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Is there any car manufacturer with worse customer service than Tesla?
- Thread starter Nuclear Fusion
- Start date
Consumer Reports data written up in USA Today has this list. Recognizing that reliability is different than CS, but likely related by corporate values.
How automotive brands ranked for reliability:
- Lexus
- Mazda
- Toyota
- Porsche
- Genesis
- Hyundai
- Subaru
- Dodge
- Kia
- Mini
- Nissan
- Honda
- Infiniti
- Audi
- Lincoln
- Ford
- BMW
- Buick
- Chrysler
- Mitsubishi
- Mercedes-Benz
- GMC
- Tesla
- Volvo
- Chevrolet
- Jeep
- Volkswagen
- Acura
- Alfa Romeo
- Cadillac
As anyone who owns an automobile with hundreds of moving and interacting parts knows, there will be problems with assembly, design, operation, and wear and tear from time to time. Some vehicles are clearly engineered better than others (I don't have fond memories of my new Corvette spending one month of the first three months in the shop for defective design or workmanship). Sometimes you get what you pay for, sometimes not. By definition, a Tesla with fewer moving parts (no oil, no belts, no timing chain, no exhaust, etc) should have fewer maintenance issues than an ICE vehicle. And yes, if you've been to one Tesla service center, you've been to one Tesla service center. They are going to vary. We have been blessed with an outstanding one in Orlando.
Are there going to be service center and maintenance issues in a car as advanced as a Tesla? Of course, And there are going to be terrifying anecdotal tales of tragedy with regard to service experiences (like a Chinese woman jumping up and down on the top of a Telsa.) Yes, You can expect that too. Is the media going to focus on these individual tales? Of course. Why? For one, it makes new and Tesla is the new kid on the block. People are naturally resistant to change and particularly change that eliminates the vehicle they know. Tesla's leadership in the market and popularity is also to blame. If you have ever played king of the mountain when you were a kid, you know what to expect when you get to the top.
Are these complaints genuine? Of course, they are. Do they exceed the complaints about other car manufacturers? I think not.
That's why anecdotes are interesting and data is so important. Take for example vehicle fires. From 2012 – 2019, there has been approximately one Tesla vehicle fire for every 175 million miles traveled. By comparison, data from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and U.S. Department of Transportation shows that in the United States there is a vehicle fire for every 19 million miles traveled. Do you even hear about other vehicle fires in the news?? If anyone asked you what kind of car is known for vehicle fires, what would you say? Be honest.
For the public auto safety and maintenance fears fuel an anti-Tesla bias and particularly when giving up control to an automated system. I have a friend who plunked down $10k for FSD and hasn't turned it on in a year out of fear from the news stories. Take for example the fire in Texas. Everybody was reporting that there was no driver in the front seat. Now it becomes evident per Musk's data analysis that autopilot wasn't even engaged. Did the Chevy Bold that ran into a tree and killed all occupants on the same night even get a newsline. Not. Anecdotal information is just that. Anecdotal. Look at the TESLA data.
So how does that relate to maintenance? To my knowledge, we don't currently have data that shows maintenance figures. But I do know that Tesla is open to accept consumer criticism and not wait for another model year to make corrections. I cite for example noise in the Model Y resulted in the only double-pane insulated window I know of in an American car, the addition of hangers for clothes, upgrading heating and cooling systems, heated steering wheels, improved center console just to name a few. And look at the improvement in body panels since the media has focused on them. I'd say that with their massive year-to-year growth they have jumped through the hoops to make overall improvements. And when I told them about some sharp edges on the doors that cut my fingers, they were totally interested. And that doesn't make me a Tesla fanboy. It simply up sums my experience with five Teslas, my limited service issues over the years, and data I have gleaned from other Tesla owners. It in no way denies that others have issues. Hopefully, comments on forums like these will be noted and maintenance improvements are on the way.
