Hit Curb and now it's the start of month 4 Waiting for Repair

[SadOwner]

Hello All,

I think I'm on my way to a world record for longest wait time to fix a car with zero body damage. In March 2016 I hit a curb with my brand new Tesla P85D. I blew the front drivers side tire and damaged the rim but there was zero body damage. Now we're three days from July and I'm still getting the whole "we found something else line". Yesterday they said they found a suspension knuckle that needed replacing!!! How they can have a car for months on end and not realize that something that sounds so obvious as a suspension knuckle needs replacing is beyond me. I have been extremely patient up until this point but man, where does one draw the line? Has anyone else experienced this before. I am going to start a youtube vlog on friday posting the latest progress while posting the running tally for length of repair time. I am going to do a new video every other day with the latest progress and excuses. TESLA, please get your act together! Everyone keeps asking where the car is and I just now simply shake my head. What's even more frustrating is that almost immediately after I purchased my brand new P85D, they discontinued it. Plus they gave the car a facelift, added biowepon defense mode, and increased the battery size for the same price as I paid for mine. Now it's tarnished and labeled as an accident car, and has depreciated over 30,000.00 (according to Tesla) and counting. Oh yeah, and I can't even drive it. Okay, now that I'm done venting, can anyone come even close to beating this amount of time for a car repair? Anyone have any advice on how to get the problem resolved? And finally, is there interest in the youtube vlog. I guess at this point, I really hope I'm the exception because I think I have an ulcer. Peace.

 

[Max*]

What's even more frustrating is that almost immediately after I purchased my brand new P85D, they discontinued it.

That's not Tesla's fault. You knew the Tesla does not follow a model year.

Plus they gave the car a facelift, added biowepon defense mode, and increased the battery size for the same price as I paid for mine.

See above.

Now it's tarnished and labeled as an accident car, and has depreciated over 30,000.00 (according to Tesla) and counting.

What? For hitting the curb? Seems absurd.

Also, not everything Tesla says is correct, I'd take the $30k with a grain of salt.

 

[freeewilly]

Sad story, very sad.

 

[Todd Burch]

If you simply hit a curb and blew a tire, why didn't you just order a new tire/wheel and have it installed at a tire shop? You would've been done and driving within a few days.

You're complaining that they want to replace something on your car for you? Perhaps you damaged it when you hit the curb?

What's even more frustrating is that almost immediately after I purchased my brand new P85D, they discontinued it.

That's life. They announced the P85D a few days before I received delivery of my P85. It's called progress. It doesn't change the car that you already bought and paid for.

The depreciation is not because you hit a curb. It's because every new car depreciates when you drive it off the lot. Expensive cars depreciate more. This is not specific to Tesla.

I'm going to give you a little piece of investment advice: Cars are not investments. Stop treating them like they are.

 

[SadOwner]

That's not Tesla's fault. You knew the Tesla does not follow a model year.

See above.

What? For hitting the curb? Seems absurd.

Also, not everything Tesla says is correct, I'd take the $30k with a grain of salt.

Thanks for the replies. I know it's not Tesla's fault. In fact that's great that they continue to innovate and move forward. Also, that curb is going to cost over 25,000.00 in repairs and climbing. Their replacing fuses, front drive motor, and other stuff that seems to not fit the accident but who am I to say?

 

[ecarfan]

What's even more frustrating is that almost immediately after I purchased my brand new P85D, they discontinued it. Plus they gave the car a facelift, added biowepon defense mode, and increased the battery size for the same price as I paid for mine. Now it's tarnished and labeled as an accident car, and has depreciated over 30,000.00 (according to Tesla) and counting.

None of that makes sense to me. Tesla has a known and clear history of introducing changes and new versions with no advance warning. They also add features and provide more functionality for the same price, and you are complaining about that? Finally, a damaged wheel (which of course was easily replaced) and a minor suspension repair does not cause a car to lose $30K of value, and it could not have depreciated that much after just three months. You are deliberately exaggerating your problem or you are simply confused.

As for your accident story, in March you damaged a wheel after hitting a curb, but no body damage, and Tesla has had your car for three months without fixing it, is that correct?

