[robomartin]

For some reason I can't quite put my finger on I have been viewing everything that comes out of Tesla with skepticism and distrust. I think it started with the attempt to confuse people with "creative" financing options.

I know it is a good company. I was waiting for them to revolutionize the SUV market with a true sports-utility electric vehicle. I would have been in line to buy one. Instead they are putting out a bullshit Gucci gull-wing contraption that is a total let-down. That's when I ceased to be interested in Tesla.

For a number of reasons we recently purchased a used two-year-old low-mileage BMW. For a little more money we got extended coverage that takes care of everything for seven years. We even covered the (expensive) tires.

We could have bought more than one fully-covered low-mileage certified-pre-owned BMW for the cost of a single Tesla.

My wife ran over something and punctured a tire a couple of months ago. Being a "run flat" tire, she drove to the nearest BMW dealer. They gave her a loaner car for the day and, for a $50 deductible, replaced the $500 tire and cleaned and washed her car.

So I read an article like this and my first reaction is: Who are they trying to fool?

[pjc50]

They've not made a SUV because they tend to be inefficient due to their size and weight.

Starting at the top end of the market and providing limited options is the Apple approach, likely to lead to profit but not necessarily market share.

[warfangle]

> Instead they are putting out a bullshit Gucci gull-wing contraption that is a total let-down.

What's a let-down about it? Legitimately curious.

[robomartin]

> What's a let-down about it? Legitimately curious.

The problem that needs a legitimate solution is that of the 8 to 12 mile per gallon SUV. What is needed is an electric Suburban. What isn't needed is another $100K class non-S, non-U vehicle.

Try to throw a couple of kayaks, bikes, rowing shells, some lumber or camping equipment on this sorry-ass Tesla design.

All you are getting is more comfortable entry and exit if you use it exactly as you might a car.

If you put anything on the roof the rear passengers are trapped.

I've owned a range of SUV's and minivans over the years. I couldn't even begin to imagine having a real family life with kids with the Tesla offering.

I mean, tomorrow I am going to Home Depot to buy five sheets of plywood for a project. They are getting strapped to yhe roof rack. No problem.

[bryanlarsen]

Easy access to third row seating is a solved problem. But sliding doors aren't "cool". So they either get replaced with over-engineered contraptions like those silly gull wing doors, or even worse, they get replaced with standard doors that pretty much render the third row useless, like most SUV's do. (assuming child seats, which is the bulk of your 3 row market)

[warfangle]

The original parent implied strongly that it wasn't just the falcon-wing doors (two-hinged; the e.g. delorean had only one hinge) that was a total let down. Made me think they were let down by capacity or clearance or torque or Other Criteria(tm) as well.

> or even worse, they get replaced with standard doors

But we're talking about the X here, which doesn't.

[jdeibele]

I think a big let-down is that there's still no pricing available for the car. I see estimates from third parties that it's expected to be 5-10% more than a comparable Model S but there's nothing official that I can find.

The doors seem silly. I drive an Odyssey and love sliding doors for the kids or the dog or when I have an armload of groceries. I've seen the sliding doors back up when they bump into something. I know they work. And they're reasonably fast, which is important when you live in Oregon with the rain.

[meisterbrendan]

As a potential Model X buyer, I hate the idea of those doors.

I currently drive a Subaru Outback and would be replacing it with a Model X so I could cart myself and some friends for weekend skiing or surfing trips.

Unless I'm missing something, the gullwing doors preclude a roof rack, which is a deal breaker for me.

[ulfw]

You're absolutely spot on. Sadly you are getting downvoted for it.