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Accident this morning. No injuries but painful damage to car.
- Thread starter artsci
- Start date
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- Driving Dynamics Model S
USAA finally got around to completing the damage appraisal and cutting a check for the repairs. Cost is $12,500. This two weeks after the car was delivered to the repair shop. This is not my usual experience with USAA and it's disappointing that it took so long. On the various appraisal documents the car is described as "Toyo Generic Car." Another shame on USAA or its appraiser. The Model S has been manufactured and on the road for over a year and they still don't have it in their system? Incredible!
The repair form now says to will take 17 working days for the repairs to be completed. That's more another three weeks. I know this is padded for the problems in obtaining parts but please give me a break.
Corporate bureaucracy at its best! Makes the government look good.
Having not had this experience before I didn't know what to expect so this seems like way too long.
Newscutter
Member
Doing the same dance this week after someone rearended my wife's ICE. Also USAA-- but they've been superb so far.
When I last got a rate quote from them on a Tesla their numbers were ridiculous, more for a Model S than my other 2 cars combined and probably 3-4x as much as Geico-- artsci, were their rates competitive for your area/demographic??
I've prefer to stay with USAA when the time comes but if they can't even identify "Tesla" in their system my hope just dwindled...
When I last got a rate quote from them on a Tesla their numbers were ridiculous, more for a Model S than my other 2 cars combined and probably 3-4x as much as Geico-- artsci, were their rates competitive for your area/demographic??
I've prefer to stay with USAA when the time comes but if they can't even identify "Tesla" in their system my hope just dwindled...
Yes, USAA's rates were good for me. I don't know if it makes any difference but I've been with them for about 35 years with a pretty clean record. Their service has been outstanding, so maybe it was the holidays that cause the delays.
Artsci I can relate to your frustration. I had a first-time collision repair experience in early 2013 when I owned an Audi Q5, which I'd gotten in 2011 only because Tesla had no SUV available. Someone ran a stop sign and hit the front left side car at about 15mph, launching a horrible experience of corrupt towtruck operators, incompetent AAA dispatchers, corrupt nearby body shop operators where the car was towed (they tried to defraud AAA and my insurnce co), and a really slow and generally awful authorized collision repair center. In the end, insurance paid $14000 for the repairs. I had to rent a car for 55 days. Took that long to get car back. Insurance only paid for 30 days of the car rental!
During the wait I began work with an electrician to install a NEMA 14-50, a project that took 100 days and cost $3650 (don't ask). Somewhere in the middle of all that, I confirmed my Model S order. Shortly after getting the Audi back---while it had tons of new parts and from outside you could not tell it'd ever been in an accident, it never again "felt"right when driving---I took it over to Carmax, got a very good deal on it, and that was that. The Tesla arrived shortly thereafter and I've never looked back.
Collision repair companies are in my experience, really horrible companies. But, like phone and energy utilities and hospitals, they know they don't have to care. Like with hospitals, they gouge huge sums out of insurance compenies, charge top dollar for replacement parts from the auto manufacturer, and all the while the customer feels ripped off. It's a racket.
During the wait I began work with an electrician to install a NEMA 14-50, a project that took 100 days and cost $3650 (don't ask). Somewhere in the middle of all that, I confirmed my Model S order. Shortly after getting the Audi back---while it had tons of new parts and from outside you could not tell it'd ever been in an accident, it never again "felt"right when driving---I took it over to Carmax, got a very good deal on it, and that was that. The Tesla arrived shortly thereafter and I've never looked back.
Collision repair companies are in my experience, really horrible companies. But, like phone and energy utilities and hospitals, they know they don't have to care. Like with hospitals, they gouge huge sums out of insurance compenies, charge top dollar for replacement parts from the auto manufacturer, and all the while the customer feels ripped off. It's a racket.
The wait sucks, but my only experience with a major repair was back in 2007 on our Acura MDX that had front driver's side damage (lady ran a left turn and slammed into the wheel). The repair took about a month from what I remember. Was driving around in a minivan rental for a month. 2 weeks just to do the appraisal seems ridiculous though.
I guess my experience must have been unusual. A deer ran into the side of my car, hitting the front driver's side fender. Made an appt. with Geico the next day for an appraisal estimate. Later that same day drove to the Annapolis authorized body shop. They examined the car, and ordered all the parts for the repair. They also ordered several additional parts that they said may need replacing once they actually started the repair, saying they could return any unused parts to Tesla. I left the same day with the car and waited for the parts to arrive. After a little less than two weeks, the shop had received all the parts. I took the car back to them and got the repaired car back 5 days later. The Geico estimate was approx. $800, whereas the actual repair was about $5,200.00 (they replaced the bumper cover and one headlight because two clips were broken and the car was 3 weeks old, so they decided to replace instead of repair). They dealt with Geico for the upcharges, which I was told were approved without question. So basically, I was without the car for just 5 days, although I had to drive to Annapolis twice.
Now that all of the insurance matters have been taken care of any further delays will be a result of waiting for the parts from Tesla. As there is no other parts distribution center outside the one in California, everything has to be shipped from there. And of course, the parts have to be available. Bummer. I think it will be a very long wait.
Mayhemm
Model S P85+ "Lola"
This makes me wonder; With Tesla constantly ramping up production (400, 500, now 600 vehicles per week), how much of that capacity goes to producing spare parts?
I don't know, but when I had my car repaired, I was told spare part availability had improved quite a bit. It took a couple weeks to get the parts for my car.
Seven7
Member
27 days and counting since my accident and no word yet that the parts are in and repairs have begun. This is getting old:cursing:
Update: Just got some excellent news. When my mobile access was turned off this weekend, I assumed it was because repairs had started. Sure enough. The shop confirmed this am that most of the parts are in hand and repairs have begun. For safety, Tesla recommends shutting down the high voltage system when repairs are being made. Thus the reason why mobile access was off.
Update: Just got some excellent news. When my mobile access was turned off this weekend, I assumed it was because repairs had started. Sure enough. The shop confirmed this am that most of the parts are in hand and repairs have begun. For safety, Tesla recommends shutting down the high voltage system when repairs are being made. Thus the reason why mobile access was off.
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rogbmw
Member
The lighted T's are on schedule for March availability. I hope to have my car back early next week, at last!
Got good news today. All of the exterior parts arrived last week so EurorPros assembled them and put the car in the paint shop today. A few interior parts had not been received until this afternoon but now that they're here that work can be completed. The only part missing is the nose cone, but as I have a spare that's been covered with real carbon fiber, I'm hoping I can take it with me when I pick up the car and jus snap it into place. So I should have my car back this week, at last.
It appears to be fortuitous that I've been sitting on several spare nose cones
It appears to be fortuitous that I've been sitting on several spare nose cones
