If the claimant picks a non-preferred shop and authorizes them to do teardown/repairs WITH insurance approval, it will work out with no concerns about who's paying.
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Don't get in an accident in your Tesla unless you like waiting for repairs
- Thread starter blackhawk
- Start date
If the claimant picks a non-preferred shop and authorizes them to do teardown/repairs WITH insurance approval, it will work out with no concerns about who's paying.
The only reason I looked for a Safeco approved shop was to make the process simpler. I’m aware I can go anywhere but all Tesla shops are busy here. The $7k estimate had a caveat in case they discover further damage, and of course I’d be waiting til November to find that out. The car isn’t really driveable because the door doesn’t latch securely and the window doesn’t seal.
Tesla gave me an excellent trade in on the S, not far off the book value. I have a 2021 Model Y arriving shortly. So far the process has been smooth.
Great advice above not to take it too seriously. I’m fortunate that I’m not injured and that I can throw money at the problem.
Tesla gave me an excellent trade in on the S, not far off the book value. I have a 2021 Model Y arriving shortly. So far the process has been smooth.
Great advice above not to take it too seriously. I’m fortunate that I’m not injured and that I can throw money at the problem.
mtbwalt
Member
Honestly it seems like all body shops (not just Tesla) are struggling for workers.
It took me 3 months to get bumper damage on my daughter’s CR-V repaired. Body shop was scheduling estimates 1 month out. As in, a 1 month wait for an appointment for them to look at the car and give an estimate before they even start the process of ordering parts and work.
It took me 3 months to get bumper damage on my daughter’s CR-V repaired. Body shop was scheduling estimates 1 month out. As in, a 1 month wait for an appointment for them to look at the car and give an estimate before they even start the process of ordering parts and work.
oreobbq
Member
Yes you can pick any shop and supplemental payments between shop & insurance work the same. Understandably there’s a lot of FUD around the process. An “approved” shop list sounds warm and fuzzy and is misleading. If the shop I want to use happens to be on the list, then hooray for all parties. The insurance co simply has a job to do and they aren’t your advocate.
OP, congrats on the MY! Maybe you’ll have a nice surprise and get it early like an amazon package you forgot you ordered lol.
OP, congrats on the MY! Maybe you’ll have a nice surprise and get it early like an amazon package you forgot you ordered lol.
Good advise - my mom said - if you have a problem money can fix - you don’t have a problem. I was going to insure with Allstate when my M3 arrives
After a bad Geico experience with a $5K repair I'm more comfortable with Tesla insurance. Haven't had a claim with TI, but at least I won't have to argue about repair parts.
The large Tesla approved bodyshop I used said that Geico was by far the most difficult insurer they experienced. I used State Farm for years, but they were 2X the price Tesla insurance.
Tesla parts sucked, at least early this year. Almost three weeks to get a Model Y rear bumper. 10 days to get Tesla parts to answer an email. FSD this year but apparently a competent inventory system and customer tracking is beyond human capability.
Related, I got a text literally yesterday asking if I was still interested in purchasing a Model Y. My phone number is unchanged from 2020 when I purchased a Model Y. Apparently matching ten digit phone numbers between old prospects and current customers is also beyond the state of the art for Tesla.
The large Tesla approved bodyshop I used said that Geico was by far the most difficult insurer they experienced. I used State Farm for years, but they were 2X the price Tesla insurance.
Tesla parts sucked, at least early this year. Almost three weeks to get a Model Y rear bumper. 10 days to get Tesla parts to answer an email. FSD this year but apparently a competent inventory system and customer tracking is beyond human capability.
Related, I got a text literally yesterday asking if I was still interested in purchasing a Model Y. My phone number is unchanged from 2020 when I purchased a Model Y. Apparently matching ten digit phone numbers between old prospects and current customers is also beyond the state of the art for Tesla.
whitex
Well-Known Member
Ha ha, I know a guy who only drives bright yellow cars for this reason. I think for his Volvo he had to pay for a wrap to get one in yellow. Personally, my family drives all white cars. My wife used to like other colors but chose white for her last 3 cars. Coincidentally, not only are all of our cars white, their names all start with a letter T. Waiting a Taycan Turbo to join the "White T* car" club.This is my second no-fault accident in this car and I'm beginning to believe the NHTSA statistic that grey and silver cars are more accident prone due to not being as visible. Wife asked if bright orange was an option for next vehicle.
