Electric Records - But Not Good Ones...

Tesla's financial woes have compounded, and the situation is further complicated by reported reliability issues... What implications could this have on the company's future?

UPDATE: Tesla's head of battery engineering, Jon Wagner, recently left the company, and Tesla also unveiled its highly anticipated semi truck and a new roadster.

Tesla, steady on a mission to become the best electric car company ever, recently posted a record-breaking $671 million Q3 loss. This time last year, the company recorded a $22 million net profit. OUCH...

According to the company, ramping up production of the Model 3 caused the staggering profit setback. Tesla now says they’ll produce 5,000 Model 3’s a week by the first quarter of 2018. However, I have my doubts... And also, I feel Tesla’s financial woes can be attributed to other factors and may just be ramping up themselves. 

The Model 3 is supposed to be
affordable for the masses.
But is it truly?

For example, the Model 3 is SUPPOSED to start at $35,000. But this is for the short range battery, good for roughly 220 miles. The long range battery model (good for 310 miles) will likely be the one that’s built most often, and that automatically tacks $9,000 onto the base price, taking it to $44,000. And that’s before you factor in other available options (any paint color other than black cost $1,000) and Tesla’s “production bottlenecks” they’ve admitted to facing. All of a sudden, the Model 3 isn’t sounding quite as accessible to the masses as originally planned...

ON TOP OF ALL THAT, the Model X has been plagued with quality issues, bringing the company’s production procedures further into question. All of this combined with Tesla’s haphazard leadership, firing of 700 employees, and constant fund borrowing makes for a messy situation.

Any Way Forward?

Is there potentially a way out for Tesla? I feel it’s to early to say if this is a sign of worse things to come, such as the brand shutting down. As of now, Tesla still has plans to produce a “Model Y” small SUV in 2019 or 2020. But a good start will be getting the Model 3 produced in sufficient enough numbers, followed by focusing on improving the quality of current products like the Model X. An affordable Tesla sounds like a great idea, but only if it’s executed well. 

In the meantime, someone get Tesla an XL band-aid and a financial advisor... PLEASE.

Copyright © 2017 Adam's Autos, All Rights Reserved.

Did You Know Facts - Hudson Hornet, Disney Pixar's Cars

Car Fun Fact: The Hudson Hornet classic car I shared a few weeks ago is actually one of the main characters in Disney's Cars movies - Doc Hudson!

Link to Hudson Hornet post: http://www.adamsautos.org/2017/10/on-this-edition-of-unicorn-rides-we.html?m=1

Copyright © 2017 Adam's Autos, All Rights Reserved.

Consumer Reports Reliablity Rankings

Consumer Reports is a non-profit organization that compiles data on a variety of consumer products, including cars.

ICYMI: Consumer Reports recently rated the most reliable and unreliable car brands. Some data is missing for some, such as Mitsubishi, I’d assume because they don’t sell new cars in large enough numbers. 

In the top 5 are Toyota, Lexus, Kia, Audi, and BMW, with the Kia Niro hybrid being the most reliable new car rated. At the bottom is Cadillac, with the Escalade now being among the least reliable new cars you can get.

BMW and Kia in the top 5 is quite interesting I say. It's a new day! Follow the link for other brand ratings.

Link: https://www.consumerreports.org/car-reliability-owner-satisfaction/car-brands-reliability-how-they-stack-up/

Oil Change Due... When Again?

So apparently my car was due for an oil change yesterday... 33 years from now haha.

But seriously, I still have another 150 miles to go before the recommended oil change mileage. And even then, I'll have over 40 something percent of my oil life left. My rule of thumb is that I generally don't change my oil until that percentage is in teens or until I'm about to extensively travel.

Given that I only average roughly 3,000-4,000 miles a year on my car right now, your conditions may vary on when you need to change your oil of course. I recommend knowing your driving patterns, your car, and consulting your owner's manual for recommended changing intervals for fluids.

Copyright © 2017 Adam's Autos, All Rights Reserved.

Talent Shoutout!

Ran into this brotha at SEMA '17, and he's got skill! He's a self-employed artist and will draw your favorite car for you. Follow his Instagram and check out his work, @hitchensartwork