Every service experience makes me want to sell my Model S

[PhilDavid]

Something is really wrong when to me the experience of scheduling an appointment with my dentist and going for the dental appointment causes far less apprehension/stress than taking my car to a Service Center.

At least with the dentist, you can talk to a human being, know how long the procedure will take and if you have a question prior, during, or after the procedure, there is a human being you can speak with. Text messages are useless when the system is essentially designed so they can blow you off and ignore you.

Wish Tesla Service was at least as pleasant as a visit to the dentist.

The root cause for this apprehension is absolutely no meaningful human communication. No real oversight of customer service. No way to escalate anything and basically no accountability.

The current text message based service experience is like...

• You have a question about your service appointment? Tough luck! We don't discuss those issues.
• Oh you want to know if the parts are in stock? Well, why don't you bring your car and we can find that out together! It's more fun this way.
  
• You want to wait for your car? Who do you think you are? Drop off the car, leave our premises, and we'll get to it when we can and let you know when it is ready.
  
• Aw how cute, you texted us about your service appointment! We don't feel like replying to your specific concern so go pound sand.
• Well, why don't you call us instead so we can discuss this? Oh, that's right, you can't!

This text message based customer communication system is the worst idea I can think of they have come up with. It's miserably broken and there is no accountability.

They need accountable humans at each service center customers can interact with by being able to speak with them.

The current text message based service experience is like a sadistic skit from Seinfeld or Curb Your Enthusiasm.

They can still keep the text message based system to expedite appointment but would be great if there was at least some viable OPTION to speak to a human being. The vast majority of the issues people complain about will not even be issues if there was someone you can speak to and figure out a solution.

Also to the extent possible, separating S/X from 3 would also be a great option so service centers can specialize on certain models.

I really hope they fix service by employing more humans and less software.

 

[Ostrichsak]

Well, I can tell you that selling the model S and buying a new MB S class 560 will not make you happy.

Both service and parts suck to a much greater degree than I can describe here.

Right now, no MB coolant for 2019 car exists in North America. But Stealership insists on lying and saying what they have in stock is approved. Did the same thing regarding oil a few weeks back, but I found an on line source.

And you won't find a forum to find answers to hard questions or extensive data. The MB forums are almost as devoid of content as a Lexus forum.

...which is why I don't own an MB.

Besides, as bad as everything you described is... at least I can call a local number, talk to a local human, get his/her name as well as a direct number/email and have someone local to hold personally accountable until the issue is corrected. I'll take that over whatever AI facsimile of that that Tesla is trying to force onto us any day of the week.

 

[aerodyne]

If one is going to critisize a company, there has to be some context...and it is not much help to talk to someone if they are clueless and or outright lie to you, like 3 MB service and parts places did to me.

No doubt, Tesla service has degraded. I sought out a SC far away and basically built a relationship, so I think I will get service if I need it. I agree this should not be something an owner of a premium brand should do.

 

[Big Toys]

I and my family experience crappy support for my US vehicles fro dealers. IE Ford, GM and Jeep.

Japanese automakers improved quality which did force US automakers to improve quality. And my Tesla has performed better with 44k+ miles and 3+ years than all my previous vehicles.

Yes, these reasons are why you now have a Tesla, which in effect proves my point. Alternatives makes the decision easy.

 

[Eclectic]

I have a 2017 Model S100D. Purchased new - paid $120k back then. It's been a great car, albeit with many service issues. At first, Tesla service was exceptional. They would drive 60 miles each way from the Gigafactory 1 to Lake Tahoe to perform onsite service. And the mobile technicians were great. But it's all gone to hell in the past year.

Summary: Tesla doesn't put the customer first. Their service decisions are based on expedience and lowest cost for Tesla; not the customer's best interest. They creatively interpret their warranty to their own benefit - setting aside the reasonable rights of their customers. Their service advisors are pompous and self-righteous - knowing that that I have no alternatives and my only recourse is suing. They act as if they don't care (I can't tell if they do care). This is no way to retain customers. You can make a great product, but if you treat your customers like sh*t, they won't come back.

Examples:
MCU1 with yellow border. Fixed it the first time with replacement screen. OK for < 1 year. I reported my yellow screen today and they said that they don't replace them anymore. They just treat the symptom with UV light and the symptom goes away for a while while underlying problem still exists. Just long enough for my warranty to expire - no doubt. They further told me that they would do this UV treatment once for free. But after that, I had to pay to have it done again regardless of my warranty coverage. They acted as if they were doing me a favor. Tesla equips the car with a defective product, replace it once with a product they new was still defective before they installed it, then they say they won't replace it again despite my warranty coverage. WTF???