Sorry for being so long-winded, but what I truly detest is trolls, (many who have never driven a Tesla, yet alone owned one) who come on the forum and spew information as if it is fact simply to "pile on" to media misrepresentation and denigrate the brand. I welcome seeing valid concerns about real experiences. I believe it is the responsibility of both the moderators and participants in the forum to not let misinformation stand, especially when it is coming from someone who heard that their brother-in-law who rode in a Tesla once got sick or bottomed out ?!??
Courtesy of Brooks, at Drag Times, I raced my Model X (Raven) at the Palm Beach International Raceway and on my first quarter-mile run set the World Record for the Quickest SUV, burying a Lambo Urus. I espouse the moto on the back of his Drag Times shirt.
If you have personal experiences and factual data to share, good on ya. If not, well, read my shirt.
Are there going to be service center and maintenance issues in a car as advanced as a Tesla? Of course, And there are going to be terrifying anecdotal tales of tragedy with regard to service experiences (like a Chinese woman jumping up and down on the top of a Telsa.) Yes, You can expect that too. Is the media going to focus on these individual tales? Of course. Why? For one, it makes new and Tesla is the new kid on the block. People are naturally resistant to change and particularly change that eliminates the vehicle they know. Tesla's leadership in the market and popularity is also to blame. If you have ever played king of the mountain when you were a kid, you know what to expect when you get to the top.
Are these complaints genuine? Of course, they are. Do they exceed the complaints about other car manufacturers? I think not.
That's why anecdotes are interesting and data is so important. Take for example vehicle fires. From 2012 – 2019, there has been approximately one Tesla vehicle fire for every 175 million miles traveled. By comparison, data from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and U.S. Department of Transportation shows that in the United States there is a vehicle fire for every 19 million miles traveled. Do you even hear about other vehicle fires in the news?? If anyone asked you what kind of car is known for vehicle fires, what would you say? Be honest.
For the public auto safety and maintenance fears fuel an anti-Tesla bias and particularly when giving up control to an automated system. I have a friend who plunked down $10k for FSD and hasn't turned it on in a year out of fear from the news stories. Take for example the fire in Texas. Everybody was reporting that there was no driver in the front seat. Now it becomes evident per Musk's data analysis that autopilot wasn't even engaged. Did the Chevy Bold that ran into a tree and killed all occupants on the same night even get a newsline. Not. Anecdotal information is just that. Anecdotal. Look at the TESLA data.
- 1 accident every 4.53 million miles when Autopilot engaged
- 1 accident every 2.27 million miles when Autopilot not engaged but active safety features active
- 1 accident every 1.56 million miles without Autopilot and without active safety features
- 1 accident every 479,000 miles — US average
So how does that relate to maintenance? To my knowledge, we don't currently have data that shows maintenance figures. But I do know that Tesla is open to accept consumer criticism and not wait for another model year to make corrections. I cite for example noise in the Model Y resulted in the only double-pane insulated window I know of in an American car, the addition of hangers for clothes, upgrading heating and cooling systems, heated steering wheels, improved center console just to name a few. And look at the improvement in body panels since the media has focused on them. I'd say that with their massive year-to-year growth they have jumped through the hoops to make overall improvements. And when I told them about some sharp edges on the doors that cut my fingers, they were totally interested. And that doesn't make me a Tesla fanboy. It simply up sums my experience with five Teslas, my limited service issues over the years, and data I have gleaned from other Tesla owners. It in no way denies that others have issues. Hopefully, comments on forums like these will be noted and maintenance improvements are on the way.
Sorry for being so long-winded, but what I truly detest is trolls, (many who have never driven a Tesla, yet alone owned one) who come on the forum and spew information as if it is fact simply to "pile on" to media misrepresentation and denigrate the brand. I welcome seeing valid concerns about real experiences. I believe it is the responsibility of both the moderators and participants in the forum to not let misinformation stand, especially when it is coming from someone who heard that their brother-in-law who rode in a Tesla once got sick or bottomed out ?!??
