Test Driving the Tesla S

You drive it. You love it. And you end up buying it because you can't see yourself driving anything else.

Even when I was 18, I am 21 now, I was able to walk into a Tesla Store and ask for a test drive. They took a picture of my license and brought me to the car to drive. I drove an 85 this way during the Get Amped tour of Beta Model S', I drove a P85 this way, and I also drove a P85D recently this way. At no point are you asked to purchase a car....All they do is encourage you to consider an EV for your next car purchase by showing you the benefits of it over ICE. Never have I been looked down upon, they are welcoming to let anyone and everyone drive the cars.

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I forgot to mention that I definitely did not dress like a wealthy person...because I am not. I wore some pretty grungy clothing once...haha, didnt change a thing.

The Tesla test drive is very low pressure... it is more about education.
Just remember that the demo cars are limited to 85mph ... have fun!

I know in some locations there's a requirement that a Tesla employee must ride with you, but I think that varies by jurisdiction, not sure if it's a company wide policy.

When I signed up for a test drive they asked me on the phone if I thought I could afford a Model S. I said I think so but it's way beyond anything else I was considering. No hassle or pressure, just that one question over the phone. And I think that was due in part to the long wait for a test drive at the time.

I think we cut our test drive short - 15 minutes - so we could finalize our order. We knew that quick.

FlatSix911 said:

The Tesla test drive is very low pressure... it is more about education.

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This ^^ was also my experience. Very low pressure, very pleasant experience overall. Never once did they question whether I was serious about buying a Model S or if I could afford one.

Navyguy said:

Do they come with you or let you drive it alone? anyone gotten one for longer than the lets say 20 mins? how long you get? anyone gotten an overnight? I have seen some dealers do that, with lower end cars though.

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In my case, I took 2 test drives before buying a Model S. My first test drive the Tesla Owner Advisor came with me. Test drive was about 1/2hr total, but about 10min was the OA explaining things inside the car and the UI, and part of the remaining time taken up by the OA just driving the car away from the bumper-to-bumper city center streets to a more isolated access road down by the waterfront. Honestly the first test drive was disappointingly short. I did not buy a Model S immediately after that test drive, but I kept in touch with the OA frequently by email and he was very good at answering my many questions.

One of my big concerns about the MS was whether or not it would fit into my small garage - it's a much larger car than my current car - so early on he offered an overnight test drive/garage fit. For various reasons I couldn't take up his offer until almost 3 months later, but during our ongoing communications those few months he kept the offer of an overnight drive open. When I finally took the 2nd, overnight test drive, I was given the car to take home on my own from about 5pm until 10am the next morning (when the store opened). So basically I think they let you do an overnight test drive during off-hours, with a car that would normally be used for the "regular" 1/2 test drives during business hours.

I was able to drive the model I was interested in (70D, both test drives), and coincidentally the 7.0 firmware came out just days before my 2nd test drive so I was able to try Autopilot even though I was not originally interested in it (however, that 2nd test drive convinced me to change my mind and buy the AP). The overnight drive was extremely useful to get a better sense of how the car drove along my typical routes, and to get a sense of how charging worked both at home and at public charging stations.

If you can't decide after the first short test drive, don't hesitate to ask if you can schedule an overnight drive, it seems to be no problem getting one

DO NOT TEST DRIVE THE CAR!

Otherwise, you will finalize your order right after it. If you're not ready, you will find ways to sell your kidney, your left nut, or something just to get that car. Bhuwan nailed it - you can't see yourself driving anything else.

bhuwan said:

You drive it. You love it. And you end up buying it because you can't see yourself driving anything else.

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This is obviously going to be a very unique experience that's going to vary with every individual. When I did a test drive a while back, there was 0.00% chance that I was going to be buying a Tesla. Not because I didn't want one, but because I absolutely couldn't afford it. Whether they honestly feel this way, or are just really good at hiding their true thoughts, Tesla doesn't care. Had I called up or walked into a Ferrari dealership and asked for a test drive, I probably would have been shamed out of the store.

I think that Tesla realizes that the cars will sell themselves and has made the decision that the best form of marketing they can do is to get people to drive their cars and then talk about them. Sure, many won't purchase cars because of financial reasons, but they'll still talk to dozens others about how incredible the experience and vehicles are. Nonetheless, after test driving one I was completely hooked and eventually found a CPO car that I could afford.

sickfox said:

DO NOT TEST DRIVE THE CAR!

