Wow, IMO this is the nicest comments concerning Hawaii owners that we have received on any Tesla forum. So, Mahalo nui loa.
So you just took delivery have a year of getting to that point. Please, sincerely, we would enjoy hearing what you choose and what you think of the MS. Yes, of course, we know from our own experiences, but one of our biggest non-driving thrills is to hear someone else gush over their own car. So, please - have at it.
If you're ever visiting Oahu and there's a meet-up planned during your stay, you're more than welcome to join us! Am sure you'll be missing your MS and hating driving an ICE rental car
Welcome to our little niche of the TMC forums. Yes, we think we're nicer than the "others" as well.
Like Akikiki said, we love hearing about newcomers' excitement about their cars. Please let us know how things are going!!
Happy Thanksgiving all! Mahalos for the warm welcome and invite! We typically go back at least once a year in August but will definitely check the forum bulletins for any planned meetups when in town!
It was actually a Leaf rental which increased awareness for us on the benefit of an electric vehicle when we got a really cheap rental rate on one when back home AUG 13'. Not having to pay for gas was a plus but the bigger pic items, i.e. enviromental concerns and not contributing to the evils of big oil also became more apparent.
Didnt know much about Tesla and the Model S despite living only ~20 miles from the factory in Fremont. The ones I saw on the roads here looked great but heard they cost over $100K which was way more than I would ever want to spend for a car. Wasn't even in the market for any new car last year but was open to learning more about electric cars so found ourselves "dropping by" by the factory showroom one weekend to check out a Model S.
We thought it would be a quick 20-30 minute visit but it turned into a couple hours of oogling, learning of the car and opportunity to test drive. I dont consider myself "a car guy" but within those two hours found myself totally enamoured by the Model S design, engineering, functionality, Teslas business model and game changing impact to the industry and environment.
I was sold on it and my wife also liked the car but cost was a big hurdle. I wanted to get one on order that day but she's always been the rational half- thank goodness or we'd likley be destitute out on the streets without her providing balance to some of my impulsive purchase whims.
So, from back in SEP 13', I had been working on the persuasive arguments, sales presentations (throw in some whining and shameless begging) to obtain the buy in that we NEEDED a Model S. I was maintaining close contact with a Tesla Owner Advisor to obtain availability of discounted inventory cars on a monthly basis with hopes that I could catch her in an impulsive purchase mood.
After ~14 months, prospect of ownership was looking bleak but last month my Owner Advisor called me and let me know of some inventory/service demo units being released for sale. As these were 85 kwh, non P or D units, no auto pilot hardware they applied a very attractive showroom discount from list price which would hopefully help the cause.
Fortunately, this was enough incentive to be able to gain my wifes concensus to check out an available "clearance unit" located at the Fremont plant. The Owner Advisor made it even easier by driving it over to our house to be able to inspect and test drive it. It really helped the sales push for my wife to see it in our driveway! Although it had 6900 miles on it, it still looked factory fresh. The following day, we intiated the docs to purchase.
Its been almost a week of owning it and have to pinch myself each time I go into the garage and see that lustrous black Model S parked there
In keeping with thread topic of the "factory tour", here's a view of the Fremont factory from ~2500 feet taken during my mt bike ride up Mission Peak today:
