Tesla 3b
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My previous report, http://teslatouring.com/carl/Tesla3a, was some research I did after our online purchase, May 17, 2020, of a Tesla Model 3.
This report will explain the Delivery Experience of that Tesla Model 3 during the 3rd month of isolation of COVID-19.
I had completed all paperwork that I could and the next step, Tesla Insurance, could only be completed after I received the VIN number of our new car. I received the VIN and was able to get Tesla Insurance, only available in California as of this writing, for $130.49 a month. This price was the least expensive insurance I could find.
I kept watching my Tesla Account for the Delivery Day. When we purchased, we were told 3 to 5 weeks. I had heard on YouTube that the quickest way to get a Tesla was for them to search for a car with the specifications you wanted, much like I.C.E. car dealerships would do. The representative I was assigned did such a search, but did not find exactly what we wanted, so ours was built.
Surprisingly, we were notified on June 8 that we could pick up our new Tesla Model 3 in nearby Buena Park, California, on June 9 (3 weeks and 2 days after our online order.) The young man who contacted us from the Brea Store said, when I asked how it was so quick to arrive, mentioned that maybe it was that I was paying cash. (I explained in my previous report how I financed the car.)
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The static link above is: https://www.tesla.com/support/meet-your-tesla (Only videos 1 and 9 seem to be viewable in Firefox, but all are viewable in Safari.)
The videos include: Key Card; Phone Key; Front Trunk; /Gear Selection; Enhanced Autopilot; and Autopark. They are also available from the App, all 9 of them.
We had read online what to bring with us when picking up the car. We were encouraged to download the Tesla app, which would be the key to the car, and "watch the videos". Since we were in the 3rd month of COVID-19, those videos are the only demonstration you will have of the Tesla! (We had taken a test drive of a Model 3, 2 years ago.) Dealership personnel cannot get in the car with you to explain anything. Luckily I had driven an X and S, so I knew a bit about Teslas driving features.
First sight of our red Model 3 was when we pulled into the Buena Park Store. They have several superchargers on the lot, and there she sat.
In the showroom, we told them we were there to pick up our car and we saw Peter pull it from the Supercharger to the side lot and put on the paper plate, then came inside to greet us.
Peter helped the 3 of us get our Tesla apps on our phones set up as our key to the car, all 3 with the same login. You will need to know the password to your phone and share that with others with you. We also got 2 credit-card sized "keys" as valet keys or if our phones went dead. He also showed us the included cable for charging at home or on the road at a non-Supercharger or non-Destination charger.
Peter gave us a clear plastic envelope with this notice on top. We signed all the papers while sitting in the car. It was 90+ degrees so we learned how to start the air conditioning right away. We walked the papers inside, gave them the check from the credit union, and were told we could drive off.
Wanting to take a new-car ride, and feeling sorry for ourself not being able to go to Maui on this date, we used "Chauffeur Mode" and had our son drive us to Huntington Beach, down the coast to Laguna Beach, had dinner at the Royal Hawaiian, and drove home at sunset.
The 15" screen, in night mode, at the Royal Hawaiian showing our way home. Reflection at the bottom is out the back of the car between Matthew and Sue.
My drive-by-photo of Laguna's Beach with smoke from a fire inland.
Without an instrument cluster on the dash, you can position the steering wheel lower for better visibility of the road. The important information on the 15" screen at the center (shown in night mode). The wide vent in the dash above the wood grain is the A/C and can be positioned any direction for driver and passenger. Back seat passengers have their own A/C in the center console.
The 15" screen does not block road visibility for any passenger. Windshield and Roof are 3 glass sections from front trunk lid to back trunk lid - very nice for back seat passengers. There are portable shades for sale for the roof, but in 80 degree, sunny weather we didn't notice any discomfort. Perhaps the roof sections are more tinted than earlier versions.
The Tesla App on the left, bottom couple of items are swiped up on the right.
Second level of each Tesla app screen. Left - Climate showing a/c on; Center - Controls; Right - Charging
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Left - Location (nice in case car is stolen)/ Center - Upgrades (spend money easily since they have my credit card); Right - Roadside Assistance.
While learning about one Tesla feature a day, I tried "Summon" to fetch the car from the garage. Not finding it on my app as mentioned in the Owner's Manual, and after a chat with Tesla one evening, I learned that "Summon" did not come with my model, but rather was available for $7,000 more (Center image above). This site tells when features were available to which models back quite a few years: https://www.currentautomotive.com/tesla-changes-autopilot-feature-availability/
Navigation is the ability of the Tesla to navigate to a point and show the Superchargers you need to stop at, the % of charge left when you get there, and how long you need to charge to travel to the next Superchargers. In the sample, I had about 115 miles left in the battery and it was 4:10 in the afternoon, thus the unusual times to drive there and arrive.
The resulting trip plan to Sparks/Reno Nevada (I believe the Fontana Supercharger is new.
I subscribe to the Youtube Channel, "Now You Know" with father and son, Zak and Jesse. They demonstrated how much storage space is in a Tesla 3.
Next, Road Trip No. 1
My Referral Number is https://ts.la/carl41979 Just click the URL to the left to go to the Tesla.com site that will explain the benefits of using a referral number:
