End of a love affair :(

[james80]

I reserved my Model X in 2016 and it arrived in April 2017.

I had some relatively forgivable issues when they delivered it (curbed alloy, issues with the leather on the passenger seat, dent in the frame near FWD, misaligned main front camera, crunching door mechanism and maybe a few other little ones)

I didn't really moan, despite it requiring a number of trips to the SC in the first few months of ownership and other than the inconvenience and the frustration of having to rock around in a smokey diesel jag X type loaner for a while and that the car came back twice without a fix for the door mechanism issues, which persisted until it finally crunched itself to death completely and required a full replacement. I just got on with it and forgot about the troubles, I was so in love with how great the Model X was.

Then about a year and a bit later the airbag light came on and stayed on. After numerous attempts with the call centres it was looking like it would have to go back in to the dreaded service centre as soon as I had the time to get it there, then after a software update in early Dec the main heater unit burned itself out (as did hundreds of others around the world apparently). So, I shivered my way in to the service centre.

So, a quick update… it’s almost April and it’s still in the service centre

In my 23 months of Tesla ownership, my model X has spent about 4 months in the service centre.

A week or two ago, missing my car and in a fit of madness, I enquired about buying a newer performance model and asked them for a price for trading in my existing one in. To my surprise Tesla came back to me and said that my less than 2 year old car that cost nearly £95k has a trade in value of £44k. (That’s an official figure from the sales centre.)

So.. my car is depreciating at about £500 per week. (I say again.. 4 months in the service centre)

A pretty brutal figure once you calculate the tax (income not road obviously), insurance, other costs etc

So, the hit of having my car in service for about 4 months is starting to look pretty unreasonable.

I just want to say that I love my model X and I've only ever given a glowing recommendation of the car itself.

As a car, it's excellent. fast, fun, clean, awesome.

But as a company, a luxury car company, Tesla has so much catching up to do.

We shouldn’t have to drive around wondering when something small is going to snap, crunch or go pop and it cost thousands and take months. That’s just not cool.

The reason for this rant, is that I would like to hear (privately) from any other owners that have had a similarly ridiculous experience and what resolution you came to with Tesla.

The (very nice guy) that leads the service centre team suggested that he had a £100 max authorisation last week when it came to restoring goodwill to customers. I'm not sure if he realised that my car lost 5 times more than that in a days it took him to get back to my email asking if Tesla thought it was reasonable) I should have suggested he puts on some new wipers as it eats them pretty quickly.

I'm also annoyed that they most likely will have let my battery run down to zero over the freezing months in Jan/Feb (it’s been totally dead on the app since Dec other than one single alert saying that charging was interrupted in Jan).

I'm sure I will attract enough fire just asking a question like this (I used to convince myself when reading so many similar stories that it probably wouldn’t happen to me) and I'm not asking for anyone to publish their experience and resolutions publicly, please email me privately on [email protected].

Before you criticise my exasperated rant on here.. ask yourself how you would feel in the same position.

It’s really not reasonable at all. I personally feel fortunate to be able to buy and own a car like the model X, but that doesn’t mean we should suffer with such utterly appalling customer service / experience and the lamentable handling of such matters by Tesla.

 

[theoceanwaves]

You are not the only person with issues like this. Tesla should work a lot harder with quality control and customer service to resolve matters and make a goodwill gesture to buy back the car at a reasonable cost considering the hassle you have gone through. I too have been patient with Tesla service and the car has been back numerous time including mobile service. They try their best to fix the issues quickly but the major parts problem needs to be solved for them to succeed. Lots of model 3 an Y customer might not be as understanding as the earlier adopters.

 

[Tevvy]

Sorry to hear your story James and rightly so I think you’re aggrieved. Have you tried ‘escalating to board level’ in my Tesla?

At least you’ll get your voice heard by someone high up.

Stick with it. You’ll have put miles on someone else’s car in those 4 months (I know it’s no comparison) but yours is 4 months less wear and tear.

 

[KG2V]

Too bad you aren't in NY - where this would be under our lemon law - They would have to refund your $$ or replace the car

 

[RedBall]

To be fair I think you have been more than reasonable. The initial list of defects would appear strong enough to have rejected the car imho.

If it's on a pcp then would it be more beneficial to ride out the remainder and take advantage of the guaranteed future value? I'd be insisting on a like for like replacement while they fix yours though.

