concerns on ordering a Tesla

[Sosius]

It also depends on what other cars you are comparing with. Ferrari's are notoriously unreliable and expensive to maintain. That doesn't mean a Honda Civic is a better car than a Ferrari.

It does if reliability is the most important factor in your decision. My 75+ year-old parents would choose the Honda every time for the reliability.

And to the OP: See if you can get that deposit transferred. And FWIW, my 70D is very reliable so far. My only complaint is that I didn't get any swag at delivery!

 

[hpham007]

I would expect your deposit to be transferable to a new car. Not fully lost. I would ask. And if they don't comply, escalate it.

Tesla refuses to show actual pictures of the cpos on their website so you have to take their word that it's "certified". To deliver a car with obvious paint defects and then keeping your deposit when you refuse to accept delivery is unacceptable. Did you pay the deposit with a credit card? I would talk to my credit card company about getting the charges reversed.

 

[Zbjonk]

Tesla refuses to show actual pictures of the cpos on their website so you have to take their word that it's "certified". To deliver a car with obvious paint defects and then keeping your deposit when you refuse to accept delivery is unacceptable. Did you pay the deposit with a credit card? I would talk to my credit card company about getting the charges reversed.

To be fair to Tesla, they were going to fix the defect but couldn't answer my questions about condition/maintenance of the car. They will transfer the deposit to a new model S but I wanted to test the legendary tesla customer service and requested a refund now because I am undecided on the model s and model x. I really was curious to see if they would go above and beyond. Nope...they just gave me the "no refunds after 72 from ordering" and never heard a thing back. Hence my post about experiences with tesla...Not sure this is the company I was expecting. And what happens to service with the release of model 3? I am comfortable walking away from the 1000.

And I read through Cyclone's post and feel good about walking away from the cpo car. Never cpo for me again (first and last time)

 

[hpham007]

To be fair to Tesla, they were going to fix the defect but couldn't answer my questions about condition/maintenance of the car.

I talked to a SA about this and the reason why they will not provide service records is that people used to ICE cars may not understand the nature of electric cars and construe the issue to be "bigger" than it is. For instance, if you weren't familiar with Tesla and you saw that the drive unit was replaced on your cpo, you may relate that to an engine being replaced. This may raise concern or some may flat out refuse the car.

 

[Cyclone]

I talked to a SA about this and the reason why they will not provide service records is that people used to ICE cars may not understand the nature of electric cars and construe the issue to be "bigger" than it is. For instance, if you weren't familiar with Tesla and you saw that the drive unit was replaced on your cpo, you may relate that to an engine being replaced. This may raise concern or some may flat out refuse the car.

Be that as it may, I now own my car and they still refuse to give me the service history.

 

[3mp_kwh]

Nope...they just gave me the "no refunds after 72 from ordering"

When Tesla called me to insist the air suspension was the only way to go, for P85D orders inside 2014, I cancelled. That deposit took about four follow ups, and a month, to get back. When i recently traded one MS for another MS, there was a due balance, because the traded car was newer. They did not have the money on hand, and took about two months to issue a check. Your deposit may be locked up, but still one that is usable toward a car. I think you might have up to a year, but don't count on them calling you when things are in their favor.

 

[BoerumHill]

Disconcerting thread.

[email protected]
[email protected]

Anyone know Ganesh Srivats'
email addy?

 

[MsElectric]

I talked to a SA about this and the reason why they will not provide service records is that people used to ICE cars may not understand the nature of electric cars and construe the issue to be "bigger" than it is. For instance, if you weren't familiar with Tesla and you saw that the drive unit was replaced on your cpo, you may relate that to an engine being replaced. This may raise concern or some may flat out refuse the car.

I can't comment on what Tesla might have told you but I am sure Tesla customers are sophisticated enough to understand the service and maintenance history of an EV. Anyone would know that a drive unit is not the same as a car engine that is vastly more complicated.

Just for the heck of it, I looked up a used Nissan Leaf (also an EV) available for sale and the The full service history is listed with the car. So in this case is Tesla's position that EVs are so complex with maintenance that a buyer can't really make sense of the service and maintenance history does not make sense. Nissan/car dealers, with all their faults, seems to think that Leaf buyers are perfectly capable of having access to and understanding the service records... I'm willing to bet Tesla customers are at least as sophisticated as LEAF buyers

This is the service history of a Nissan Leaf EV available for sale...