Squeaks and rattles. Took my car into service for a few squeaks and rattles. Unlike every other car costing $120k, they say that squeaks and rattles aren't covered under the warranty and I have to pay for it. Verified it in the warranty statement (last time I don't read the warranty!). $200 later, fixed at my cost.

AP3 upgrade. I inquired about that today and they said that while they've completed the replacement on a bunch of cars, they've mostly been Model 3s. So I pay $7,000 up front for FSD 3 years ago, and they upgrade the cheaper 1 year old models first. WTF??? They don't get it that for $120k, customers expect more than if they pay $60k.

I get it that in purchasing a Model S back then, I was on the bleeding edge. I paid a lot of money for my car and watched Tesla depreciate it by $30k solely through price reductions in the first 6 months. I've come to terms with that. But Tesla service is worse than that of Chevy. It's really pathetic.

I've decided to sell my car before the warranty runs out. As much as I love the car, I hate the service experience so much that I refuse to deal with it anymore. And short of dramatic improvements in Tesla service, this will be my last Tesla. So sad.

We were in the same situation as you're in, only our car was a P85D (the second Tesla we purchased, after a P85). As much as we liked the Model S for a number of reasons, we were also concerned about the likelihood of expensive repairs after the warranty ended as well as a few other things (supercharger wait times, being at the whim of Tesla over updates/features, etc.). We believed that things would get much worse before they got better (if ever), so a bit over a year ago we got rid of the Tesla and replaced it with a BMW. Best move ever, as the cost of operating the BMW is lower than that of the Tesla (the BMW is a hybrid, so for the most part we can run without gas unless we're taking a trip), the car has been 100% reliable and BMW is very good about taking care of customers.

I can't say I'll never own another Tesla, but the problems you've experienced are exactly why we returned to a traditional car manufacturer.

 

[SO16]

Yes, these reasons are why you now have a Tesla, which in effect proves my point. Alternatives makes the decision easy.

I do agree that competition is a good thing. I do agree there is definitely room for improvement with Tesla service. But I don’t agree that regular dealerships are so much better than Tesla service. That has not been my experience. I’ve had really poor experience with dealerships. Sure, I can talk to a human but have definitely been taken advantage of (or they tried) on several occasions.

 

[dark cloud]

Nobody said anything about MB in this thread... Stop deflecting.

I disagree. OP is selling his car due to service dissatisfaction. The point is what will he buy instead? Is the grass greener? Comparisons to other service experiences is relevant.

 

[dark cloud]

Best move ever, as the cost of operating the BMW is lower than that of the Tesla

How long has it been? I would be curious if you could say that 5 years from now. Any comments from previous BMW owners who have owned it for several years beyond the warranty period?

 

[Ocelot]

Something is really wrong when to me the experience of scheduling an appointment with my dentist and going for the dental appointment causes far less apprehension/stress than taking my car to a Service Center.

At least with the dentist, you can talk to a human being, know how long the procedure will take and if you have a question prior, during, or after the procedure, there is a human being you can speak with. Text messages are useless when the system is essentially designed so they can blow you off and ignore you.

Wish Tesla Service was at least as pleasant as a visit to the dentist.

The root cause for this apprehension is absolutely no meaningful human communication. No real oversight of customer service. No way to escalate anything and basically no accountability.

The current text message based service experience is like...

• You have a question about your service appointment? Tough luck! We don't discuss those issues.
• Oh you want to know if the parts are in stock? Well, why don't you bring your car and we can find that out together! It's more fun this way.
  
• You want to wait for your car? Who do you think you are? Drop off the car, leave our premises, and we'll get to it when we can and let you know when it is ready.
  
• Aw how cute, you texted us about your service appointment! We don't feel like replying to your specific concern so go pound sand.
• Well, why don't you call us instead so we can discuss this? Oh, that's right, you can't!

This text message based customer communication system is the worst idea I can think of they have come up with. It's miserably broken and there is no accountability.

They need accountable humans at each service center customers can interact with by being able to speak with them.

The current text message based service experience is like a sadistic skit from Seinfeld or Curb Your Enthusiasm.

They can still keep the text message based system to expedite appointment but would be great if there was at least some viable OPTION to speak to a human being. The vast majority of the issues people complain about will not even be issues if there was someone you can speak to and figure out a solution.

