A little disappointed

[Arnold Panz]

I thought I wanted to sell my 21"s but I like them too much that I might just stick w/ them

I'm in the same boat -- let's see how we feel in a year or two after we've had to replace these high cost tires every 7000-10,000 miles!

 

[100thMonkey]

...
The moral of the story: Don't click finalize/submit until you're absolutely sure!

My wife and I are taking this very seriously, going for our third test drive and holding out till we feel complete with our process, knowing that some "buyers remorse" is inevitable with any purchase and that we will end up loving whatever we get. I can sympathize with people wanting last minute changes, no hurt in asking and I completely understand Tesla's need to have "final" actually mean "Final" once the paperwork is finally signed. Aside from slowing down production, going back and forth a bunch increases the chances of a mistake being made in configuration choice and a customer holding that against Tesla.

 

[Shorty]

Anyone who runs any large manufacturing process can tell you that changing orders mid-stream is impractical. A change may sound simple, but there are systems and process implications that most manufacturing/ERP systems are simply not designed to support. Outside of the intial cooling off period I think that the only answer is for a buyer to forfeit their deposit and order again if they want a change badly enough.

 

[jbherman]

Tesla is an insanely customer-focused company -- you are not going to find another company that makes more effort to go the extra mile for its customers. As noted by others, the issue here is that ANY change once the order has been sent to the factory is going to, at a minimum, slow things down and divert resources (i.e., people, supplies etc.) to some degree large or small. Car manufacturing is insanely complex, and the ordering of parts/supplies and the batching of cars is very difficult to do. Trying to pull one car out of the line to make one or another change, even if it's something "minor", is going to cause delays. Not only does this hurt "Tesla" by slowing down production for this year (knowing that getting as many cars out ASAP is a high priority), but hurts every other customer behind you in line who is (im)patiently waiting for their cars.

So, as a customer-focused company, they have made the wise, logical utilitarian decision to do what is in the best interest of the most customers and not impede the speed with which the cars are being produced. The fact that they were able to do this on a few occasions during the ramp up is not really relevant -- things were going at a snail's pace then (tens of cars a week versus 400/week now), and in some instances (like AnOutsider), they had cars that were scrapped mid-production for one reason or another and, because of the slow production at the time, they were able to identify whose car was involved, inform them, and make adjustments accordingly.

There are lots of things that Tesla doesn't do perfectly, or I wish they did differently, but I have absolutely no problem whatsoever with them saying that once you say "Finalize", your order is set, and they're not going to change it for anything, because any change is too disruptive, and if dozens or hundreds of people start asking for a "little latitude", it will materially impact their ability to make cars in a timely way, which is the opposite of what they should be doing.

I'd just add that our friend dsm363 changed his mind on several occasions about his tires (gray, then silver, then gray again), only to end up exactly where he started. Don't have buyers remorse! The car is incredible and whatever choices you make you will be more than happy with the car. In your case, at worst, you can either sell your 21" tires to someone else, or you can have summer/winter tires. Either way, a win/win!

Arnold,

Thanks for your reasoned and well-articulated response. More so, thanks for talking me off the ledge! This whole process has been a little overwhelming for me. It was wait, wait, wait and all of a sudden it's hurry, hurry, hurry! I think I'll live and I'll be driving around with a wide Tesla grin in a matter of weeks! By the way, you're 100% correct regarding the quality of customer service. I've yet to have a conversation with anyone from TM that didn't leave me with a smile on my face. I think I'm suffering from an acute case of pre-Tesla delivery stress disorder!

 

[mknox]

I don't think this is a congruent example Mike...you had not signed a contract...the OP had.

That is true. The dealer agreed to swap the wheels before I signed the purchase agreement. What I was thinking, however, is that a customer-focused company like Tesla could with relative ease change out the wheels before the car leaves the factory. I would have to imagine they have an inventory of 19's and 21's ready to mount.

I would certainly agree that a change to something like the Tech Package or Air Suspension would be difficult in a car already speced or in production, but wheels are pretty easy to swap out as per my example.

 

[Arnold Panz]

That is true. The dealer agreed to swap the wheels before I signed the purchase agreement. What I was thinking, however, is that a customer-focused company like Tesla could with relative ease change out the wheels before the car leaves the factory. I would have to imagine they have an inventory of 19's and 21's ready to mount.

Probably so. But I think the issue is that it would require someone from the customer service/delivery team getting a message (or going themselves) to the factory, finding the exact car that wants their wheels changed before the car heads out, getting the car flagged, getting it out of line, onto a lift so they can change the tires, changing the tires, and then putting it somewhere back in line. If you imagine this process as a well-oiled (no pun intended!) machine, once the order goes to the factory, everything is basically set in place including the parts and supplies needed to build the particular car (including tires), having them show up on the line at the proper time, and then once they're off the line and through inspection, getting it to logistics to be batched and sent to its eventual home.

