Welcome to Tesla Motors Club
Discuss Tesla's Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Cybertruck, Roadster and More.
Register

Annual service price increased by 50%

This site may earn commission on affiliate links.
Which of these services are required for warranty purposes? I can understand paying Tesla for the battery coolant replacement, and maybe A/C service and brake fluid replacement. However, cabin air filter, windshield wiper, and key fob batteries seem like things that should be simple and cheap enough to replace on my own (no premium package so no HEPA filter), and I would assume any tire shop could do tire rotation/ alignments.

I think the question ends up being more complicated. Are you asking which are required for your factory warranty to be honored (e.g. for Tesla not to blame your lack of service for every defect), or for the requirements of being eligible for the Extended Warranty and eligible for the Resale Value Guarantee trade-in (if applicable)?

For the former, I'm curious too. For the latter, the wording seems clear enough that they mean serviced at a Tesla service center.
 
Just to update this thread, I called my local service center (Dublin/Pleasonton) to schedule my first annual service. I've only had the car 6 months but am going to hit 12,500 miles next week. For what Tesla was providing, I felt $400 was quite steep but not SO much so that I would bother with the hassle of finding someone else to do a comparable job for less.

Well, I was surprised to be quoted $549 for the work over the phone, and also told that years 2/4 are now $849/$1049. So they increased the price $149 a year across the board for service that was already overpriced to begin with. The website still lists the old prices and I was told, "Sorry about that, it still needs to be updated.".

Anyway, I decided to skip year 1. Wheelworks will rotate my tires for $20. They are also replacing the cabin filter and wiper blades for about $50 parts/labor, and top off the windshield fluid for free. The only thing I'm missing is the mysterious "multi-point" inspection, but I don't mind really as long as I don't lose my warranty.

I also sent Tesla customer support an angry message about the bait and switch. If I knew these would be the actual prices I would have purchased the pre-paid service.
That's not good news.
I skipped year 1 and replaced the cabin air filter, fob battery and windshield wipers myself.
I was planning on having them do year 2 since I will have 45,000 miles by then and the warranty is due to run out. I also figured it would be good for them to go over the car carefully to find anything that needed to be fixed. With the price increase, I'm rethinking that but will probably do it anyway.
 
Just to update this thread, I called my local service center (Dublin/Pleasonton) to schedule my first annual service. I've only had the car 6 months but am going to hit 12,500 miles next week. For what Tesla was providing, I felt $400 was quite steep but not SO much so that I would bother with the hassle of finding someone else to do a comparable job for less.
Originally it was $600 per year unless you prepaid.
 
I think the question ends up being more complicated. Are you asking which are required for your factory warranty to be honored (e.g. for Tesla not to blame your lack of service for every defect), or for the requirements of being eligible for the Extended Warranty and eligible for the Resale Value Guarantee trade-in (if applicable)?

For the former, I'm curious too. For the latter, the wording seems clear enough that they mean serviced at a Tesla service center.
I believe the Resale Value Guarantee is no longer included in new sales, so that's not important to me. I will be interested in purchasing the Extended Warranty when I get closer to 50k miles, so I would like to know if skipping the services has any impact on that one.
 
Which of these services are required for warranty purposes? I can understand paying Tesla for the battery coolant replacement, and maybe A/C service and brake fluid replacement. However, cabin air filter, windshield wiper, and key fob batteries seem like things that should be simple and cheap enough to replace on my own (no premium package so no HEPA filter), and I would assume any tire shop could do tire rotation/ alignments.

Brake fluid every 2 years or 25K miles whichever comes first. Battery coolant every 4 years or 50K miles whichever comes first.

Keep in mind there are a bunch of monthly inspect and checks and if those aren't done and you say have a coolant leak and don't notice and don't tell Tesla and it results in damage from failing to perform one of these checks whether it be you or Tesla, I imagine that such damage wouldn't be covered under warranty.