Also to the extent possible, separating S/X from 3 would also be a great option so service centers can specialize on certain models.

I really hope they fix service by employing more humans and less software.

Text? One step up from email. It is supremely frustrating not having a human to talk to, and a giant waste of customers time.

 

[SO16]

Text? One step up from email. It is supremely frustrating not having a human to talk to, and a giant waste of customers time.

Many Vendors I deal with only do online ticket support.

Amazon/eBay I believe is only done through online options.

Tesla service only through online/app is not unique (except for maybe in the automotive space). It’s just what people are used to. I find Tesla’s method much more convenient, quicker, have written what is said for historical purposes, send photos to prevent confusion and no waiting on hold. Just respond when responded to.

Now I do think Tesla should have kept the online chat option for random questions. That was a mistake to remove.

 

[Big Toys]

I do agree that competition is a good thing. I do agree there is definitely room for improvement with Tesla service. But I don’t agree that regular dealerships are so much better than Tesla service. That has not been my experience. I’ve had really poor experience with dealerships. Sure, I can talk to a human but have definitely been taken advantage of (or they tried) on several occasions.

....and I never said dealerships were "better". I did say that poor CS and poor quality cars did in the US automakers once there was a even a close alternative, and it took 30 years and a taxpayor bailout to start over. Musk is playing a dangerous game if he thinks he can make (even perceived) bad CS the new normal, which makes me think he's in it for the stock sale at the peak.

 

[VT_EE]

Just got my 3 back from 2 days in service. Had the HW3 update and the steering column replaced due to a thumping sound when the wheel retracted. Spent $150 in Tesla Uber credits and had no issues at all with this visit. The service advisor texted me the status when I asked for one. The service centers are are not universally bad like some people make them sound on this forum. As far as cost goes, tires at the SC are almost the same price installed as buying them though Tire Rack and the cabin air filter is in line with what Toyota charges.

 

[Tesomega]

When I had non-tesla, i used to communicate with the dealership as well - 2 text messages donem Because it used to be same day fix. With Tesla, its never less than a 1 week deal... 1 week without a car with a stupid $100/day uber credit.. Yes it might work for some, it might not enough for other who actual use their car.. if you live in heavy Tesla concentration area... the Service Center communication performance goes down the toilet.

 

[Uncle Paul]

Anybody thinking that premium European cars are trouble free totally miss the very busy service centers attached to all dealerships. You cannot just drop in, you need an appointment. There are long wait times during busy holiday seasons when more customers than usual all want to take their cars in at the same time. Loaners are not guaranteed and service prices are far higher than at independant shops.

They do tend to fawn over their customers. Service writers are on commission and tend to be very good looking and well dressed. They say "Yes Sir and Yes Mam" all the time. Stand up straight and smile a lot. All part of the ego rub package that supports their expensive cars. Service centers are clean and well light. They take special care to put fresh heavy paper floor mats and seat protectors to avoid smudges while in service.

 

[Eclectic]

How long has it been? I would be curious if you could say that 5 years from now. Any comments from previous BMW owners who have owned it for several years beyond the warranty period?

A year and change. The odds are that 5 years from now the BMW will be owned by someone else, as my wife is the primary driver and she tends to get bored with cars at about the 5 year mark. We're also going to be totally gone from California by then and she'll probably drive the Subaru we have in our new home (it snows a lot there and the Subaru has earned her respect for its competency and comfort).

 

[PhilDavid]

Anybody thinking that premium European cars are trouble free totally miss the very busy service centers attached to all dealerships. You cannot just drop in, you need an appointment. There are long wait times during busy holiday seasons when more customers than usual all want to take their cars in at the same time. Loaners are not guaranteed and service prices are far higher than at independant shops.

They do tend to fawn over their customers. Service writers are on commission and tend to be very good looking and well dressed. They say "Yes Sir and Yes Mam" all the time. Stand up straight and smile a lot. All part of the ego rub package that supports their expensive cars. Service centers are clean and well light. They take special care to put fresh heavy paper floor mats and seat protectors to avoid smudges while in service.

No one is saying anything is trouble free.

What many are saying is that the current text messages based support is broken.

Try having your car at the service center for several days for minor work, where they have not even looked at the car though you made an appointment, and they ignore your text messages asking for an update.

We've had cheap cars and premium German cars and they all came with the option to speak to a human who could resolve questions and concerns. Being able to speak to a human who cares when your car, that cost more than the median annual household income, needs service should not be too much to ask for from a customer service perspective despite all the excuses by the usual apologists.

