Clarity is at the dealer, but cannot be delivered during Covid-19

  • Thread starter Thread starter Francofun
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Francofun

Francofun

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Bonjour groupe!

I would have liked my first post to be as a new owner, but I am still awaiting my Clarity. Everything is signed... Covid-19 decided otherwise. I know the car was delivered at the dealer on March 15, the last day before business closure (I am in Quebec - non essential business are closed at least until May 4th). I even already have the custom tuxmat in the basement, delivered in two days by Amazon...

Have you ever seen or heard of a Honda dealer making home delivery of new cars (à la Tesla)? Local laws here date back to the ´70s and require a contract signed at the dealer... I know it does not stop Tesla from operating, but Honda seems more conservative (and probably has all dealers pushing to avoid the move)... I wanted to hear about other jurisdictions, just to dream a little more ;)


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It's eye opening to see the craziness going on everywhere. You would assume transportation would be an essential service, but I know that varies from county to county, state to state, and country to country. Hopefully you are not paying for anything in the meantime (insurance etc). Best of wishes and good luck! I know I would be mad, and standing outside the dealership until they gave me my car. However, that is me - and I know I am not in the majority. My dealership is open, servicing cars, and I assure you if I go write them a check they will sell one too. Maybe throwing the keys to me literally this time versus figuratively...

Also, obviously a lot of us here really like the car. I love mine, hopefully you will too and it will be worth the wait. Certainly a fun present to yourself to celebrate the end of the lockdowns!

Cheers,

Cash
 
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Yep - home delivery still works :)
I also get to read a lot about the specs of the Clarity, which does not diminish my anxiety in getting to drive it...


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Wait wait wait, can you call a pizza place, have them pick up beer, and then go by the dealer to pick up your car for you, and deliver it all at once? Where there is a will, there is a way - might be the most expensive pizza in history, however..... o_O

Cash
 
Here in Washington state, one of the hot spots in the USA, you make an appointment to buy or service your vehicle. The local Hyundai dealer will pick up your vehicle from your home if you need service.
 
Love home delivery and pickup. We just had a case of Ecco Domani Pinot Grigio, two boxes of Barefoot Pinot Grigio - 3L, and three bottles of Josh Pinot Noir delivered. We are picking up groceries next Tuesday. If we needed some we could order marijuana, gummies, vaps, etc to be either picked up or delivered. We don't need any (we stay well stocked because of my pain), but it sure is handy. Thank you Nevada for changing the laws!
 
Francofun said:
Bonjour groupe!

I would have liked my first post to be as a new owner, but I am still awaiting my Clarity. Everything is signed... Covid-19 decided otherwise. I know the car was delivered at the dealer on March 15, the last day before business closure (I am in Quebec - non essential business are closed at least until May 4th). I even already have the custom tuxmat in the basement, delivered in two days by Amazon...

Have you ever seen or heard of a Honda dealer making home delivery of new cars (à la Tesla)? Local laws here date back to the ´70s and require a contract signed at the dealer... I know it does not stop Tesla from operating, but Honda seems more conservative (and probably has all dealers pushing to avoid the move)... I wanted to hear about other jurisdictions, just to dream a little more ;)


Sent from my iPhone using Inside EVs
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Here in Michigan, service departments are open and most are wiling and able to do pickup/dropoff service. Sales, however, are closed and in Michigan, we do have the silly law that says you have to sign documents at the dealership during new car final delivery. That's pretty much specifically and only so dealer finance folks have the opportunity to hard sell you all the profitable add-ons like service contracts, maintenance plans, fabric protection, paint sealants, tire protections, key replacement plans, glass breakage replacement plans, wheel protection plans, theft recovery engraving, all weather protection packages, sun visors, accessories, road service, and whatever else they can think of. I hope that at the end of this we have new legislation to change that, dealers will have to enter the 21st century, admit the Internet exists, and sell cars like every other retail business. That's the way used car purchases have been headed and it's about time. Bummer you have a brand new car waiting, with money in hand, and you can't get delivery because of those old laws.
 
Sandroad said:
I hope that at the end of this we have new legislation to change that, dealers will have to enter the 21st century, admit the Internet exists, and sell cars like every other retail business.
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New legislation that weakens car dealers in Michigan? Surely you jest. Rather than new legislation, perhaps Tesla's continuing lawsuits will finally bring Michigan into the 21st century. Years of Tesla lawsuits have recently made it possible to see a Tesla in a Michigan showroom, but you still have to complete any purchase in another state!
 
In Indiana every dealer of every brand is offering home delivery of new and used cars right now. And several were offering it before we knew anything about Covid. So sales continue here. And then there’s Carvana...which is taking the used car market by storm. Their entire business model is home delivery of used cars and has been since they started operating. Very popular around here I have multiple friends who have purchased a car from them and they loved it. They drop you a car and you get up to a week at home to test drive it, if you want to swap it they’ll bring you another. If you live somewhere they are not allowed to operate they’ll subsidize your plane ticket by up to $200 to fly to one of their vending machines to pick up your car. Yes they have “coin operated” car vending machines that are glass towers full of cars which stand several stories tall. Gimmicky, but they are also something to behold the first time you see one or use one.
 
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insightman said:
New legislation that weakens car dealers in Michigan? Surely you jest. Rather than new legislation, perhaps Tesla's continuing lawsuits will finally bring Michigan into the 21st century. Years of Tesla lawsuits have recently made it possible to see a Tesla in a Michigan showroom, but you still have to complete any purchase in another state!
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Actually, that changed a month or so ago. Tesla will be allowed to use a subsidiary to title the car in Ohio, then allow Michigan delivery. Technically, the car will be second hand, but with the tax credit tapped out, it doesn't really matter anymore.
Also, Tesla is allowed to have service centers in Michigan. They opened one in Holly about a month ago.
 
marshall said:
Here in Washington state, one of the hot spots in the USA, you make an appointment to buy or service your vehicle. The local Hyundai dealer will pick up your vehicle from your home if you need service.
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My Honda dealer offers the same service: I am in Palm Springs, california.
 
css28 said:
Actually, that changed a month or so ago. Tesla will be allowed to use a subsidiary to title the car in Ohio, then allow Michigan delivery. Technically, the car will be second hand, but with the tax credit tapped out, it doesn't really matter anymore.
Also, Tesla is allowed to have service centers in Michigan. They opened one in Holly about a month ago.
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Slight correction: The service center is in Clarkston, at Dixie Hwy and I-75.
 
css28 said:
Slight correction: The service center is in Clarkston, at Dixie Hwy and I-75.
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Thanks for updating me on the fact that Michigan caved to allow Tesla showrooms to arrange purchases and have the cars delivered to their purchasers. The Michigan Attorney General saved some face by requiring the car to be titled in another state (usually Ohio, I suspect). Too bad Quebec's Honda dealer can't deliver a Clarity to @Francofun.

For me that new Michigan Tesla service center is 50 miles away--3 miles further than the Toledo, Ohio, location all Michigan owners previously had to use. My Honda dealer service is less than 4 miles away, but I'd bet a Tesla Service Center knows more about a Tesla than most Honda dealers know about the Honda Clarity PHEV. However, I have no complaints about my dealer service.

I googled Tesla service intervals and in cold-weather Michigan at least a yearly visit is suggested to keep the brakes working and any competent local mechanic should be able to perform that cleaning and lubrication.

> Tesla recommends an air conditioning service every 2 years for Model S,
> every 4 years for Model X and every 6 years for Model 3. Tesla recommends
> cleaning and lubricating all brake calipers every 12 months or 12,500 mi for
> cars in cold weather regions.
 
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