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My thoughts exactly, Don't do it! once you go for a drive you become hooked.
You'll constantly be working out ways to raise the money, Lotteries, selling kidneys, become Uber driver......
I test drove one 12 months ago when they were released in Australia.
They are way out of my price range which I explained to Tesla several times, when it came to test drive day the Advisor told me that because
I cannot afford one we can go on a longer drive. It was totally awesome, best car ever.

sickfox said:

DO NOT TEST DRIVE THE CAR!

Otherwise, you will finalize your order right after it. If you're not ready, you will find ways to sell your kidney, your left nut, or something just to get that car. Bhuwan nailed it - you can't see yourself driving anything else.

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Totally agree with this! I was actually dead set on getting a Porsche Panamera and wasn't even considering a Tesla. One day walking in the mall, I just randomly decided to go for a test drive since I've always been interested in technology. I was instantly hooked! A few test drives and overnight loans later, I put my order in

Minor correction to an earlier post - if I recall the test cars/loaners are limited to 80 MPH.

My experience - the Tesla test drive is a lot like any other high line test drive. Low pressure, educational and as detailed as you want it to be. Also don't hesitate to ask to drive a couple of models if you are unsure which one you are targeting.

I've testdriven a 70D, P85D, and most recently the P90D with Autopilot. My Dad was actually here visiting and we both test drove them. When we are done and I asked him what he thought - he said in one word he could sum it up - the future. (actually that's 2 words, but I don't correct my Dad)

After all this test driving, I ordered just about the only car I didn't drive - the 85D, which I think is kind of ironic.

You will LOVE this car and won't want anything else - as many have mentioned. My wife wanted me to get my "dreamcar" - a new C7 ZO6. I told her my dreams have changed . . .

Best of luck on your decision! (of which model you'll choose because I already know you'll want a Tesla after driving it!)

I test drove 3 (or 4?) times. Had my wife test drive too. The first few times with the salesrep (whatever their job title is, owner adviser?). Last time alone. No pressure at all. If anything, she went over all the features I was thinking about getting and DISSUADED me from getting some of them. Unlike traditional dealerships where they push you to get more stuff.

She also tried to see if the 60 would be a better fit for me over the 85D (it wasn't, we both realized that, the 60 absolutely didn't have the range I was looking for). Luckily while I was making up my mind, the 70D came out, and that was a perfect fit.

No pressure at all.

Navyguy said:

WHen you did the overnight how did that go? they do the credit check then or just say here you go see you tomorrow etc.

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I am 24, walked in wearing just plain ol weekend clothes, the store manager came up to me and asked if she could help, told her I was looking into a Tesla and that if she could show me around. We sat in the showroom car, she went over everythinggg and eventually asked if I wanted to take it for a spin. We first drove in a 70D (what I thought I wanted), hopped out of that one, she next offered an 85D which we took for another spin. When we got back she introduced me to the P90D :love: and we went behind the shop and did a couple of launches. Once we went back to the store, I immediately placed my deposit! I was originally planning on getting a showroom car as I had just sold my other car private party and was car-less. She spent about a full hour looking at every Tesla SC in Texas but couldn't find anything that I exactly wanted. She came across a '14 P85D that was 20k off with 14k miles that was located in a different Houston store, she offered to bring it to me to look at. I went home so excited! I emailed her asking for an loaner car to take to work and back to make sure I was comfortable making the EV switch. She said sure and gave me a brand new showroom car with only 18 miles on it (P85D) and even offered to bring it to my house. Took it to work the next morning (50 miles one way) and let auto-pilot drive me the entire way, all I had to do was take on/off ramps, awesome! Later that night, I eventually gave it back to them .. The manager was off that day but called me anyways and was ecstatic to hear how I liked it. I told her I was sold before and now it made my life harder as the amount of power from the P was addicting. Over the confirmation week I probably changed my mind 100 times, eventually upping to the 85D with every option except winter and kids seats, even ordered the front a rear console for a car I don't even have yet that how much I was in love!

Navyguy said:

Do they pressure you, do all the credit check stuff prior etc? I have heard some places of higher end cars don't bother with you unless they know you can buy it

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LOL
The dealers around here are bad but not THAT offensive or I would have walked out instead of shopping them for my wife's, son's etc. cars.

Tesla as you know is dealer-less, you are about to find out the difference that makes

For a Tesla car, the buyer and user are the same party. Dealers buy their stock of cars from manufacturers and have to sell those cars to the end users. This explains the pressure you mention.

I agree with what others have written. One more thing to add, apparently it is common for people to spontaneously curse a blue streak when they first put the accelerator all the way down. Nothing to be embarrassed about.