 

[ecarfan]

Also, that curb is going to cost over 25,000.00 in repairs and climbing. Their replacing fuses, front drive motor, and other stuff that seems to not fit the accident but who am I to say?

If that is the case, you hit that "curb" pretty damn hard. It was not a minor accident.

Tesla is not trying to rip you off. They want your car to be safe and function properly. I suggest you calm down and let them do that.

 

[SadOwner]

As for your accident story, in March you damaged a wheel after hitting a curb, but no body damage, and Tesla has had your car for three months without fixing it, is that correct?

Yes, That is correct. There were warnings and errors poping up on the screen so it had to be towed to authorized dealer. That is who has had it this entire time. And they keep saying they are still working on it.

 

[SadOwner]

If that is the case, you hit that "curb" pretty damn hard. It was not a minor accident.

Tesla is not trying to rip you off. They want your car to be safe and function properly. I suggest you calm down and let them do that.

Yes, that is correct, I hit the curb at a pretty good clip. I know they're not trying to rip me off. I just don't understand how it can take 4X longer to fix than it did to order and build the entire car.

 

[SomeJoe7777]

I had a very similar accident last August. Hit a curb hard. Both front and rear suspension components on one side of the car broken and damaged: wheels, tires, brake rotors and cylinders, upper and lower control arms, steering tie rods and rack, drive shafts, air suspension, misc other items.

10 weeks to repair, $39,000. No body damage.

All I can tell you is that the parts availability is what's slowing them down. Every time they find something else that has to be replaced, it's another 2-4 week wait for that part. I got fairly lucky, they assessed my car and ordered everything at once.

The good news is that my car drives exactly like it did prior to the accident -- you can't even tell that anything has ever happened to it. That's the important part, I hope they're able to get this done for you as well, and hopefully soon.

 

[Max*]

Is this another one of the "suspension problems" thread, where the wheels seem to get ripped off by driving normally?

I kid, I kid

 

[Zextraterrestrial]

Is this another one of the "suspension problems" thread, where the wheels seem to get ripped off by driving normally?

I kid, I kid

I believe driving normal does include using curbing as guidance + guardraililng if you need it. This is how we can see that Tesla cars have faulty suspension that cannot handle 'normal' driving and they get all wonky costing thousands of dollars.

 

[travwill]

I'd say no Teslas on the road are discontinued, but just higher/lower capacity batteries. Sure, they are features that were introduced as well like AP but that was the main big change in late 2014+. Besides that, a 60/85/70/90/75/70-75/60-75 are all an active model, just with optional performance and range for what different people want/need.

But, I will agree that in most SCs they are slow as heck to be able and repair cars still depending on what parts are needed - just don't have the channels/reserves setup quite yet, especially for new parts.

 

[JonMc]

We're not able to find a repair in our service centers like the one described here. Sadowner, please private message me with your name and repair order?

Thanks,

Jon

 

[Chopr147]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm...............I would like to know if this is real. I have an S on order and stories like this scare the heck out of me.

 

[trils0n]

Is the car being repaired at a Service Center or a bodyshop? Seems like collision damage would be a bodyshop's job, but it sounds like it is at the service center?

 

[Todd Burch]

Starting to smell a little fishy in here.

 

[SadOwner]

Is the car being repaired at a Service Center or a bodyshop? Seems like collision damage would be a bodyshop's job, but it sounds like it is at the service center?

It is at a certified body shop not the SC. Im sure it could have to do with who's fixing it and not just what they're fixing.

 

[SadOwner]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm...............I would like to know if this is real. I have an S on order and stories like this scare the heck out of me.

Just dont get in any type of accident and you'll be fine. Car was amazing from what I remember of it. And yes this is real. This is what I have resorted to in order to try to get my baby back as I sit hostage to this process. I was supposed to get it back three times already and I'm hoping this will help bring attention to the level of frustration that someone goes through in this scary process. Besides, its pretty much current owners, if not all current owners on this forum. What I'm trying to say is...im not trying to talk anyone new out of buying the best car in the world. Im saying to all current owners...dont get in an accident, or be prepared to be without it for a long time. I dont want anyone to have to go through this experience.

 

[buckerine]

Starting to smell a little fishy in here.

Sure is. Especially given that this guy just joined today. So, OP, you joined just to vent?