When I was (impatiently) waiting for my car, logistics was the hardest nut to crack in terms of communication, even internally, so it was difficult to find out when the car got on a truck, what truck it was on etc. Car hauling is very expensive and very complicated, so they need to plan days or weeks in advance, knowing what's coming down the line as they pump out 400 cars per week, so pulling a car out of line even early in the process and for a relatively short period of time could still cause issues.

I'm sure if Tesla had a bunch of cars on the lot they'd be happy to switch the tires at the store prior to delivery. That's a million times easier than trying to do it during production.

 

[geharmon]

Hence the term "finalize". Enjoy the car.

 

[mknox]

I'm sure if Tesla had a bunch of cars on the lot they'd be happy to switch the tires at the store prior to delivery. That's a million times easier than trying to do it during production.

Fair enough. I suppose it is a different purchase and delivery model from the traditional "cars on the dealer lot" model.

 

[shokunin]

Enjoy the car, you may end up liking the 21's, worst case, you swap them with someone who has 19's and wants 21's. Won't get all of $3500 back at least it's something that can be easily changed (unlike paint color)

 

[bonehead]

Well good news first,

P3189 Black/Textile/Tech/Air Suspension/Premium Sound/21 "

Got the email about early delivery, wanted to go ahead.. However, I called 1st to request a change.

I have had second thoughts about getting 21 " (more expensive, shorter tire life, rims more prone to damage from curbing, etc), and asked if I can switch to 19"
After multiple phone calls and emails, got "no changes allowed once finalized". They told me that once the tires are put on, they can't be taken off (considered used)

I realize that it is partially my fault for not making this decision earlier, but after seeing more posted pics with the 19", I liked the look.
Compared with other potential requests, I would think this would be an easy swap out.
Furthermore, I did see that someone else was able to change color, which I would think would be more difficult.

Maybe I am being unreasonable because rules are rules, but given the fact that I am an early adopter , giving $5K 1.5 yrs ago, I thought I might catch a break.

I am sure that this will wear off very quickly after I get the car.

If you are in Southern California, I will be selling my 19"s soon after I take delivery some time in January (will be installing aftermarket wheels). I don't have a delivery window yet. If you're not in Southern California, I'm not sure how much of a pain/cost shipping would be. If you or anyone else is interested, just PM me!

 

[artsci]

Hence the term "finalize". Enjoy the car.

Not the case. My experience is that if you make a reasonable request for this kind of change Tesla will do as much as possible to make it happen, particularly if delivery is not imminent. I got a similar "finalize is finalize" reaction from some here when I posted about wanting to change my color choice from blue to red a week after I had finalized the blue. But I went through channels at Tesla and they were able to make the change. If I had followed that advice at the time I would have given up and not attempted to make the color change.

Tesla is not the usual corporate bureaucracy that ignores its customer's needs and interests. Quite the contrary. Certainly in my experience all the old assumptions about corporate intransigence don't apply to Tesla.

 

[jkirkebo]

I'm in the same boat -- let's see how we feel in a year or two after we've had to replace these high cost tires every 7000-10,000 miles!

I don't think they are that high cost, you can get them on-line for $173 + shipping. That is approx. $750 for a set of 4, + mounting & balancing.

 

[vfx]

If you are in Southern California, I will be selling my 19"s soon after I take delivery some time in January...

Bonehead, if you would like to join the Southern California Tesla Club, send me a PM (private Message) with your email. I'll put you on the mailing list. Our next meetup is in January after you get your car. (maybe

 

[Shorty]

Not the case. My experience is that if you make a reasonable request for this kind of change Tesla will do as much as possible to make it happen, particularly if delivery is not imminent. I got a similar "finalize is finalize" reaction from some here when I posted about wanting to change my color choice from blue to red a week after I had finalized the blue. But I went through channels at Tesla and they were able to make the change. If I had followed that advice at the time I would have given up and not attempted to make the color change.

Tesla is not the usual corporate bureaucracy that ignores its customer's needs and interests. Quite the contrary. Certainly in my experience all the old assumptions about corporate intransigence don't apply to Tesla.

Your request to change colors was denied so you came on the board and criticized Tesla. You got the result that you wanted and now Tesla is finding out that there are others who are following the same strategy. I am sure that there are many people on this board who run big companies who will tell you that inflexibility has nothing to do with intransigence. Systems and processes ensure quality and a positive customer experience at the end of the day.

As an owner I am concerned about the long term viability and profitability of the company. You can argue that Tesla is the only car manufacturer in the world that has figured out a new way of doing business. Others would argue that there is a very good reason why the established firms do business the way they do.

