This is a rough description of my recent (2024) experience of buying a Dual Motor, Long Range, Tesla Model 3 in New Zealand. I write this only as it might be interesting to others considering a similar entry into the wonderful world of Tesla.
I’ll preface things with some relevant context. First, I live in a city in the far South of NZ. Whilst it’s a city, it’s a long way from the main urban centres of Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. Second, because of the type of driving I do, from the outset I wanted the Dual Motor Long Range M3, which I’m very sure contributed to the ‘interesting’ experience of purchasing and receiving my fantastic new car. Third, and finally, I’m a ‘Tech’ guy at work and at home and I live and breathe the world of tech and buying stuff online, so purchasing a car through an app, whilst new to me, wasn’t that unfamiliar or daunting. I was more than happy to eschew the traditional model of salesmen and car yards.
Ordering
I ordered a 2024 Model 3, Long Range, Dual motor in black, at the beginning of 2024. I paid the $400 order fee and the wait began.
Waiting
From January to March, the Tesla mobile app displayed ‘delivery estimate January to March’ and it didn’t change at all during that period. The end of March came and went, and on the 2nd April the delivery estimate disappeared completely from the app.
Chasing
In the first week of April I called Tesla NZ a few times looking for updates on estimated delivery. My first call was met with a ‘we don’t have any further details’, just keep an eye on the app. The second call, when I spoke to a really helpful guy called Matty was more enlightening. His advice was to keep an eye on the existing inventory on the Tesla website to see if something suitable became available, and if so, to give them a call back to get my existing order changed. He also told me that he had been informed that the next availability from a shipment into NZ was going to be ‘sometime after August’. I was somewhat despondent after this and disappointed in the lack of clear information on anticipated delivery. There seemed to be a disconnect between the various teams within Tesla NZ and nobody was really certain what was going on.
A bit of luck
Whilst I began considering my options, I kept an eye on the existing inventory across the country, checking every morning. Whilst there seemed to be plenty of Standard Range available, there were no Long Range, until, miraculously, one showed up, in blue, in Wellington. I immediately called Tesla NZ and the agent I spoke to this time let me know that he would take care of it. I received an email a few hours later with an update to my order. A few days later I received an order confirmation and final invoice. I paid this, and a day or so later, the mobile app was updated and a VIN was allocated. As an aside, I received the good news the following day that Tesla had dropped the base price and was issued another final invoice, showing that I was due a $2000 refund (I still haven’t received this. I spoke with the accounts team last week and they said it would be processed onto the card in my Tesla account ‘sometime over the next week’).
Collection
I received a call from a Tesla agent and we agreed a time and date at the end of the second week of April for me to collect. I received a few email confirmations with the address and other details. After a typically bumpy flight into Wellington, I got an Uber out the Lower Hutt address given. I struggled to find the building and only discovered the Tesla sign after wandering around for 15 minutes after being dropped off by the bemused Uber driver. The service centre and collection depot is in an old, Cold War era building. An unlikely place, but on reflection, a pretty cool contrast to the high tech vehicles contained within. My car wasn’t there when I arrived, and I was informed that the sales guys were out getting the registration and plates sorted out! They turned up half an hour later and the remainder of the handover process was great. I spent 45 minutes inspecting the car and being instructed on the basics, and then I was off on the epic journey home.
All in all it was a weird, funny experience that worked out in the end. I’ve had friends purchase other Tesla’s in NZ that have experienced ‘Apple Store’ like slickness end to end, and I wonder with the decline in EV sales since the removal of the clean car rebate, times are tough enough that it’s affecting the ‘usual’ process. I’m not sure how others less familiar with the modern way of app based buying would cope with this weirdness, but maybe it’s just a point in time.
Regardless, the end result is that I’m fortunate enough to now own one of these wonderful machines, and I couldn’t be happier with it. I’m actually even glad I was forced into getting a blue one in the end!
