But Musk later changed his mind, reportedly donating $45 million a month of his money to the pro-Trump political action committee American PAC.

`Nuff said. CEOs are often Republican, but to be this outspokenly political is normally a bad thing for CEOs like Musk. Media company heads (and Twitter/X is a media company) are supposed to at least pretend to be neutral.

And catering to the far-right seems like a bad idea if your company makes EVs. But what do I know?

  • @dragontamerOPM
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    5 months ago

    Tesla sales are down dude, despite Tesla offering the lowest prices, cheapest deals and best financing in years.

    Lower prices, fewer sales despite EV market growing (more EVs were sold this year than ever before, despite Tesla losing sales numbers). The used market for Tesla is collapsing, especially as Hertz sells thousands of vehicles at far below market price trying to recoup whatever they can from the auction market.

    • @[email protected]
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      15 months ago

      i don’t doubt that sales are down; i’m trying to understand how they’re still so coveted all over social media.

      • @dragontamerOPM
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        5 months ago

        Who owns the social media that you’re looking at?

        Spoiler: Its some tech-bro who owns the media, isn’t it? Well… hopefully that answers that question.

        In car circles, Toyota / Hondas are the most coveted cars for their reliability and drivability. Alternatively, American car buyers have weird metrics (like Jeep’s offroading capabilities, Hummer’s shear size, Truck’s capabilities and all that).

        Truck owners laugh at how Cybertruck gets stuck. Econobox / Toyota fans laugh at the terrible reliability and large number of issues found by Consumer Reports / JD Power. The only raw-stat that anyone can seriously praise for Tesla is 0-to-60 time, but even then car enthusiasts are keen on the 5-60 times that Tesla actually publishes and see Tesla as dirty cheaters.

        The only people who think that Teslas are cool are Tech-bros, who are overrepresented in social media.


        If you actually look at the numbers (ex: sales, price, or other real metrics), its clear that Tesla’s reputation has tanked this year.

        • @NegativeInf
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          95 months ago

          I have a 2001 Honda Civic. I refuse to stop driving it until the motor gives out. At this point, I think it might outlive me.

          • @baldingpudenda
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            85 months ago

            If you keep up with maintenance, including all fluids, it just might. Uncle had a tiny Toyota truck, think hilux

            Kept up with maintenance and replaced parts as they went. He had to let it go when the frame was rusting through. Over 30 years as his daily driver.

            • Optional
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              85 months ago

              Hilux don’t die, they just rust away

            • @[email protected]
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              25 months ago

              I’ve done rust hole patches, but grandpa’s small toyota pickup was more patch than original steel by the time it got written off following being hit by another car while parked. We probably could have fixed it but grandpa took it as his sign to give up his license and accepted whatever icbc suggested for dealing with the truck.

        • @[email protected]
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          25 months ago

          The only people who think that Teslas are cool are Tech-bros, who are overrepresented in social media.

          i think this answers my question; i’m a software developer and all my colleagues & bosses think tesla’s are awesome and i mostly follow tech influencers on social media.

          maybe it’s a good thing that i this job market is forcing me to go back into IT; i’ll run into fewer tech-bros.

      • @[email protected]
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        105 months ago

        By what sort of people, though? I know two people who have a Tesla: one of them regrets owning one now (even though they bought it used), and the other’s a huge fucking pile of shit in the shape of a person.

          • @Cryophilia
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            25 months ago

            Hey, props for realizing it. Most software dev tech bros refuse to acknowledge that they’re in a bubble. Now you can start to step out of it.

            • @[email protected]
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              5 months ago

              Now you can start to step out of it.

              not if i want to stay employed; being likeable is more important than the hard skills in my field unless i’m some sort of savant and liking the same things helps.

              • @Cryophilia
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                15 months ago

                Sounds like a terrible way to live

                • @[email protected]
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                  5 months ago

                  it’s not great. i broke into the software development field less than 10 years ago and; ever since learning that it’s dominated by tech bros and their enablers; i’ve been trying to get back into IT ever since.

                  it would be A LOT easier of software developers weren’t the only jobs available for the past 6 months; but it is what it is.

        • @meleethecat
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          45 months ago

          They do have good 0-60 times, but they’re very heavy, they don’t turn well, and they overheat if you push them hard, so anyone who wants a sports car isn’t going to look at a tesla. Their biggest advantage is probably the supercharger network, but that advantage isn’t going to last much longer.

          • Optional
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            45 months ago

            What, just because he fired everyone and no one’s answering the phones anymore?

            Pshaw. Everything’s going to plan.

      • @[email protected]
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        45 months ago

        i’m trying to understand how they’re still so coveted all over social media.

        Botnets.

      • @skyspydude1
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        5 months ago

        There’s also a not-so-unfounded conspiracy that Tesla has a significant number of employees going onto social media to create that narrative.

        Not to mention one of the few actually intelligent things Elon did, and convince a ton of people to tie their financial future and wellbeing to Tesla by putting basically their entire portfolio into it, by various means. Couple that with the referral programs telling people they’ll get a free $250k car if they shill hard enough through the referral program, and you have a massive army of people whose finances are heavily intertwined with Tesla