New Starter Packs from Slate

[bayouhaul]

They straight up borrowed the tail lights too

I am digging this look

 

[pauly]

I am digging this look

I hope that's an option in the future

 

[RevMS]

I am digging this look

Thinking that the taillight bezel is just a 3D printed part. That design has me envisioning something like fins on late 50's early 60's cars.

 

[Moe]

I noticed that and that price doesn't include the installation of everything anything in those starter packs…

Slate advertises the price of the vehicle because they know that.

Slate advertises destination fee to a delivery center because it’s the same $1,450.

Slate doesn’t advertise the taxes/fees because everyone’s are unique.

Slate doesn’t advertise vehicle shipping to home because everyone’s is unique.

Slate advertises the price of the accessories because they know that.

Slate doesn’t advertise accessory shipping because everyone’s is unique.

Slate doesn’t advertise accessory sales tax because everyone’s is unique.

Slate doesn’t advertise installation costs because they don’t do installations

and costs will vary widely, dependent on local cost of living/labor rates.

I don’t believe it is misleading to those who understand this.
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[pauly]

Slate advertises the price of the vehicle because they know that.

Slate advertises destination fee to a delivery center because it’s the same $1,450.

Slate doesn’t advertise the taxes/fees because everyone’s are unique.

Slate doesn’t advertise vehicle shipping to home because everyone’s is unique.

Slate advertises the price of the accessories because they know that.

Slate doesn’t advertise accessory shipping because everyone’s is unique.

Slate doesn’t advertise accessory sales tax because everyone’s is unique.

Slate doesn’t advertise installation costs because they don’t do installations

and costs will vary widely, dependent on local cost of living/labor rates.

I don’t believe it is misleading to those who understand this.
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Nowhere on their website does slate inform the consumer that installation is not included. It IS misleading and confusing to the average buyer as most vehicles come with everything installed. It seems the SUV kit comes installed but few other things do. Furthermore nowhere on their website does it inform the consumer that they have to install the purchased items themselves or where to get them installed and that installation in in fact a seletste charge.its SUPER misleading to the average buyer. We might know but it should be spelled out CLEARLY on their website and the payment calculator as well as shipping for those parts if needed. Its misleading and shady in my option.

Pick out one of the advertised starter packs. None of them include the installation or shipping in that advertised price

 

[Moe]

To clarify, the fastback and squareback SUVs are purpose built variants. Slate doesn’t build a Blank Slate then tear it apart to install the SUV kit then send you the left over parts. They are not the same as you or someone you pay installing an SUV kit on a Blank Slate and having the parts to convert it back.

 

[Freyar]

We have had so many back-and-forth conversations about whether or not installation is included at the factory for X, Y, Z that it clearly is a point of confusion for customers.

 

[pauly]

To clarify, the fastback and squareback SUVs are purpose built variants. Slate doesn’t build a Blank Slate then tear it apart to install the SUV kit then send you the left over parts. They are not the same as you or someone you pay installing an SUV kit on a Blank Slate and having the parts to convert it back.

Is labor for installation of the SUV conversions included in the advertised price? Where does it state that it does or doesn't? I've watched several videos with Slate reps stating that every Slate is produced as a truck. I'm just pointing out that if these things are unclear to many of us who are clearly kind of obsessed with the Slate then its VERY unclear to the average buyer. As a new company I'm trying to clock their integrity as any smart consumer should. Its not an attack on Slate but should be seen as valid feedback that should be addressed. We wouldn't be discussing ANY of these results issues if they were clear on the official website. Hopefully someone from Slate reads these and corrects it. Much love to Slate.

 

[Kopsis]

Where does it state that it does or doesn't?

You're not wrong. For the body style options Slate says "Get your [insert body style here] straight from the factory". You're supposed to interpret that as "installation included" (as confirmed by Slate support reps). There's no reason why they couldn't just say "price includes factory installation" in the description.

Likewise they could put a banner in the Maker that says "prices do not include professional installation or shipping unless otherwise stated in the description." I get not being able to provide installation or shipping prices at this time, but there would be no harm in being really up-front about that.

 

[Moe]

A simple footer on every wrap, decal, or accessory page:

Price does not include sales tax, shipping, or installation.

 

[danielt1263]

A simple footer on every wrap, decal, or accessory page:

Price does not include sales tax, shipping, or installation.

There is literally online store that includes such a phrase on every product page. Most won't even give you that information until it comes time to purchase.

 

[cadblu]

Agreed that Slate hasn’t done a good job explaining the whole SUV installation process, and in fact they have contradicted themselves a number of times. It now appears that you can receive the square back or fast back variants direct from the factory, installation included at the prices shown in the maker.

But now let’s direct attention to the repair pal route, those who wish to do the conversion after delivery by an in network Repair Pal site. I’ve seen references that work will be handled at the shop’s hourly rate, which is fine. But this SUV conversion needs to be done as a standard job at a standard book rate, say 3 hours. Don’t want the shop coming back to say, well it took us 4.5 hours, sorry, $185 per hour, that will be $832.50 + tax …. when the book rate should be $555. Slate needs to setup work standards and book rates with their network shops.

 

[KevinRS]

Agreed that Slate hasn’t done a good job explaining the whole SUV installation process, and in fact they have contradicted themselves a number of times. It now appears that you can receive the square back or fast back variants direct from the factory, installation included at the prices shown in the maker.

But now let’s direct attention to the repair pal route, those who wish to do the conversion after delivery by an in network Repair Pal site. I’ve seen references that work will be handled at the shop’s hourly rate, which is fine. But this SUV conversion needs to be done as a standard job at a standard book rate, say 3 hours. Don’t want the shop coming back to say, well it took us 4.5 hours, sorry, $185 per hour, that will be $832.50 + tax …. when the book rate should be $555. Slate needs to setup work standards and book rates with their network shops.

I'm pretty sure installs will be book rates, many shops work book rates anyway, so they can quote you a price and not have it different at the end. Those book rates are probably still being worked on/negotiated, because they need a rate for every accessory install, possible reduced rates for combined installs where it takes less time to do 2 together than separately, and rates for basically all possible repairs.

 

[Slatester89]

We have had so many back-and-forth conversations about whether or not installation is included at the factory for X, Y, Z that it clearly is a point of confusion for customers.

That's because no matter how many time they read the same thing, they don't "comprehend". Slate has never told us that the accessory prices include installation and shipping. In fact, if asked via phone, chat, or email, they say "No, the price shown is for the accessory only...except for the SUV kit".

The SUV kit prices include installation. No other accessory/option prices include installation or shipping.

Slate has not given us a price for the SUV kits if we want to upgrade our blank Slate to an SUV. That's a serious bad on their part. It may be the price shown. It may be the price shown plus shipping. It may be something else and lower, which is what I suspect. If they are not installing it, then the price should be lower than the current website price...plus shipping.

Just my 2 cents.

b.

 

[Moe]

The SUV kit prices include installation.

To put a finer point on that, Slate currently does not offer SUV kits for sale.

They offer turnkey SUV variants of the Blank Slate with SUV parts installed in lieu of or in addition to the truck parts. The labor to install them is part of the cost of building these variants.

When they do offer “Kits” to upgrade existing trucks as an accessory, the list price MAY be the $5,000 and $7,000 deltas of the turnkey SUVs over the Blank Slate truck, not including shipping.

FWIW, I sent Slate an email suggesting that on every wrap, decal, or accessory web page they add a simple footer stating, “Price does not include sales tax, shipping, or installation.”
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