Dear Slate - you need to show these things before I'll buy

[RetiredOnPaper]

$$$ It's all about the $$$. Price out the door with std and extended battery. Price of accessories. None of which will be known until production starts. (I believe that is what is known as a fact of life.) Exact specs of the dash mounts so that 3D printed mounts for radios, speakers, etc. can be to +/- 1mm or less. So after market installs look pro and not hacks. Also might need to wait to production.
The hard part will be waiting a year to see where we are.

 

[Doctors Do Little]

Not that difficult, apparently.
I did not test drive the last 4 trucks I bought new over last 25 years , but I did sit in 2 of them.
My wife did test drive her new Subaru, but being honest, that was a ploy on my part to get her more involved in the decision updating from her 9 yo 2016 Pilot bought new sight unseen.
Normally, I wouldn’t buy a used vehicle without test drive and close inspection, but I did last year as it was a low mileage vehicle from my neighbor. Sold it to a guy that didn’t test drive either.
Otherwise, I’m currently awaiting delivery of my new $60k tractor. Dealer had no models in stock locally, a factory order. Come to think on it, never drove or saw any of my previous new tractors, but they were significantly cheaper too. I did test drive the used one I bought.
I don’t expect to even see a real Slate live before getting mine.

I buy 1-2 vehicles every year (I have 6 drivers), and I don't test drive any of them. They arrive at my house and I do a "confirmation drive" and that's that.

I don't miss the nonsense at the stealerships. In fact, the last 2 vehicles I never even spoke with the sales folks on the phone. All text!

(Admittedly, I usually buy CPO or still in warranty used vehicles that are very well tested elsewhere, so I know what I should be getting).

Amazon has ruined me.

 

[Zorba]

Yea, I'd just as soon buy via email rather than having to talk to some stealership idiot. I've walked out of more dealerships in disgust than I can remember. Most of them I had notified in advance that I would walk out if they started their games. I could tell they didn't believe me and were shocked when I actually did! Then there was the sales manager who started telling me about his problems. That didn't end well for him...