Hey Tesla, would you really go broke if you offered service as good as BMW?

[AMPd]

Had an appointment to get an oil change this morning at my local bmw dealership.
I called yesterday and spoke to a live person, arrived this morning and was greeted by my service advisor. Checked in and waited in the waiting area where coffee, water, coffee cake and scones were offered while I wait.

While waiting, checked out the new 7 series, i really want a Model s but the service I received from tesla in the last year and a half was no where near as good as this. I wish Tesla would match this level of customer service, then I wouldn’t hesitate to get a new model s.

 

[JD M3]

You will never get this service from Tesla because you never need an oil change

In all seriousness, I suspect that part of the problem is that the customer base exploded with the model 3 and outgrew the capacity of the service centers. I hope/anticipate that this will improve over time. I've already seen significant improvements at our service center in LA so I suspect others will follow.

 

[glide]

Had an appointment to get an oil change this morning at my local bmw dealership.
I called yesterday and spoke to a live person, arrived this morning and was greeted by my service advisor. Checked in and waited in the waiting area where coffee, water, coffee cake and scones were offered while I wait.

While waiting, checked out the new 7 series, i really want a Model s but the service I received from tesla in the last year and a half was no where near as good as this. I wish Tesla would match this level of customer service, then I wouldn’t hesitate to get a new model s.

I went BMW-> Tesla-> BMW

Tesla’s customer service for the price tier they operate in is abysmal and shows no signs of improvement.

 

[jelloslug]

I am intimately familiar with BMW service as I replaced a BMW with my Tesla. While the service waiting room was a bit nicer, the fact I had to visited it every two months or so (always with a return trip in a few weeks to a month later when parts arrived from Germany) was the real issue.

 

[Emaz]

I went BMW-> Tesla-> BMW

Tesla’s customer service for the price tier they operate in is abysmal and shows no signs of improvement.

May I ask which models? I’m in the market soon and considering used Model S, Audi, BMW, Mercedes and Jaguar. I’m enthralled with the Tesla tech but don’t need all of it. For example, AP would be fun but I don’t need it. I like the idea of little service theoretically needed on Tesla but I understand that the little that IS needed can be problematic due to their service issues. If you were in the market with $35-45k and want to go used so someone else took the depreciation hit, where would go? Which model? The other sports luxury models haven’t sold me yet either.

Love the lines on the S too, gorgeous car. And EV? Damn that’d be nice. But Tesla service has me looking at all options.

 

[RFernatt]

Thinking of my VW/Audi experience, Tesla probably would go broke if owners had to bring their cars in that often.

 

[AMPd]

Thinking of my VW/Audi experience, Tesla probably would go broke if owners had to bring their cars in that often.

It appears they do need to bring it in that often. That’s why there’s such a long wait time for service in large metro areas.

I went BMW-> Tesla-> BMW

Tesla’s customer service for the price tier they operate in is abysmal and shows no signs of improvement.

It’s unfortunate that it’s been nearly a year since Elon Musk took charge of service and no improvement has been made.
Is he surrounded by “yes men”? Do none of the executives have the balls to tell him he’s not doing a great job? Or maybe all of the executives receive great service and are out of touch with reality.

 

[Brando]

Just how much does a tuneup at BMW cost?
Or an annual check up?

Service does cost money, especially those that feel like a Sir.
I only wish you'd give up on Tesla and be happy with your BMW.
BMW would love you on their forums telling people how much better BMW is over a Tesla.

 

[jelloslug]

It appears they do need to bring it in that often. That’s why there’s such a long wait time for service in large metro areas.

It’s unfortunate that it’s been nearly a year since Elon Musk took charge of service and no improvement has been made.
Is he surrounded by “yes men”? Do none of the executives have the balls to tell him he’s not doing a great job? Or maybe all of the executives receive great service and are out of touch with reality.

Service issues vary greatly by region as they always have.

 

[boaterva]

They really need someone in charge of customer service/service/SC, etc. Elon can’t handle everything and it was much better when we had someone we could escalate service issues to.

There are ALWAYS exceptions in any customer service organization that need direct content and exception handing and either a manager needs discretion to override normal process or we need a way to escalate.

Just as one insane issue, the Uber credits are a no-go for some users. Don’t want to rehash why, they are. Elon said he would fix having no rentals and that has not happened at least at Tyson’s in NoVA at least by default.

Point is service needs to be a customer-centric experience (as the other companies do who make money from it and know they need to keep people happy). This BS of talking to people only over text is great to a point but needs to have a way to be escalated. I can’t discuss a detailed problem in a text message, even email would be better. Doing on a cell phone keyboard is insane on the face of it.

Anyone who ever even took a car in for service ever in his life would understand these issues. It makes you wonder what goes on at Tesla. Does anyone actually live in the real world of needing service and/or testing their own scheduling/service mechanism? Ever?

 

[AMPd]

Just how much does a tuneup at BMW cost?
Or an annual check up?

Service does cost money, especially those that feel like a Sir.
I only wish you'd give up on Tesla and be happy with your BMW.
BMW would love you on their forums telling people how much better BMW is over a Tesla.

Why can’t I have both?
I love how butthurt you are, tesla has a clear problem with service in a lot of the areas of the country.
But you’re right, no one should be able to speak of that! Tesla is great in every aspect! Elon musk for president of the world!

Your trolling is phenomenal!

 

[Dan203]

The waiting area at my local Tesla service center is pretty sparse, Coffee machine in the corner, old style drip type, no snacks, no TVs and the the wifi didn’t even work. Just a half dozen chairs in the corner of a giant warehouse type showroom.

