Loan car disappointment

[gizmonty]

So I dropped off my Model S at the Richmond service centre today to get a few issues resolved, and instead of the traditional Model S loan car, I was given a Mercedes C200. Apparently Tesla have handed over their loan car responsibilities to a third party and this is what is happening now.

The car was in reasonable condition, except it had a strong odour of cigarette smoke and some sort of deodorising spray to try to hide the cigarette smoke.

The only upsides to this I can see are that the excess is much lower than it used to be ($1250 instead of $3000), and it's such a horrible car to drive and use that it makes me realise just what a fantastic car I have.

This seems like a really retrograde step from Tesla.

 

[mrpseudonym]

So I dropped off my Model S at the Richmond service centre today to get a few issues resolved, and instead of the traditional Model S loan car, I was given a Mercedes C200. Apparently Tesla have handed over their loan car responsibilities to a third party and this is what is happening now.

The car was in reasonable condition, except it had a strong odour of cigarette smoke and some sort of deodorising spray to try to hide the cigarette smoke.

The only upsides to this I can see are that the excess is much lower than it used to be ($1250 instead of $3000), and it's such a horrible car to drive and use that it makes me realise just what a fantastic car I have.

This seems like a really retrograde step from Tesla.

Ha, I was walking past when you were collecting the car, and wondered what the Tesla guy was doing walking round the C200 with an ipad, I thought you must have been really unhappy with your C200 to be trading it in so early. Artarmon/Sydney dealer had my X for the last few days and I still got an S loaner, so maybe this is just a Melbourne thing?

 

[SocalMS]

You're lucky..

I once got a loaner car and the car's interior was completely filthy...

Drink bottles, soda bottles, chips, food all over the place...

I had to wait another hour for them to clean it up..

And it STILL WASN'T DONE RIGHT... I had to grab paper towels and literally do it myself...

I don't like this whole "Hertz" rental ideal....

They're a car company.. they should loan out TESLAS... not HERTZ hand me down rentals...

 

[NovoCasGreeny]

So I dropped off my Model S at the Richmond service centre today to get a few issues resolved, and instead of the traditional Model S loan car, I was given a Mercedes C200. Apparently Tesla have handed over their loan car responsibilities to a third party and this is what is happening now.

The car was in reasonable condition, except it had a strong odour of cigarette smoke and some sort of deodorising spray to try to hide the cigarette smoke.

The only upsides to this I can see are that the excess is much lower than it used to be ($1250 instead of $3000), and it's such a horrible car to drive and use that it makes me realise just what a fantastic car I have.

This seems like a really retrograde step from Tesla.

This totally sucks. I dropped my car into St Leonards on Tuesday and got a 75D. No one mentioned getting an ICE. That is actually worthy of a tweet to EM!!! I don't think it is a good brand decision to provide non EVs as loaners.

 

[gizmonty]

I've spent a bit of time in the C200 now. I'd never driven a Mercedes before and I'll be very happy if I never do again.

There are so so many buttons everywhere! Covered with vague indecipherable icons. It's like driving a Japanese toilet but not as satisfying.

 

[CmdrThor]

I would rather sit in the service center until I rot than take an ICE as a loaner.

 

[SocalMS]

In So Cal.. getting an ICE loaner is very common... (very) sad, but common....

And they're not even high end ICE cars... they're older MBZ C-Class or Volvos...

Not sure about other locations...

 

[strykeroz]

I've spent a bit of time in the C200 now. I'd never driven a Mercedes before and I'll be very happy if I never do again...

And so it turns out loaning you a merc was pure genius in the end!

 

[Puttit]

Wow!!! Pretty surprised in this decision

 

[Burnt Toast]

Was it this C200?

 

[gavine]

The service center I use loans Teslas if you're willing to wait for one to be available. Basically, they say you can come in tomorrow and get an ICE loaner, or you can wait until next week and get a Tesla. The couple of times I had my car in for service was for minor things so I absolutely waited. If it was something that needed immediate attention, I would have had to take the ICE.

So, when making a service appointment, ask if you'll be getting a Tesla loaner. If they say no, ask if you can schedule for a later time when one will be available (assuming of course your repair can wait).

 

[Homer]

I understand the disappointment and I'd feel the same if this happened to me for a service appointment but try owning a Ferrari or something similarly exotic - I've never had a loaner car with a cavallino on it. I think the Model 3 will make a very nice loaner car once they are producing enough to put some in the loaner fleet.

 

[gizmonty]

Was it this C200?

Yes it was.

 

[Burnt Toast]

Yes it was.

Yep, disappointing. Could have at least been an E class.

 

[gizmonty]

Yep, disappointing. Could have at least been an E class.

Perhaps it wasn't cigarettes I could smell. Perhaps it was... Burnt Toast!

Thankyou. I'll be here all week.

 

[SocalMS]

Tesla is a car company. They manufacture cars.

I don't see any reason why they need to outsource car loaners to Hertz... (except to sell more cars)

I'll tell you this though... It makes me NOT want to bring my car into service at Tesla.. knowing I might get stuck w/ an cheap ICE car or an OLD model Tesla...

 

[strykeroz]

I don't see any reason why they need to outsource car loaners to Hertz... (except to sell more cars)

My sister had a week old Holden leave her stranded on the highway. The failure meant a loaner for over a month and she got a Hyundai during the time.

Not saying there's any equivalence between Holden and Telsa, only that car companies with even more history, and arguably lots full of potential loaners nationally do this too.

 

[SocalMS]

My sister had a week old Holden leave her stranded on the highway. The failure meant a loaner for over a month and she got a Hyundai during the time.

Not saying there's any equivalence between Holden and Telsa, only that car companies with even more history, and arguably lots full of potential loaners nationally do this too.

No doubt there are car companies that do this...

But "superior" MBZ,BMW, LEXUS, Audi dealers.. DO NOT DO THIS.

They loan out nice cars of their Make... Nice, newer, clean cars....

I think as Tesla customers, we should expect Tesla to raise standards of service and experience.. not just tread water...

(no idea what a "Holden" is)?

 

[strykeroz]

(no idea what a "Holden" is)?

Currently, it's Australia's GM brand.

 

[ICUDoc]

[QUOTE="
(no idea what a "Holden" is)?[/QUOTE]
Don't worry, it's all over now.