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>Nondeterministic regenerative braking as described here seems like a serious bug in a vehicle. When you're buying a high end vehicle "quirky" is the preferred

>Nondeterministic regenerative braking as described here seems like a serious bug in a vehicle. When you're buying a high end vehicle "quirky" is the preferred adjective. 20yo $1500 German cars are "unreliable". Chinese EVs are "buggy". When you buy a Tesla, a new high end Mercedes or some other status symbol it's all just part of how it goes. Unreliability or odd behavior is not a negative at that price point. It's all part of the ownership experience. You don't get to complain about it. It's implied by the price point that you knew what you were getting into and can handle it.

dharmab 8y ago
I think warranty support and dealer network plays a role in that.
- dsfyu404ed 8y ago
  Warranty coverage is not that great and dealers are few and far between once you get into exotic stuff. The German stuff available at the Model S price points is not much better (in terms of warranty). The line between exotic and not gets kind of blurry because a lot of the lower end exotic stuff shares a platform with something else so most service can be done at that dealer network. In any case, price determines whether technology is given the benefit of the doubt when it fails. Someone breaks a Harbor Freight tool and everyone blames the tool. Someone breaks a Mac or a Snap On and everyone blames whoever broke it. When Walmart has to recall food it's Walmart's fault for not choosing better suppliers. When Whole Foods has to trash a bunch of lettuce people blame the lettuce makers. When cheap things break, act weird or somehow go wrong they get blamed. When expensive things break or act funny that's how they were meant to be and if you don't like it you were using it wrong or your expectations were wrong. People will do all sorts of mental gymnastics to avoid making expensive things look bad.
short_sells_poo 8y ago
In my experience, what you are talking about applies to exotics, not a run of the mill sedan. I absolutely want my Merc or Bmw (they are the same class really) to run without a hitch. They should be exciting to drive, but not quirky. I appreciate the engineering behind a Tesla or a Mercedes, but I have no passion for it, so quirkiness will get on my nerves. A Ferrari might be quirky, a Pagani Huayra might have an endearing decel pop that's unique to it. I have passion and admiration for these exotic cars, so quirks become distinguishing features. A sedan has to get me comfortably from A to B.
- TomMarius 8y ago
  Or maybe there is a room on the market for a new, non-quirky upper class vehicle.

dharmab 8y ago

I think warranty support and dealer network plays a role in that.

dsfyu404ed 8y ago
Warranty coverage is not that great and dealers are few and far between once you get into exotic stuff. The German stuff available at the Model S price points is not much better (in terms of warranty). The line between exotic and not gets kind of blurry because a lot of the lower end exotic stuff shares a platform with something else so most service can be done at that dealer network. In any case, price determines whether technology is given the benefit of the doubt when it fails. Someone breaks a Harbor Freight tool and everyone blames the tool. Someone breaks a Mac or a Snap On and everyone blames whoever broke it. When Walmart has to recall food it's Walmart's fault for not choosing better suppliers. When Whole Foods has to trash a bunch of lettuce people blame the lettuce makers. When cheap things break, act weird or somehow go wrong they get blamed. When expensive things break or act funny that's how they were meant to be and if you don't like it you were using it wrong or your expectations were wrong. People will do all sorts of mental gymnastics to avoid making expensive things look bad.

short_sells_poo 8y ago

In my experience, what you are talking about applies to exotics, not a run of the mill sedan. I absolutely want my Merc or Bmw (they are the same class really) to run without a hitch. They should be exciting to drive, but not quirky. I appreciate the engineering behind a Tesla or a Mercedes, but I have no passion for it, so quirkiness will get on my nerves. A Ferrari might be quirky, a Pagani Huayra might have an endearing decel pop that's unique to it. I have passion and admiration for these exotic cars, so quirks become distinguishing features. A sedan has to get me comfortably from A to B.

TomMarius 8y ago
Or maybe there is a room on the market for a new, non-quirky upper class vehicle.