FlatSix911
Porsche 918 Hybrid
Good point... I guess I will have to have a chat with the acting service manager... Elon.
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No Loaners at Tesla Service "Bring back the LOANER CARS!!!!"
- Thread starter curt_toolman
- Start date
Good point... I guess I will have to have a chat with the acting service manager... Elon.
Petrocelli
Member
FlatSix911
Porsche 918 Hybrid
RoninAMG
Member
Service has always been a Point of Tension with me at the Chicago Market - Westmont location. The only thing that kept me from losing my cool with them numerous times were the decent loaners they put me in. A few years ago they were actually brand new 100D's, a P90DL about a year ago. And sadly, it has gone downhill from there. The Mobile Service team didn't really take off in the Chicago area until about 10 months ago. And since then I've used them twice which is actually my preferred method of service. The appointment I have with them tomorrow is for windshield washer fluid motor-actuator failure. I would much rather have them deploy their mobile team than me going to the service center. They sent me a text on Friday asking if I heard any noise at all while fully pressing the two stage button which I answered No. Then I was waiting for a text saying that a member from their service team would call me to schedule a mobile appointment. But that text never came. Not sure why because I just saw a video on this repair and it looks fairly easy actually. This will be my first service with them since my warranty expired a few months ago. So this should be interesting to see what they're going to charge to replace the actuator which takes less than 10 minutes to do.
Good luck! We were shocked at how good our first mobile experience was. Booked on the mobile app. The tech texted us awhile before. Showed up right on time pleasant. Said installing our spoiler would take an hour but it was thirty minutes. Did two service bulletin checks then he was gone. Wow.
For fwiw it's worth we had a few loaners, a short term rental from Enterprise and then Lyft credits which in our area was fine.
For fwiw it's worth we had a few loaners, a short term rental from Enterprise and then Lyft credits which in our area was fine.
RoninAMG
Member
Yeah, all my Mobile Service appointments were solid as well. Good comms, arrived on time and very professional. I would much rather go that route for service rather than going to their service center. If anyone knows a sure fire way for me to get this windshield washer motor completed via mobile service then kindly chime in.
Before buying a P90D in 2015, I'd driven Mercedes for over 20 years, typically having a couple at the same time, with their ages ranging for new to 20+ years old. Any time I took one in for service -- even the 20 year old ones -- I got a relatively new Mercedes loaner, as it was standard practice for them, no questions asked, no Uber vouchers.
Mercedes knows how to be a luxury brand and treat their customers accordingly, and have done so for decades. It's in their DNA, and they do things automatically, because they worry about the client experience.
Petrocelli
Member
At $120,500, my P90D Model S was equivalent in price to a new large S class Mercedes. A new AWD S class with the twin turbo V8 engine starts around $105k. Other than the difference in drive train (i.e. I like electric better), there is no comparison as the Mercedes is head and shoulders better than the Tesla. The interior is elegant versus spartan. The seats are noticeable more comfortable than the upgraded ones I opted for in my Tesla, and there's more rear leg room. The ride quality is better than that on my Tesla. I replaced it with a 2014 E550 Mercedes with the V8 twin turbo engine, purchased from a MB dealership. It has driver assistance which is equivalent to Tesla's Autopilot. Despite my car being 1 year older than the 2015 Tesla, the lane assist is much better/reliable and the smart cruise control is identical in operation to the Tesla. The automatic HVAC is actually automatic versus me having to adjust it manually. Oh, and when you buy an S class it comes with a center console versus me having to go to their web site, buy it separately for $600, have it shipped to the SC and installed.
The reliability is incredibly better, parts are immediately available, as are loaner cars. I've now driven my CPO Mercedes (4 year, unlimited mileage factory warranty) for 30,000 miles and other than service every 10,000 miles the car has required nothing, with total mileage now at 80,000. In the first 30,000 of owning the Tesla, my car had so many trips for repairs to the SC that I knew everyone on a first name basis. My main battery failed twice, drivers door handle failed, air bag wiring harness failed, sensors kept falling out of the rear bumper cover, radio came on erratically if I opened a door, on & on. They were really nice people at the SC BTW, acting as my advocates due to all the problems.
