I think Tesla's situation is actually even worse than the quarterly numbers suggest. I'm reasonably happy with my Model 3, but I will never give Tesla another cent. The three other Tesla owners I know all feel the same way, and I know two more people who were considering buying Teslas but completely abandoned those plans this year (both got Hyundai Ioniqs instead and report they are pleased with them).
It will take a while for stories like this to filter to the top-line numbers because car replacement cycles are so long, but just on anecdotes I really don't see Tesla returning to growth anytime soon. The brand is absolutely toxic now.
I had to go a step further and sell my Tesla outright. I couldn't be associated with the brand anymore, it made me ill. I figured the best thing I could do is contribute to the glut of Teslas on the market, thus driving down demand and prices ever so slightly.
Is there a mature independent repair shop market yet? What is third-party part availability like? I've talked with a bunch of folk who have considered getting a used Tesla given how dirt cheap they are, but no one was confident they could operate a Tesla without giving the company money.
Sorry, I didn’t phrase that accurately: I intend to drive this car until it dies, and will give Tesla repair money where absolutely necessary. But I certainly won’t be a repeat buyer.
It will take a while for stories like this to filter to the top-line numbers because car replacement cycles are so long, but just on anecdotes I really don't see Tesla returning to growth anytime soon. The brand is absolutely toxic now.