 

[bonaire]

Vehicle Serviced means? That is generally the type of list that is somewhat unhelpful.

 

[MsElectric]

Vehicle Serviced means? That is generally the type of list that is somewhat unhelpful.

At least you know the car was taken in to have something looked at. In addition to the "Vehicle Serviced" entries you see many other details entries on what was done to the car. I would gladly take this information over the absolutely NO information provided by Tesla.

I bet if you request, a Nissan dealer would provide more details about what was actually done during those service visits. I know Mercedes would absolutely provide you with a detailed report of not only everything they've done to the car but even past owner's complaints about the car and what was done to resolve each of those issues.

It is absolutely inexcusable for Tesla to withhold service and maintenance information about cars to the CPO buyers as well as actual owners of the car. It is a horrible policy.

 

[dsm363]

As above, only thing I'd add is that the "lots of little problems" concerns are getting fewer and fewer as Tesla gains experience and streamlines the manufacturing process. I had LOTS of little issues (Vin 1267), but haven't been in for anything for over 6 months.
That said, this is still very much a young company and you are going to be a relatively early adopter. If you like everything proven, perfect and can't stand quirks, it may not be the car for you. But I think you will find, like almost everyone else, that any minor quibbles are far far outweighed by the advantages.

Perfectly stated.

 

[davidc18]

+1 - without the full service history and without Tesla providing actual photos of the cars (check out carmax for instance), what exactly is the point of buying a Tesla CPO car? What has happened to cyclone should never happen.

 

[Lump]

Service invoices for my own car have contained several errors & I recently brought them up with my SA, I was one of the first to take delivery at the service center & everyone knows me & my car considering the number of visits.
1. Licence plate info was empty, nobody bothered entering my license plate in their system, I have had the plates for 18 months.
2. Color of car was listed as grey, now I got my car 2 years ago & there weren't that many MC Reds around, you would think color of car & license plate info would have been entered since its kind of important.
3. Firmware was stated to have been updated 3 times on the invoice but in reality was not.
4. UMC was stated to have been checked on every visit but thats impossible since I never take it in.
(you get the picture)

Last November I had my drive unit replaced & found out on TMC alignment has to be done & many owners received a printout, when I asked for my printout recently nothing was found involving alignment work even being performed, so I could have gone in there a month later thinking regular 24k mile alignment should be done & it would have been a total waist of time & money.

I wasn't trying to be nitpicky but instead wanted to avoid a situation with another owner finding similar errors leading to a bigger problem.

 

[bonaire]

At least you know the car was taken in to have something looked at. In addition to the "Vehicle Serviced" entries you see many other details entries on what was done to the car. I would gladly take this information over the absolutely NO information provided by Tesla.

I bet if you request, a Nissan dealer would provide more details about what was actually done during those service visits. I know Mercedes would absolutely provide you with a detailed report of not only everything they've done to the car but even past owner's complaints about the car and what was done to resolve each of those issues.

It is absolutely inexcusable for Tesla to withhold service and maintenance information about cars to the CPO buyers as well as actual owners of the car. It is a horrible policy.

It is like the coy but cute date you have for Saturday night... "so, tell me a little about yourself!" "Well, besides being really good looking, smart and definitely hot, my problem years are behind me for good. I really don't talk much about how wild I was in College or those months in Greece. I am really settling down now and trying to live for today."

By limiting information, I think Tesla believes they are being different and cool. Kind of like the mysterious youthful club scene. But it hard to imagine it is helpful in being closed mouthed and just saying that the warranty will cover you if something goes wrong. It does sometime smell of Glengary Glen Ross where the car history is stored in Rio Rancho records keeping.

 

[MsElectric]

It is like the coy but cute date you have for Saturday night... "so, tell me a little about yourself!" "Well, besides being really good looking, smart and definitely hot, my problem years are behind me for good. I really don't talk much about how wild I was in College or those months in Greece. I am really settling down now and trying to live for today."

By limiting information, I think Tesla believes they are being different and cool. Kind of like the mysterious youthful club scene. But it hard to imagine it is helpful in being closed mouthed and just saying that the warranty will cover you if something goes wrong. It does sometime smell of Glengary Glen Ross where the car history is stored in Rio Rancho records keeping.

That's a great analogy When something every car dealer provides is explicitly withheld you start wondering what it is that they are trying to hide...

