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Tesla Opens Orders To All US and Canadian Model 3 Reservation Holders (arstechnica.com)
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: For people who put down a $1,000 deposit for a Tesla Model 3 as long as two years ago, the big day has arrived. Specifically, the day has arrived when they can give Tesla another $2,500 and then wait a few more months for their car to arrive. Days before the end of the second quarter, Tesla is now allowing all reservation holders in the United States and Canada to place orders for the Model 3. Customers will be able to choose between several variants of the Model 3 -- including the high-end "performance" model -- as well as choosing colors and option packages. However, the low-end version of the Model 3 with its long-promised $35,000 price tag isn't available to order yet.
Each customer will get a specific delivery estimate based on the model they choose and their position on the waiting list. A typical delivery window is two to four months. While the original $1,000 Model 3 deposit was fully refundable, customers who pay the extra $2,500 will be locked in three days after placing an order, the company told CNBC. That isn't a new requirement -- a Tesla spokeswoman told Ars that the company has long asked customers to pay a $2,500 deposit when they order other Tesla models.
Each customer will get a specific delivery estimate based on the model they choose and their position on the waiting list. A typical delivery window is two to four months. While the original $1,000 Model 3 deposit was fully refundable, customers who pay the extra $2,500 will be locked in three days after placing an order, the company told CNBC. That isn't a new requirement -- a Tesla spokeswoman told Ars that the company has long asked customers to pay a $2,500 deposit when they order other Tesla models.
I can't wait to get my $80k Model 3 that has been made in a tent in order to make some arbitrary 5000 cars a week production number that Musk came up with. Oh, and they didn't make those numbers, hence the "announcement". Musk is the best at distracting everyone.
Thanks, I enjoyed your post. You hit many good points, but I am compelled to add one more: purchase experience. . .
I do not think I will ever be able to get near a car dealership again after experiencing how buying a car should be. . .
Sdelat' Ameriku velikoy Snova!
Modern new cars need minimum mechanical intervention over first few years of their lives. It increases as they age, but used cars cost far less regardless.
50k-ish USD is going to buy several decades of mechanical interventions for a decent used car, which will only set you back a few thousand. And Tesla, while cheaper to maintain, is by no means free over its life cycle.
So yes, all current Teslas are luxury vehicles by definition.