Dumb questions from a potential owner

Stingray said:

I am brand new to the site. Wondering about how the order process goes and if there is any dealing on the window sticker price. I apologize if these are dumb questions, please direct me on where to look. I am also worried about the dealer network and how that works. Thanks for any help, here to learn.

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So, you are buying directly from Tesla, you consult with folks at a showroom and then configure your car on line. The price is the price, unless you find previously owned or loaner cars. There is no such thing as a dealer network. That's what dealers in some states are fighting with Tesla about. Tesla is your service as well.

Expanding upon Rick's answer. These are the following ways that different customers will experience different pricing:
- buying a loaner/demo/marketing vehicle that has miles and age on it: mileage and age discount; car is sold as new
- buying a CPO (certified pre-owned) vehicle implies buying "used" that has had a previous owner and will have mileage and age discounts; car is sold as used
- some locations have state sales tax, some don't; this typically affects new car purchases
- some locations have state incentives, some don't; this typically affects new car purchases
- U.S. locations have a federal incentive of $7,500; some conditions apply, related to your personal tax situation
- when you lock in your configuration, the final pricing is set; if you configure on a different day (, hour, minute, second) than another customer you may get different pricing
- if you buy in a different market (think U.S. vs. Canada vs. China vs. ...) pricing will be subject to different costs such as import duties, and exchange rate fluctuations

Apart from the above, "pretty much everybody pays the same price". This is VERY different than the "haggling game" that you play at dealerships.

It's much more like buying from amazon.com, or dell.com, or ...

I definitely recommend the inventory option. I purchased an S85D with 450 miles with the configuration I wanted at a $5K discount, sold as new. I got my car one week after "reserving". No waiting and a bit of a discount... who can beat that?
:smile:

robert774 said:

I definitely recommend the inventory option. I purchased an S85D with 450 miles with the configuration I wanted at a $5K discount, sold as new. I got my car one week after "reserving". No waiting and a bit of a discount... who can beat that?
:smile:

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$12k discount on my P85D. I'm with ya.

There are no dumb questions! Good to ask these. Good luck on your purchase.

Here's my dumb ? : is there actually a "window sticker" at all?

MikeL said:

Here's my dumb ? : is there actually a "window sticker" at all?

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Yes, and it was a major pain in my ass to remove it after we got the car home I recommend a razor blade and windex.

Stoneymonster said:

Yes, and it was a major pain in my ass to remove it after we got the car home I recommend a razor blade and windex.

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Ha! I think I still have the one from my truck in a drawer somewhere. Was proud of it at the time - looong ago.

MikeL said:

Here's my dumb ? : is there actually a "window sticker" at all?

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Yes, Federal law, called a Monroney sticker. In the Texas galleries the staff aren't allowed to say the price of the car on display, but the sticker on the car has the price. Federal law trumps state law.

So weird, but that's my brain. All my interactions w Teslas, stores, galleries, car carriers loaded, an image of "the sticker" has never made it to my memory cells. :crying:
I assume applied, by law, at the place of manufacture (?)

Another quick question.....I assume the Federal Tax Credit only applies to new cars and does not apply to CPOs or other used Teslas? In other words, it only applies only once to any given car?

kyalami said:

Another quick question.....I assume the Federal Tax Credit only applies to new cars and does not apply to CPOs or other used Teslas? In other words, it only applies only once to any given car?

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The Federal Tax Credit is only available to the first person/company that titles the vehicle. If you purchased a used vehicle (one that has been previously titled - the CPO vehicles would be like this), you are NOT able to claim the credit. You can claim the credit on Inventory cars from Tesla since, while they have been used as demo vehicles, they were never titled, so someone buying an Inventory car is the first owner.

MikeL said:

So weird, but that's my brain. All my interactions w Teslas, stores, galleries, car carriers loaded, an image of "the sticker" has never made it to my memory cells. :crying:
I assume applied, by law, at the place of manufacture (?)

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I don't believe they're on the showroom cars here, either.

When I took delivery, the sticker was handed to me, it was never put on the car, so I didn't have to worry about scraping it off. It's still sitting in my glove compartment

RAW84 said:

I don't believe they're on the showroom cars here, either.

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They're not on the showroom cars here either.

Max* said:

They're not on the showroom cars here either.

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Actually, I distinctly remember seeing the sticker on at least one of the showroom cars at my local showroom (in CA). So it might vary by location or other factors.

In Texas, Tesla stores and Tesla service centers want to stay as far as possible from appearing to be a "Dealership".

In particular, I took delivery via the Dallas (Farmers Branch) service center. They had removed the sticker from the window and placed it in the glovebox. They directly stated that they don't want cars around with stickers showing in the window, to minimize dealership appearance. No specific law in play here... they just want to minimize the opportunity for challenge from the old school.

Danal said:

In Texas, Tesla stores and Tesla service centers want to stay as far as possible from appearing to be a "Dealership".

In particular, I took delivery via the Dallas (Farmers Branch) service center. They had removed the sticker from the window and placed it in the glovebox. They directly stated that they don't want cars around with stickers showing in the window, to minimize dealership appearance. No specific law in play here... they just want to minimize the opportunity for challenge from the old school.

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That's a different situation, as your car was already purchased and was awaiting delivery to you. Cars that are for sale (inventory cars) are required to have the stickers by Federal law. Last time I was at the Austin gallery, the car on display had a Monroney sticker and the manager said it's because all inventory cars are for sale (even though not in Teas) so the Federal law requires the sticker on it.

TexasEV said:

That's a different situation, as your car was already purchased and was awaiting delivery to you. Cars that are for sale (inventory cars) are required to have the stickers by Federal law. Last time I was at the Austin gallery, the car on display had a Monroney sticker and the manager said it's because all inventory cars are for sale (even though not in Teas) so the Federal law requires the sticker on it.

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I've never seen a Tesla with a "stuck sticker". Last time I was there, the car on the floor in the local store had the sticker sitting on the dash (not affixed to the window). Test drive cars have no sticker anywhere (maybe in the glovebox?)