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Are Tesla authorized body shops really necessary?

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Managed to get a bad scratch (down to bare metal) on the back of the trunk lid of my M3. Took it to the only Tesla authorized body shop in Raleigh NC. Got floored by the 2K estimate to fix it. Other than the back up camera on the trunk lid I am aware of no other sensors. I am being charged almost $900.00 for “sensor recalibration”. That seems extreme to me. Anyone else have experience with Tesla authorized body shops?
 
I've had both the front and rear bumpers replaced on our S (as an aside--for both bumpers I was at a complete stop when I got bumped) by our local, reputable shop that did a great job on a corvette I had (tree fell on it). Notably, at that time the local Tesla place encouraged me to go to my own shop because of the inconvenience of going to one of their 'approved' shops (they were all a pain to get to, both time and traffic wise). In fact, just picked the car up 2 weeks ago from the same shop as I had them paint the front bumper (caught the corner on a block of ice at the end of my daughter's drive when I was pulling out last winter). This required taking off the bumper, etc. And again, I had zero issues with the cameras, etc. Unless the cameras took a direct hit I think any reputable place can take care of most cars today with all the cameras and sensors in the bumpers nowadays.
 
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Managed to get a bad scratch (down to bare metal) on the back of the trunk lid of my M3. Took it to the only Tesla authorized body shop in Raleigh NC. Got floored by the 2K estimate to fix it. Other than the back up camera on the trunk lid I am aware of no other sensors. I am being charged almost $900.00 for “sensor recalibration”. That seems extreme to me. Anyone else have experience with Tesla authorized body shops?
Ask them what that entails.

Don't know if it applies to the rear camera, but I know the other cameras can be recalibrated by driving it on a straight road with well marked lines. See page 81 in the manual:
https://www.tesla.com/sites/default/files/model_3_owners_manual_north_america_en.pdf

Is that what they are charging you $900 for? If so, tell them to take that off and that you can do that yourself.

Or do you have a 2021 model with the power trunk? If so, there is a sensor for the trunk lid (to prevent accidentally closing down on an obstruction). I'm not seeing how calibrating that will cost $900 (no way it takes more than an hour to do and no way their hourly rates are that high).
 
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I took my Tesla to a local body shop I have used in the past following a minor fender accident. The shop said they would not work on my car, since they are not Tesla approved. They said that even though it is a minor repair, if something were to go wrong and Tesla found out that a non-Tesla shop worked on the car, this could void the warranty.
 
Managed to get a bad scratch (down to bare metal) on the back of the trunk lid of my M3. Took it to the only Tesla authorized body shop in Raleigh NC. Got floored by the 2K estimate to fix it. Other than the back up camera on the trunk lid I am aware of no other sensors. I am being charged almost $900.00 for “sensor recalibration”. That seems extreme to me. Anyone else have experience with Tesla authorized body shops?
Hi, If you are willing to drive to Charlotte, the BEST shop is Import Auto on Independence Blvd. Loren Koski is the owners name and he is a phenomenal honest guy and their work is INSANELY amazing!!!! Call 704-535-0571
 
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I took my Tesla to a local body shop I have used in the past following a minor fender accident. The shop said they would not work on my car, since they are not Tesla approved. They said that even though it is a minor repair, if something were to go wrong and Tesla found out that a non-Tesla shop worked on the car, this could void the warranty.
Cannot void the warranty for anything they did not touch. Now, of course, if they screw something up Tesla doesn’t have to fix it under warranty. So perhaps just protecting themselves.
 
I took my Tesla to a local body shop I have used in the past following a minor fender accident. The shop said they would not work on my car, since they are not Tesla approved. They said that even though it is a minor repair, if something were to go wrong and Tesla found out that a non-Tesla shop worked on the car, this could void the warranty.
I wonder what it takes to be "Tesla approved"? Many cars are made of aluminum, and when I needed some repair our local body shop did great work. They are not a "Telsa" shop. And I wonder what could "go wrong" and why it might "void the warranty". "Sorry, buddy, but we can't repair this accident damage. Seems you got part of your door sill repainted with non-Tesla paint." Sounds like BS to me. If they want to void the warranty for non-Tesla repairs, I'd be on the phone in a heartbeat. Thank goodness my local shop has some sense. I'm not driving a hundred miles to get my car fixed by a "Tesla-approved" shop when my local shop can do the same work better.
 
Gasaraki---in my case the body shop ordered the two bumpers through the local Tesla SC. Haven't heard if that practice has changed, but was in the shop a few weeks go and they never mentioned anything---and I know they have been working on Tesla's all along.
 
Crap like this is one of the things that might make me swear off of Tesla. The arrogance is just stupefying!
It’s risk of dealing with the electrical system without training. Also cameras, etc. No one wants to get shocked. Or put a car back on the road that has something like the AP cameras wrong and get in an accident.

Many regular parts, from what I have read, are available to any shop.

and yes, the Tesla certified shops are charging as much as they possibly can.
 
Parts should be provided to anyone that wants to buy them. Its not the manufacturer's responsibility to "police" who fixes cars. If they have warranty claim concerns they can deal with that. If someone wants to repair their own car, they should be 100% able to do so with no questions asked. Its "right to repair". This is a fundamental privelage everyone should have when they purchase a product, be it a fridge, stove, cell phone, automobile, whatever. I am not about closed architecture. Its not good for the customer, and Tesla's repair service facility costs show exactly that. If you can train a Tesla technician to repair it, you sure as hell can get someone else to repair it. Come on I've been with tech and the engineering world for almost two decades. There is nothing someone that can't do if you research the hell of something and are provided the tools / parts to do the work yourself.
 
I‘ve had a rear door, and a rear bumper cover both get scratched and in need of the entire panel painted (and surrounding areas blended) at reputable, local shops, in two separate situations with zero issues whatsoever. Both times they were not “Tesla approved.“

One place I paid $600, the other I paid $700. I defy anyone to tell there was any work done on this car whatsoever. With scratch repair (no parts needing replacement) in most cases it doesn’t matter. I certainly wouldn’t take a gouging like what’s being described here, just because someone says a certain place is “approved.”
 
It’s risk of dealing with the electrical system without training. Also cameras, etc. No one wants to get shocked. Or put a car back on the road that has something like the AP cameras wrong and get in an accident.

Many regular parts, from what I have read, are available to any shop.

and yes, the Tesla certified shops are charging as much as they possibly can.
For a trunk lid scratch????? This would be fixed by a mobile paint detailer if it was any other manufacturer or dealer trying to sell a used car they just acquired.
Unless the trunk lid has a big dent (that a mobile dent repair can't handle) or the paint has began peeling, a deep scratch is no big deal. There's no need to remove the trunk/bumper/etc. and re-calibrate anything. There's ultrasonic sensors on the bumper and the rear camera mounted above the license plate - that's it.

The tesla approved shop is probably quoting the OP for a trunk & bumper cover removal along with blending of surrounding panels.

OP, it's up to you on how "perfect" you want the repair to be. I'd personally get it touched up by a mobile paint detailer and move on.
 
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It’s risk of dealing with the electrical system without training. Also cameras, etc. No one wants to get shocked. Or put a car back on the road that has something like the AP cameras wrong and get in an accident.
Most high end cars these days have similar systems and good shops have no problem dealing with them. These is no reason why Tesla should be any different.
 
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Most high end cars these days have similar systems and good shops have no problem dealing with them. These is no reason why Tesla should be any different.
I’m not saying I would only pick a Tesla shop. I’d definitely shop all options for simple body work. But I’m guessing lots of non-Tesla shops are willing to pass on a Tesla if they already have a lot of business.