 

[Subevo]

Sorry to hear your issues.sounds like a nightmare.i would be pissed as well.
The trade in value is depressing to say the least and I don't know how they are going to retain loyal customers in the future.
I was tempted by the model x but I thought they might be more problematic in the long run due to the doors.
Hope you get a resolution that your happy with.good luck.

 

[thegruf]

the shame of stories like this, is that it would actually cost Tesla very little to keep enthusuastic owners (sic ambassadors/free sales resource) on board.

However Tesla know their future is in Model3 and ModelY customers and bluntly at corporate level it is clear existing ModelS/X customers simply dont matter to them. They have had our money and are now moving on to a new customer base.

I too have gone from the most enthusiastic of owners to just being sad about my Tesla experience. Not quite as bad as yours but not far off, culminating in me taking it in for a simple service prior to resale only for service to hang onto it for almost 2 weeks, I lost the buyer and Tesla lopped 30% off a new one. That was one expensive service.
Maybe if they had given P series customers a limited offer of say 10K off for a period of 6 months to buy new it could all have been so different. As it is I know 3 other P owners who have sworn never to touch Tesla again, 2 of them went straight to Porsche for the Taycan. I would do the same but Porsche is part of VAG ...

 

[Asterix187]

I think it’s a Taycan next for me.

 

[thegruf]

I'm just going to wait tbh. VAG have proved themselves not to be trusted before and I sincerely doubt they are different now.
If the MS sells so be it, with a heavy heart I would just go back ICE.
That sums up the damage Tesla have done in my particular case. Gutted tbh.

 

[james80]

Thank you for your contributions and advice (and for those who emailed, clearly it’s a ‘who cries loudest’ approach). As suggested by Tevvy I have just sent a message on the mytesla site requesting to escalate my issue.

I won’t hold my breath.. judging by how the rest of this experience has been handled, I’ll be surprised if anyone gets back to me at all, despite how brave their products are Tesla seem to prefer to adopt the ostrich manoeuvre when it comes to facing up to customer problems (that they created).

Such a shame.

A truly epic and disruptive product, let down buy an always-in-catch-up parts department and after sales that’s more of an afterthought.

As with all tech led disruptions.. a great disruptor is usually followed by replicators that are able to evolve faster due to having not spent all their energy, ideas and capital on the initial push to change the game. So evolution is cheaper, easier, swifter and more progressive.

When you then consider that the replicators are going to be the old school automotive titans like Porsche, Range Rover/JLR, BWM, Volvo, Merc, etc then even Tesla May end up feeling like MySpace in a YouTube/Facebook world.

Surely within a year or two they will all have dropped a 100-120kw battery in, with the HW/SW to keep the car in lane and manage simple manoeuvres on main roads and motorways, (let’s face it, Autopilot is bit Kamikaze in the city as I’m sure any manufacturers system would be until the gov radically overhaul the roads ready for autonomous vehicles).

Despite my frustrating journey, I strangely still want Tesla to win. Maybe I’ve got a bit of Stockholm Syndrome.. I love Elon’s vision too. As a business person myself, I really admire his epic achievements. (Well done dude.)

Back to my story, the irony is that I offered them a silly solution where I would buy another model X long range ludicrous (in addition to my permanently parked in the service centre one) and asked for them for a few software upgrades as goodwill to smooth over the issues of the past poor service.

Software upgrades... (I.e. click click done, they get £200k from one customer in less than 2 years, despite them screwing up)

That’s when the poor chap heading up the service centre (team) in Park Royal said he hadn’t heard anything back about my suggestion (after a week or two) but said that it was unlikely to be approved and would his £100 do the trick.

Talk about hands tied and lack of perspective, empathy or long term customer retention.

Screw it. I just hope Range Rover hurry up and put a whole battery in the Vogue, not just the little pack of 9 volters in the PHEV.. oh and two more fold away seats.

Anyway... what a mad rant.

I’m sorry if anyone has had to read any of this and sorry for treating the forum like a support group. (I do feel a bit better)

I just hope that they listen so that others don’t have to go through this rubbish.. and me for that matter. I doubt my heater and airbag light will be the only things to go.

P.s. the only solution for the airbag light was an all new seat.. as in all new every bit of the seat. Frames, motors, rails, ducts, heater, leather. Etc. Made in America, shipped to Holland, driven to london and fitted in Acton.

Just because the sensor in the seat rail was faulty.. madness..

 

[james80]

Gruf,

Sorry dude... sounds like you’ve had it bad too. The whole P pricing is a mind bender.

