I ordered a Tesla Model Y

48358 Views 1433 Replies 83 Participants Last post by Cbayman, 5 h ago

zroger73

Discussion Starter · 4 mo ago

Two weeks ago, I had no exit strategy for either my '21 Ridgeline or '19 Miata. The Miata will probably be with me for a long time and I planned to keep the Ridgeline until the third generation went on sale.

Then, I read about Tesla dropping the price on the Model Y by 20% on the 13th and it qualifies for a $7,500 federal tax credit. Knowing that my brother-in-law planned to buy a Model Y in the future, I let him know that now might be a good time and he placed an order on January 15th.

I was tempted, but I hovered over the "place order" button for several days before finally clicking it on January 20th.

My original estimated delivery date was "Jan - Mar 2023". This was unnerving because the $7,500 tax credit is only guaranteed until March 1st at which time is may be reduced to $3,750.

The Model Y currently qualifies for the full $7,500 credit because it is made in the US. The Panasonic 2170 cells it uses are also made in the US. What might prevent it from qualifying for the full $7,500 credit as soon as March 1st is if less than 40% of the critical minerals used in those cells are sourced outside the US or a free trade partner. In this case, the credit will drop to $3,750. There is also a possibility that details will be delayed and the full credit will remain in effect.

This evening, the estimated delivery date was updated to "March 3 - March 31" making this even more suspenseful. Since the vehicle is unlikely to arrive before the March 1st, it may or may not qualify for the full $7,500 tax credit.

While the 20% price drop alone may be enough to encourage some buyers to order one, it was the price drop and the $7,500 tax credit that prompted to do so. Without the full credit, I'm less interested in taking delivery. If I don't, the most I'm out is a $250 nonrefundable order fee.

If I end up with the Model Y, I'll likely sell my Ridgeline since I only have space for two vehicles in my garage.

To be continued...

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1301 - 1320 of 1434 Posts

zroger73

Discussion Starter · #1,301 · 10 d ago

Admittedly, there's a LOT going on in the car during "full self-driving" even for a seasoned gear head and techie such as myself. The car is constantly displaying messages about what it is doing and what it needs such as:

"Apply steering torque" (if your hands are off the wheel too long)
"Manual steering required" (if it doesn't know where to steer)
"Stopping for a traffic control device"
"Stopping for traffic"
"Cruise control will not auto brake" (if your foot is on the accelerator)
"Creeping forward for visibility"

And a dozen other messages I can't remember right off hand. While informative, reading all those messages as they appear is a distraction. I would NOT want to see the average driver with access to FSD beta based on my experience so far. I'll keep it for at least another month and try it out under various drives, but I think the novelty is going to wear off and I'll cancel my subscription. It's certainly not worth paying for in its current form - I'd go so far as to say that Tesla should be paying ME to test and train it.

I let it drive me to work this morning. Generally, it seems jerky, uncertain, and timid. On multiple occasions, I could see "WTF?" reactions from drivers behind me.

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Sparkland

· #1,302 · 10 d ago

Cbayman said:
Absolutely driver error. As I understand it, the investigation is focused on whether or not the vehicle design contributes to driver error. Sounds like the cabin camera is a step towards more effective monitoring of the driver. At the very least the camera images will provide data on the drivers state of attentiveness at the time of a crash.

I am certain insurance companies would have a field day with that one and Tesla owners would be fairly upset if they are required to turn over the footage. The question is, what information can be taken from the vehicle legally after an accident.

keithkornatoski

· #1,303 · 10 d ago

Sparkland said:
A Cybertruck pre-production model. Needless to say, it is not bullet proof. It is not even termite proof.
View attachment 438021

Is that "Sleepy Joe" napping in the front seat??? ... I really cant make it out ...

Cbayman

· #1,304 · 10 d ago

Sparkland said:
I am certain insurance companies would have a field day with that one and Tesla owners would be fairly upset if they are required to turn over the footage. The question is, what information can be taken from the vehicle legally after an accident.

The real question is what data does Tesla upload on a regular basis transparent to owners. We know they collect data to improve the product and I assume this includes Autopilot. Is this metadata or does Tesla compile a data base file for each VIN and possibly each driver?