 

[dsmith2189]

Probably so. But I think the issue is that it would require someone from the customer service/delivery team getting a message (or going themselves) to the factory, finding the exact car that wants their wheels changed before the car heads out, getting the car flagged, getting it out of line, onto a lift so they can change the tires, changing the tires, and then putting it somewhere back in line. If you imagine this process as a well-oiled (no pun intended!) machine, once the order goes to the factory, everything is basically set in place including the parts and supplies needed to build the particular car (including tires), having them show up on the line at the proper time, and then once they're off the line and through inspection, getting it to logistics to be batched and sent to its eventual home.

When I was (impatiently) waiting for my car, logistics was the hardest nut to crack in terms of communication, even internally, so it was difficult to find out when the car got on a truck, what truck it was on etc. Car hauling is very expensive and very complicated, so they need to plan days or weeks in advance, knowing what's coming down the line as they pump out 400 cars per week, so pulling a car out of line even early in the process and for a relatively short period of time could still cause issues.

I'm sure if Tesla had a bunch of cars on the lot they'd be happy to switch the tires at the store prior to delivery. That's a million times easier than trying to do it during production.

and don't forget with a wheel change comes a TPMS reprogram.

 

[Shorty]

and don't forget with a wheel change comes a TPMS reprogram.

And don't forget to update the inventory control system to show that the car that you swiped the 19" tires from now has 21" tires. As we all know Murphy says that the tech who did the swap gets sidetracked and forgets to update the system as there is no established process for doing so. The next day the system matches the car with the incorrectly coded 21" tires with a buyer in Hawaii and the car is put on the ship and sent over. A week later the car arrives at its destination and the buyer scream bloody heck because the car has the wrong tires and he is going to have to wait. Tesla air freights the 19" tires to Hawaii, pays for a shop to replace the tires and program the TPMS and then covers the buyer (who of course posts about the crappy service on this board) for the hassle .... all because someone complained that that it should be simple to swap tires on the car that they had already ordered and had built!

 

[dsmith2189]

And don't forget to update the inventory control system to show that the car that you swiped the 19" tires from now has 21" tires. As we all know Murphy says that the tech who did the swap gets sidetracked and forgets to update the system as there is no established process for doing so. The next day the system matches the car with the incorrectly coded 21" tires with a buyer in Hawaii and the car is put on the ship and sent over. A week later the car arrives at its destination and the buyer scream bloody heck because the car has the wrong tires and he is going to have to wait. Tesla air freights the 19" tires to Hawaii, pays for a shop to replace the tires and program the TPMS and then covers the buyer (who of course posts about the crappy service on this board) for the hassle .... all because someone complained that that it should be simple to swap tires on the car that they had already ordered and had built!

they can send me the 21" grey tires. I tried to swap them after I had finalized my order. I told them it would be simple. Oh. Nevermind.

 

[brianman]

What bothers me about a thread like this is that it's fuel for the anti-Tesla crowd.

"Look how many forum members...the zealots that love the company and/or the car...are writing 'disappointed' posts"

Something to consider when you write a post that probably should be titled "I changed my mind after finalize and that's a bummer."

A little tough-lovey but "finalize" is pretty flipping clear to me. The fact that Tesla lets anyone break the rules for anything other than something on the order of financial hardship or family illness is arguably a foolish ("too nice") on their part. It opens the floodgates to destroying the productivity of the factory line and the efficiency of delivery for those that do just follow the rules.

 

[Norbert]

What bothers me about a thread like this is that it's fuel for the anti-Tesla crowd.

"Look how many forum members...the zealots that love the company and/or the car...are writing 'disappointed' posts"

Something to consider when you write a post that probably should be titled "I changed my mind after finalize and that's a bummer."

A little tough-lovey but "finalize" is pretty flipping clear to me. The fact that Tesla lets anyone break the rules for anything other than something on the order of financial hardship or family illness is arguably a foolish ("too nice") on their part. It opens the floodgates to destroying the productivity of the factory line and the efficiency of delivery for those that do just follow the rules.

Right, I'm "a little disappointed" about this thread, as well.

 

[ChrisgG]

Tesla is an insanely customer-focused company -- you are not going to find another company that makes more effort to go the extra mile for its customers. As noted by others, the issue here is that ANY change once the order has been sent to the factory is going to, at a minimum, slow things down and divert resources (i.e., people, supplies etc.) to some degree large or small. .......


So, as a customer-focused company, they have made the wise, logical utilitarian decision to do what is in the best interest of the most customers and not impede the speed with which the cars are being produced.....

Well sorry to say, customer friendly is ALLWAYS the opposite to 'Resource friendly'. Being customer friendly is to let the customer be as stupid as he wants and you still do everything to please him no matter how many time they change their minds.

Being mostly on the producing side of things (software development) I do understand the need of deadlines and it's often hard to decide when and where that is. Changes after being almost finished with something always are a pain in the ass and can have big impacts on stuff you have already done.Also for a start up it's probably much more important to be effictient.

But then again. Not being able to change tires on a car wich hasn't been produced is not customer friendly. So don't sell it as such. It's easier for them. Their ordering System is probably not flexible enough to handle stuff like this and so on.