Tesla Model S Customer Blog: Delivery… But Still No Car

David Noland
by David Noland

Tesla has finally acknowledged the existence of its Model S customers–and it’s about freaking time. It’s been more than a year since I plunked down a $5,000 deposit and officially joined the Tesla family as Model S customer No. P 717. (Projected delivery date: early 2012.) At first, the bennies of Model S ownership were pretty cool. A neck-snapping test drive in the Tesla Roadster instantly persuaded me that electric drive is the future of high-performance driving. An invitation to the grand opening of the New York Tesla dealership, located in the oh-so-hip Chelsea district, featured wine, fancy food, and thin artsy people wearing black. I sat back to await the presumed steady flow of Model S owner communications–technical updates, customer surveys, maybe even a factory tour or a test drive in a prototype for a lucky few of us.Then, nothing. Dead silence. For the last year, I’ve felt more like an orphan than a member of the Tesla family. Could they have lost my file (and–shudder–my $5,000)? No, a call to the factory revealed everything was fine. Apparently, Tesla simply had better things to do than communicate with its Model S customers.It seemed bizarre. Chevrolet has an aggressive program of technical info and updates about the Volt. Nissan has done a superb job of building buzz for the Leaf. But the Model S seemed stuck in an informational and promotional black hole. Why wasn’t the company bombarding us hyper-receptive potential buzzmakers with technical updates, promotional doo-dads, and invitations to EV-nut get-togethers? Time and again, friends would ask me, “Hey, what’s the latest with the Model S?” My answer: I haven’t a clue.The first break came June 16, when I got an e-mail “Model S Update: Tesla Factory.” To my surprise and delight, it contained actual new technical information. The detailed description of the production process for the Model S in the new Fremont factory included some intriguing technical nuggets, like the low-emission paint process that will use powder-coating for both primer and clear coats, and a final water-leak test that will use ultrasonic waves instead of actual water. Interesting stuff, for a Tesla geek at least.Then last week, I opened my mailbox to find a package from Tesla. The box itself was an eye-catcher, printed to resemble the artful black-and-gold weave of the Roadster’s carbon-fiber composite body shell. Feverishly opening the box, I found inside a splendid assortment of promotional swag: a coffee mug, thermos bottle, baseball hat, and stylish black T-shirt, all emblazoned with the Tesla logo. A thumb-size Roadster (made of metal, not plastic) had wheels that actually turned, and I immediately set it zooming across the kitchen floor. There were a bunch of VIP cards that entitled the bearer to an overnight demo in a Roadster, and I was urged to pass them along to friends. (I’ll save one for myself.) And lastly, in a translucent envelope sealed in the royal style, a card from some guy named Elon that said simply, “A small gesture of appreciation from Tesla.”Okay, so it wasn’t exactly a test drive in a Model S prototype. But at least our existence has finally been acknowledged. Finally, I feel part of the Tesla family again.


David Noland
David Noland

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  • John Horner John Horner on Jul 13, 2010

    If people weren't so easy to manipulate then there wouldn't be any marketing executives. Personally, I think they should have sent everyone a DVD of the movie "Tucker" :).

  • BuzzDog BuzzDog on Jul 13, 2010

    I was going to draw a parallel with the Tucker Torpedo, but RobertB34 and John Horner beat me to it. If they start selling accessories for the car before large-scale production begins, it is indeed 1948 all over again.

  • Ronin It's one thing to stay tried and true to loyal past customers; you'll ensure a stream of revenue from your installed base- maybe every several years or so.It's another to attract net-new customers, who are dazzled by so many other attractive offerings that have more cargo capacity than that high-floored 4-Runner bed, and are not so scrunched in scrunchy front seats.Like with the FJ Cruiser: don't bother to update it, thereby saving money while explaining customers like it that way, all the way into oblivion. Not recognizing some customers like to actually have right rear visibility in their SUVs.
  • MaintenanceCosts It's not a Benz or a Jag / it's a 5-0 with a rag /And I don't wanna brag / but I could never be stag
  • 3-On-The-Tree Son has a 2016 Mustang GT 5.0 and I have a 2009 C6 Corvette LS3 6spd. And on paper they are pretty close.
  • 3-On-The-Tree Same as the Land Cruiser, emissions. I have a 1985 FJ60 Land Cruiser and it’s a beast off-roading.
  • CanadaCraig I would like for this anniversary special to be a bare-bones Plain-Jane model offered in Dynasty Green and Vintage Burgundy.
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