I already missed my brake fluid change so in theory they could invalidate the warranty. That said, they still need to prove that any brake issue was caused by the fluid not being changed. My fluid currently has no detectable moistures ( < 1%) with my brake fluid moisture meter and 0 PPM of copper, so by industry standards, the fluid is still practically new. It's also as clear and colorless as it was when I got the car although even darkening fluid is not necessarily an indicator of deteriorating brake fluid.

I have 31K miles on it. I will have the 4 year service done next year when it hits 50K and will be just about 2 years old. I won't chance not having the coolant done exactly when it's supposed to be.

That said, if they raise the price any more, I may not shop an approved body shop which has access to Tesla's full service information and can in theory perform the battery change service according to Tesla requirements. If an approved body shop wants to beat Tesla's price by a large enough margin, then I may just do that. Either that or I'll take a trip to Massachusetts and perform the service myself ;)

I still find it incredible that Tesla isn't required to provide/sell service information for "right to self service" purposes.
 
Last edited:
Anyway, I decided to skip year 1. Wheelworks will rotate my tires for $20. They are also replacing the cabin filter and wiper blades for about $50 parts/labor, and top off the windshield fluid for free. The only thing I'm missing is the mysterious "multi-point" inspection, but I don't mind really as long as I don't lose my warranty.

Tesla rotates and balances tires for free whenever it's needed if the car is in for any other reason including warranty repair. This email is from a service adviser in Fremont. Last name and email snipped but if someone wants me to send the unredacted email to them directly, PM me.

On Thu, Jul 9, 2015 at 5:33 PM, David XXXXXX wrote:

Our technicians will inspect your tires and rotate the tires automatically if the rear tires have less tread than the front. It is part of our courtesy service.


Best,

David
 
I believe the Resale Value Guarantee is no longer included in new sales, so that's not important to me. I will be interested in purchasing the Extended Warranty when I get closer to 50k miles, so I would like to know if skipping the services has any impact on that one.

The extended warranty has verbiage that requires the service visits every 12,500 or 1 year, whichever is sooner. (Factory warranty is unaffected by the service schedule)

"The Owner’s Manual includes specific recommendations regarding the use, operations, and maintenance of the Vehicle. To maintain the validity of this Vehicle ESA, You must follow correct operations procedures and have Your Vehicle serviced as recommended by Tesla during the Agreement Period of this Vehicle ESA. If requested, proof of required service, including receipts showing date and mileage of the Vehicle at the time of service, must be presented before any repairs under this Vehicle ESA commence. Service within 1,000 miles and/or 30 days of Tesla’s recommended intervals shall be considered compliant with the terms of this Vehicle ESA"
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...9Dl3Vnle8uOoSdAEg&sig2=-Aj7pOQfgLD52WF48GguFQ
 
Brake fluid every 2 years or 25K miles whichever comes first. Battery coolant every 4 years or 50K miles whichever comes first.

I already missed my brake fluid change so in theory they could invalidate the warranty. That said, they still need to prove that any brake issue was caused by the fluid not being changed. My fluid currently has no detectable moistures ( < 1%) with my brake fluid moisture meter and 0 PPM of copper, so by industry standards, the fluid is still practically new. It's also as clear and colorless as it was when I got the car although even darkening fluid is not necessarily an indicator of deteriorating brake fluid.

I have 31K miles on it. I will have the 4 year service done next year when it hits 50K and will be just about 2 years old. I won't chance not having the coolant done exactly when it's supposed to be.

That said, if they raise the price any more, I may not shop an approved body shop which has access to Tesla's full service information and can in theory perform the battery change service according to Tesla requirements. If an approved body shop wants to beat Tesla's price by a large enough margin, then I may just do that. Either that or I'll take a trip to Massachusetts and perform the service myself ;)

I still find it incredible that Tesla isn't required to provide/sell service information for "right to self service" purposes.
It's a standard DOT4 brake system and the fluid does accumulate moisture over time although 2 years is probably overkill (I just changed the brake fluid in my Land Rover DOT4 after at least 10 years and it was clean, clear and no moisture... but then I live in a very dry climate). Not sure if number of miles matters for brake fluid or coolant. I think these are mostly time based deterioration. I hardly ever use the brakes so it's hard to "wear out" the fluid. The coolant might deteriorate with heat over time so probably best to get that changed. I believe it's a standard glycol based coolant.
 
