I Visited T E S L A in DC

"Chuck 2(O=[][]=O)2" (pompei426)
12/28/2013 at 23:09 • Filed to: None

And it was awesome. Living in MD, you don't see many Teslas, so being in one and playing about in one is awesome. A few years ago I would have had no interest in one. Now, I just spent an our of my day talking to the salesman and getting a feel for the car. I didn't drive it because you have to have an appointment, it was about to close, and I'm 19 y/o. I did go with my mother and she was mystified and quite enlightened. She had no idea such a thing existed and left the place wanting to buy one, badly. Overall very impressed and glad to see such a company prospering.

DISCUSSION (13)

hike > Chuck 2(O=[][]=O)2
12/28/2013 at 23:11

Odd, the part of Maryland I live in, I see a Tesla almost daily. I see them probably half the time I'm on 695 as well. I've been by that Tesla store a few times as well, but haven't been in yet. I need to go next time I have time in DC.

thebigbossyboss > hike
12/28/2013 at 23:24

I thought telsas didnt have dealerships? Or is that just some states?

Jayhawk Jake > Chuck 2(O=[][]=O)2
12/28/2013 at 23:33

Tesla is proving that dealership networks suck. By owning their own stores, tesla is able to give a great customer experience even to people who aren't necessarily customers yet.

Go look at an A7 as a 19 y/o and I guarantee you won't get the same level of customer service. Tesla is able to look at someone like you and convince you that in the future you want to do business with them, whereas private owned dealerships generally only care about making a sale today.

SLR999 > thebigbossyboss
12/28/2013 at 23:47

Only where rival dealers have petitioned the government to rule Tesla's direct-sale policy as illegal, like in Texas.

Kind of ironic, that, intervention in a "free-market" state.

SLR999 > Jayhawk Jake
12/29/2013 at 00:01

About a decade ago BMW Canada built this massive corporate-run dealership in downtown Toronto. It was beautiful, and housed memorable history, like Isettas and 328s. It was definitely a factor in our family's purchase of a 3 series coupe back in the day.

Kinja'd!!!

Unfortunately even it has reverted to the stealership model.

Chuck 2(O=[][]=O)2 > hike
12/29/2013 at 00:10

I'm from Ellicott City and tend to travel more towards Baltimore. My theory is that the people in that area are more 'old money' and don't bother with innovation.

Chuck 2(O=[][]=O)2 > Jayhawk Jake
12/29/2013 at 00:17

Funny you mention that. I walked in the store with my mother and the first thing I stated was that I am simply a car guy who wanted to take a closer look. The salesman had no problem and answered every single one of my questions. It became quite an interesting conversation since he actually let me converse with him. I used to work at a BMW dealership, and even working there after a while, the people that worked there looked down upon me as if I had no business breathing on the new M5 in the showroom.

I might add that the salesman at Tesla was an undergrad at GW and had the same major as me (Econ). This, and the fact that I made it quite clear that I knew about the car, helped the experience.

To your point about corporate owning their own dealerships, I see no better way to do business. It streamlines everything and, as long as the company is fair, makes maintenance and such a much easier process. You don't need to shop around or deal with dealership gimmicks.

Advan > hike
12/29/2013 at 02:53

I was going to mention this as well. I see the Model S almost every day. I guess living close to Potomac and now just a few miles out of DC doesn't hurt. Even back when I lived in Rockville I would occasionally see the Roadster maybe once or twice a month.

I couldn't get my friend to stop and take a look at the Tesla store in Tyson's the last time we were there because we probably would have missed our movie, but it looked packed and I'm glad that so many people are interested not just in the cool tech but also the idea of going to a store and buying your car and getting it exactly how you want it without having to deal with the usual dealership model of business. That was one hell of a run on sentence, sorry.

AM3R > Chuck 2(O=[][]=O)2
12/29/2013 at 14:37

Cool, have you ever been to the one in Tyson's mall?

I see a Tesla every once and a while in NoVa, but I haven't been seeing it very much recently.

Chuck 2(O=[][]=O)2 > AM3R
12/29/2013 at 15:15

I haven't, I live north of DC closer to Baltimore. Anything special about that store. Bigger, I'm guessing?

AM3R > AM3R
12/29/2013 at 16:57

No, I haven't been to the store in DC but that looks much larger haha. They sell some Tesla gear and have a full model S, a chassis of a model S, and another that displays the batteries and suspension components.

William Byrd > Chuck 2(O=[][]=O)2
12/30/2013 at 08:37

Very cool, where is that? I guess I can googlemap it. :) I work in DC, that would be fun to go see. I see Teslas all the time, but usually in the District.

Chuck 2(O=[][]=O)2 > William Byrd
12/30/2013 at 11:43

North of Chinatown at 1050 K Street NW