TESLA STORE: https://www.teslamotors.com/findus/location/store/rosspark

Buying one? Use my referral link for Free Supercharging: http://ts.la/matt327

Local owners/enthusiasts are encouraged to join our CLUB page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TeslaPittsburgh/

Please note: We are not specifically authorized, sponsored by, or otherwise directly associated with Tesla Motors and make no claims to be so.

Friday, May 30, 2014

DELIVERY DAY!

You didn't really think I would spend today writing a blog post when I had a fully charged Tesla to play AND a 9 hour workday, did you??

Watch this space-- I will get it updated with details.   For now, suffice it to say it was a VERY good day.  My initial impressions were nearly identical to another bloggers-- READ HIS HERE.

Read starting at Part 1 of our Journey to Tesla.

Thursday, May 29, 2014

Part 11: Waiting and Sourcing Parts

"Sourcing Parts" they say...  Every time I checked the Tesla website-- for weeks-- all I saw was that they were "sourcing parts".  Really??  I didn't think there were that many parts to source.  Wasn't that the point?  Yes, yes...  I know.  It's a part of the newly birthed tradition of the Tesla "waiting period".    As was recently written to me (shout out to "Ugliest1", which has win an award for the most self-deprecating username ever) I'm "taking owners nostalgically back to that near-unbearable 'waiting period' feeling between car purchase and delivery".
So sit down kiddies and let Grandpa Matt tell you about the days when we had to WAIT for our Teslas to be delivered.   Back when they were actually dragged on open air-gravel-kicking trailers all over the country-- not 3D printed in your basement gameroom.

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Part 10: Make Up S

FINALLY.   It had been just over 8 years since we'd last brought a new car home-- and that one was used and 2 years old at the time!  We'd delayed gratification for a long time and put up with a lot of repairs and hassles and now... NOW we were making a big plunge into a relatively unknown part of the automotive experience.
Like many things with Tesla, buying the car is not your usual experience.  This one was quite strange-- especially for used car shoppers like us!

Part 9: GO! or No Go?

After a long cold Winter was mostly over-- I say mostly because PITTSBURGH.   Anyway, Spring was teasing us from across the calendar and we had some faint hopes of seeing sunshine when Tesla dropped another local test drive event on the calendar on short notice.
We'd already driven the cars... and done the math...  but decided we'd stop by and check out the scene and maybe they'd bring some interesting news.  We'd still NEVER seen a grey car in person.  Surely there was no harm in just... LOOKING, right?

Part 8: Winter of Discontent

Having once again committed ourselves to delayed gratification and having skipped two solid chances to get, essentially the same car, you'd think we would be done with Tesla for a while.  Unlike other deferred purchases, the Tesla stubbornly lingered at the forefront of our plans.   The first order was a gut check but the second near purchase was a screaming wake up call.
Meanwhile, the Tesla promises were starting to come true... 

Part 7: The Curse

Ever wanted to cast a spell on someone?  A curse even?   Do the ends sometimes justify the means?  I'm pretty sure that Jake, in his efforts to expand Tesla ownership in Pittsburgh, put a curse on me.   Oh-- he dressed it up to be sure... but a curse is still a curse!  
And the curse is STILL working even though our delivery is getting close!

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Part 6: To Boldly Go Whe-- Oh, Nevermind.

In October, Tesla conveniently scheduled a Test Drive Event in the Pittsburgh area.  In fact, they scheduled one exit down the highway from us.  Right when we were getting comfortable with the idea of buying a Tesla.  On a weekend we didn't have other plans for.
It's almost like they KNEW we were close...   but closing the deal?  That was still pretty much up in the air.  After all, I still a number of concerns, remember?

Monday, May 26, 2014

Part 5: The New Math

As the weather turned cooler and the leaves started to turn, we faced the looming Winter with a lot on our minds.  Having vetted the Tesla idea as thoroughly as we could (and better than most could, thanks to Jake), there remained just a few barriers left between us and ownership.  Two, to be exact.

They were not small ones.

Friday, May 23, 2014

Part 4: This Time It's Personal

Back home again from our Virginia trip with a renewed sense of zeal, I plunged into Tesla research. Having seen the cars on the street, having explored one in a gallery, having read all there was to read about them, I now needed to ride in one and talk to an owner. I ran a few searches and found an owner nearby... almost too close/too good to be true. A couple miles away.  Was I about to make a friend or freak out a local?

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Part 3: Like a Virginian

Having just seen my first Model S' on the streets of Chicago, a trip to Virginia was presenting a chance to see one up close... if I had the time to spare.

After a day or two in Virginia on a whirlwind wedding weekend trip (staying near Dulles Airport), I gingerly admitted my desire to -- if there was extra time, of course-- try and see one of these "Teslas".  I further tried to sell the idea of making time for it by pointing out that there was a Lego store in the same mall-- We have a big Lego presence in our household (Bricksburgh.com).  But when and how?

Monday, May 19, 2014

Part 2: S Gets Real in Chicago

Last time I wrote of first discovering that the Model S actually existed, but was it a "REAL" car?  I was about to find out.
Our vacation road trip to Chicago was awesome. The kids enjoyed the sights and sounds a big city and we stayed right in the downtown area so we did a lot of walking to restaurants and such. On the second night we were there, I found my "Moby Dick"...

Saturday, May 17, 2014

Part 1: In the Beginning...

I've been aware of Tesla for years now. Like many of you, the roadster caught my eye with its unique approach to renovating a Lotus Elise. I also winced during the its infamous stint on Top Gear! The fact that the roadster had a usable range was intriguing but also irrelevant. I'd already committed myself to marriage, fatherhood, and a life of of backseats.  So I forgot about Tesla... UNTIL...

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Cranberry Twp Supercharger Ribbon Cutting

Cranberry's Supercharger has been up and running for a while now--- but today was the official "Grand Opening" and ribbon cutting ceremony.
Jake and I went and spent the morning with the good folks of the Tesla community.  Click through for more pics and video!

Monday, May 12, 2014

Welcome!

Greetings Everyone!
We're just starting up this blog and will do proper introductions soon.   In fact, I have a LONG introduction that I'll be breaking up into a series of posts over the next few weeks that will really let you know how I got here.  My cohort Jake, aka "OUTAGAS", will have to do his own intro and will no doubt ridicule how long mine is.  That's okay... I get it.  He has less time to write blog posts because he's busy KEEPING HIS CAR CLEAN.

The general plan is to keep this a fun read with lots of information about our experiences with Tesla and focus on local issues related to Pittsburgh and the surrounding region.   We absolutely welcome comments/questions and urge you to +1 or Follow/Subscribe as you see fit.

Come on along!   And let's all enjoy the drive!