-
Want to remove ads? Register an account and login to see fewer ads, and become a Supporting Member to remove almost all ads.
Edmunds Model S Long-Term Test
- Thread starter tenstringer009
- Start date
-
- Tags
- News
I just did a search and couldn't find the originating article. I'm wondering if this is a really old article dredged up to justify Fox News anti-EV nonsense. Bringing up the Roadster is a big tell.
Click on the link at the bottom of the Fox article. They point to the source. Some insurance webpage.
Found link
Why electric cars and hurricanes don't mix | Insurance.com
anticitizen13.7
Not posting at TMC after 9/17/2018
http://www.edmunds.com/tesla/model-...el-s-los-angeles-to-new-york-in-pictures.html
Photo album and some commentary on individual Supercharger sites.
Photo album and some commentary on individual Supercharger sites.
Not sure if this has been posted yet (been quite busy) but it wasn't here nor the Edmunds.com test car failure thread.
Edmunds' long-term Model S needed its 3rd drive unit replacement. Their car is at the 30k mile mark.
Drive Unit IV: The Milling - 2013 Tesla Model S Long-Term Road Test
So, replacements so far have been for noise, total failure, then noise. Car is on its 4th drive unit. It also got a replacement motor mount, due to a small crack and a few other things.
And, thanks to some comments I skimmed from the above, I became aware of Motortrend's long-term Model S drive unit replacement: 2013 Tesla Model S P85+ Long-Term Update 3 - Motor Trend at 5 months ~13K miles.
Edmunds' long-term Model S needed its 3rd drive unit replacement. Their car is at the 30k mile mark.
Drive Unit IV: The Milling - 2013 Tesla Model S Long-Term Road Test
So, replacements so far have been for noise, total failure, then noise. Car is on its 4th drive unit. It also got a replacement motor mount, due to a small crack and a few other things.
And, thanks to some comments I skimmed from the above, I became aware of Motortrend's long-term Model S drive unit replacement: 2013 Tesla Model S P85+ Long-Term Update 3 - Motor Trend at 5 months ~13K miles.
NigelM
Recovering Member
Wow. That's awesome service by Tesla; really backing up their promises even on a test car that's been thrashed by different drivers.
I'm guessing you're still not going to buy one cwerdna?
gg_got_a_tesla
Model S: VIN 65513, Model 3: VIN 1913
Yes, excellent service from Tesla although the cynical me would suggest that the Edmunds and MotorTrends of the world get extra-special treatment that's not sustainable over the long term with ordinary customers.
The point made in the article about how Tesla cannot afford such repetitive failures on the affordable mass market car is right on.
The point made in the article about how Tesla cannot afford such repetitive failures on the affordable mass market car is right on.
I hope Tesla takes this to heart:
Edmunds said:
It's definitely on my concern list that I'll be due a 5 digit bill (for a replacement drive unit) 1 day after my 4yr/50kmi expires.
That's part of why I bought the extended warranty. Exactly for 1st model year growing pains. And the first mass production car Tesla has ever done. I am a little surprised Edmunds has had such bad luck. I've got 24k on my car and several others here have more than that. We've had talk of some replacements, but it's not been a big percentage of folks.
gavine
Petrol Head turned EV Enthusiast
Do you think out of pocket will be 5 digits to replace the drive unit? Isn't it quite simple to rebuild? I would think you could get a rebuilt one and get a core value for your old motor. I'm thinking it would be very inexpensive to replace the drive unit.
When I asked the SWAG I got was $15K + labor for drive unit replacement out of warranty. I mentally round that up to $25K because I suspect $30K is "high" and $20K is "low".
I'm hopeful (though I haven't asked yet) that a drive unit replacement out-of-warranty at least includes a warranty on that drive unit.
Owner
Active Member
I agree with you, we have not heard other talk about the drive units. Tire issues and self opening doors etc.. but not drive train.
as far as I know, the most common drive unit problem seems to be a noisy inverter. this problem should be a lot cheaper than a whole drive unit replacement. I would think $1-2K max?
The entire drive unit has a lot more to it for the $15K, I hope they are just swapping the whole units out since it is quicker and those parts aren't supply constricted maybe?
I'd gurantee thats what they're doing. The edmunds car was only out of service for 1.5 days, which included time to get a new drive unit from a different dealer. I'd guess they've designed it so the whole drive unit can easily be swapped out, and then they send it back to HQ to be rebuilt. I don't think we'll see the true cost of a drive unit swap until some cars are out of warranty in a few years. If this is more than an incredibly rare event a $15k price tag will be unacceptable to Tesla's reputation. And if they are charging that, you can bet a third party will rebuild em for half that.
Kalud
Active Member
... and I expect that out of warranty there will be core exchange that will get the repair less expensive than $15k. With that being said, I will still have the extended warranty and avoid keeping this car out of that warranty period. At least that's my view now. Who can really know were we're going to be in 3 to 5 years from now... Maybe the 2017 Model S will be too awesome to resist anyway...
I think you're dreaming. You can't even get a folding mirrors upgrade for that.
anticitizen13.7
Not posting at TMC after 9/17/2018
I really have to wonder why in the hell an electric motor needs to be replaced 3 times. As much as I am a fan of Tesla, this sort of failure rate is terrible.
Yes, it's only one car. But it makes me wonder if there's some issue with the motor manufacturing. Did the Roadster have this issue? Tesla cannot have this kind of failure rate going forward. The buyers of Audis and BMWs might expect a luxury car to have high maintenance and frequent repairs. The Honda/Toyota crowd will absolutely not tolerate this.
Yes, it's only one car. But it makes me wonder if there's some issue with the motor manufacturing. Did the Roadster have this issue? Tesla cannot have this kind of failure rate going forward. The buyers of Audis and BMWs might expect a luxury car to have high maintenance and frequent repairs. The Honda/Toyota crowd will absolutely not tolerate this.
William13
Active Member
The unit was replaced for noise twice. I had the "noise" and it was no big deal. Tesla is being proactive with repairs during the warranty period. They replaced my drive train also. By the way the replacement is typically for the inverter. The motor is usually fine. I believe a few have been replaced due to a clunk from the reduction gears. These gears are subject to higher torque than other cars cause.
I hope that Tesla charges less than $15k for a refurbished motor and inverter. I think they have based their charge on new component cost without considering the value of the old unit. I hope.
I hope that Tesla charges less than $15k for a refurbished motor and inverter. I think they have based their charge on new component cost without considering the value of the old unit. I hope.