The waiting area at the local BMW was pretty swanky. They had snacks, a keurig with multiple flavor options, a TV, free wifi that actually worked and a separate room for people with kids that had toys, video games, etc... I've heard some even have a mini-movie theater.

I'm hoping I don’t need to spend much time at the Tesla one, and if something serious happens I'm they give me a loaner.

 

[Rogue Synapse]

Haven’t had BMW service but have had Lexus and Mercedes and of course Tesla pales in comparison. I’ve had perfectly fine experiences with the Charlotte, NC service center but the material comforts of the place leave a lot to be desired. The aesthetic is closer to a kinda run-down Apple Store rather than a luxury carmaker.

Everyone posting to this forum could be considered early adopters to a degree. Even as Tesla becomes more mainstream, owning one still entails an inherent interest in a different form of driving compared to the norm. It entails a certain degree of experimentalism and risk tolerance (not a high degree, but we’re still branching out some compared to the average person you see at the mall - much less the average person you see at Wal-Mart). Because of this, we’re more willing to be slightly forgiving of subpar customer service.

Eventually as EVs inevitably become the norm, and the average uneducated person on the street would consider them a default choice, there won’t be that early adopter zeal to smooth over terrible customer service. I bet Tesla will expand their service centers and put more resources into customer service in general, once they’re past the initial rapid expansion phase. But if they don’t, they can’t always count on having the most compelling car on the road forever and bad customer service could definitely sink them, in my opinion.

 

[Emaz]

Haven’t had BMW service but have had Lexus and Mercedes and of course Tesla pales in comparison. I’ve had perfectly fine experiences with the Charlotte, NC service center but the material comforts of the place leave a lot to be desired. The aesthetic is closer to a kinda run-down Apple Store rather than a luxury carmaker.

Everyone posting to this forum could be considered early adopters to a degree. Even as Tesla becomes more mainstream, owning one still entails an inherent interest in a different form of driving compared to the norm. It entails a certain degree of experimentalism and risk tolerance (not a high degree, but we’re still branching out some compared to the average person you see at the mall - much less the average person you see at Wal-Mart). Because of this, we’re more willing to be slightly forgiving of subpar customer service.

Eventually as EVs inevitably become the norm, and the average uneducated person on the street would consider them a default choice, there won’t be that early adopter zeal to smooth over terrible customer service. I bet Tesla will expand their service centers and put more resources into customer service in general, once they’re past the initial rapid expansion phase. But if they don’t, they can’t always count on having the most compelling car on the road forever and bad customer service could definitely sink them, in my opinion.

As someone potentially in the market for a Tesla, I’m not sure I buy in to that assessment. You make the service issues sound minor. The cars are awesome - awesome enough that I’m still evaluating the trade off between a great car and bad customer service. But what I’m hearing here, in this very forum of enthusiasts, is not just bad but downright abysmal. As just one example, you have people here essentially saying “what an awesome car! But hey don’t do it if it’s your only vehicle”.... And others concurred. I mean, whoa.

I’m still trying to evaluate if these horror stories are the exception or relatively common. But they do seem to be more than minor annoyances. I was really really surprised to discover all this. When I first started considering it I thought it’d be an easy and fast decision. Boy was I wrong.

 

[Bet TSLA]

I wish Tesla would match this level of customer service, then I wouldn’t hesitate to get a new model s.

You will never get this sort of service from Tesla. As with most other things, Tesla is aiming to change the service model entirely. The endgame is that the car diagnoses incipient problems, notifies the service infrastructure, and gets itself serviced in a manner that doesn't inconvenience you. I suspect it will be a subscription.

Right now, since the car can't drive itself around, substitute in mobile techs for most things and the occasional delivery of a loaner car while yours is gone. Progress towards this goal will be quick once the various pieces are in place. Meanwhile, it is very unlikely that Tesla will invest in things that will go away when this is realized. So no fancy waiting lounges, as nobody will be waiting. And no collection of service people whose job is to ease your mind while you are waiting.

But it's rather odd that you would be complaining in the context of a service call for which "nothing" is the analogous Tesla situation. You should be comparing that BMW visit with not having to go in at all with your Tesla. Try to convince anybody that Tesla comes up short in that comparison.

 

[Bet TSLA]

I’m still trying to evaluate if these horror stories are the exception or relatively common. But they do seem to be more than minor annoyances.

Don't let it worry you. People mostly come here to complain. I have mostly good things to say about having my Teslas serviced over the past five years. But I don't usually post about them.

Mobile service is simply awesome. And mostly there's no service needed. But if you simply have to be able to get somebody on the phone right now to complain to whenever you're worried, then Tesla is the wrong company for you. They don't do hand-holding.

 

[AMPd]

You should be comparing that BMW visit with not having to go in at all with your Tesla. Try to convince anybody that Tesla comes up short in that comparison.

But I did have to visit the service center on multiple occasions, hence why I’m complaining about their crappy customer service.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Yes, they probably would right now. That kind of redundancy costs a lot of money.

Tesla pared back to survive and is still to prove long-term profitability. Their 2019Q3 was still riding distorted markets, and has more investment to come in before it has the Model Y in production. Plus, competitors are going to be ramping up over the next few years as the new EU efficiency standards and China's and CARB's heavier mandates kick in.

Tesla has been tweaking but I don't see them unwinding their cost-cutting yet.

 

[holmgang]

Just how much does a tuneup at BMW cost?
Or an annual check up?

Nothing. My BMW came with 3 years of free servicing and maintenance.

 

[holmgang]

You should be comparing that BMW visit with not having to go in at all with your Tesla. Try to convince anybody that Tesla comes up short in that comparison.

I didn't have to visit BMW because my new car arrived from factory with a series of cosmetic flaws....