
Some milk
and maybe some
fruit?
Luv u

7 texts to get milk and fruit.

 

[AZjeff]

WRT the market for cars, I suspect that all of the must-haves have already bought a Tesla and that going forward Tesla may find itself in a more price competitive market, forcing lower margins and more development spending.

What's interesting is in my area I'm seeing Hummers fairly often when I'm out. These are $100k + maybe the must-haves have switched brands? Maybe they park it beside their Tesla?

 

[fdcg27]

What's interesting is in my area I'm seeing Hummers fairly often when I'm out. These are $100k + maybe the must-haves have switched brands? Maybe they park it beside their Tesla?

Showy status symbols are nothing new on the road.
Some people seem to have the need to show the masses what they can afford while others don't.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Showy status symbols are nothing new on the road.
Some people seem to have the need to show the masses what they can afford while others don't.

I really need a Turbo S Cab. Just sayin'...

 

[SeaJay]

What's interesting is in my area I'm seeing Hummers fairly often when I'm out. These are $100k + maybe the must-haves have switched brands? Maybe they park it beside their Tesla?

Tesla when you want to be a virtue signaller. Hummer when you want to give a vibe, but a lifted Jeep with oversized wheels is not quite a strong enough vibe for how you want to be seen.

 

[Torrid]

Tesla when you want to be a virtue signaller. Hummer when you want to give a vibe, but a lifted Jeep with oversized wheels is not quite a strong enough vibe for how you want to be seen.

I think a lot less people buy cars to be seen than you think. I think that they exist, but it's a lot of money to worry about what others think. I don't think there's a worse insult that makes the user sound less educated while trying to sound educated than term virtue signaler. The guy in the Tesla next to you probably doesn't care what you think.

Then again I'm not out buying the highest end cars I can barely afford so maybe I'm out of touch in this respect and just don't think that way. If people are doing this for attention then I'd say it would be much more likely for people to be overextended financially to get there. Maybe those people should also realize that we don't care what they think either.

 

[IndyIan]

I could/would use a model 3 now, but they are still far more money than I want to spend and , and I don't like Tesla's anti-"right to repair" policies. Also no one locally can work on them and it would be far more PITA than its worth. Maybe in 10 years when there is alternative sources of batteries/drivetrain parts and local shops can/will work on them.
If you are a regular $40-50-60k new car buyer every 5 years in a temperate major city like Vancouver, then they make more sense and they actually are more common than late model Corolla's and small/midsize gas only SUV's.

 

[JeffKeryk]

I could/would use a model 3 now, but they are still far more money than I want to spend and , and I don't like Tesla's anti-"right to repair" policies. Also no one locally can work on them and it would be far more PITA than its worth. Maybe in 10 years when there is alternative sources of batteries/drivetrain parts and local shops can/will work on them.
If you are a regular $40-50-60k new car buyer every 5 years in a temperate major city like Vancouver, then they make more sense and they actually are more common than late model Corolla's and small/midsize gas only SUV's.

Curious; what are you gonna repair?
From Dec 2018 to June of this year, about 25K, on our 2018 Model 3 Mid Range I did the following:

• WW fluid
• rotated tires - need hockey pucks!
• replaced a damaged Conti tire - ouch!
• replaced the 12v battery - Tesla tech came to my place and replaced it for $120 all-in, as I recall. And did an end-to-end inspection...