Lexus trade

[Webhead]

$20-30k vs $65-90k. No comparison.
Can you drive from NYC to Miami in a Tesla? Nope... no place to charge, you'd be on the side of the road waiting for a tow somewhere near Baltimore. But a $500 gas car may take you there just fine. So which one is crap?

Maybe, maybe not. But by buying one, you would be pioneering something that will benefit people in the long run as it evolves and continues to improve. And of course the price will go down as the technology keeps getting better. Tesla is the future. Not to mention, they have supercharger stations all over. And many more to come. http://www.teslamotors.com/supercharger

[Webhead]

Good point. My FIL has a Dodge Ram which is a complete piece of crap. It is an American brand made in Mexico. I have a Toyota Tundra which is nearly perfect. It is a Japanese brand made in America. When I generalize that foreign vehicles are better, I am referring to the brand. I believe it is the corporate culture that ultimately determines the quality of the product.

Exactly. Also, the phrase, "made in" really depends on what is being explained. For example, the assembly of the automobile. The assembly of the parts that go into the automobile. The brand headquarters. Where the materials come from. I mean, there's so much. The company I work for does R&D for automotive sensors. Just my particular tiny company works with brands from all over the world. It's truly a globalized industry.

[Webhead]

True, but corporate culture world wide seems to be slipping badly. How about Toyota's recent recalls? Make it cheap, push it out the door; it's all good.

Yeah. The corporate culture is definitely slipping. Putting dollars before people. Especially these days as the civil rights of corporations become more important to protect than the civil rights of individuals in the eyes of the supreme court. But that's another discussion I suppose.

[Webhead]

One more thing I'll say about Tesla,... if there is a recall on a Toyota or GM,... what happens? Thousands or millions of people bring their auto in for repair one at a time and the company pays out millions or billions of dollars to make it all better. But what happens when Tesla's catch on fire due to the car being too low to the ground? They simply send out a firmware update and raise them up a little bit. Done.

Is this controversial? Maybe. But it just shows the potential of how technology can make life a lot simpler. What price can you put on not having to take your car into the dealer to get a recall taken care of? How much is your time worth?

On the flip-side, I was thinking about Tesla and how it might be possible for a terrorist group to hack them and use them to attack us. Because they are basically just networked computers on wheels. So I guess that's a thing. Or maybe it's not a thing. Or maybe I've been watching too much "24, Live Another Day".

[slgrieb]

Elder Child's Escape is due to go into the dealer for a recall on the power steering pump. Still trying to sort out all the related BS: Is the part in stock? How fast can we expect the job done? And of course since I live in an area where cattle outnumber people, my closest Ford dealer is a half hour drive away. Still, if they are backed up, maybe I should drive to Amarillo for access to a bigger dealer. Should I rent a motel room? Potentially, this might be a little expensive in lost work time. Sorry, but I can remember a time when most stuff actually worked. And really, I'm not amenable to bullshit arguments that current products are so complex. Screw it. Stuff either works or not. No excuses.

[riot]

One more thing I'll say about Tesla,... if there is a recall on a Toyota or GM,... what happens? Thousands or millions of people bring their auto in for repair one at a time and the company pays out millions or billions of dollars to make it all better. But what happens when Tesla's catch on fire due to the car being too low to the ground? They simply send out a firmware update and raise them up a little bit. Done.

Is this controversial? Maybe. But it just shows the potential of how technology can make life a lot simpler. What price can you put on not having to take your car into the dealer to get a recall taken care of? How much is your time worth?

On the flip-side, I was thinking about Tesla and how it might be possible for a terrorist group to hack them and use them to attack us. Because they are basically just networked computers on wheels. So I guess that's a thing. Or maybe it's not a thing. Or maybe I've been watching too much "24, Live Another Day".

That's a gross oversimplification. I think Tesla's a are cool, but I'm sure there are many components that would require a dealer visit to correct if recalled.

[slgrieb]

That's a gross oversimplification. I think Tesla's a are cool, but I'm sure there are many components that would require a dealer visit to correct if recalled.

I'd say that's a masterpiece of understatement. I just checked Autozone's website, and they don't list any parts for Teslas. I suppose I could check O'Reily, but I doubt the outcome would be different. But, all the same, you really have to respect Musk's vision. Look at SpaceX.

[3fingersalute]

I'd say that's a masterpiece of understatement. I just checked Autozone's website, and they don't list any parts for Teslas. I suppose I could check O'Reily, but I doubt the outcome would be different. But, all the same, you really have to respect Musk's vision. Look at SpaceX.

That's the beauty of it. No parts are needed because there is a 3D printer in the trunk and if anything goes wrong it just prints a new part and the firmware fairies install it for you

[riot]

That's the beauty of it. No parts are needed because there is a 3D printer in the trunk and if anything goes wrong it just prints a new part and the firmware fairies install it for you

Is it made of transformium or something?

[slgrieb]

That's the beauty of it. No parts are needed because there is a 3D printer in the trunk and if anything goes wrong it just prints a new part and the firmware fairies install it for you

I don't get it. If there is a 3D printer in the trunk, where do you carry the cooler full of Smirnoff Ice that you need to go trolling for high school girls?