Signature wait list

[neroden]

Their safety argument about altering the car is probably something they have to say wether it is true or not. I'd imagine you can't undue the cancellation but think a deferral until you could see a production car might have worked too.

For me, the car isn't safe as long as I'm allergic to it; which can be tolerated for a while, but I need to be able to make it safe. Tesla has already told me that the headliner is especially difficult to reline due to unusual manufacturing procedures -- so it would be work that custom shops haven't done before -- and that headliner coverage is extremely extensive, requiring even more disassembly than your average car. I have to credit them for having detailed information on the manufacturing process available.

I'm already in the position where the car isn't economically sound for me, because I drive less than 10,000 miles per year. The Signature is slightly overpriced as it is, anyway. The Standard would require even *more* custom work to get rid of the polyester. Tesla has a monopoly on service, and non-warranty service carries expensive Ranger fees.

So if Tesla is also intending to give me hassle about warranty, which is what it sounded like, then it's just not worth the trouble. The "Tesla Experience" turns into a very substantial additional *cost*. With a typical car I might not worry about getting hassle from the manufacturer because I could just have any local shop do any work, and with a typical car, headliner replacement is fairly straightforward. Eventually there will be electric cars like that, but right now Tesla is making it very clear that the Model S isn't like that. I can't afford to put out $100K on a car which I am not only allergic to, but where it may be impossible for me to retrofit it to not be allergic.

I went to fairly serious efforts to see if I could make this work, but at some point one has to give up!

I have to say good things about the Tesla customer service people; they were very helpful in contacting me and getting me the information I needed. But what they told me was, basically, "We don't believe this car can be made acceptable for you," so I'm not going to get the car unless/until someone else proves them wrong. If someone else replaces the headliner in their Model S successfully, then I can order a model S of a later year (2014? 2015?) and copy what they did. Any takers for going first?

Someone who isn't allergic to polyester can have my polyester-lined Signature slot. I'm sure they'll enjoy it!

[SByer]

I went to fairly serious efforts to see if I could make this work, but at some point one has to give up!

I think you've handled things as rationally as anybody could have. I feel bad for you. I sat in one today, and for me, it's "I want, but it doesn't make sense". I think it would be a lot harder if it was "I want, but can't". I know if it was just a couple of months before getting my Roadster, and a show-stopper cropped up, I would be crushed.