I mean even longer. What happens to some one on a road trip 500, 1000 or 1500 miles from home. Again why can’t the car continue to be driven on ONE MOTOR?
A failure as I stated could cost the owner hundreds if not a thousand dollars, with hotels, rental cars, etc not to mention the sheer terror of being stranded on the side of a highway far from home without any support network, is the tow truck driver going to take you to a hotel? Do you stay at the hotel while some Service Center works on your car, or do you go home only to have to go back days later and get it when it repaired. How does that work?
My wife and I are 70 years old with medical conditions and we’d be under considerable stress if that happened to us. With legacy manufactures there is problbailty of a dealer within 25-50 miles of most major interstates. if they are open at least you have some shelter and safety while you figure out your next move. Yes if they are closed at least you’d be closer to your vehicle. We travel from southern IL to southern MD 3 maybe 4 times a year, via I-64 once past Louisville the next Service Center is in Richmond, maybe Cincinnati or Nashville.
Some will say I’m overthinking this maybe so, but it’s probably 24 years in the USAF speaking, always have a plan and an alternate.
I apology if I sound bitchy, stressed or baffled. But the what if’s linger.
Good questions, but few things I noticed that might reduce the anxiety:
1) When i called, tesla support pickup right away, no hold, no music, and was able to remote diagnose and tell me that it was a rear motor problem (at-least some certainty as opposed to being clueless)
2) I asked them if i could drive 1 mile (was only a mile away from home), but they recommended strongly against it (at-least clear instructions on what to do)
3) Tow truck took 1.5 hours to come by, but the driver said, their contract with tesla is such that, they will give top priority to tesla tow, he was actually assigned to tow another car that he dropped and came to me throgh the other job was closer to him. (side note: Tesla cars are picky in how they can be towed, only flatbed, no inclined tows, also, there is something you need to do on the settings screen to put it in "towing mode", the tow truck driver was aware of this, and instructed me
4) i was able to keep the a/c on and stayed comfortably in the car. Luckily i had 70% battery, so running out of juice was not a concern, the silver lining is staying put inside a tesla for extended time (overnight?) is an option if you are stranded in the middle of nowhere
5) i rode on the tow truck and got dropped at the tesla service center (they were open at that time). I got uber credits (upto $100 per day) for the ride home, and for the duration of the service. (If they are closed, you may be able to stay in your car for the night?)
6) They did not had a loaner, but offered to pay for a rental car, so, in your case, you can drive away on a rental car, and switch when yours is ready.
I know none of this is ideal, but i did feel that tesla was trying earnestly to resolve the issue, and that felt good at some level.
