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Comment by robg | Hacker News Reader

This right here why I won’t be buying one anytime soon. From the nightmares I’ve heard about on supply chain issues affecting repairs to the constant concern of on-going quality control, cars should last 8-10 years.

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You better watch out. There are over 1000 recalls in 2021 affecting 35M vehicles according to NHTSA.

For some reason recalls are mostly only news when they're about Tesla. I guess it generates clicks?

https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls/vehicle-safety-recalls-week

So years and years of hype from Tesla about an electric car and self driving revolution etc, all that hype in the media is fine. That was wanted, desired, intended. His constant need for attention all over Twitter including buying the company

But then Tesla supporters cry when they’re singled out for recalls?

It swings both ways

Edit: not to mention the constant lying - sorry, artistic license in marketing - about the abilities of automated vehicles. But calling this a “recall”? Wahhhh.

This also nags at me. The hype cycle was used to drive TSLA — cool, good for them. But absolutely cuts both ways. I’ve looked at buying one a bunch of times. Beautiful car and I love driving. But it’s a depreciating asset and I hate headaches of customer support.

> But it’s a depreciating asset and I hate headaches of customer support.

All cars are depreciating assets.

Are you saying a Tesla depreciates faster than cars in general?

I have the impression that the opposite is true.

No, all cars depreciate. But my happiness is inversely proportional to customer support headaches.

> But then Tesla supporters cry when they’re singled out for recalls?

How about just wanting to be objective and not misleading?

Also, to some degree Tesla did deliver electric car revolution by creating some of the first actually desirable BEVs, eventually forcing major car companies to do the same.

(Nissan Leaf et al sure contributed a lot as well, but that's irrelevant for this discussion.)

> How about just wanting to be objective and not misleading?

Summon and Self-driving not included in that expectation? Not even for people who bought based on the marketing?

Of course it is.

The question is, how does that justify excessive subjectivity and misleading exposure on completely unrelated issues?

at a certain point you have to ask why someone simps so hard for a brand.

Some people can't do anything unless they're part of a tribe.

I'd reckon a lot of sports 'fanatics' don't even like the sport that much, or at least not as much as the crowd they're hanging with, or the 'tribe'.

It's the same for apple fan boys - android is just as good (sometimes better), political fanboys who worship Trump, and ignore the bad. I mean if someone I 'like' verses 'adore' does something shitty - I tend to reverse course on my opinion.

I used to be a big fan of Musk, especially with regards to spacex, but the man's personality has soured me.

People who need to be in a tribe - have a need to have someone tell them how to act/behave I think they may have some psychological trauma that draws them to that, it's the only thing that explains it.

Personally I ask myself often if I'm doing something because I really like it, because it's expected, or others are doing it. I find I then try and do what's not popular especially if it's a better choice anyways. Dead Poet's society is a favorite movie of mine, and the part where they learn about the dangers of conformity always stuck with me, and has become a core value.

My boring Hondas just keep racking up miles with few problems. And the few recalls they’ve had, including ones they told me about, the problem has always been fixed same day.

How does that user experience compare to Tesla repairs?

My experience in getting a Tesla repair vs. getting a Honda recall repair:

Tesla: made an appointment on the app at a time that worked for me (about a week out). Drove in, parked the car, walked away in under 5 minutes. App notifies me I've got a $100 per ride Uber credit to get back to work/home. Repair is completed in about 5 hours, I get a call and notification that the work is done.

Honda: airbag recall - the dealership can't tell me when it'll be finished, offers to buy my car because "it's not safe anymore anyways", high pressure sales tactics while I wait to drop off / sign in. Repair takes two days, no loaner vehicle or drop-off shuttle. Three weeks after I pick up my car the airbag light starts flashing intermittently. I bring the car back, they tell me it'll be $2300 to "investigate" and could take a few days. If they find it was due to the recall repair work I might not be charged, but if there's any hint it was something else I'll need to pay for that repair (in addition to the investigation).

The user experience of not dying is definitely superior.

https://www.manufacturing.net/automotive/news/13120295/honda...

https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/05/us/honda-airbag-exploded-kill...

Last one I heard about that WASN'T Tesla was that airbag one that affected every single vehicle ever made, apparently.

It’s partly because Musk is very public. What you’re saying about this HN headline of a government report is fair, but if Musk was a boring CEO, this wouldn’t get any attention/derision from crowds. Is the double edged sword of no advertising and seeking exposure via the press

I agree, you should get the best EV ever, Porsche Taycan. They only had, checks notes, 10 recalls so far in 2022 for things like suspension three times, brakes, lights, full power loss, dead console, no cameras, flickering cameras, dead seat controls, seat belts twice!

for some perspective, Toyota is widely regarded as being among the most reliable car brands, but nonetheless the Prius I owned for over a decade was subject to numerous recalls

I still consider Toyota to be a high-quality, trustworthy brand

every car company has recalls

Toyota had 9 recalls in 2022, for reference.

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