I've stopped defending the Slate

[adele]

Ummm no. Want, not need. They are not the same. Please don't conflate the two.

Me: I want to buy them but I don't want you to have to buy them. I want us both to have a choice....you know, we make, Slate builds.

b.

I wasn't really talking about you or anyone who's actually getting a Slate. I'm talking about all the haters in the comments on Slate media. People who bitch and moan about a truck they were never going to buy anyway.

 

[Slatester89]

I wasn't really talking about you or anyone who's actually getting a Slate. I'm talking about all the haters in the comments on Slate media. People who bitch and moan about a truck they were never going to buy anyway.

Oh...eff them. You are correct, they are not buyers.

b.

 

[atx_ev]

Too many people feel like they need a rolling Swiss Army knife. This is why there were homes with a truck and car. Trucks were two door, lacked a good deal of creature comforts. Cars were more often four doors, certainly could carry more than a bench front seat in a truck. Now you have minivans/SUVs/etc that cross over all these uses.

My Jeep came with the towing package, I rarely have needed it. I have 4x4, rarely have needed it. Was it cool to have? Sure. With the cost? I had to get it with the Jeep, that’s how it was on the floor — told them I didn’t want it and they took it off the price. So much bloat on vehicles. Yeah, my standards may be different but so are my needs. If people are honest with themselves they know what vehicles they should get and what options are useful for them.

Interestingly accepting these things on the slate has opened my eyes on other cars. Before I would buy higher trims to get the one thing I wanted. I could somewhat justify it by, well I want memory seats and for 5k i get a bunch of other nice to haves.

Now when Im cross shopping Im always looking at the base model. In the used car market, many of the bells and whistles completely lose their value compared to a based model. A bit like a swimming pool basically adds no value to a house.

 

[D’Roc]

I just read the Jalopnik article on Slate about RepairPals and someone in the comments says that buying a Leaf and cutting the top off is still a better EV. Sometimes these folks put a smile on my face. 😄

Nissan LEAF pickup conversion? Looks like it’s been done before.

https://www.greencarreports.com/new...-leaf-electric-pickup-truck-for-shop-use-only

 

[SparkYellow]

Some of us appreciate Slate 100%, some 95%, and others to lesser degrees. If we decide to buy it, we are going to make it work.

As this will be my first EV, truck, and brand new make-model, I am 100% in. Folks coming from different ownership backgrounds certainly have different expectations. Someone may not like the lack of features but totally dig the low-maintenance aspect. Someone might get it simply because of the price.

It is not lightening bolt love at first sight with 100% compatibility and Titanic chemistry for everyone. 😅

 

[whasupjohn]

Nissan LEAF pickup conversion?

Did you just dump your photo album onto the site?

 

[D’Roc]

Did you just dump your photo album onto the site?

The one time I didn’t preview before posting. 🤣 For those that caught a glimpse before I edited, you saw pics of my 8 year old GE dishwasher needing repairs for a THIRD time. 🙂

 

[Frozen North]

Nissan LEAF pickup conversion? Looks like it’s been done before.

https://www.greencarreports.com/new...-leaf-electric-pickup-truck-for-shop-use-only

There was a company out of PA (I think) that made pick-up kits for the Jettas 10 or 15 years ago too. I've seen one I was told Local Motors converted, and showed at SEMA. Pearl white 2006 1.8T with a manual and a brown leather interior. I believe it sold on Marketplace a few years ago for around 10k. I was Really tempted!
And a young lady on youtube did that to a model 3 as well. Neat video.
Not a bad way to save a totalled car.

 

[ElectricShitbox]

There was a company out of PA I think that made pick-up kits for the Jettas 10 or 15 years ago too. I've seen one they used at SEMA I think. Pearl white Diesel with a manual and a brown leather interior. I believe it sold on Marketplace a few years ago for about 12k. I was Really tempted!
Some youtuber did that to a model 3 as well.
Not a bad way to save a totalled car.

https://www.smythkitcars.com/

 

[Frozen North]

https://www.smythkitcars.com/

Thanks for that link. I never looked him up.
Also...Holy crap that 300/Charger ute is so freakin cool.
A hellcat AWD 300 smythkit ute is now on my powerball must have list😃

 

[Johnologue]

I wasn't really talking about you or anyone who's actually getting a Slate. I'm talking about all the haters in the comments on Slate media. People who bitch and moan about a truck they were never going to buy anyway.

The people who say they hate everything about the Slate, and it needs to cost $10,000 less so they can...not buy the car they don't want in the first place!

Either that, or they're actually spot-on for "it should cost $15,000" but haven't realized it's been 22 years since 2004.

It's mostly that + hundreds of randos going
"it needs gas"
"it needs a 4-cylinder"
"EV bad"
"it needs a petrol engine" (who's this one British guy to tell Americans what to put in their trucks?)

 

[Freyar]

The people who say they hate everything about the Slate, and it needs to cost $10,000 less so they can...not buy the car they don't want in the first place!

Either that, or they're actually spot-on for "it should cost $15,000" but haven't realized it's been 22 years since 2004.

It's mostly that + hundreds of randos going
"it needs gas"
"it needs a 4-cylinder"
"EV bad"
"it needs a petrol engine" (who's this one British guy to tell Americans what to put in their trucks?)

Man, inflation sucks. Mini in 2014, at ~$18k, turns into $25.4 this year.

 

[Ronnie]

You miss the point, I think.

We can love the slate and criticize its short comings too. Those things are not mutually exclusive. Plus, the criticisms indicate where Slate can improve/adapt else it becomes extinct.

If you felt the need to defend, then perhaps you saw some legitimacy in those criticism.

I have criticized Slate but I have also defended it. My defense has been against stupid and false criticisms. I will continue to do so. My criticisms have been toward the lack of basic things that should be in any striped down car/truck in 2027: a radio, power windows and power mirrors. This is 2027...no one should have to roll down a window to adjust a mirror. No one should have to have a second person adjust a side mirror so the driver can safely drive. No one should have to jump thru their a$$ to configure a soundsystem so they can hear music, news, weather, BS-talkradio.

Despite my criticisms, I'm all in. The only thing that will stop me from giving Slate my bags of money in the late Spring is if the first buyers report that it is a rolling POS.

b.

I don't want a radio, power windows, or power mirrors. I am glad they are not wasting my money by putting in things I do not want or use.

 

[E90400K]

The only defending of Slate I have to do is to my wife. And to myself just to rationalize that this business endeavor that I have chosen to be a part of is actually going to work out and sustain itself. I do not think Slate Auto has done a good job in the past few weeks promoting its viability in the market. Since the 7/24 window closing, I would be nice to know how many reservations translated into $300 pre-orders. The recent add to the site that lets pre-order holders move their delivery date up to December 2026 is not confidence inspiring.

 

[Freyar]

The recent add to the site that lets pre-order holders move their delivery date up to December 2026 is not confidence inspiring.

Assuming that it's not just communicating preference to Slate.