As a point of comparison, Doordash offers human customer support over the phone for a $15 hamburger order should there be an issue.

Even the IRS and the DMV offer human customer support to answer questions and help people.

 

[Ludo]

Something is really wrong when to me the experience of scheduling an appointment with my dentist and going for the dental appointment causes far less apprehension/stress than taking my car to a Service Center.

At least with the dentist, you can talk to a human being, know how long the procedure will take and if you have a question prior, during, or after the procedure, there is a human being you can speak with. Text messages are useless when the system is essentially designed so they can blow you off and ignore you.

Wish Tesla Service was at least as pleasant as a visit to the dentist.

The root cause for this apprehension is absolutely no meaningful human communication. No real oversight of customer service. No way to escalate anything and basically no accountability.

The current text message based service experience is like...

• You have a question about your service appointment? Tough luck! We don't discuss those issues.
• Oh you want to know if the parts are in stock? Well, why don't you bring your car and we can find that out together! It's more fun this way.
  
• You want to wait for your car? Who do you think you are? Drop off the car, leave our premises, and we'll get to it when we can and let you know when it is ready.
  
• Aw how cute, you texted us about your service appointment! We don't feel like replying to your specific concern so go pound sand.
• Well, why don't you call us instead so we can discuss this? Oh, that's right, you can't!

This text message based customer communication system is the worst idea I can think of they have come up with. It's miserably broken and there is no accountability.

They need accountable humans at each service center customers can interact with by being able to speak with them.

The current text message based service experience is like a sadistic skit from Seinfeld or Curb Your Enthusiasm.

They can still keep the text message based system to expedite appointment but would be great if there was at least some viable OPTION to speak to a human being. The vast majority of the issues people complain about will not even be issues if there was someone you can speak to and figure out a solution.

Also to the extent possible, separating S/X from 3 would also be a great option so service centers can specialize on certain models.

I really hope they fix service by employing more humans and less software.

I cannot agree more. Living in Paris (France, not Texas), the experience is awful. Exactly the same as what you describe. I have a model S 100d from July 2018.

 

[bob_p]

Tesla is not alone in trying to push all communications to electronic forms. Phone support is relatively inefficient - if Tesla (like other companies) is able to successfully shift almost all customer interactions away from phone or in-person support, it allows them to operate with a lower staff-to-customer ratio than the other manufacturers have with the dealerships, which reduces costs and also makes it easier to add capacity to support more customers.

If successful, this will make it even more difficult for the other manufacturers to compete against Tesla - and show a profit with their EVs.

Since purchasing our first Tesla in early 2013, we haven't had a bad service experience with any of our 3 Tesla vehicles, other than a few periods when it took longer than we'd hope to get a service appointment.

Since Tesla is implementing a new customer support/service model while also experiencing rapid growth due to increasing sales of 3 (and soon Y), it shouldn't be surprising that some service centers are struggling to get this right.

Though, Tesla should provide a better way to escalate issues - if they aren't going to provide phone support, then there should be a way to report problems & concerns about a service or other customer experience - through the app, from the vehicle console, via e-mail or through the "contact us" or owner pages on the website.

If we ever do have a bad service or customer support experience, as a long time Tesla customer, I will find a way to get my concerns raised to the appropriate person at Tesla.

 

[Ostrichsak]

[snip]
If we ever do have a bad service or customer support experience, as a long time Tesla customer, I will find a way to get my concerns raised to the appropriate person at Tesla.

I love how people state this like it's a traditional car dealership model that you can just escalate it to someone else. No big deal.

Do you think if it was that simple we'd be irate about the complete and utter lack of customer service support from Tesla? You can't just get your concerns raised to the appropriate person at Tesla by design. Therein lies the problem.

 

[Battpower]

I'm itching to share some recent very positive interactions with UK service.

Not quite enough evidence to justify a real positive report, but several promising changes.

First, having removed Service option from phone menu, it got reinstated.

Unanswered service calls then started getting routed to random places but recently there seems to have been an effort to get them handled by your specific service centre.

I have often experienced more than satisfactory individual interactions, but lack of coherent overall response having been forced to deal with as range of random staff members. Now I am finding my primary contacts appear to be communicating better with each other and certainly making an effort to have the most appropriate person maintain contact with me as a situation evolves.

If this continues I will a) make sure I give recognition for those responsible and b) encourage the trend however I can.