You really can't compare the two brands if you put aside the religious jealousness of many people who are hard core Tesla devotees. And, please don't say that the Tesla is superior unless you've owned a brand new S class Mercedes and driven it for at least 3 to 4 months as your daily driver, as you don't have the basis for a rational comparison. The ownership experience is just as completely different as is a ICE v. EV powertrain.
As to your second question, the SC that I used is about 20 minutes from my home and I go past it regularly. It used to be a very large Toyota dealership. I haven't been inside there in 18 months since turning in my Tesla, so I haven't spoken with the people about how busy they are with repairs, so I can't help you with that. I will tell you that without a doubt, you'd be hard pressed to add another car to their parking lot despite it being very large, as they have cars parked almost on top of each other, and it's always the same. From the constantly crowded condition, I suspect it's unsold inventory.
Final note. The 2014 E550 that I bought has every factory option available that year with a sticker price of $75k. It's the best Mercedes I've ever owned -- better than a string of S class Benzes -- as it does everything so well. I bought it when 5 years old, 50,000 miles with the 4 year unlimited mileage factory warranty for $35k, the same price as a base line Model 3.
Hope this helps,
pdq
Petrocelli
Member
Thanks for taking the time to address my questions. Your response I very helpful. Like you, my experience with Mercedes is excellent ; I have owned 8 over 22 years, and not one has ever broken down, or needed a major repair.
Moreover, even when I have small problems, I can always get an appointment at a set time the next day.
Mercedes is the ultimate in comfort, and in service. On rare occasions when my vehicle had to be left overnight, I always got a loaner. (Last time I got a GLC 300 with less than 2,000 miles on it.) The fact that Tesla is no longer providing them to most customers is concerning.
Brands are made and broken on the shoulders of their dealerships and support.
Fiat, Alfa Romeo, and Lancia have not and will not ever recover from their disastrous adventures in the 70s and 80s (yes I know they were 3 different companies in the 60s, by the mid 80s they had all been eaten by Fiat.)
Their cars were superb, well engineered, and mostly (but not entirely) reliable; their after-sales support was abominable and their cars were not easily supported by 3rd parties and parts supply was thin and reproduction parts were worse than just setting fire to the car.
This is in contrast with Volvo or Jaguar, similarly non-dominant Marques that survived and still have some brand equity.
If Tesla isn't careful about addressing their shortcomings, they will burn their brand to the ground and the ashes of their brand will be toxic waste that poisons any company that tries to revive it. They have tremendous brand equity right now partially because their product is fantastic and partially because they treated many of the early S adopters very well.
Dealerships do add 20% ish to the cost of a car, but they do earn at least some of that vig.
Fiat, Alfa Romeo, and Lancia have not and will not ever recover from their disastrous adventures in the 70s and 80s (yes I know they were 3 different companies in the 60s, by the mid 80s they had all been eaten by Fiat.)
Their cars were superb, well engineered, and mostly (but not entirely) reliable; their after-sales support was abominable and their cars were not easily supported by 3rd parties and parts supply was thin and reproduction parts were worse than just setting fire to the car.
This is in contrast with Volvo or Jaguar, similarly non-dominant Marques that survived and still have some brand equity.
If Tesla isn't careful about addressing their shortcomings, they will burn their brand to the ground and the ashes of their brand will be toxic waste that poisons any company that tries to revive it. They have tremendous brand equity right now partially because their product is fantastic and partially because they treated many of the early S adopters very well.
Dealerships do add 20% ish to the cost of a car, but they do earn at least some of that vig.
FlatSix911
Porsche 918 Hybrid
FIAT... Fix-It Again Tony!
Relative to how horrid all the cars of the 70s were, fiats were average / average+.
That said, good luck (back then) getting parts or finding someone who can adjust a weber carburetor.
Fiat was and is an industrial powerhouse with fantastic engineering and a good reputation in Europe.
The toxic waste of fiat's 80s failure haunts their brand in the North American market to this day (as above).
Brands can manage up and down the range of pedestrian to luxury (see BMW and Mercedes) or invent new brands to accommodate different market segments (See Acura / Lexus / Cadillac / Audi)
The current market segment Tesla is positioned in, by design or luck, is nearly the same as BMW. The M3 is not a Corolla as much as it is a 3 series BMW; the S a 7 series, etc. Executed correctly Tesla is on pace to replace BMW as "that weird independent car manufacturer that somehow hasn't been eaten by another larger industrial giant."
