Reusing and recycling accessories

[AKrietzer]

I asked them about options ordered at the time of buying the Slate. They will build it with the options you choose at an additional cost. That would be a way of not having to pay for two sets of wheels and tires, or extra bumpers, etc. If you buy them later, then it would be up to you what you want to do with the extra parts. An example, if you want the different color interior, have them install it! Who wants to reupholster the truck themselves? Here is the message they sent me:

 

[KevinRS]

My understanding was they would contract the installation of accessories if you wanted them installed, haven't seen anything to indicate they would do it at the production facility. Something like wheels and tires, bumpers, though, would be trivially easy to just put on different ones at the factory, Most of the items that would be swapped out would probably be added near the end of assembly. Some of the accessories are purely add-ons, where you aren't removing a part that becomes spare.

 

[E90400K]

I asked them about options ordered at the time of buying the Slate. They will build it with the options you choose at an additional cost. That would be a way of not having to pay for two sets of wheels and tires, or extra bumpers, etc. If you buy them later, then it would be up to you what you want to do with the extra parts. An example, if you want the different color interior, have them install it! Who wants to reupholster the truck themselves? Here is the message they sent me:

I still don't think this means they install the different parts during the assembly line process. It most likely means they have an adjunct facility where the parts are removed and swapped out. At an extra cost. For example, your truck comes off the assembly line with steel wheels and the aluminum wheels are swapped out once the truck has finished production.

 

[Doctors Do Little]

I still don't think this means they install the different parts during the assembly line process. It most likely means they have an adjunct facility where the parts are removed and swapped out. At an extra cost. For example, your truck comes off the assembly line with steel wheels and the aluminum wheels are swapped out once the truck has finished production.

I am really interested in how they work that out, as it will make them much efficient at making the trucks, but I guess would slow down how fast you get YOUR truck (with upgraded/added gear).

 

[Dorbiman]

I am really interested in how they work that out, as it will make them much efficient at making the trucks, but I guess would slow down how fast you get YOUR truck (with upgraded/added gear).

I'm more than happy getting it all flat packed in the bed for delivery and doing it myself. If given the option to reduce cost, that's definitely the route I'd take for just about everything.

 

[Doctors Do Little]

I'm more than happy getting it all flat packed in the bed for delivery and doing it myself. If given the option to reduce cost, that's definitely the route I'd take for just about everything.

I'm with you on about half of what I'd want. I'm not interested in doing the lift kit, messing with alignment, mounting new tires, bumper, etc at home.

However, bolting on the open air rear kit? No sweat.

Futzing around with several of the interior upgrades? Also no sweat. My dad was a mechanic, and I'm YouTube mechanic-certified, at the least.

 

[AZFox]

I still don't think this means they install the different parts during the assembly line process. It most likely means they have an adjunct facility where the parts are removed and swapped out. At an extra cost. For example, your truck comes off the assembly line with steel wheels and the aluminum wheels are swapped out once the truck has finished production.

I think upgrades will happen locally near you, not in Warsaw, IN.

 

[Doctors Do Little]

I think upgrades will happen locally near you, not in Warsaw, IN.

Given Bezos' involvement, hopefully not at a friendly neighborhood Walmart Automotive facility.

 

[AZFox]

I thought of a possible solution for wheels that I'll call "Reusable Transit Wheels".

Transit Wheels get installed at the factory and used just for transit. Once your shiny new wheels are installed -- it doesn't matter which ones they are -- the Transit Wheels go back to Warsaw for re-use.

If a third party is involved, the third party can install your selected wheels and tires and send the Transit Wheels back to Warsaw.

If the Truck goes direct-to-consumer, with no third party, the new wheels and tires can arrive in the Truck's bed. Use shipping labels or drop-off instructions for returning the Transit Wheels to Warsaw.

No recycling of new wheels would be necessary.

 

[Doctors Do Little]

I thought of a possible solution for wheels that I'll call "Reusable Transit Wheels".

Transit Wheels get installed at the factory and used just for transit. Once your shiny new wheels are installed -- it doesn't matter which ones they are -- the Transit Wheels go back to Warsaw for re-use.

