Official Tesla Model S thread

[cwerdna]

If the same car were being sold buy a major automaker who's actually had years of profits (unlike Tesla's 0 profitable years) and has almost no chance of going out of business, then I'd have less hesitation.

Which car company would that be? None of the USA ones, for sure.

Right. I don't think I want to name all of them but ones like Toyota, Nissan, Honda and BMW come to mind. I'm sure there are a few others.

I should qualify my "almost no chance of going out of business" with during the time I own the vehicle in question.

 

[garsh]

If the same car were being sold buy a major automaker who's actually had years of profits (unlike Tesla's 0 profitable years) and has almost no chance of going out of business, then I'd have less hesitation.

Which car company would that be? None of the USA ones, for sure.

When the government is willing to bail you out, I think that counts as "almost no chance of going out of business". I wish I had that kind of security net.

 

[cwerdna]

If the same car were being sold buy a major automaker who's actually had years of profits (unlike Tesla's 0 profitable years) and has almost no chance of going out of business, then I'd have less hesitation.

Which car company would that be? None of the USA ones, for sure.

When the government is willing to bail you out, I think that counts as "almost no chance of going out of business". I wish I had that kind of security net.

Question is, how willing would they be the next time, if the Big 3 were in trouble again?

Ford at least didn't take bailout money and didn't file for bankruptcy. So, perhaps they might have a better chance of they went begging if they were in trouble.

I don't remember all the details, but it sure looked like Chrysler wasn't going to survive its bankruptcy due to its uncompetitive product line and lack of international presence.

If one cares, one can read http://money.cnn.com/2009/10/21/autos/auto_bailout_rattner.fortune/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. I don't think I've read much of this other than to get a quote out about the insular setup at GM's HQ at the Ren Cen.

OT: I've stayed at the Marriott hotel there (occupies a set of floors of the round building in the center that you always see on TV) and looked at the GM vehicles on the ground floor. It was a very nice set of buildings.

 

[evnow]

Tesla has low chances of a bankruptcy - if they have financial problems, someone will buy them out.

 

[Train]

Nice pics, fellas. That red one is pretty striking. The other one with the black (or dark) wheels...ugh. Vomitus maximus.

I don't prefer larger 21" wheels either, 20" is plenty, I'd actually prefer 19."

I just keep thing what a beauty this thing would be in a two coupe.

 

[Herm]

Ford at least didn't take bailout money and didn't file for bankruptcy. So, perhaps they might have a better chance of they went begging if they were in trouble.

the difference between Ford and GM is that Ford is family owned, the family was not interested in losing control of the company to the Government.. thus they barely squeaked through by hocking everything when credit was still available.. GM could have done the same if they had decisive leadership.

 

[ebill3]

Ford at least didn't take bailout money and didn't file for bankruptcy. So, perhaps they might have a better chance of they went begging if they were in trouble.

the difference between Ford and GM is that Ford is family owned, the family was not interested in losing control of the company to the Government.. thus they barely squeaked through by hocking everything when credit was still available.. GM ..could have done the same if they had decisive leadership.

Ford (NYSE:F) went private? I don't think so.

 

[dgpcolorado]

Ford at least didn't take bailout money and didn't file for bankruptcy. So, perhaps they might have a better chance of they went begging if they were in trouble.

the difference between Ford and GM is that Ford is family owned, the family was not interested in losing control of the company to the Government.. thus they barely squeaked through by hocking everything when credit was still available.. GM could have done the same if they had decisive leadership.

Whether it was luck or prescience, Ford did set up a large line of credit before the 2008 financial collapse and GM did not, as you say.

However, if GM (and, to a lesser extent, Chrysler) had been allowed to collapse, as some wanted, they would have taken down most of the auto parts suppliers with them. That would have severely affected Ford (and Toyota, Honda, Nissan, and the other foreign manufacturers with USA factories). It wasn't just GM and Chrysler that were rescued with the government loans and managed restructuring, it was pretty much the entire domestic auto industry. Certain ideologues refuse to acknowledge this and continue to beat the "Government Motors" drum. It plays well with the ignorant.

(For the record: I was one of the GM shareholders wiped out by the fumbling of GM management so it really rankles when the new GM crows about the profits being made, since some of it came from my pocket. Nevertheless I am really glad that the auto industry was rescued, even if it didn't do me, as a GM shareholder, any good.)

 

[Herm]

Ford (NYSE:F) went private? I don't think so.

They still control enough shares.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

I don't agree that Ford benefited by GMs bailout nor do I believe Ford would have had a significant negative impact from GMs demise.

Our economy would suck and GM would still have been around in some form or another of the bailout had not happened

 

[evnow]

I don't agree that Ford benefited by GMs bailout nor do I believe Ford would have had a significant negative impact from GMs demise.

Our economy would suck and GM would still have been around in some form or another of the bailout had not happened

Not likely. There was zero chance of anyone giving any credit to GM at that point (may be except a sell off to China). GM going down would have definitely taken all the ancilliary units down - and with that Ford as well. Everyone with US manufacturing plants would have had to close down indefinitely. That is the reason everyone from Toyota to Nissan supported the bailouts at that time.

 

[TEG]

J1772 adapter:

 

[Electric4Me]

Nice pics, fellas. That red one is pretty striking. The other one with the black (or dark) wheels...ugh. Vomitus maximus.

I love the look of black (or dark) wheels. Plus they don't show brake dust as much.

 

[surfingslovak]

There is a fireside chat with Elon tonight, it's about to begin:


Click to open

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

i am here when it supposed to start?

 

[surfingslovak]

i am here when it supposed to start?

It's been delayed a bit, not sure what the hold up was. They said 5-10 minutes half an hour ago ;-)

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

i am here when it supposed to start?

It's been delayed a bit, not sure what the hold up was. They said 5-10 minutes half an hour ago ;-)

ya, i saw "Elon is miking up" almost an hour ago...

 

[surfingslovak]

ya, i saw "Elon is miking up" almost an hour ago...

Let's hope that it's not some kind of a practical joke. Saw this announcement couple of minutes ago.

 

[muus]

Thanks TEG for the picture of the J1772 adapter, very neat. Thank God they didn't do the same as the adaptor for the roadster (pigtail).

 

[grommet]

Thank God they didn't do the same as the adaptor for the roadster (pigtail).

A 3rd party released a smaller J1772 solution for the Roadster, FYI: https://sites.google.com/site/thecantesla2j1772/home" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;