As much as I think it is absolutely inexcusable to withhold the car's service records and maintenance history, if they would just offer comprehensive extended warranty coverage someone looking to buy a Model S can adopt the attitude "Okay so they are refusing to tell me anything about the car I am about to buy, unlike a car dealer would, but at least they are offering a comprehensive warranty so if something goes wrong, it is not my problem."

Withholding the service records makes it almost impossible for someone to do due diligence on the car they are about to buy so should something go wrong out of warranty you are on the hook for massive repair bills or multiple $200 deductibles for each issue even if you had an extended warranty. What's not helpful is the combination of withholding the information about the car with no extended warranty option for CPO cars and the absurdly high per issue deductible for extended warranty repairs.

 

[taurusking]

That's a great analogy When something every car dealer provides is explicitly withheld you start wondering what it is that they are trying to hide...

As much as I think it is absolutely inexcusable to withhold the car's service records and maintenance history, if they would just offer comprehensive extended warranty coverage someone looking to buy a Model S can adopt the attitude "Okay so they are refusing to tell me anything about the car I am about to buy, unlike a car dealer would, but at least they are offering a comprehensive warranty so if something goes wrong, it is not my problem."

Withholding the service records makes it almost impossible for someone to do due diligence on the car they are about to buy so should something go wrong out of warranty you are on the hook for massive repair bills or multiple $200 deductibles for each issue even if you had an extended warranty. What's not helpful is the combination of withholding the information about the car with no extended warranty option for CPO cars and the absurdly high per issue deductible for extended warranty repairs.

I don't see why Tesla is hesitating to offer ESA on CPO cars. Let alone CPO cars I am thinking even ESA for single owner users with a cost of $4000 and deductible of $200 is nothing short of being called Ludicrous.

One of the sales pitch presented to me was ...no oil changes..oil filter etc etc but now I have to pay $600 for annual service which is required to keep ESA .

I don't know what I will do after my bumper to bumper warranty expires.

 

[3mp_kwh]

+1 - without the full service history and without Tesla providing actual photos of the cars (check out carmax for instance), what exactly is the point of buying a Tesla CPO car? What has happened to cyclone should never happen.

I think Tesla may be revisiting the task they are trying to accomplish with the CPO program. That is retaining tight control of all used/new Tesla distribution (within a Tesla/Customer domain), while finding the right way to manage cars which can be in variable condition.


Even without initial challenges, I think the trust hurdle would still be high. Things like service records, and not underestimating how tolerant used buyers can be of what they see, might help. Most willing to buy used, have many things they'll tolerate, but if they come to feel it was hidden from them, unwittingly or not, those same things can become intolerable.

 

[mfennell]

Be that as it may, I now own my car and they still refuse to give me the service history.

I've been shaking my head about your saga. I bought a Volvo from a VW dealer that was originally sold by the same dealer network's Volvo store. One phone call and they faxed all the service info to me. I had a similar experience with a used Jaguar.

 

[neroden]

It is absolutely inexcusable for Tesla to withhold service and maintenance information about cars to the CPO buyers as well as actual owners of the car. It is a horrible policy.

Completely inexcusable. Terrible policy. And, unfortunately, totally pattern-and-practice for Tesla Motors, whose communiciations are spectacularly broken.

Communications are the company's biggest single weak point. It is actually a severe enough weak point that it could drive the company bankrupt if they don't FIX IT in the next few years.

 

[yak-55]

To the OP:
My car has been fine, and service also good. My lessons:
1). Don't buy if you don't have a service center close by. You will visit them. Loaners and rangers are becoming scarce/expensive.
2). Don't make a non-refundable deposit on a used car you have not seen and driven.
3). Beware Tesla's vapor ware (promised new functionality is at best slow in coming, and sometimes never arrives)
4). Be aware that Tesla is beginning to act more like a plain old car company (e.g. Refusing to disclose maintenance records fin their possession for a used vehicle, charging for things that were promised/included previously)

I talked to a SA about this and the reason why they will not provide service records is that people used to ICE cars may not understand the nature of electric cars and construe the issue to be "bigger" than it is. For instance, if you weren't familiar with Tesla and you saw that the drive unit was replaced on your cpo, you may relate that to an engine being replaced. This may raise concern or some may flat out refuse the car.

Tesla is on the wrong path when they start assuming their customers are stupid ....