Reactions: 2

strongtower1

· #1,305 · 10 d ago

Sparkland said:
A Cybertruck pre-production model. Needless to say, it is not bullet proof. It is not even termite proof.
View attachment 438021

FYBER-TRUCK!!!!! 😂

gg2k2k

· #1,306 · 10 d ago

I was a anti-Tesla, Detroit guy since they came out (too expensive, batteries don’t last, etc). Rented a Tesla last weekend for a trip around San Diego and WOW! So many conflicting ideas in my head right now. I really enjoyed it and now wondering if I might buy one someday;-) Paid $25 for 2- 20 min charges at a Supercharger (was actually relaxing to sit and wait) did a ton of driving and saved probably $150-$175 in gas.
The technology is mind boggling with Autopilot, etc. I just don’t see how the upcoming generations are not going to want all this tech and interfaces when they are so used to it with their phones, etc.
getting back into my 10 year old ICE when I came home felt like I was stepping back to the Stone Age… I never should have rented the Tesla, now I’m screwed … ugh still pretty expensive though.

Reactions: 5

RMarkL

· #1,307 · 10 d ago

zroger73 said:
Two weeks ago, I had no exit strategy for either my '21 Ridgeline or '19 Miata. The Miata will probably be with me for a long time and I planned to keep the Ridgeline until the third generation went on sale.

Then, I read about Tesla dropping the price on the Model Y by 20% on the 13th and it qualifies for a $7,500 federal tax credit. Knowing that my brother-in-law planned to buy a Model Y in the future, I let him know that now might be a good time and he placed an order on January 15th.

I was tempted, but I hovered over the "place order" button for several days before finally clicking it on January 20th.

My original estimated delivery date was "Jan - Mar 2023". This was unnerving because the $7,500 tax credit is only guaranteed until March 1st at which time is may be reduced to $3,750.

The Model Y currently qualifies for the full $7,500 credit because it is made in the US. The Panasonic 2170 cells it uses are also made in the US. What might prevent it from qualifying for the full $7,500 credit as soon as March 1st is if less than 40% of the critical minerals used in those cells are sourced outside the US or a free trade partner. In this case, the credit will drop to $3,750. There is also a possibility that details will be delayed and the full credit will remain in effect.

This evening, the estimated delivery date was updated to "March 3 - March 31" making this even more suspenseful. Since the vehicle is unlikely to arrive before the March 1st, it may or may not qualify for the full $7,500 tax credit.

While the 20% price drop alone may be enough to encourage some buyers to order one, it was the price drop and the $7,500 tax credit that prompted to do so. Without the full credit, I'm less interested in taking delivery. If I don't, the most I'm out is a $250 nonrefundable order fee.

If I end up with the Model Y, I'll likely sell my Ridgeline since I only have space for two vehicles in my garage.

To be continued...

So did you get the $7500 of other worker's money, or just $3750 of other worker's money? It's a shame they don't give you the whole selling price back in other worker's money...

RMarkL

· #1,308 · 10 d ago

Evidently you didn't hear, or don't care that an electric car reconfigures molecular structure of the air it passes through... So far we know it breaks down the H2O, increasing the hydrogen content of our air and changing our oxygen (O2) into ozone (O3), also known as "Smog", but what else is that molecular reconfiguration doing? Leukemia perhaps? Electric vehicles need more research, not more manufacturing, and giving away other people's hard earned money to people that buy them, is just not American... People should boycott those "rebates"...

zroger73

Discussion Starter · #1,309 · 10 d ago

What in the world are you talking about? Electric vehicles have no emissions nor do they perform any chemical conversions. Air passes through a heat exchanger at the front of the vehicle where heat is either added or removed and the same goes for the air flowing through the cabin. People and pets riding inside an EV create more pollution than the vehicle itself.

Reactions: 3

stevem5215

· #1,310 · 10 d ago

Wow, never heard of that one. Had to do a Google search and it came up dry even. If so this would be a "wow" moment. I'd like to see some studies on that claim.

Reactions: 1

larryr

· #1,311 · 10 d ago

It will be fun to watch all the Texas Telsa owner deciding if they want a vehicle or air conditioning when the electric grid does rolling blackouts in Texas as it has the last 3 years.

Me, I drive a 2022 Hybrid CR-V - I make my own electricity for the CR-V. Averaging 41 MPG vs 29 MPG on my 2016 CR-V.

As for EV emissions - the manufacturing of the batteries for a Tesla release more carbon than ICE do over their lifetime.

climate.mit.edu

How much CO2 is emitted by manufacturing batteries?

It depends exactly where and how the battery is made—but when it comes to clean technologies like electric cars and solar power, even the dirtiest batteries emit less CO2 than using no battery at all.

climate.mit.edu

Reactions: 1

zroger73

Discussion Starter · #1,312 · 10 d ago

This Texas resident has never experienced a rolling blackout. Some of us are still in regulated areas and have no choice of electrical providers. Those grids stay up and our rates are the lowest in the state.

