Mike Dungan
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I purchased a Tesla Model 3 in 2018 after having driven a Model S in 2016 and instantly understanding this was gonna be the new thing. We've had almost 4 years with the car, no problems including driving 4400 miles through 13 states in 2 weeks. Auto pilot made it a lot easier.
I am also a shareholder and have done very well on Tesla.
But not only would I not buy a Tesla - I'd sell the one we have. I refuse to be associated with individuals and companies who support someone who attempted an autocratic coup d'etat, wanted to break apart NATO for the benefit of other autocrats, lies about everything, and is one of the worst grifters the world has seen.
Absolutely nothing wrong with any number of other cars.
All the best,
Anders Chan-Tidemann
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Yes.
Bill Geiser
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The short answer is no way in hell.
Mike Donahue
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I used to want to purchase a Tesla, but as a Black man, I can't comfortably purchase the car after learning how Black workers are treated at their factories. Especially after learning they would be hidden from the floor when Elon was gonna walk through.
America feels is like a dimming lightbulb, about to go dark. I hope we all have to energy to continue to fight against stupidity and status quo white supremacy.
Best regards,
Marc Fort in Austin, TX
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If you watch the documentary about Abercrombie & Fitch there is an interview with one of their people about the moment they knew that the culture had turned against the brand. She said it was when she saw the first Tobey Maguire Superman and he was fighting the school bully in the hall and she noticed the bully was dressed head to toe in Abercrombie clothes. She said at that moment she realized they were now the bad guys and were screwed.
I feel the same about this moment for Tesla. Elon went from being Tony Stark to Lex Luthor (I realize I'm mixing my metaverse metaphors) over this Twitter/Speech nonsense and I'd never buy a Tesla from him now.
Ed Dilworth
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Despite my misgivings, until recently I was toying with the idea, but now I will never buy a new Tesla as long as Musk's involved (or he engages in some serious mea culpa / repentance action). Not holding my breath. I'll wait for a company not actively supporting the destruction of democracy to come out with a viable alternative.
Michael Bull
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No. I won't. I was seriously considering a Model-Y, and I continued to consider it after Musk's purchase of Twitter was announced. I generally have liked Musk, and I can tolerate a lot, but, once he started tweeting about how the *Democrats* are the extremists ... well that was too far. That exposed that he has fully bought into the GOP lies and fake news.
I removed the Twitter app from my phone (as I did with Facebook a while back). I'll still check in over the web occasionally with both, but the removing the apps has fixed the addictive behavior these apps encourage.
No. I won't buy a Tesla.
I won't buy a VW either. Never mind their Nazi connections, they were caught rigging emissions tests.
I'll probably hold off a couple of years, but the Hyundai Ionic 5 and the Kia EV6 look like. I've been Ubered in the Chevy Bolt a few times, and it is surprisingly nice.
Thanks,
-Rich Waters
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As an early adopter and stock holder, I love both my car and the company. I will probably never buy another car that's not a Tesla. That being said, as a stock holder, I'd prefer that he not get involved with Twitter. He's already solving the world's biggest problems- climate change (Tesla), getting human life off this planet (SpaceX), traffic (Boring Co), self-driving cars (Tesla), internet connectivity anywhere in the world (StarLink); does he really need to fix our most widely utilized information platform? I say no, but… there's no one that I'd rather have do it. Certainly not a government. Thankfully, it appears, he's doing it for the right reasons, namely freedom of speech in an era of misinformation and censorship. I just wish there were 5 more Elon's so he wouldn't have to fix Twitter on his own.
Scott Baylin
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I've been thinking about this very thing all day Bob. I am on my second Tesla and have a reservation in on a cybertruck. My plan was to trade in #2 for the cybertruck at some point but now I am not sure I can go forward with that plan…
Daniel Matthews
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I am not in favor of this guy buying twitter anymore than I am into hearing the bs that comes from trump on the platform. He has singlehandedly tainted this country back to the stone age, bringing everything bad out of everyone who never made it. He still has this narrative out there that gets me so ill, he isn't going away till he gets locked up or at least banned from ever running for the office again for so many legit reasons.
Danny Zelisko
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I wouldn't rethink the purchase, no. Trump is such an outlier in all respects. I can't disagree with banning him, but it really is a slippery slope. With political figures you really want to be circumspect. And there is a school of thought that airing viewpoints like Trump's allows everyone a window into just how hideous he is.
