New Jersey is the latest state to ban Tesla's direct-to-customer car sales

24 Mar 2014 • engadget.com

Tesla's direct-to-customer sales model just hit another big roadblock. New Jersey's Motor Vehicle Commission has voted in favor of a rule banning direct car sales, effectively kicking Tesla out of the state as of this April. For those keeping score, this is the EV maker's third such defeat, following similar moves by Arizona and Texas -- while Tesla won a legislative battle to go dealer-free in North Carolina, it appears to be losing the war. Not surprisingly, the company is furious.

I'd be furious to.  I don't always get excited about these "get involved to stop the government from fucking everything up" campaigns... I mean I send a lot of emails about tech issues... but if this gets to Kentucky I will make phone calls, email, write letters, yell at people... this is ridiculous. I'd way rather buy a car at an Apple store like experience than an "average dealership" type experience.  Full disclosure: I own Tesla stock.

Lucky for me I know a great dealership here in Louisville... no managers, no sales reps, no pressure.  I've taken cars for 30 minute test drives (alone) with no hassle at all.  In fact it was the preferred way of doing things.  The 3rd or 4th car I drove (over some sizeable span of time - I'm a picky shopper) I purchased and it's quite likely I'll be a customer for life - as long as I continue to buy used.

It's amazing when the rest of an industry is so bad that one company comes along and does things right and it blows your mind.  Anytime a friend is looking for a car I tell them about the great experience I had - because it's such an unusual happening.