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I can't make my mind up on the closures. I just think, in 5 years time when they're having to sell to average people, not just Tesla fans, how are they going t

I can't make my mind up on the closures. I just think, in 5 years time when they're having to sell to average people, not just Tesla fans, how are they going to compete with everyone else. Is your Mum or Dad going to buy a (new fangled electric) car, on the internet, sight unseen? Now its still not necessarily a bad decision now to be closing stores they don't need, but is it going to hamper them later?

setquk 8y ago
Having watched people in the Tesla retail store at Westfield here in the UK, it was basically a playground for kids and adults alike. I reckon they sold very few cars if any through that outlet. I'd buy one off the Internet. I bought my current car, a Citroen, off the Internet unseen. It's pretty low risk if you pay deposit with credit card here in the UK.
- benj111 8y ago
  You are with respect, a Hacker News reader, so closer to Tesla fan than the proverbial Mum and Dad. Plus I take it the Citroen was a petrol/diesel, so a known quantity. Did you have a test drive at all?
  - setquk 8y ago
    I’m a proverbial dad as well. No didn’t test drive it. Petrol.
    - benj111 8y ago
      Ok fair enough. Personally I wouldn't buy a car without a test drive, checking the boot fits a pram etc. Doubly so for an EV where things like how the accelerator and brake pedals work are still in flux. So from our highly scientific study, we can conclude Tesla are cutting themselves off from 50% of the market!
kumarm 8y ago
Why would anyone buy a book online and wait for 3-5 days? -- Almost everyone in 1995.
- benj111 8y ago
  A book is a bit different to a car. If I don't like a book I can take it to the charity shop and buy a new one, can't really do that with a car. And if lack of 'test drives' for books did turn out to be a problem, it is at least a trivially solvable problem, technologically speaking. Plus you might need to add at least 5 years to that date.
  - dwighttk 8y ago
    look inside the book is Amazon's test drive for books.
    - benj111 8y ago
      That's what I was alluding to. :) It didn't exist in 1995, and wasn't clear if it was needed, just like it isn't clear if test drives are needed for Teslas today.
- threeseed 8y ago
  Ridiculous comparison. Books just work. There are no moving parts and unless something has gone really wrong you won't have quality control issues. Also they cost like $20 so any losses are minimal. Cars are highly complex, require regular servicing, are a once in every 5/10 year purchase and cost $40,000. And they are also highly personal as the driving and interior experience needs to work for just you. It's more akin to asking someone to buy a house online without ever looking inside.

setquk 8y ago

Having watched people in the Tesla retail store at Westfield here in the UK, it was basically a playground for kids and adults alike. I reckon they sold very few cars if any through that outlet. I'd buy one off the Internet. I bought my current car, a Citroen, off the Internet unseen. It's pretty low risk if you pay deposit with credit card here in the UK.

benj111 8y ago
You are with respect, a Hacker News reader, so closer to Tesla fan than the proverbial Mum and Dad. Plus I take it the Citroen was a petrol/diesel, so a known quantity. Did you have a test drive at all?
- setquk 8y ago
  I’m a proverbial dad as well. No didn’t test drive it. Petrol.
  - benj111 8y ago
    Ok fair enough. Personally I wouldn't buy a car without a test drive, checking the boot fits a pram etc. Doubly so for an EV where things like how the accelerator and brake pedals work are still in flux. So from our highly scientific study, we can conclude Tesla are cutting themselves off from 50% of the market!

kumarm 8y ago

Why would anyone buy a book online and wait for 3-5 days? -- Almost everyone in 1995.

benj111 8y ago
A book is a bit different to a car. If I don't like a book I can take it to the charity shop and buy a new one, can't really do that with a car. And if lack of 'test drives' for books did turn out to be a problem, it is at least a trivially solvable problem, technologically speaking. Plus you might need to add at least 5 years to that date.
- dwighttk 8y ago
  look inside the book is Amazon's test drive for books.
  - benj111 8y ago
    That's what I was alluding to. :) It didn't exist in 1995, and wasn't clear if it was needed, just like it isn't clear if test drives are needed for Teslas today.
threeseed 8y ago
Ridiculous comparison. Books just work. There are no moving parts and unless something has gone really wrong you won't have quality control issues. Also they cost like $20 so any losses are minimal. Cars are highly complex, require regular servicing, are a once in every 5/10 year purchase and cost $40,000. And they are also highly personal as the driving and interior experience needs to work for just you. It's more akin to asking someone to buy a house online without ever looking inside.