Having said all that, Musk is a screwy jackass, and no one, as in NO ONE, should have that level of wealth. Pretty volatile combination. On the upside, Tesla cars have been vital in getting electric cars to go from dismissed and/or dissed to desired and loved. I'll take that.
Berton Averre
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I test drove one, knowing my next vehicle would be electric. Besides the fact that I thought there were some minor fit and finish issues, it made the list as a possibility. No longer.
I'm not a die-hard progressive, but I believe that anyone with intellect and economic opportunity should never punch down…and that's all I see from Musk. When he called the cave spelunker rescuing children a pedo because his ego was hurt, I knew he was pedantic. When he said he would take Tesla private and used that to thumb his nose at the SEC, I thought he was reckless. When he started this whole shit storm with Twitter in a business deal that makes no financial sense, other than to stoke his rampant narcissism, I realized he was incapable of sound judgement. When he decried his offense at the suppression of free speech but has kissed the ring of the CCP while they run concentration camps, I knew he was a fraud and a phony. Every calculus is about whatever makes Elon feel good in that moment. Elon has the moral compass of a weather vane. This guy will end up as another Howard Hughes type character; alienated, obsequious, paranoid, and alone.
Trent Keeling
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Two years in and my Tesla is by far the best car/toy I have ever owned and I have some good ones!
Musk? As an engineer he is right up there and his understanding of physics is unbelievable. If he makes a difference for the better of humanity I don't care about all the other BS.
Don Elford
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I bought a Tesla because it was the best car that I ever test drove. And I'll buy another one.
I don't give a shit what Elon Musk espouses. Nor do I look up to Charles Barkley as a roll model. But I'd pick him to be on my basketball team.
Sincerely,
Paul Lohr
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I won't either…
Steven Anderko
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No, I wouldn't… my answer would have been different a year or two ago… but I can no longer separate the man from the machine… and the man has become an insufferable bully and awful role model.
Dave Mason
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Fuck no I wouldn't. And anyone who would is more interested in "status" than they are in humanity.
Seriously fuck that Apartheid-upholding asshole.
Noel Nocciolo
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F#CK NO.
And I have actually have been planning on buying one as my next car.
Any self respecting believer in democracy should sell theirs NOW.
Since it's mostly (if not almost entirely), left leaning people who buy them, a Tesla boycott would drive the stock price down instantly and dramatically.
As the saying goes, money doesn't talk, it swears, and I bet Musk would change his mind about trump returning (or be pressured by the board to keep the ban).
This is truly a watershed moment in our history and if Tesla owners and prospective buyers don't SPEAK UP, this will go a long way in getting trump re-elected.
To think otherwise is ignorant or plain stupid.
I will really miss owning a Tesla but the time is now to TAKE A STAND.
DG
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Like you, I live in Southern California. My wife and I became a one car household during the pandemic. Now that she has to start commuting back to work 35 miles each way, we thought it was a good time to install solar and get an EV. We've never bought a new car in our lives and hesitated to have a monthly payment but with the price of gas in CA and being able to charge from our solar, it was both a wise choice and a splurge for us.
My wife working for a great company like Patagonia has an added perk of providing incentives to their employees to go solar. Not a huge sum, but at least they're putting some of their money where their mouth is. I guess we're all still figuring out where Musk is putting his.
Do I agree with him on everything? Of course not! But, like you said, it's theatrics and he'll change his tune when it hits his "richest guy in history" title. Jewish people do buy Mercedes and BMW now. Who knows what atrocities, environmental or otherwise, all major auto companies have committed in their histories. I try to vote with my wallet but, like everything, you have to calculate the trade-offs and opportunity costs. I still feel the Model 3 long range is the best bang for the buck in EVs. To your point about VW, who knows how long Musk holds that dominant position?
Take care,
Brett Patrick
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As you just predicted. Here we go.
Tom Gribbin
boundingintocomics.com/2022/05/10/x2-x-men-united-writer-and-solid-snake-va-david-hayter-says-he-will-give-up-his-tesla-if-elon-musk-reinstates-donald-trumps-twitter-account/
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How long will it be until people call them "Muskmobiles" And not as a compliment?
Peter Burnside
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Not a Tesla/Musk fan-boy, (can't afford a Tesla) but I will say the Starlink system is phenomenal.
