I wanted to do a different kind of write-up for my four year anniversary and decided to focus on service.
I’ve been back to the Service Center 15 times since my purchase of an S85. About a quarter of the visits were for Annual Service though there were other items identified and fixed during those visits. My drivetrain has been replaced once and the HV contactors and power switch for the battery have been replaced once.
Of the individual invoice lines, 15% were for Recall or Service Bulletin items and 48% were for part failures, though a third of the part failures were in the TPMS system, which has since been upgraded at the last failure. 85% of the repair items were covered under either the warranty, service plan or goodwill. Compared with prior ICE vehicles, I’d say that the number of my visits is high. I entered the relationship with Tesla understanding that it was a nascent product and was prepared to overlook early short-comings. So, I’m not upset by the number of visits and I’ve always been treated like a valued owner at the service desk. Are there things that could have been handled better? Sure. But that’s all water under the bridge.
I’m out-of-pocket about $4,500 though the lion’s share of that expense is for the 2 and a half sets of tires I’ve had to replace with 107,000 miles on the car. I wanted to get the extended warranty but forgot to buy it before I exceeded 50,000 miles in the car. It looks like I benefitted by the omission because while I had to pay out-of-pocket for a failed battery coolant heater and TPMS sensor it wasn’t as much as the cost of the warranty. Given my history with this car, I have no trepidation about repair costs while being out of warranty; I expect I’ll have some issues but I don’t expect to break the bank during the next four years.
We drive the car more than any other vehicle we’ve ever owned, as evidenced by the numerous 1,000 mile plus trips we’ve taken and the 150 plus superchargers we’ve visited. I’d estimate that road tripping has added between 30-40 thousand miles to the odometer; not one of them has been regrettable.
I am incredibly respectful of Tesla’s innovative spirit and constant pushing of boundaries. There’s no other auto company that’s as exciting today and I feel that when other manufacturers make a “leap forward” announcement they are only doing it for the perception of keeping Tesla from getting too far ahead. Early owners treated Tesla’s announcements with a “wait and see” attitude but now that their client base has expanded I can’t help but feel that people have begun to take the announcements as gospel – and that’s unfortunately lead to disappointment. I love Elon’s bravado; for me I know his announcements will eventually become reality and I’m all on board for the wait.
I look forward to a long relationship with Tesla so I’m rooting for the company to succeed. I believe in the business plan though I also believe that it’s been harder to get to where they are today than first envisioned. I don’t count it against them because I know the path forward has both success and failure; it’s what you learn from both experiences that makes the difference.
I look back and try to imagine what life would have been like if we’d have made a different car decision four years ago. We wouldn’t have gone cross-country and stopped at Yellowstone. Our write-up of that trip influenced one of my aunts to visit the park just a few months before her tragic accidental death. I wouldn’t be doing show and tell electric car days at my elementary and high school. Besides the students that have told me that the cars inspire them, one of the owners that volunteered to help me reached out to his local high school for a similar presentation this year. That wouldn’t have happened. I wouldn’t have had the crazy idea to take a spool of ribbon and some scissors to Tannersville for an informal ceremony when a group of owners said they were going to meet there shortly after it opened. About a dozen sites later, I seem to be the MC when a new supercharger opens nearby. And not to mention all the crazy friendships formed during said road-trips, ribbon ceremonies or owner socials. Supercharger leaders, raffle gurus, cpo geniuses and casual acquaintances known by either forum name or sight; it’s been a very distinguished ride. I’m looking forward to the next four years.
I’ve been back to the Service Center 15 times since my purchase of an S85. About a quarter of the visits were for Annual Service though there were other items identified and fixed during those visits. My drivetrain has been replaced once and the HV contactors and power switch for the battery have been replaced once.
Of the individual invoice lines, 15% were for Recall or Service Bulletin items and 48% were for part failures, though a third of the part failures were in the TPMS system, which has since been upgraded at the last failure. 85% of the repair items were covered under either the warranty, service plan or goodwill. Compared with prior ICE vehicles, I’d say that the number of my visits is high. I entered the relationship with Tesla understanding that it was a nascent product and was prepared to overlook early short-comings. So, I’m not upset by the number of visits and I’ve always been treated like a valued owner at the service desk. Are there things that could have been handled better? Sure. But that’s all water under the bridge.
I’m out-of-pocket about $4,500 though the lion’s share of that expense is for the 2 and a half sets of tires I’ve had to replace with 107,000 miles on the car. I wanted to get the extended warranty but forgot to buy it before I exceeded 50,000 miles in the car. It looks like I benefitted by the omission because while I had to pay out-of-pocket for a failed battery coolant heater and TPMS sensor it wasn’t as much as the cost of the warranty. Given my history with this car, I have no trepidation about repair costs while being out of warranty; I expect I’ll have some issues but I don’t expect to break the bank during the next four years.
We drive the car more than any other vehicle we’ve ever owned, as evidenced by the numerous 1,000 mile plus trips we’ve taken and the 150 plus superchargers we’ve visited. I’d estimate that road tripping has added between 30-40 thousand miles to the odometer; not one of them has been regrettable.
I am incredibly respectful of Tesla’s innovative spirit and constant pushing of boundaries. There’s no other auto company that’s as exciting today and I feel that when other manufacturers make a “leap forward” announcement they are only doing it for the perception of keeping Tesla from getting too far ahead. Early owners treated Tesla’s announcements with a “wait and see” attitude but now that their client base has expanded I can’t help but feel that people have begun to take the announcements as gospel – and that’s unfortunately lead to disappointment. I love Elon’s bravado; for me I know his announcements will eventually become reality and I’m all on board for the wait.
I look forward to a long relationship with Tesla so I’m rooting for the company to succeed. I believe in the business plan though I also believe that it’s been harder to get to where they are today than first envisioned. I don’t count it against them because I know the path forward has both success and failure; it’s what you learn from both experiences that makes the difference.
I look back and try to imagine what life would have been like if we’d have made a different car decision four years ago. We wouldn’t have gone cross-country and stopped at Yellowstone. Our write-up of that trip influenced one of my aunts to visit the park just a few months before her tragic accidental death. I wouldn’t be doing show and tell electric car days at my elementary and high school. Besides the students that have told me that the cars inspire them, one of the owners that volunteered to help me reached out to his local high school for a similar presentation this year. That wouldn’t have happened. I wouldn’t have had the crazy idea to take a spool of ribbon and some scissors to Tannersville for an informal ceremony when a group of owners said they were going to meet there shortly after it opened. About a dozen sites later, I seem to be the MC when a new supercharger opens nearby. And not to mention all the crazy friendships formed during said road-trips, ribbon ceremonies or owner socials. Supercharger leaders, raffle gurus, cpo geniuses and casual acquaintances known by either forum name or sight; it’s been a very distinguished ride. I’m looking forward to the next four years.
