
Ask HN: Are you buying a Tesla model 3? - billconan
Are you ordering today?
Do you believe in the current generation electronic vehicles, which take long time to charge and lack supporting facilities?
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lsiunsuex
I'm actually really considering a Model S for my next lease - my problem is
the closest service center is 3 hours away. Getting tires put on, getting
breaks changed; no big deal. Battery failure or something worse and that'll be
a really expensive tow ride. (I'm in Western NY).

Unfortunately, the model 3 isn't scheduled to come out until end of 2017 (if
that holds true) and my lease runs out in March of 2017 so... gonna have to
wait until the round after this coming one (generally lease for 3 years at a
time).

But if it was coming out sooner and it's visually appealing - yes, I'd have
probably put down a deposit tonight. Assuming it's not god awful ugly; which I
can't imagine it will be.

~~~
threesixandnine
I just wonder. I have insurance that covers tow rides for a car that is 5x
cheaper than any Tesla. Insurance even covers stay in a hotel and expenses if
you are away from home.

And as far as I can see some brands even offer 5-7 years of warranty with tow
included if anything goes wrong. Mind you that this is Europe(EU).

I would expect the same arrangement for a car as expensive as Tesla.

~~~
lsiunsuex
That's a good point that I didn't consider. If I actually go with a Tesla and
not the Porsche Macan, I'll have to contact my insurance rep and see what the
distance is for tow rides.

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tclmeelmo
No. I've never bought a new car because I'm fundamentally unhappy with paying
for the early depreciation. It also _seems_ better environmentally to me to
buy used and drive it into the ground, although the actual calculus is beyond
me.

I buy a few years used and drive it until it's either not dependable,
maintenance is too expensive, or parts availability is a problem.

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cweagans
I won't be ordering today, mostly because the event doesn't even start for me
until 11:30pm. I would not be comfortable dropping that much money on a
product that hasn't even been described to me. While unlikely, the thing could
have like a 50 mile range or something. I want to know what I'm buying.

I believe in the current gen electric vehicles much more than I believe in
current gen internal combustion vehicles, but that could be a side effect of
being one of the affected VW TDI owners.

~~~
stevep98
Today they are taking a $1000 refundable deposit. They will release some specs
tonight, and the rest of the specs before you place your order. If you don't
like it, take your deposit back.

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Someone1234
No. They've released absolutely zero information about it, there's been no
reviews, and I'd need an expensive electric charging station installed in my
home (approx. $3-4.5K for both the station and installation).

Hybrids are "good enough" and cost significantly less than $35K. You can get a
Toyota Camry for $26,790. Now obviously the devil is in the details, if the
"3" is a really premium vehicle with unique features then my opinion is open
to change.

But right now I don't have $40K to blow on an unknown. Even once Telsa release
information it is still an unknown until real people and reviewers have been
driving it a few months.

~~~
dangrossman
> approx. $3-4.5K for both the station and installation

Your estimate seems high. I bought an EV charging station on Amazon for $550
(Tesla's branded wall charger is $750) and paid $125 for an electrician to put
in the 240V outlet to plug it into.

~~~
tclmeelmo
It wasn't for an EVSE, but I had to upgrade my electrical service and it was
in that ballpark.

~~~
dangrossman
I didn't even think of that, that would explain it.

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jonnathanson
No, for the unfortunate reason that I live in a condo building with parking
spaces individually deeded to each unit, and none of them anywhere near an
outlet or capable of being upgraded with a charging station.

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cableshaft
No. I couldn't afford one even if I wanted one. Doesn't matter how much I
believe in electronic vehicles.

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lewisgodowski
Yepp, I put in two pre-orders yesterday morning at their Santa Monica, CA,
store (one for me, one for my parents). Glad I got in yesterday, I'd have
second thoughts now that they're at >115,000 pre-orders. Wasn't a big deal
that there was no information available, the deposit is 100% refundable, so if
I don't like what I see when it gets closer to actual production, I can get a
refund, or I could even transfer my deposit to a CPO Model S (or $1000 worth
of Tesla baseball hats if I really wanted to). But, I imagine I'll stick with
it as I've been a big fan of Tesla since the Roadster, and I've been happy
with what I've seen/experienced in my friends' S's and X's so far.

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travisby
Took a half day from work so I could go and place my deposit early this
morning. Waited about an hour in line once the store actually opened up.

It's a refundable reservation so I didn't mind putting money down first, and
then seeing specs tonight.

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ferrari8608
If I made six digits a year, I would consider buying one to play around with.
Personally though, I'm a huge fan of the internal combustion engine without
all of the drive by wire connected to the cloud stuff. As a programmer, the
thought of having an internet facing computer running my car with proprietary
software terrifies me.

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chollida1
TSLA is now the third most shorted stock in the Russel 1000, just behind
Square and GameStop, short interest is up to 26% of the shares outstanding as
of last night.

So in a round about manner, the market is betting that many people here won't
be buying one, or that TSLA won't be able to deliver on it in a timely manner.

~~~
toomuchtodo
When was the last time TSLA shorts weren't squeezed, forcing the price right
back up?

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FroshKiller
I just got back from paying my deposit. I work right down the road from a
sales & service center.

~~~
clamchowderz
can you pay by credit card or is it a cash deposit?

~~~
cryowaffle
Credit card only

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fred_is_fred
No. When Subaru makes one, I'll buy. I live in Colorado and taking a Tesla
backcountry skiing to rural Wyoming is not in the Tesla's wheelhouse.

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Huhty
Yes, used and in 2026.

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joshuamcneese
as soon as i can see the specs and trim prices... probably

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throweway
No expensive cars are dead money.

~~~
NetStrikeForce
So you're buying, right?

Unless you're against commas, too :)

~~~
throweway
I have trouble with csvs they never seem to parse.

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jedicoffee
Yes.