If a third party is involved, the third party can install your selected wheels and tires and send the Transit Wheels back to Warsaw.

If the Truck goes direct-to-consumer, with no third party, the new wheels and tires can arrive in the Truck's bed. Use shipping labels or drop-off instructions for returning the Transit Wheels to Warsaw.

No recycling of new wheels would be necessary.

Still a bit wonky. Would prefer that all of those shenanigans happen within 10 miles of Warsaw mother ship to avoid the shipping of things back.

 

[AZFox]

Still a bit wonky. Would prefer that all of those shenanigans happen within 10 miles of Warsaw mother ship to avoid the shipping of things back.

Seems like you're expecting custom ordering.

I don't think that'll be the way things will work.

And it's by design, to keep things more simple.

I expect mods to happen in the Last Mile, either by a third party or a direct-to-customer customer.

 

[Doctors Do Little]

Seems like you're expecting custom ordering.

I don't think that'll be the way things will work.

And it's by design, to keep things more simple.

I expect mods to happen in the Last Mile, either by a third party or a direct-to-customer customer.

A girl can dream, right?

 

[E90400K]

Seems like you're expecting custom ordering.

I don't think that'll be the way things will work.

And it's by design, to keep things more simple.

I expect mods to happen in the Last Mile, either by a third party or a direct-to-customer customer.

For the Ford Bronco, many factory optional accessories are installed by Ford in an on-campus building in the Michigan Assembly Plant (MAP). I would think Slate would do the same thing.

But as I said in an earlier post, modern automotive assembly plants have computer aided assembly where the correct trim-specific/order-specific parts are delivered to the appropriate assembly station on the assembly line based on the VIN. There is really no extra cost to the assembly process because parts are parts when it comes to the assembly process. Bolting on different bumpers and wheels and interior trim parts really shouldn't add to the cost of assembly. Moving the change of parts by specific order content post assembly just moves the (increase in) cost to the customer and inefficiently IMO.

 

[Dorbiman]

For the Ford Bronco, many factory optional accessories are installed by Ford in an on-campus building in the Michigan Assembly Plant (MAP). I would think Slate would do the same thing.

But as I said in an earlier post, modern automotive assembly plants have computer aided assembly where the correct trim-specific/order-specific parts are delivered to the appropriate assembly station on the assembly line based on the VIN. There is really no extra cost to the assembly process because parts are parts when it comes to the assembly process. Bolting on different bumpers and wheels and interior trim parts really shouldn't add to the cost of assembly. Moving the change of parts by specific order content post assembly just moves the (increase in) cost to the customer and inefficiently IMO.

You're definitely right, but I'd like that add that the one downside to lots of factory installed options is the variance in supplier deliveries. You have to allocate well in advance how many of a given part you will need based on projections made months in advance. I'm intimately familiar with this at a large vehicle manufacturing plant. There are times when a shipment of Option A is delayed for sometimes weeks on end.

All of this to say that Slate's process should alleviate that pain point. If you make one truck, you can crank them out, especially when you have backup suppliers for the one standard part.

So, they can ship you the Blank Slate and have the accessories you optioned show up a few weeks later. It doesn't have to line up at exactly the right time.

 

[Doctors Do Little]

You're definitely right, but I'd like that add that the one downside to lots of factory installed options is the variance in supplier deliveries. You have to allocate well in advance how many of a given part you will need based on projections made months in advance. I'm intimately familiar with this at a large vehicle manufacturing plant. There are times when a shipment of Option A is delayed for sometimes weeks on end.

All of this to say that Slate's process should alleviate that pain point. If you make one truck, you can crank them out, especially when you have backup suppliers for the one standard part.

So, they can ship you the Blank Slate and have the accessories you optioned show up a few weeks later. It doesn't have to line up at exactly the right time.

True...for things that I want to bolt on myself. But, I don't want extra tires laying around or remove a factory bumper for a better one, etc. That's terribly inefficient for the end-consumer. I know you are implying that the "later" part could be going to the 3rd party near by me to install, but are they going to take my street tires back if I've driven then 1K miles waiting for my (needless) AT tires and spare?

There has to be a happy medium. Near to them = fundamental replacement things. Near to me = easy to add on (vs replace) things?