Unfortunately from my view $600/is more than I have ever spent on an ICE car in 40 years of driving. The sole exception was in a 20 year old truck after pulling a heavy load while building the house I had to rebuild the transmission. Even then that was less than 2 years of Tesla maintenance. And I am talking maintenance and repairs and every vehicle was kept over 100,000 miles
I guess you have never faced the dread MB b service. Every other year and costs $700 to way up.
 
  • Informative
Reactions: SW2Fiddler
I am sorry but that $766 average annual maintenance fee for a car in 2015 is complete BS. Perhaps that what you pay if you go to the dealer and tell them you are a clueless sucker and to bill away as they please :)

On years that require a minor service, the expense in servicing both of our premium German cars is barely $250 a year. Some years it is closer to $400 and about every 4 years it is about $850. But we are talking about a vastly more complicated ICE.
I wish I had had your dealer. Mine averaged $1,000 per year.
 
Don't do service on your Prius = voided warranty.
Don't do service on your Tesla = valid warranty.

Which one costs more to operate?

Having said that, I bought the 4 year service plan -- but I'm not convinced it's all that necessary.

Unless you want the extended warranty. then you do have to service the car. Oh, and you can service that Prius at any independant shop for less and still maintain your warranty.

I never like to just ignore a manufacturers recommended service schedule just because it doesn't void my warranty. So its kind of a crazy argument for why Tesla's require "less service" than a Volt.
 
  • Like
Reactions: dhrivnak
It's a standard DOT4 brake system and the fluid does accumulate moisture over time although 2 years is probably overkill (I just changed the brake fluid in my Land Rover DOT4 after at least 10 years and it was clean, clear and no moisture... but then I live in a very dry climate). Not sure if number of miles matters for brake fluid or coolant. I think these are mostly time based deterioration. I hardly ever use the brakes so it's hard to "wear out" the fluid. The coolant might deteriorate with heat over time so probably best to get that changed. I believe it's a standard glycol based coolant.

Yea, most manufacturers have dispensed with time and mileage requirements to change brake fluid. Some have no requirements at all while others state to change when moisture and/or copper exceeds a certain limit. A strict 2 years / 25K mile interval is not the industry norm and if it were, 2 years / 25K miles would be WAY overkill.
 
  • Like
Reactions: dhrivnak
I never like to just ignore a manufacturers recommended service schedule just because it doesn't void my warranty. So its kind of a crazy argument

I bought the car new and one year later I took it in and, as far as anyone can tell me, I got new wipers and battery for they key fob, they looked over the vehicle, and rotated the tires for $500. I thought I was kind of crazy to have paid for that and I probably should have just ignored the manufacturers recommended service. Most manufacturers recommended service are overkill anyway, unless required so as not to void your warranty. So yes, I am crazy, just for the opposite reason that you say I am. ;)
 
Don't do service on your Prius = voided warranty.
Don't do service on your Tesla = valid warranty.

Which one costs more to operate?

Having said that, I bought the 4 year service plan -- but I'm not convinced it's all that necessary.
That's not necessarily the best example. In most cases, warranty is voided if it can be shown that by neglecting to perform the service caused whatever the problem for the warranty claim to occur. You are not required to have the service performed by the dealership, but you have to have the service performed. For example in a Prius, if the engine dies in warranty, you would be covered so long as you had done regular oil changes (not necessarily at the dealership). However, if you never performed an oil change, but your radio dies, fixing the radio would be covered under warranty since oil changes have nothing to do with the radio.
 
  • Like
Reactions: sorka