I had the opportunity to experience the new Tesla Fast Lane service at my local service center.
About 2 weeks ago, my right rear passenger door handle began acting up. Specifically, when unlocking the doors from outside, or putting the car into Park, occasionally the exterior handle would run past its stop, and the door would spontaneously unlatch. This was a more frequent problem with early Model S, and some of us had handles replaced (2 on my 2013 S85). Thus I knew the drill. I called the toll free service hotline and reported the issue. My local service center (Dublin) called me back promptly. After discussing the issue and my schedule, I was given a convenient appointment 2 weeks out (my choice of date/time—non urgent). I received an e-mail confirmation, with e-mail reminders a couple of days ago and also on the day of the appointment. I also got a courtesy call about an hour before my appointment.
When I arrived and drove to the service entrance, a service representative greeted me. He checked me in, reviewed my issue, and then he took a very careful walk around my car to document any flaws in the paint or wheels (I had some rash on 1 wheel). We reviewed his ‘finish and flaw’ notes, and we both signed off.
Then he pulled my car into the ‘new and improved’ service bay. Previously there was a wide aisle down the middle, with lifts on either side. Now, at the entrance and off to the right hand side of the aisle, they had a 3 sided desk set up with 2 service reps at computers and phones. These folks seemed to be ‘air traffic controllers’, checking in the cars, assigning work, logging information from the techs (parts used, tire pressures, etc.). Behind them was a status white board to provide a visual report to all there. To the left of the desks, and along a painted ‘aisle’, my car was lined up behind another S. This did block the entrance to the aisle and the lifts, but clearly they could load/unload vehicles from the lifts, vehicles that needed more involved service. They still had some side doors (like to the alignment rack), so this did not seem to really impact workflow.
2 techs began to work pretty promptly, 1 to measure tire tread depth and pressures and add air as needed (required under CA Clean Air Resources Board rules). The other began to pull the interior trim off of the door, and quickly had the whole mechanism out and on a convenient bench off to the side. There were racks with some parts there (likely commonly used ones), plus some tools. He quickly adjusted the settings for the microswitch in the handle assembly (later builds and newer door handle assemblies have an adjustment, so no need to replace). He applied a new moisture barrier (adhesive black patch) to the back of the assembly (which seemed to be in his nearby parts rack), and replaced the mechanism into the door. He reconnected the various wires, reinstalled the door card and trim, and cleaned up. He tested the handle, and then had the other service tech also test it to be sure all was well. Then the ‘ATC’ finished up the paperwork, logging parts used, time, etc. My car was pulled outside. I went to the ‘regular’ service desk inside the store and closed out the service order. The rep there took the time to go over the service order, the work done, etc, and asked if everything met my needs. I was happy. He offered to e-mail my repair order. I was in and out in less than 30 minutes.
I spoke to the service manager at the time of my visit, and we discussed this new Fast Lane setup. He said that this is being rolled out to all service centers. Seems like a good plan. Works for me. YMMV.
About 2 weeks ago, my right rear passenger door handle began acting up. Specifically, when unlocking the doors from outside, or putting the car into Park, occasionally the exterior handle would run past its stop, and the door would spontaneously unlatch. This was a more frequent problem with early Model S, and some of us had handles replaced (2 on my 2013 S85). Thus I knew the drill. I called the toll free service hotline and reported the issue. My local service center (Dublin) called me back promptly. After discussing the issue and my schedule, I was given a convenient appointment 2 weeks out (my choice of date/time—non urgent). I received an e-mail confirmation, with e-mail reminders a couple of days ago and also on the day of the appointment. I also got a courtesy call about an hour before my appointment.
When I arrived and drove to the service entrance, a service representative greeted me. He checked me in, reviewed my issue, and then he took a very careful walk around my car to document any flaws in the paint or wheels (I had some rash on 1 wheel). We reviewed his ‘finish and flaw’ notes, and we both signed off.
Then he pulled my car into the ‘new and improved’ service bay. Previously there was a wide aisle down the middle, with lifts on either side. Now, at the entrance and off to the right hand side of the aisle, they had a 3 sided desk set up with 2 service reps at computers and phones. These folks seemed to be ‘air traffic controllers’, checking in the cars, assigning work, logging information from the techs (parts used, tire pressures, etc.). Behind them was a status white board to provide a visual report to all there. To the left of the desks, and along a painted ‘aisle’, my car was lined up behind another S. This did block the entrance to the aisle and the lifts, but clearly they could load/unload vehicles from the lifts, vehicles that needed more involved service. They still had some side doors (like to the alignment rack), so this did not seem to really impact workflow.
2 techs began to work pretty promptly, 1 to measure tire tread depth and pressures and add air as needed (required under CA Clean Air Resources Board rules). The other began to pull the interior trim off of the door, and quickly had the whole mechanism out and on a convenient bench off to the side. There were racks with some parts there (likely commonly used ones), plus some tools. He quickly adjusted the settings for the microswitch in the handle assembly (later builds and newer door handle assemblies have an adjustment, so no need to replace). He applied a new moisture barrier (adhesive black patch) to the back of the assembly (which seemed to be in his nearby parts rack), and replaced the mechanism into the door. He reconnected the various wires, reinstalled the door card and trim, and cleaned up. He tested the handle, and then had the other service tech also test it to be sure all was well. Then the ‘ATC’ finished up the paperwork, logging parts used, time, etc. My car was pulled outside. I went to the ‘regular’ service desk inside the store and closed out the service order. The rep there took the time to go over the service order, the work done, etc, and asked if everything met my needs. I was happy. He offered to e-mail my repair order. I was in and out in less than 30 minutes.
I spoke to the service manager at the time of my visit, and we discussed this new Fast Lane setup. He said that this is being rolled out to all service centers. Seems like a good plan. Works for me. YMMV.