Courtesy of Brooks, at Drag Times, I raced my Model X (Raven) at the Palm Beach International Raceway and on my first quarter-mile run set the World Record for the Quickest SUV, burying a Lambo Urus. I espouse the moto on the back of his Drag Times shirt.
If you have personal experiences and factual data to share, good on ya. If not, well, read my shirt.
Attachments
My model 3 has had, a new passenger seat, two new dash boards, new steering wheel. Misc other minor issues. Other than that and the bad paint and panels and dash that is now getting bubbles it's great. My Model S has only had new half-shafts and lighting issues and of course the screen, and defective suspension parts made in Canada. I fixed the other minor issue on my own. Now that's service but Tesla CS is the worst on the planet and anyone that does not think so has never had an issue to resolve with them.
Thank you for the honest feedback from an owner. I am so sorry you have had to experience the worst of times. It really sounds SC related. What a shame.
Making vehicles rapidly and expecting that service centers will correct the ills, assumes that the SC will have the wherewithall and the capability to do so. My Model had a slight mismatch on the red rear bumper. Scheduled the repair at the time of pick up and they had it done in 1.5 hours. They even offered me a front bumper as well. Didn't want to mess with a good thing.
You are right. It is all about the service center. It might be worth the drive to another SC.
jelloslug
Active Member
MY Service center is good the car has the issues, waits are long. 800 CS and dispute resolution is horrible and more of a nightmare than you read on any forum here. Tesla corp culture is like Paypal now, Musk sure learned nothing from that.
Uncle Paul
Well-Known Member
Most all car manufacturers have much worse customer service and communications than Tesla. Try dealing directly with Ford, GM, Toyota, Kia, Jaguar...any of the manufacturers and you will find it is at least as challenging as dealing directly with Tesla.
What most owners deal with are profit motivated independant dealerships. They have tremendous motivation to make as much money as possible by selling and servicing cars. They ususually are pretty horrible to get a best price out of when buying and tend to charge much higher service labor rates than neighborhood independant mechanics. They have inducements to keep their customers happy so they keep coming in for overpriced services. They charge much more for tires, oil changes, mufflers, and most all services than do non authorized facilities.
Tesla has their own problems, and run more like a tech company than a touchy feely dealership. Tesla will not require you to spend over 3 hours to simply order a vehicle. They will not pressure you to purchase tire warranties, floor mats, rust proffing, window etching, LoJack security, paint/interior protection, overpriced gap insurance, etc.
Not saying that Tesla is perfect...just a different system.
What most owners deal with are profit motivated independant dealerships. They have tremendous motivation to make as much money as possible by selling and servicing cars. They ususually are pretty horrible to get a best price out of when buying and tend to charge much higher service labor rates than neighborhood independant mechanics. They have inducements to keep their customers happy so they keep coming in for overpriced services. They charge much more for tires, oil changes, mufflers, and most all services than do non authorized facilities.
Tesla has their own problems, and run more like a tech company than a touchy feely dealership. Tesla will not require you to spend over 3 hours to simply order a vehicle. They will not pressure you to purchase tire warranties, floor mats, rust proffing, window etching, LoJack security, paint/interior protection, overpriced gap insurance, etc.
Not saying that Tesla is perfect...just a different system.
Because Tesla's model requires you deal with them directly as they do not have dealers so it is irrelevant, what is relevant is that it is near impossible to get ahold of even service at Tesla it is not at dealerships. I hate dealers but they are now better than Tesla any day. Tesla sales is worse than a used car lot IF you have a legit issue. I have never had to sue a company to get what was promised in writing. My advice, opt out of Tesla's slimy arbitration agreement. Tesla middle management may as well have a fat red pen. Tesla sells autos, and Apple sells computers and phones, Apple is a tech company that could teach Tesla some tricks, don't trick customers and don't hide behind arbitration agreements where arbitration is paid by Tesla.
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