

Tesla CEO Elon Musk
This bill would allow Tesla to sell directly to customers without dealerships









Source: Austin Business Journal

Comments     Threshold


RE: Ummm...
By Motoman on 4/11/2013 1:37:32 PM , Rating: 1
By the same token, if you want to do business in a place, you need to abide by the laws of that place. If you don't agree with those laws, you can choose to not do business there.

I'm not saying the law is right or wrong - I'm saying it's the law.

So open a single dealership and be done with it. It could be on a 1/4" acre lot in the middle of nowhere so it doesn't even cost anything.

RE: Ummm...
By iaco on 4/11/2013 2:05:58 PM , Rating: 5
Or you could try to change ridiculous laws and unnecessary regulations. Of course, Tesla should get the voters on board.

RE: Ummm...
By Motoman on 4/11/2013 4:09:07 PM , Rating: 2
...and in the meantime? You know how long things can drag out in court.

By all means, work to change a law that you think doesn't make sense. Personally I don't think it makes sense either.

But for all the effort it would take to open one token dealership in TX? Just do it, and be able to sell your cars in TX the whole time.

RE: Ummm...
By JediJeb on 4/11/2013 4:37:38 PM , Rating: 2
According to the other post here Tesla can't just open a dealership since they can not be a dealer and a manufacturer.

RE: Ummm...
By othercents on 4/11/2013 4:24:22 PM , Rating: 4
The reason for the restriction of manufactures not owning dealerships was because the manufacturer would have an unfair advantage on price including setting unreasonable purchase costs for dealerships and once they got a monopoly on the selling vehicles they could increase the cost to unreasonable amounts. While this doesn't makes sense for vehicles that are manufactured in low quantities, it does make sense for everyday vehicles.

(h) A person who on June 7, 1995, held both a motor home manufacturer's license and a motor home dealer's license issued under this chapter may:
(1) continue to hold both licenses; and
(2) operate as both a manufacturer and dealer of motor homes but of no other type of vehicle.

Per the Texas Occupations Code 2301.476 there is already an exception for manufactures to also be the dealer for motorhomes however the exception should really state vehicle manufacturers that produce less than X amount of vehicles per year.


RE: Ummm...
By crimson117 on 4/11/2013 2:15:51 PM , Rating: 2

Yeah but the law is not written in stone, which is why this bill is looking to change it...

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RE: Ummm...
By quiksilvr on 4/11/2013 3:18:43 PM , Rating: 3
Giving in to asinine rules just because its "the law" is a very poor way to move society forward.

Tesla is trying to remove a middle man/place that is clearly there just so the state/the workers can collect more baseless taxes/wages and justify their existence.

I say fight the law and give the little guy a chance.

RE: Ummm...
By tng on 4/11/2013 3:53:21 PM , Rating: 2
Are the dealerships owned by Tesla? This just could be a way to cut the cost of a product that has a limited market segment and basically sells itself. Why have a markup for the employees and rent when it can just be dropped off by truck at your door?

People that buy these obviously have the means to travel to see one and it is not like there is a dozen EV dealerships in the area, so why would he want to open one?