Reactions: 1

AKSHARK

· #1,313 · 10 d ago

Man Whose Tesla Caught Fire Said Customer Service Gave Strange Advice (businessinsider.com)

Reactions: 1

tleavitt

· #1,314 · 10 d ago

We bought a 2022 Tesla Y perf model about 8 months ago and my wife has already put 15K miles on it. We already had one tire blow, cost $500 but Tesla paid for the tow (40 miles). We haven't had any problems yet. Im a bit pissed that we paid $10K more for it then it goes for today new.

The thing is amazingly fast and I love just about every thing about the car BUT, its not worth the price. The interior at times feels like a 90's GM can. I REALY wish it had the quality of build and ergonomics of a $23K Accord. I t has a ton of squeaks that you rarely find in a car like a Honda.

I still think its a pretty good bang for the buck for what the Tesla does.

zroger73

Discussion Starter · #1,315 · 10 d ago

Another large drop on the Ridgeline's price today...

Apr 20 $39,998
Apr 25 $39,582 (-416)
May 2 $38,820 (-762)
May 3 $39,359 (+539)
May 5 $38,997 (-362)
May 6 $37,780 (-1,217)
May 10 $38,400 (+620)
May 14 $37,998 (-402)
May 23 $36,991 (-1,007) (-3,007 since initial)

Reactions: 3

OmahaJeff

· #1,316 · 10 d ago

Apparently Texas is enacting a new EV tax?

https://www.kiplinger.com/taxes/texas-electric-vehicle-tax-registration-fee

I understand the idea of taxing vehicles to pay for services that would have been covered by a gas tax. But this smells of being punitive to me, or at least rewarding the petroleum industry.

https://gizmodo.com/greg-abbott-signs-texas-electric-vehicle-tax-1850455335

I remain surprised that Musk would move his headquarters and emphasize production in Texas when they are so staunchly pro–petroleum, anti-EV.

Reactions: 1

zroger73

Discussion Starter · #1,317 · 10 d ago

OmahaJeff said:
Apparently Texas is enacting a new EV tax?

https://www.kiplinger.com/taxes/texas-electric-vehicle-tax-registration-fee

I understand the idea of taxing vehicles to pay for services that would have been covered by a gas tax. But this smells of being punitive to me, or at least rewarding the petroleum industry.

https://gizmodo.com/greg-abbott-signs-texas-electric-vehicle-tax-1850455335

Here's my thoughts on that...

zroger73 said:
Last year, I paid $285.25 in taxes on the 750.65 gallons of gasoline I purchased for my Ridgeline. I suppose $200 is fair. I don't like potholes.

OmahaJeff said:
I remain surprised that Musk would move his headquarters and emphasize production in Texas when they are so staunchly pro–petroleum, anti-EV.

Tesla also just broke ground on a new lithium refinery in Corpus Christi...and Tesla still can't sell directly to Texas buyers.

peregrine

· #1,318 · 10 d ago

Funks said:
There's a datapoint I'd like to see which is not tied to where one lives. And that's the cost of maintaining one - let's say for 10 years lifespan (fully depreciated) . Wouldn't the EV be much cheaper to maintain? Even when compared to a hybrid? Don't Tesla batteries last longer than that?

Not necessarily. A friend's S model, 2013, 73000 miles...battery DOA one day. Tesla charged $13000 for new one, and another $1k to install as the car was 60 miles from the 'dealer'. AND the new battery is warranted for all of 4 years, PRO-RATED! What a scam. Tesla can and will outrage you with its charges, which can and are made up on the fly. Don't get sucked into the EV scam, as it's 10 years too early.

zroger73

Discussion Starter · #1,319 · 10 d ago

Yes - a relatively small number of batteries will fail prematurely. That in inevitable. Just like a relatively small number of 6-speed transmissions in 2017-2019 Ridgelines will fail costing owners $7,000.

$14,000 seems pretty reasonable for a Tesla battery to me. I must assume the battery failed within the last couple of years since it is warranted for 8 years? In fact, I find Tesla's parts and labor to be fairly reasonable compared to other automakers. They also give away their service information unlike other automakers.

stevem5215

· #1,320 · 10 d ago

New problems with EV emissions. Turns out it's worse than gas vehicles even burning Gasoline ! Yep, read it here first baby! No electric car emissions ? Nope.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/heavy-electric-cars-release-more-100233821.html

Reactions: 2

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