The Tesla Strategy

I'm looking at a Tesla model S myself. I need to sell off a few cars because room is limited. No the standard S has more hp than I need.
Everyone needs a 10 second car, right?
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Muscle cars back in the day were 14 or 15 at best, times have changed. My 69 Dart has a lot of goodies added, when I rebuilt the engine. It's way more powerful than stock, yet today it would be smoked by many normal cars.
I saw one of them and a 340 Duster yesterday...
 
I saw one of them and a 340 Duster yesterday...

Duster is a bit different, but similar.
My 340 has heads, cam, pistons, intake, carb, headers, etc and probably 200 hp more than stock. It's very proficient at turning the rear tires into smoke and rubber dust.
 
I expect my next car to be hybrid or electric. Will not buy a tesla, new or used. A man with too much money and a need for attention.
Tesla is not 1 man. And his $$ is from stock, not so much his salary at Tesla.
But I respect your opinion and choice to buy what makes sense to you.

I've purchased 2 Teslas; neither was because of Musk, but they were, to a large part, in support of the local Fremont workforce.
 
Muscle cars back in the day were 14 or 15 at best, times have changed. My 69 Dart has a lot of goodies added, when I rebuilt the engine. It's way more powerful than stock, yet today it would be smoked by many normal cars.

Yes and no. Yesterday's muscle cars were often factory-choked on porpoise (a little joke). With restrictive components that sometimes found their way into the trash bin.

Many were, by design, incredibly responsive to simple mods and better tires. Even the mighty Shelby GT500 was poorly tuned and Camry slow in stock form. But a weekend of work made it into a track monster that would pull 140 down the straight and put a smile on anybody's face.

I road raced a 1966 Mustang. Fun car, sold it to pay for college. Fast forward many years, I rode in a nearly identical example while on a business trip. I had forgotten just how brutally responsive and fast the car was. Nearly 400HP in 2300 pounds made for a lot of fun.
 
Yesterday I bought tesla stock, because I have complete Faith it will rebound. Hopefully my 200 shares will make me a nice little profit in a while when I sell them.
It might IF Musk steps down or gets the boot. I don't forsee much improvement while he's still running things.
 
Tesla is not 1 man. And his $$ is from stock, not so much his salary at Tesla.
But I respect your opinion and choice to buy what makes sense to you.

I've purchased 2 Teslas; neither was because of Musk, but they were, to a large part, in support of the local Fremont workforce.
Would you have considered a BMW if it was built locally to you? The X5 and X7 are built in Spartanburg sc.
 
Would you have considered a BMW if it was built locally to you? The X5 and X7 are built in Spartanburg sc.
Sure; in fact I am interested in the Neue Klasse. But I am not so much of a potential German car customer. Overly complicated and expensive. But that's just me; each to his/her own.

But that would plat a part. Not everyone in Silicon Valley is gonna be a lowly programmer like me. The Fremont plant has been a huge boon to the local economy; always hiring.
 
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Would you have considered a BMW if it was built locally to you? The X5 and X7 are built in Spartanburg sc.
Actually all the X SUVs are built in SC except the X1 & X2
I think also the new electrics are or soon will be. My son works there and he talks about so many things going on I cant keep track.
It's their largest plant in the world. Im fascinated by it but maybe because he is there. Many years back I went with him and we drove cars on their outdoor test track.

"1,500 vehicles each day and exports 60 percent of its vehicles. The Spartanburg plant assembles the BMW X3, X4, X5, X6, X7, and XM Sports Activity Vehicles and Coupes and their variants."

Source;
https://www.bmwgroup-werke.com/spartanburg/en/our-plant.html

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Actually all the X SUVs are built in SC except the X1 & X2
I think also the new electrics are or soon will be. My son works there and he talks about so many things going on I cant keep track.
It's their largest plant in the world. Im fascinated by it but maybe because he is there. Many years back I went with him and we drove cars on their outdoor test track.

"1,500 vehicles each day and exports 60 percent of its vehicles. The Spartanburg plant assembles the BMW X3, X4, X5, X6, X7, and XM Sports Activity Vehicles and Coupes and their variants."

