Tesla owners

[Moorfellduck]

I would never buy a Tesla now - literally over my dead body. I think Musk is dangerous and delusional and don't want to be associated with him in any way. I've got a few friends that have Tesla's and I know that they feel a bit conflicted. I guess they are kind of stuck with them for now.

If you've got one do you feel bad driving it and feel that people might be judging you now or do you dissociate the brand from Musk himself? I not a journo, just interest given how popular they are and a bit 🤔that people think it's okay to buy one now given they can make a choice that isn't contributing to Musks wealth and power.

I wish we could afford to do this but we simply can’t.

That would be hilarious. I like to imagine a Tesla hillbilly truck with flames painted on the sides. Then the middle-class people will definitely go off them.

I completely understand that. Slap a bumper sticker on it and don't feel bad. I do wish we'd leased ours instead of buying it outright as protesting after the fact feels a bit stupid, but we're going ahead anyway.

Well, as far as the definition of a status symbol goes: "a possession that is taken to indicate a person's wealth or high social or professional status", I do disagree.

Some Tesla models aren't any more expensive than any other brand on the market and it isn't uncommon to see young people who still live with their parents to spend most of their pay checks on an Audi. On that basis I don't see a car as a status symbol any more than someone owning an iPhone over a Samsung.

If you mean a symbol of one's morals. Maybe. But no more than someone choosing a Toyota or a Ford, or grabbing a Starbucks or wearing a stone island jacket.

I'll leave it there as we are sort of going back and forth and it is okay to have opposing views, what a sh*tty world it would be if everyone thought the same.

Maybe that is a silver lining, making some knuckle draggers go electric

😆

That would be hilarious. I like to imagine a Tesla hillbilly truck with flames painted on the sides. Then the middle-class people will definitely go off them

😆

I wish you could like posts on the app!

We have looked extensively at the EV market and no car maker comes out with clean hands.

But clean hooves are very much everywhere. This is why we are converting our garages into stables with each family member having their own horse later this year. I must admit it would be easier if the local doctors’ surgery, opticians and Waitrose had tether rails and water troughs, but I think in time when others convert to horses this type of infrastructure will become more common. We are just getting in early...

@Salacia Agree with you

Ours has also been a huge money saver in terms of running costs. The monthly lease payment is roughly what I used to spend on fuel for my last car each month and we charge at home which costs buttons.

Objectively it's the best car I've ever had - fast, well equipped and amazing for commuting, though not luxurious in any way and build quality is no better than average.

All that said, I'm not sure I'd get another. When I got my first Tesla there were simply no other credible EV choices. Now there are, and they all still have indicator stalks, so even without Elon's fuckwittery I think we'd be looking elsewhere next time around.

Teslas seem really cringe now, I’d be embarrassed to have one
and so would a lot of people
also last night went to a restaurant and some test in a Tesla, had parked diagonally over three spaces , and was hanging out over the front of the space and to the side making it extremely difficult for me to get out, even though I reversed into my space, so that I could leave easily… come out the restaurant
some twat in a Tesla that done this this

and I thought typical Tesla behaviour

TBF Tesla always did have more than a hint of 'fashion's current darling' about it - and that hardly ever manages to make the move to a good reputation long term. Ie what is 'it' right now is often seen as a bit past it suddenly. I suspect there's an element of that involved in the current downturn also. Musk isn't helping but it probably was about due regardless.

@TY78910 no I disagree, Tesla's image has been a really big part of its brand. People buying Teslas have done so very purposefully, you're not picking up a Tesla at your local garage because it's in your £5k budget like you are Ford or Toyota, people buying like that usually don't give the brand much of assessment. If you like Audi or BMW, that's likely from decades of marketing, personal experience etc. Tesla originally was for those who were environmentally minded, and had a good budget for cars, they could make an ethical driving decision, and still have a luxury drive and look a bit flash (whether they cared about that or not).

