So last week my windscreen cracked. I’m not sure why because I couldn't find an impact mark but the heatwave can’t have helped. My insurer, LV.com use Autoglass and so I booked an appointment online at a convenient local fitting centre in 2 days time. Easy.
Next morning I received a phone call from Autoglass telling me that because it’s a Tesla I would have to go to a specialist centre to have the windscreen fitted. We booked an appointment for last Friday once we determined the nearest one. In my case, it was going to be Southampton. OK, fair enough.
Next day I received an email telling me that since Autoglass don’t have the software required to calibrate the cameras I would need to take my car to a Tesla Service Centre afterwards to have them calibrated, at Autoglass’s (or LV.com) expense. Mr Miserable is becoming Mr Grumpy.
I decided to book the Service Centre first using the app and then arrange the Autoglass appointment around it. The availability of Service Centre appointments for camera calibration varied - I tried Brooklands, Bristol and West Drayton which are all equally inconvenient but West Drayton came up trumps with a 15:30 appointment available today (Monday). I then went back to Autoglass and they found me a 10:00 appointment at their specialist centre in Southampton. I did ask for one closer to West Drayton but Southampton was it. They say they need 3 hours for the job. Autoglass took details of my Tesla appointment so they could coordinate the bill with Tesla.
Anyway, dropped off at Autoglass this morning and the car was ready for pickup within 2 hours. A genuine Tesla windscreen had been fitted. On the drive to West Drayton, the AP appeared to work as before with no visible change to road position. At West Drayton the calibration was done within an hour. Driving home I had a flashback to collection day because the cameras needed about 6 miles to recalibrate (didn’t I just have that done?). Once recalibrated, normal service resumed.
I did wonder whether I actually needed to go to the specialist centre if they didn’t have the software but as it turned out I’m glad I did because the windscreen fitter was clearly familiar with the Model 3, which was reassuring. I’m not sure what Tesla actually did and whether it was worth it but, if nothing else, it was nice to watch a steady stream of folk taking delivery of their new cars. Transporters were still arriving from Southampton as I was leaving.
I’ve had new windscreens fitted on other cars and they were always done by mobile fitters who pitched up at either my home or at work and so it was a painless and quick process. I lost a day today solely because it was a Tesla.
Next morning I received a phone call from Autoglass telling me that because it’s a Tesla I would have to go to a specialist centre to have the windscreen fitted. We booked an appointment for last Friday once we determined the nearest one. In my case, it was going to be Southampton. OK, fair enough.
Next day I received an email telling me that since Autoglass don’t have the software required to calibrate the cameras I would need to take my car to a Tesla Service Centre afterwards to have them calibrated, at Autoglass’s (or LV.com) expense. Mr Miserable is becoming Mr Grumpy.
I decided to book the Service Centre first using the app and then arrange the Autoglass appointment around it. The availability of Service Centre appointments for camera calibration varied - I tried Brooklands, Bristol and West Drayton which are all equally inconvenient but West Drayton came up trumps with a 15:30 appointment available today (Monday). I then went back to Autoglass and they found me a 10:00 appointment at their specialist centre in Southampton. I did ask for one closer to West Drayton but Southampton was it. They say they need 3 hours for the job. Autoglass took details of my Tesla appointment so they could coordinate the bill with Tesla.
Anyway, dropped off at Autoglass this morning and the car was ready for pickup within 2 hours. A genuine Tesla windscreen had been fitted. On the drive to West Drayton, the AP appeared to work as before with no visible change to road position. At West Drayton the calibration was done within an hour. Driving home I had a flashback to collection day because the cameras needed about 6 miles to recalibrate (didn’t I just have that done?). Once recalibrated, normal service resumed.
I did wonder whether I actually needed to go to the specialist centre if they didn’t have the software but as it turned out I’m glad I did because the windscreen fitter was clearly familiar with the Model 3, which was reassuring. I’m not sure what Tesla actually did and whether it was worth it but, if nothing else, it was nice to watch a steady stream of folk taking delivery of their new cars. Transporters were still arriving from Southampton as I was leaving.
I’ve had new windscreens fitted on other cars and they were always done by mobile fitters who pitched up at either my home or at work and so it was a painless and quick process. I lost a day today solely because it was a Tesla.