I have it at our land-locked camp 5 hours north of Toronto where the Tel-co's won't service anytime before the decade is out.
Took 15 minutes to set up and runs like a charm with fantastic upload/download speeds.
It has transformed our experience up there, and allows us to work from there seamlessly and enjoy more time outside of the city.
So I will champion his tech for that…it helped that he had a rocket company…but i'm not about to become a Musk evangelist.
Billionaire tech bro operating in a world I cannot relate to.
Rob Johnston
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Nope. Was think of a tesla but definitely now only looking at the new Kia or Hyundai. F$ck Musk I won't even use his chargers.
Seth Freeman
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I own a Tesla. I love the car. I would buy another one in a heartbeat. It is the peoples' car. And the leader of the company has made a very successful career out of outsmarting the naysayers, thinking leaps and bounds ahead of those who complain, lament and who have attempted to cancel him. I would buy again because of the car. I will buy again because of the man...A man that refuses to cower from those who don't like him. Unlike Trump, Musk does not need to be loved. He only needs to succeed and have the last laugh. I would not bet against him laughing, quite successfully while the complainers continue to complain, watching the world pass them buy yet again.
Paul Nordlund
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Hard no.
Patrick Curley
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Thanks Bob,
I was pricing out a Tesla just today and your newsletter arrived today, of all days!
What a great analysis of the potential self-immolation of the Tesla brand!
You made it crystal clear, the narrative surrounding a brand is essential. It is not a matter of "what" Tesla is; it's always a matter of "who" is Telsa or any brand is in the heart and mind of the consumer.
So, now I'm asking myself, if Musk green lights a free for all on twitter, turns Twitter into a boiling hell hole of right wing conspiracies and falsehoods, do I really want to even be seen in a Tesla? Uh, I don't think so. Thanks for the wakeup call!
FYI, for few decades I felt like the "Zelig" of the branding world, present at the launch of MTV Networks, soon after partnering with Swatch U.S.A. and finally launching KETO FOODS (second only to Atkins).
Arne Bey
Santa Fe, New Mexico
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agree 100%
Michael Rosenblatt
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I love my Tesla but I've already decided If trump rises to power again and/or elected because he's back on Twitter I'll never buy another Tesla.
Thank you,
David Brauner
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Nice article about Elon, it all rings true for me. I've driven a Tesla for the last 18 months (after 2 Prius' that I drove into the ground) and LOVE it for many reasons.
To me it's kinda like meeting your music idol and finding they're an asshole. As you've said, you can love the art without loving the artist.
Culley Casey
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I've driven electric cars for five years, first the BMW i3 and now the Tesla Model 3. There is a lot to love about electric vehicles, but there are some caveats which seem to be largely ignored by the faithful: the range is dramatically affected by sub-30 degree weather (Fahrenheit), and a small wiring failure can result in your vehicle turning into a brick, as mine did recently at Logan Airport. One can love or not love the menu swiping involved on a Tesla to locate the mirror adjustments, etc, but the basically functionality of the vehicle, while ideal in a warm, urban or suburban environment, can be a challenge outside of that.
Thanks
Rich Costey
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I won't now… I was going to trade in my 2020plugin hybrid Prius Prime and go all electric but not a chance in hell I will support Musk after that statement.
Mike Lawson
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Only a used one, at this point.
What an asshat.
Mike Froedge
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I was going to. Now I'll wait for BMW or some other quality electric car. Have absolutely changed our plans to buy a Tesla.
Michael Alex
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i don't either. and was considering buying one. but then again, toyota/lexus are also out because they're backing election deniers.
rsands9
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I was suggesting this exact possibility to people earlier. Elon Musk feels pretty right-wing now, electric cars… pretty left-wing. It's a bit like when the New Balance guy praised Trump.
My wife put a strong veto on ever buying a Tesla when the "Trump will return to Twitter" news broke this evening
Stephen Curran
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Extremely well said. Echoes my feelings exactly. Spot on.
Best,
Jim Peikon
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Definitely not.
Matt Gorney
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No
Bob Kalill
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I got my Tesla (Model Y/P) late last year and I love it. Best car I've ever owned or driven. At the time I just thought Musk was an eccentric genius. Now I think he's a narcissistic buffoon with far too much money and less smarts than I gave him credit for. But, would I buy a Tesla again? Almost certainly. Gas is $5 and the future is in EVs.
