Tesla Shinanigans

[CodeeCB]

Tesla already called awhile back and wanted to install the batteries at the price which was originally agreed to. Now 19 months later, you are wanting them installed in a few more months from now? If there is no physical presence..19 months later, than getting your deposit back seems reasonable. Or, perhaps get the builder to foot the difference in cost since it sounds like their delays are what is causing the issue to begin with.

[specialgreen]

One of the oldest cons in the SALES BIBLE Musk has mastered and disguised called Bait-n-Switch.

Yes, there has been bait-and-switch (raising pricing on the PowerWall by $800 and the "Gateway" by $400). But the OP's problem is the local certified installer (not Tesla employees... more like "Big Kahuna Electric") has padded its labor quote by as much as $8,000. Why? Because they are the only Tesla installer on the island, and Hawai'i electricity is !@#$ expensive, so people really, really want stored energy. It's like selling umbrellas in a rainstorm: why charge $10 if people will pay $40? Don't blame the umbrella factory.

How is that Tesla's fault? Should they have contracts with their installers capping labor rates? That would be interesting, but I've never heard of anything like it... imagine if SunPower tried to cap electrician hourly rates on installations of SunPower modules.

The real problem is that there is not more stored-energy competition. If there were 4 competitive vendors to choose from, or 3 different Tesla installers on the island, then the labor quotes would be reasonable. But if the only competition is from a RESU10 bid, then don't expect anybody's Tesla bid to come-in a dime less than a similar RESU10 install.

[Sunking]

One of the oldest cons in the SALES BIBLE Musk has mastered and disguised called Bait-n-Switch.

[specialgreen]

One faster option: Tesla may permit you to buy from the authorized installer in O'Ahu, if you pay that installer to ship or bring the equipment to Hawai'i, and also to do the install (not using Tesla's installer on Hawai'i at all). Yes, that's going to add cost. My employer once paid a Liebert-certified electrician to fly from Ohio to Minnesota to commission a UPS system because none of the three Liebert-certified techs in Minnesota would schedule a turn-up in under 90 days, without a $12k expedite adder. We paid the Ohio tech a reduced hourly rate for his entire travel time, plus the full rate while he was on-site (plus airfare and vehicle rental). I think it added $4k total.

In your case, if the O'Ahu electrician is not licensed for work in Hawai'i, you may need to hire any local electrician to pull the permit, then the install would be done by the local electrician + the visiting O'Ahu Tesla tech. One electrician would sub-out to the other. I'd ask the Tesla shop on O'Ahu if they have any partners on Hawai'i, and how this might be done.
If the Tesla agent on O'Ahu is also licensed for work on Hawai'i, then you may need to pay for two electricians to fly over (car rental plus 2 electricians X ($150 round-trip airline ticket + 2 extra hours labor @$125)) = <$1000.

On the bright side, adding competition would be the fastest way to get the installer on Hawai'i to lower their future bids... even if they only lower it to be $1k over the O'Ahu price.

[specialgreen]

It sounds like Tesla closed their shop on Hawai'i, which affected orders in-flight. This does sometimes happen at a national level (e.g. a German chiller manufacturer closes shop in Ecuador, and now the locals have to buy via a channel partner in Bogota). It sounds like the underlying issue is: the local market value of stored energy (to the consumer) is especially high on Hawai'i, but the cost of goods from Tesla is uniform, so the installers are graciously willing to raise their installation price by $8k to "take up the slack," and to meet the true market value.

The main loser (besides you) is Tesla, so I'd reach-out to Tesla and advise them that their installation network is working against their corporate goals, and that their pipeline on the Big Island will dry up if they don't address it. If there is a Tesla solar salesdroid on Hawai'i, that person will be your friend, because their monthly compensation will be affected. FYI, this is not just a Tesla problem: I see inflated installation labor bids for mini-split heat pumps (Tokyo vs Minneapolis), as well as steel roofing (Sydney vs Minneapolis). Unfortunately, it would take time for Tesla to fix this (e.g.: modify contracts with its installlation partners to add limits on labor rates and markup). I would not expect any electrician to give-up his cash-cow product, just because someone told him his pricing was "not fair."

Another party who may help you is IBEW: they have a vested interest in the reputation of all union electricians. On one hand, IBEW doesn't see price gouging as bad (when it helps many of their members), but if it only helps one or two electricians, and if it gives bad press to IBEW, then they can put pressure on their members. It may help to first write a letter to a "consumer's advocate" column in the local paper showing the Tesla install labor quote in (say) LA vs the Big Island(*). The good news is that anything controversial with the word "Tesla" in it is likely to get printed in the paper. If it also says "electrician's union" and "price gouging" in the article, then that gets IBEW's attention.