Source;
https://www.bmwgroup-werke.com/spartanburg/en/our-plant.html

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Actually what blew my mind and my dads was when they first opened ( can't remember the year) they had a behind the scenes of the factory. I've always thought that it could be done but the Spartanburg factory showed USA spec vehicles being assembled tben behind those were Euro spec (going to France specifically) the rhd going to the UK. This was all on the same Assembly line, They didn't have to stop and "batch build" any variation of their SUVs.
 
Sure; in fact I am interested in the Neue Klasse. But I am not so much of a potential German car customer. Overly complicated and expensive. But that's just me; each to his/her own.

But that would plat a part. Not everyone in Silicon Valley is gonna be a lowly programmer like me. The Fremont plant has been a huge boon to the local economy; always hiring.
From reading and talking with people who have lived or live in the area alot of people working at the freemont factory aren't even close to being able to afford housing locally and many drive an hour each way every day. I call it the Vail conundrum. People that live in Vail don't work there, and the people who do have to end up with subsidized housing or drive.
 
Actually what blew my mind and my dads was when they first opened ( can't remember the year) they had a behind the scenes of the factory. I've always thought that it could be done but the Spartanburg factory showed USA spec vehicles being assembled tben behind those were Euro spec (going to France specifically) the rhd going to the UK. This was all on the same Assembly line, They didn't have to stop and "batch build" any variation of their SUVs.
You are correct. I also walked the assembly line. The one I did was whisper quiet, they move the cars on wooden platforms to absorb noise. (My son says that they arent all like that) They also rotate workers to 4 different tasks divided by 4 times frames per shift to relieve any particular stress on the body and boredom too. Almost all the platforms and automated chairs move so the human body doesnt have too. Plant Spartanburg also tested humanoid robots with hands and feet recently doing human tasks. It was just research but pretty wild.

BMWs are build to order vehicles. One car on the line can be going to Italy and the other to China. Correct again, they do not batch build. Someone has to place the order. What is more fascinating is every car (of the same model) coming down the line is different options and interiors. The suppliers (example door panels and much interiors are local outsource) must have that specific item on the assembly line next in line to be installed as each individual vehicle comes down the line. If they dont and that line has to stop the fines are massive as you can imagine. It's all amazing.
 
As much as I wouldn't personally ever get on a motorcycle, I think an electric motorcycle could be done by Tesla and they'd sell fairly well. It might even get a younger audience interested in them. Previous electric motorcycles either had poor range or weren't able to use the Supercharger network or were very expensive... a motorcycle with decent range (which would be doable as Tesla makes VERY efficient EVs somehow - a Model Y AWD is like 50% more efficient than my Chonda Prologue AWD LOL) that could charge at the US's best charging network could be a hit, especially if priced competitively. My ex was intrigued by motorcycles for a bit, and we researched EV motorcycles for a while... they were all either expensive or not very good... basically how EV cars were before Tesla came along.

As for the bus, I know there is that Robovan thing, but I think it would be neat if Tesla started designing and building actual electric public transit buses. From my understanding, BYD is a leading supplier in the US. Wouldn't be it AWESOME if your tax dollars went to an American company building EV buses right here in the US instead of a Chinese company (that at least is building these in the US, which I do appreciate)...

If Tesla made:
-A boxier, more traditional looking SUV, with normal door handles, in 2.5 years when my Prologue lease is up, I'd buy one for sure.
-An electric motorcycle, it would sell, at least fairly well, IMO.
-An electric bus, people would be much more comfortable with electric buses if they weren't supplied by Chinese companies.
Harley has a very good electric motorcycle that runs for $30k. Two Hollywood guys road them from the tip of South America to LA. The bikes did great. The only problem was finding charging capabilities in SA. They are unbelievably fast and have a cool sound to them. I don't know why we don't hear more about them. Maybe they decided not to make them.
 
Harley has a very good electric motorcycle that runs for $30k. Two Hollywood guys road them from the tip of South America to LA. The bikes did great. The only problem was finding charging capabilities in SA. They are unbelievably fast and have a cool sound to them. I don't know why we don't hear more about them. Maybe they decided not to make them.

One of them broke down and had to be flown to the nearest Harley mechanic two countries away...?
 
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