Steve Jobs was also a major prick, but yet Apple still flourished and made the best products. It seems people can separate the personality from the product if they want it badly enough.
I hope he pulls out of the Twitter deal and just focuses on cars (and space). We don't need more egomaniacs with 50Million+ followers hogging up all of the social media oxygen (especially TFG) and wagging the MSM dog all day long again.
Wyllys Ingersoll
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You hit the nail on the head as usual, Bob. I used to be a fan of Elon, if only through my own ignorance about him and judging on what he's done to make Tesla so damn valuable. But him being on Twitter was already his downfall in my eyes, acting like a child and lashing out after getting his feelings hurt when people criticize him.
I just cannot fathom why the richest man in the world is on Twitter at all. Isn't he busy? Doesn't he have kids, friends, anything else to do?
Now we see Elon for what he is. A buffoon and an egomaniac that wants to control the narrative and to exact revenge on anyone that's critical of him. Once he gets that power, he will wield that power. He's no different than Trump, really.
A few years ago, a Tesla was definitely in my future. No more.
Brian Pluto
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Musk declaring that Trump shouldn't have been banned from Twitter is enough to keep many of from the Tesla brand. Fortunately, there are more and more alternatives across a range of prices and styles.
I don't think VW has developed the tech to dominate the EV market yet. They have a high-end Porsche 911, the Taycan, which is bottled lightening, and has all the style you'd expect, but it lacks range, as does their entry level VW ID.4. They have Audi too, so they know cars and engineering. I have no doubt they'll get there, but right now, if you want a hi-tech EV, and, as WSJ car critic, Dan Neil said, "You don't want to be the fourth blue Model Y in the drive thru at Starbucks," your best bet comes from South Korea.
It's in the form of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 or its sister, the KIA EV6.Their software is as close to Tesla as you can find, and they have a game changing technology called Battery-to-Load which allows users to get electricity from the cars propulsion batteries. That means you can power your house, campsite, etc. Nobody else can currently do that.
Ford's Mustang Mach-E is also a decent Tesla competitor, even though it can't yet offer Tesla Model S Plaid range. This fall they'll debut an electric version of the biggest selling car or truck in America, the F-150.
There's a Volvo that's incredibly appointed, and bears a reliable badge.
And watch for GMs Lyriq this fall. It's not your father's Cadillac. The start-up Lucid has a Tesla killer in the Air model, but they're hard to source. And Mercedes has its EQS. Late to the game and pricey for its limited range, it will improve.
Tesla has a lead in software and battery tech, but it won't last now that the big players are in the game.
Jon Sinton
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I think Musk is a megalomaniacal (evil?) genius. He sold 2 million electric cars without spending a penny on advertising. He knows how to build things that are useful + exciting.
I bought a Model 3 last December. I LOVE IT. The issue was forced when my very practical (I live in the mountains) Subaru Outback was totaled in a bizarre park lot flood. I'd been wanting to go electric for years and I made the leap. It's like driving an iPhone, everything works, it's sleek, minimal, and requires almost no maintenance. It's also fast and fun to drive!
I think Tesla's brand is somehow (probably) strong enough to withstand Elon's shenanigans. They are the clear front-runner in terms of tech but also their charging network. Tesla charging stations are everywhere and everything is integrated, you don't even pull out your credit card. Other EV owners don't have it so easy.
I wish Elon would take a hit for being such an asshole troll but I'm not trading the future for the past. I've spent a lifetime pumping petroleum (the absolute worst of the worst in terms of environmental and human rights abuses) and I'm not doing that anymore. We have a long way to go but electric cars are an important step toward a sustainable future and like it or not Elon Musk has put us on the path. Perfect is not the enemy of good.
I am nervous about his Twitter takeover and what impact it will have but the devil is in the details and we don't have these yet. I read a take recently about how the right has benefitted greatly from Trump being off of the platform. They don't have to own his bullshit if no one sees it. Anyhoo.
I think Musk is a self-important, out-of-touch douchebag lacking in humanity, who's done some truly amazing things, and I'm keeping the car.
Liz Penta
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I'm sick of that asshole. Was offered a Tesla company car. Declined.
Dan Fullick
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Elon Musk can suck my cock.
Michelle Saar
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