(*)see https://forums.tesla.com/forum/forum...ll-powerwall-2

Another approach would be to ask for open-book bids on the install (you may need to register an LLC corporation for your "home office"). Open Book is a common way that businesses bid out electrical projects. In Open Book, the contractor needs to show what it is they are charging for (e.g. $80 per truck-roll, $120 per electrician per hour, materials _with_invoices_ + 25% markup). They have to document all costs, and if you monitor the jobsite (e.g. security cameras with timestamps), it's difficult for them to charge 3x as much as they should. This could be a path for the contractor to produce a reasonable one-off bid, without undercutting their day-to-day business (which is gouging other Tesla customers). Especially if that electrician got a call from Tesla and/or IBEW saying "hey, work it out with this guy."

[ImInPhxAZ]

The cost switch on installation is normal. It's no different than the reserve your 35k model 3 and oh wait, sorry, wet won't make one st $35k would you like one at $50k?

That's Tesla's business model. Always has been. Get a deposit to hook emand jack the price up.

[J.P.M.]

"@elonmusk Please don't cancel my 3/17 PW2 reservation. I can wait. "Approved" installers on Big Island are quoting me 10-13k for PW2 install!"

Why bother wasting time on Musk ? Expecting a response only adds legitimacy to his con. He's a leach and a drain on society.

[Steeler.Fan]

"@elonmusk Please don't cancel my 3/17 PW2 reservation. I can wait. "Approved" installers on Big Island are quoting me 10-13k for PW2 install!"

[Steeler.Fan]

Good idea. Tweets sent @elonmusk, will see.

[solardreamer]

You could try Tweeting Elon Musk directly. Some Tesla users/customers have been able to get problems resolved that way quickly.

[Steeler.Fan]

Is the storedge interface sesti-s4 the right model to use to connect SE7600H-US to LG Chem Resu10H? When I look for prices online, I only seem to find sellers abroad who are selling this online?
Thanks

[Sunking]

I hope I live long enough to see Elon Musk rot in prison and be called the Soap Bar Biitch by his cell mates. He can have the cell next to George Soros and Bernie Ebbers.

[J.P.M.]

Note to potential Tesla/Musk customers: Looks like more of the typical Tesla/ Musk shenanigans. Caveat Emptor.

To the OP: I'd eat the $500, tell Musk to put his B.S. promises and cons where the sun doesn't shine, walk away and avoid further disappointment and exposure to more empty promises etc. and chalk off the $500 as the cost of an expensive education.

[adoublee]

In March, 2017 I reserved a Tesla Powerwall for my home in Hawaii with a $500 deposit. At that time Tesla was saying that installation would cost between $700-$1300. About 6-9 months later, I was called and asked if I was ready to install the battery. I said that I was not ready yet as my home construction was taking longer than expected. I called about 6 months ago and asked if I could pay to reserve another PW. I was told that my reservation was good for up to 10 PWs. When they raised the price to $5,500, I called again to see if I would be charged the higher price. I was told that I would be able to purchase the PWs at my original quoted price of $5,000. I called several months ago to set a delivery date and was told that all PW orders were placed on hold until after 1/1/19 because all batteries were being used in Model 3 production. I called today to get a list of installers because I am very close to being ready for the install. I was told to cancel my reservation and take my money back. Since they no longer had a warehouse on the Big Island, I would have to purchase my PW through an authorized installer. (There is a warehouse on Oahu, approximately 100 mi away. They will not permit me to purchase my battery from them and have it shipped to an authorized installer on the Big Island.) I called some Big Island installers today and was told that PW2 installations now cost $10,000-13,000 on the Big Island. It appears that the Tesla installers are gouging customers who want a PW installed and Tesla has turned their back on us. I know that LG Chem has the RESU10, but it is much more expensive in $/Kwh and requires a hybrid inverter.
Any suggestions on how to deal with Tesla? Can Tesla be made to honor their earlier purchase agreement with me?
Thanks

Take your money back and don't purchase a product from them again. Buy a product actually available to purchase and publicly tell those who are interested if you are satisfied.

[ButchDeal]

Any suggestions on how to deal with Tesla? Can Tesla be made to honor their earlier purchase agreement with me?
Thanks

https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/a29351/what-tesla-needs-to-learn-from-tucker/

My suggestion is to get the SolarEdge StorEdge inverter and LG RESU10h it is a better solution and actually available