I'm the same. I loved my 2020 Model Y when I bought it new and I love my 2020 Model X that I bought used. Both are the best cars I've ever owned. I know that everyone likes to complain about fit and finish but honestly I never noticed a single thing wrong with either of them. They are performant, silent, efficient, and the MX doors make my grandkids giggle (that's worth quite a bit :).

I keep looking for the next EV to buy but every one that I test drive seems lacking, mostly in the software area. Tesla has the software nailed and nobody else can seem to figure it out. I recently drove a Rivian R1S and really liked it, but the software was not great (for a $100K car) and it really disappointing me.

I really feel like Tesla does great work but their leader needs to go. He's smeared the name so badly that I fear it might never recover.

Yeah I’m hoping the R2 is an option but FSD has become very critical.

I don’t see how Tesla could even dissociate with him, he owns the board and would have to divest also. I think the only path back is if people forget, conservatives suddenly like EVs, or they strike gold with the robots or something.

That sounds like unbelievable hyperbole but I'm not interested in getting into a culture war fight today. It's going to be hard to find a brand which hasn't been associated with bad things before but I wish you luck :)

Deleting USAID may have escaped “cultural war” containment and gone on to becoming something with real, material impact.

Rivian seems fine and makes the second best EVs.

But also it’s not hyperbole, though I agree it sounds like it.

Association comes in different strengths and forms. But currently owned and operated by a guy actively destroying my country is much more direct and urgent than most of these associations.

But the larger point is that it seems correct that the only people willing to buy a Tesla anymore have conservative politics.