Tesla's brand is so new, and its CEO so high profile and controversial, it is fragile and hugely dependent on him. If Ford's CEO was suddenly announced as being a Nazi, would it impact sales? No I don't think it would, the Ford CEO is just a person in business, I'd expect them to be fired, and for the brand to disassociate itself from them, but I wouldn't see it impacting Ford as a brand. Musk is Tesla.

I couldn't tell you who the Toyota or Ford CEO's are, or what they stand for on political issues. They're just mass produced cars that have been around decades.

What an enlightened thinker you are.

Yep! Costs me £5 to run a week. (Smug face on).
It’s about 1p/mile

Average 70miles a day.

Regarding said depreciation, whether it is true or not, not planning to sell it as we love the car. We tend to keep our cars until they are on their last legs, which by then it would have paid for itself. We are not one of these people who change cars every 2 years. So depreciation (if true)is least of our worries.

Don’t care about Musk, but what I do care about is having a reliable, high tech, cheap to run car.

Hate all you want about the car but it is an excellent car all round.

I love mine and will be keeping it.
I did buy it over a year ago before Musk totally went nuts BUT I would buy one now.
If other people want to buy things based on whether they agree with the opinions of the company owner thats up to them but its not a policy I follow.

Really love my Model Y. I didn't want one, didn't want to be a Tesla wanker but after driving it for 2yrs, I love this car and would replace it with another when the lease runs out.

I hate Elon, he's a dickhead but I like the cars. Do I align with his politics? No. Do I care if I'm judged as a Nazi? No. Judge away if you want. I'm the lefty one in all my friends and family but feel free to make those assumptions, not slightly bothered.

I live next to a car engine mechanic, he wouldn't touch a range rover or a tesla.

I guess I'm unsurprised by people who support him buying them, and I completely understand and empathise with people who have bought them and can't afford to dump them, but I have to confess I am surprised by those who claim to disagree with him but would buy another.

I mean, @EveryDayisFriday, you say you're a lefty, but you'd buy another? Really? Have you looked at the damage he's doing?

How can you now care if people think you are a Nazi? Did you learn nothing in school history classes?

You hate him but you’re happy to support him financially (which is his means by which he’s able to accumulate power?). Most of his wealth is tied up in Tesla shares. People stop buying = shares fall = Musk losing power and influence.

I do think Tesla sales will drop in the future because of many reasons. Some people wouldn’t buy it because of disagreeing with Musk directly (me), some people would worry about their social status (celebrities). Some people would worry about possible vandalism and problems with reselling.

@ChristmasPudd1990 pointed to me earlier about sentry key as a safety measure which is true. However if someone throws some paint on your car or just keys it on a dark night you wouldn’t be able to do much.
I personally didn’t realize how widespread the issues with sales of Tesla are. I genuinely thought that we are in minority. However now I can see that sales of Tesla started fallen already whereas the sales of other EV are up.
And I just looked up stickers on Amazon 😮there are quite a lot of them. I suspect they are there for a reason.

If anyone wants to decide I am a Nazi based on what car I drive then they are a fucking idiot whose opinion means nothing to me.

I can't control what people think of me. That's their stupid assumptions. Speak with me and understand what I believe and then judge.

The hard right wing people I know wouldn't be seen dead in an EV, they are diesel heads. Perhaps it's all a sales tactic to get the pro right wingers in a Tesla?

Politics aside I wouldn’t buy a Tesla after reading about the crash where people burned to death as the impact disabled the electric doors and the alternate manual escape route isn’t one easily accessible in an emergency. Doesn’t seem like a well designed car to me. That and the only person I know who has one seems to be constantly at the garage with it.

I agree about not caring if people make a judgment based on your car, but if you're 'a lefty' how can you justify supporting him further, with a new purchase? He is deliberately destroying commonly held principles of the left, perverting political finance and openly and actively supporting right wing/fascist politicians and parties.