Annual Service Thoughts

[bob_p]

The pre-paid plan includes tire service (rotation/balance) every 6 months/6K miles. The $600 annual inspection might only cover at 12 months/12K miles.

The 4+4 plus extended warranty at $6300 for 100,000 miles (or 8 years) for a $100K car, to cover everything except tire replacement, doesn't seem unreasonable - and is still probably considerably less than what I spent on my previous car - which had 100K miles when I sold it.

 

[Rlsarch]

Order finalized 4/26. Purchase service plan button gives me a message "service not available in my area"? Live in Orlando and Tampa Service Center is less than 70 miles away.

Guess they are still figuring it out what it means as well.

 

[napabill]

I had already signed up for 4+4 prior to yesterday's announcement. My question is, can I just take Tess in once a year, even with mileage greater than 12,500? Or sooner if it seems warranted. But within the 4 times in first 50,000, and 4 times in the next 50,000. I'd like to treat it as an annual plan, irrespective of mileage.

 

[highfalutintodd]

While it seems like there is definitely still some confusion remaining and questions to be answered (God bless Tesla, but their communication skills are becoming a joke), I'm inclined to still purchase the 4-year anywhere plan that I'd always intended to. As others have stated, this is version 1.0 of a completely new car from a completely new company. I'm continually heartened to hear with each passing announcement that Tesla genuinely seems to want to do the right thing by their customers, but at the end of the day anything could go wrong with this vehicle. Given the size of the check I'm about to write, $2,400 is a small price for me to pay to further feel that I am completely covered for any and every eventuality over the next four years.

That having been said, my car isn't set to be delivered for a couple of weeks yet, so I've got at least 4-6 weeks to ponder the situation. I'll probably wait until the last minute and see where my mind is after some additional obsessive forum reading. ;-)

 

[JerryNycom]

I'm a little confused? What's the benefit to paying up front besides the savings? Could the fee go up in a few years and you want to lock in the rate of $600?

 

[dlmorgan999]

Also, I can't tell what level of service contract - if any - you need to be able to take advantage of valet service. I'm assuming that's only part of the ranger service (either $100 as you go, or unlimited). Does anyone know definitively?

 

[Larry Chanin]

Order finalized 4/26. Purchase service plan button gives me a message "service not available in my area"? Live in Orlando and Tampa Service Center is less than 70 miles away.

Guess they are still figuring it out what it means as well.

Hi Rick,

I believe that there are some "legal" hurdles that Tesla has to overcome in the state of Florida to offer service plans. I was told that the state requires registered insurance agents to sell these plans in Florida and as you say Tesla is figuring out how to deal with these requirements.

Larry

 

[smorgasbord]

If you had bought the pre-paid Ranger service back on March 1 for $2400, you might have wished you instead waited until you had your car for year and then paid the $700.

$2400 put into Tesla stock on Mar 1 would have bought you 68 shares, which today would be worth over $3500.

Just sayin'

 

[jerry33]

I'm a little confused? What's the benefit to paying up front besides the savings? Could the fee go up in a few years and you want to lock in the rate of $600?

Well, they haven't been as clear as they might have been, but I would suspect that the annual $600 fee might not include consumable parts the way the prepaid package does. Also if you need service in between, it will be an extra cost item.

 

[eelton]

I prepaid the $1900, since it was said that annual service was mandatory. Now that it's not, I feel I may have wasted the money, especially since I'll probably put 6000 miles a year on the car. Maybe if they made it four services, based on mileage--i.e., every 12.5K miles, with no time limit--I'd feel better about it.

 

[Nathan Smith]

eelton,

Aren't we on two ends of the spectrum... I want the inspections to be annual regardless of the mileage (as I will put almost 30K/year) and you want inspections based on mileage regardless of the time. Here's hoping Telsa figures out how to make both of us happy (BTW: I bought the service plan the morning of the service announcement as I had only 5 days left to decide).

 

[eelton]

Yes, I thought that too. Looking at the service agreement I signed (and paid for), there is a 31-day cancellation window, although they require a notarized statement of the mileage on the car--which seems like an unnecessary hoop to jump through. I'm thinking calling Tesla to discuss that option. Tire rotations and wiper blades aren't worth the $475 per year to me if the service is optional and doesn't affect the warranty. I'm unsure what the rumored hardware updates are really about; I suppose that aspect may be worthwhile, depending on what it includes.

eelton,

Aren't we on two ends of the spectrum... I want the inspections to be annual regardless of the mileage (as I will put almost 30K/year) and you want inspections based on mileage regardless of the time. Here's hoping Telsa figures out how to make both of us happy (BTW: I bought the service plan the morning of the service announcement as I had only 5 days left to decide).

 

[eelton]

To add more info:

I called Tesla and explained my situation (expected low mileage). They told me I would be better off canceling the service contract and paying $600 every 12.5K miles--which in my case will be every two years or so.

I asked about software updates, and the rep said they would continue without the service contract, at least for the forseeable future. I also asked about hardware updates, and he wasn't really sure what that refers to.

 

[kendallpb]

I already got the annual service ;-) but I still answered #1, "Absolutely," although I feel two of the three answers are too hyperbolic. I would've gotten the service even if I'd known it was optional; I got regular service on my old car and for a new car/new kind of car like the Model S, I'd definitely want to get this from the manufacturer, i.e., Tesla--not Joe's Car Shop (with apologies to Joe ;-) ).

I'm curious whether the valet is for all service/maintenance, only service, only maintenance, or what. Also, whether the loaner depends on how long they expect to need the car or not. I.e., how long's the service really take--at my previous car dealer, I only got a free rental if they were keeping the car all day, and sometimes they were stingy and I only got a free rental if they were keeping it overnight. On the other paw, I tried to take it in early and wait for it, since my hours are such that if it were done in a few hours, the timing was fine for me to go to work after it was ready.

Ramble ramble. Anyway, I'm happy to get service from Tesla. In 10-20 years, we'll see--but now, for sure