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Clerk at work had fender bender in Hyunday, 6mo wait time.
Someone building house at other end of hood, still cannot finish 6mo later, shortages everywhere.
I am waiting two years to get soffits painted, contractors claim no time for small jobs
(would do it but cathedral ceiling and three floors, not ortho but neurosurgical heights).
Someone building house at other end of hood, still cannot finish 6mo later, shortages everywhere.
I am waiting two years to get soffits painted, contractors claim no time for small jobs
(would do it but cathedral ceiling and three floors, not ortho but neurosurgical heights).
73Bruin
Member
I have reported this before, but my daughter's 2021 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid was in the shop for over 6 months with most of the time spent waiting for parts. This includes, at the end, Hyundai sending a damaged replacement part that was supposed to be a brand new part, 3 separate times. Each time the body shop refused to accept it. The body shop didn't know if Hyundai put the bad part back in inventory and then resent it, or just had a number of parts that were damaged in the exact same place.
airborne spoon
Active Member
never take a vehicle to a shop the insurance recommends.Also discovered today that there are exactly zero Tesla approved body shops on the Liberty Mutual/Safeco authorized body shop list.
Picked up the Y today, the process was pretty painless. I spent 30 minutes checking out the car and it's in excellent condition, a couple of minor chips and a fog lamp that needs some attention but otherwise, very happy and a great deal.
Definitely a different driving experience in the Y but you've got to love the advanced features - like door storage!
Definitely a different driving experience in the Y but you've got to love the advanced features - like door storage!
roblab
Active Member
Had a pickup truck cut into a parking space in front of my car a little too soon and pulled the entire front fascia of my Tesla off onto the pavement. Before I even knew of it, the tow truck was winching my car up to take it to the auto body shop. We had to wait for parts for a week, but then the car was returned to its original condition. I would think that a week is acceptable.
No one, not Honda, not Toyota, not Mercedes, can fix a car unless they can get parts. That usually takes a couple days -- or more. Most car companies carry an assortment of parts that might be needed in accidents, but they are only guessing what might be needed. And then there might be other body work. Thankfully such repair is needed rarely.
No one, not Honda, not Toyota, not Mercedes, can fix a car unless they can get parts. That usually takes a couple days -- or more. Most car companies carry an assortment of parts that might be needed in accidents, but they are only guessing what might be needed. And then there might be other body work. Thankfully such repair is needed rarely.
Long wait time for parts are not unique to Tesla. A friend of mine ran into a curb the day after a snow storm on Dec 26th last year and is finally getting all the parts (suspension and side curtain air bags) to put it all back together on a Mazda CX-5 which is Mazda's most popular auto. That's over 7 months and counting....Yikes!
Long wait times for parts and for body service are ABSOLUTELY a Tesla issue; a Tesla issue that existed long before the pandemic.
I feel for you. I was fortunate that my car was still drivable when I had my accident. Driving around with a beat up car was annoying but I was grateful, even in the moment, that I had a car to drive.
I feel for you. I was fortunate that my car was still drivable when I had my accident. Driving around with a beat up car was annoying but I was grateful, even in the moment, that I had a car to drive.
No argument Tesla has issues with parts availability. I had to wait 1 month for a windshield pre-pandemic and 3 weeks for a headlight but having to wait 7 months has got to be pushing near record wait times even for Tesla.
In a very similar situation and I'm very curious to hear how the rest of your process went. Were you able to get the issue resolved? What path did you take?
I'm looking at a 7 month wait to get this car to a shop, then an additional 2-3 months of "repair time" before it's back to 100% capacity, which sounds ridiculous to me. There doesn't seem to be a straightforward way to make up for lost wages or loss of use for the 10 months I'm unable to utilize my car at full capacity.
whitex
Well-Known Member
The only way is to sue whoever was at fault, however if they are broke, you're not going to squeeze blood from that stone.
The shop just notified me that my 5 month wait for an air shock replacement is finally over. Truly pathetic. I'll be selling the car in the next few months and be done with Tesla forever.
whitex
Well-Known Member
While I sympathize, and also shying away from buying a new Teslas, I will have to tell you other manufacturers can have similar waits for parts nowadays. Heck, I've been waiting for my first Tesla car replacement to be produced for over a year and half now (it is finally produced, in transit now).