Road to 500,000 Electric Miles: Tesla Test Drive Experience
The delivery and purchase experience for a Tesla is different from most other carmakers. Tesla doesn’t have traditional dealerships. They have stores. You can test drive a car at one of the locations. You can walk in if you want, but the best way to test drive is to schedule it ahead of time.
Before I decided to purchase a Tesla Model 3, I needed to
- Make sure I really wanted a Tesla
- Choose between the Model 3 and Y
To figure this out, I scheduled a test drive through the Tesla website. I think Tesla was really well-positioned to deal with the pandemic because of the way they sell their cars. You have to buy through their website, and they don’t have a stock of vehicles at their stores, just models to test drive.
It’s easy to schedule the test drive.
- Head the Tesla website
- Click the 3 line menu in the top right
- Follow the directions and create an account
- Check your email for confirmation (You might also receive a call)
- Bring your driver’s license to the store and arrive a few minutes early
- Enjoy your test drive!
I do have a few tips for going on a test drive:
- If you live in a large city, schedule your test drive at a location away from a mall or congested area if you can. I scheduled mine at a large mall, and traffic in and out was difficult.
- Test drives are 30 mins. By following the first suggestion above and having an idea of a route you want to drive is very helpful. You get to go on the drive on your own with a couple of other people. Note: only you can drive during that time
- Watch some of the videos on YouTube or Tesla’s website ahead of time. The salespeople are helpful, but it’s good to be familiar with the car ahead of time. Especially since everything is done through the touch screen. Adjusting the steering wheel, side mirrors, and even the windshield wipers requires the use of the touch screen.
- Spend some time in the store before and after you drive the car to sit in and play around with the different models. I learned a lot by doing this and sitting in the seat longer also helped with my buying decision.
- Ask if you can drive another model if you are not sure about which one you want. It helped me to make the final decision. When you book, there is not an option to drive more than one car.
- Lastly, talk with the salespeople. They are there to help you. I felt no pressure at all during my test drive. Going to a less busy location means you’ll have more time to talk and sit in the cars.
If I were going to make product improvements, I would build in the ability to add multiple drivers and vehicles to the appointment. Other than that, it was one of the best test drive experiences I have ever had. It was quick, easy, and I felt no pressure.
If you have never driven an electric car or a Tesla specifically, I highly recommend a test drive. It was fun and the experience is worth it. Electric is very different from gas but in a good way.
There will be more posts to come and a few videos as well. Please feel free to leave questions and comments. If you decide you want to purchase a Tesla, use the link below to get 1000 free miles of charge on Tesla’s Supercharger network.