To suggest going back to ICE does say it all, you must be deeply frustrated by them too..

In the depths of a very early not even mid life crisis, I went out a month ago and bought one of the last naturally aspirated V8 Ferrari Californias and despite the amazing howl, crackling exhaust, ferroceous changes, very slippy rear (in a good way) and the feel of a properly fitted leather interior, I still get back in a Tesla and smile.. the peace and quiet and ease of use is pretty awesome.

Going back to ICE most likely isn’t the answer. We just need a year or two more for the rest of the players to catch up and rebalance the equation. Maybe then Tesla will start thinking further than making lots of one time never twice buyers.

Too tired to find the sick emoji..

Yak.

 

[Minne]

Dear James,

Understand your (first world) problems completely. Same sort of experience here.
Bought a model s p100d, car has been back to service center for numerous problems .
Individual Tesla employees are great , very friendly and willing to help. Communication can be better though -> take in was done by other people than those that worked on the car - > info got 'lost in translation' and upon getting the car back some issues were not fixed.
car has been in service centers for almost 2 months in the 21 months of ownership.
Some issues still not fixed (car vibrating at higher speed).
Next service appointment next friday...

Maybe a support group is not such a bad idea after all.

 

[Minne]

and they shouldn't let your battery die when they have your car in for service/repairs (happened to me too). I feel it gives you the message: we don't care about you and your car .

it does indeed help getting all this of your chest..

 

[thegruf]

Some issues still not fixed (car vibrating at higher speed).
Next service appointment next friday....

Ask about a new driveshaft lubrication type. They changed driveshafts twice in mine without success, the new lubrication solved it.
Also ask about the modification to strengthen the front fender - this was another issue with mine and the fix solved it.
Good luck.

 

[james80]

You’re right and that made me laugh out loud. (The 1st world comment. Not your troubles with Tesla.)

And while these are indeed 1st world problems. I (as I’m sure most others) certainly had to put in a lot of 3rd world hard work to get ourselves in a position to be able to buy one of these suckers.

 

[Minne]

Ask about a new driveshaft lubrication type. They changed driveshafts twice in mine without success, the new lubrication solved it.
Also ask about the modification to strengthen the front fender - this was another issue with mine and the fix solved it.
Good luck.

thanks! fender strengthening modification didn't solve problem , will ask about the driveshaft lubrication.

 

[james80]

And seriously WTF is up with Spotify. I don’t believe it’s just me an my X, as well the S they gave me for 3 months (with 5 seats for my 6 bum family) and the X they gave me last week after I lost my *sugar*, constantly having to illegally hold one of my young children on my partners lap in the back seat. (I know. Not smart. But we bought a 6 seat for a reason)

Jesus. I’m stuck in rant mode. Thanks Tesla.

Anyway. Spotify. Is it just me.?

 

[Minne]

You’re right and that made me laugh out loud. (The 1st world comment. Not your troubles with Tesla.)

And while these are indeed 1st world problems. I (as I’m sure most others) certainly had to put in a lot of 3rd world hard work to get ourselves in a position to be able to buy one of these suckers.

Happy to hear I was able to make you laugh in these times of hardship. totally agree on the 3rd world hard work .

 

[Minne]

And seriously WTF is up with Spotify. I don’t believe it’s just me an my X, as well the S they gave me for 3 months (with 5 seats for my 6 bum family) and the X they gave me last week after I lost my *sugar*, constantly having to illegally hold one of my young children on my partners lap in the back seat. (I know. Not smart. But we bought a 6 seat for a reason)

Jesus. I’m stuck in rant mode. Thanks Tesla.

Anyway. Spotify. Is it just me.?

no. I also have (had) problems with spotify . after v9 update spotify crashed continuously causing the entire mcu to reboot. much less issues since last update 2018.50.6 but still not problem free..

 

[suwaneedad]

Brutal! I assume you don't have something akin to the Lemon Law that exists in many US states? The Lemon Law, which requires that a manufacturer repurchase a vehicle that has too many problems in too short a period of time (yours would qualify, in my state of Georgia), really works wonders in the small percentage of vehicles that are just possessed by demons for some reason. (My brother says sometimes he buys the car built at 9am on a Monday just after the weekly employee pep rally, but sometimes he buys the car built at 4:59 on a Friday afternoon when everyone just wants to get on to the pub. In this spirit, cars need a date/time stamp not just a month/year stamp!)