Keeping Tesla Roadsters Alive Is Serious Work

Post by burke » Tue, Aug 27, 2019, 2:48 AM UTC

pvg wrote: post #38

Scoundreller wrote: post #30

Basically the Apple philosophy. On the plus side, it really drives up re-sale values and part-out values when you don't have the manufacturer undercutting you. Source: I parted out my old Macbook and ended up with a pretty good downpayment on my next done. Got new mid-2015 Macbook Air new by parting my mid-2011 and ~CAD$300 by selling the promo "free" Beats headphones.

Tesla threw together of a couple of thousand prototype-ish cars based on an already-uncommon sports car. Apple makes zillions of devices and supports them for years. What's the connection here?

Post by chris11 » Tue, Aug 27, 2019, 2:48 AM UTC

jdnenej wrote: post #27

This is becoming more and more of a problem as everything becomes more complex. I remember when I was a child my dad repaired the power switch on the vacume cleaner by going to the local electrical store and buying the exact same switch. Now every single device has its own custom part and the switch isn't just connecting 2 wires, it's contacting a main board telling it the button has been pressed triggering the power…

Post by TheSpiceIsLife » Tue, Aug 27, 2019, 2:50 AM UTC

kube-system wrote: post #12

ohnocentral wrote: post #2

"There are unique challenges that come with working on these cars. You might have to rebuild a circuit board one day, and fabricate a new hood the next day. Actually, if any body parts are damaged, you'll have to fabricate them. Tesla doesn't sell parts to anyone, so Medlock has taken to fashioning new panels out of carbon fiber himself. " Didn't expect to see circuit board rebuilding until ~2023 (15y is my recollect…

I thought federal law required mass market vehicle manufacturers to make parts available for 10 years? Am I mistaken or did Tesla manufacture these under some low-volume exception?

Post by baroffoos » Tue, Aug 27, 2019, 2:52 AM UTC

chris11 wrote: post #43

jdnenej wrote: post #27

This is becoming more and more of a problem as everything becomes more complex. I remember when I was a child my dad repaired the power switch on the vacume cleaner by going to the local electrical store and buying the exact same switch. Now every single device has its own custom part and the switch isn't just connecting 2 wires, it's contacting a main board telling it the button has been pressed triggering the power…

I've heard Tesla advertising themselves as a simpler car, by comparing the number of moving parts between a Tesla and an ICE car. That should've made part shortages less likely.

Post by TheSpiceIsLife » Tue, Aug 27, 2019, 2:55 AM UTC

jacques_chester wrote: post #35

wmf wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's more like the present; every part they manufacture goes into a new Tesla while owners wait weeks for replacement parts.

This is the key: Tesla's goal is increasing new-car production. Diverting intermediate assemblies into spare parts inventories directly competes with that goal. If Tesla had spare manufacturing capacity this wouldn't be as pressing. As they bring more online it would presumably ease, though with lag while the backlog of demand is drained.