If they burn their brand down, as indicated by the giant pile of kindling and match they've brought to the party, they'll see sales trickle to a halt as soon as there's a reasonable alternative. It'll start (or has started) at the top of the range and work its way down. Without a solid support history, nobody will buy a 2020 roadster or a truck or a semi or any other big investment either....
Elon... please improve support; raise prices if you must, but without good after-sales support your endeavor will fail.
There's an old saying in business -- across all industries -- that customers usually forget a great price, but they never forget bad service.
mtndrew1
Active Member
Owners of S/X/Roadster should have premium Tesla loaners available upon request for each and every service visit, be it maintenance or repair. Those customers should have the option of Uber credits.
Model 3/Y should have Uber credits for all single-day needs unless there’s a car seat involved in which case a loaner should be provided. Anything overnight or longer should have a loaner of some sort, even if it’s an Enterprise Camry.
This isn’t that hard and it’s baffling that nobody in this organization can figure it out.
Model 3/Y should have Uber credits for all single-day needs unless there’s a car seat involved in which case a loaner should be provided. Anything overnight or longer should have a loaner of some sort, even if it’s an Enterprise Camry.
This isn’t that hard and it’s baffling that nobody in this organization can figure it out.
I agree with many of the sentiments in this thread. I have seen service degrade significantly since I took ownership of my Tesla S in April 2013. And now I also have a 2016 Tesla X.
Up until about a year ago, I could always count on a loaner. Most of the time it was a Tesla. A few times it was an Enterprise ICE car; but hey, at least I could get on with my day.
I had my S in recently for service, and a few days before my appointment, I received an email from Tesla informing me that they provided a "variety of transportation options" for customers. Hmm...... wonder what that could be? When I dropped off the car for service at the Tyco Road (Northern Virginia) service center, I asked about transportation options. I was told: "Uber credits." I asked about the "variety of transportation options", and showed them the email. I was then told that I could obtain a rental car from Enterprise, at my own cost, at some preferred Tesla customer rate. The service writer informed me that they did not have loaners any longer.
I have had problems with the service done on the S; that's a matter for another thread. But I drove back to the service center today to inquire about the work done on my S, and I waited my turn behind another customer who was picking up his car ---- AND RETURNING HIS LOANER!!!! How did he get a loaner when the service writer clearly told me that they did not provide loaners any more?
I think I can call myself an "early adopter." My S was purchased new in early 2013; my X was purchased new in Fall of 2016. I've been a supporter of Tesla since those days, including taking people on test drives; going to a high school event with a couple of other owners to talk to the the kids about electric vehicles and the environment; going to Cars and Coffee events to showcase the car. But I'm starting to lose confidence in the company. As others stated, customer service is what keeps people coming back. And I am wondering if, when the time comes to replace a vehicle, I will purchase another Tesla.
I do still have a 2007 Lexus GX 470. I use it for business purposes. When (and if) I need service, the Lexus dealer ALWAYS, without fail, provides a clean loaner. And they COMMUNICATE with their customers --- letting them know if there will be delays, etc. Compare that to Tesla communications ..... oh, sorry, I should have said Tesla "lack of communications." I can't telephone the service center. They text me and ask me to respond -- and when I do, I hear nothing. The most recent episode is that they tell me the "engineers are looking at a potential issue with my battery....", but they would not provide me with a service invoice stating what the problem is. So I have no documentation of my problem.
Beyond frustrating.
Up until about a year ago, I could always count on a loaner. Most of the time it was a Tesla. A few times it was an Enterprise ICE car; but hey, at least I could get on with my day.
I had my S in recently for service, and a few days before my appointment, I received an email from Tesla informing me that they provided a "variety of transportation options" for customers. Hmm...... wonder what that could be? When I dropped off the car for service at the Tyco Road (Northern Virginia) service center, I asked about transportation options. I was told: "Uber credits." I asked about the "variety of transportation options", and showed them the email. I was then told that I could obtain a rental car from Enterprise, at my own cost, at some preferred Tesla customer rate. The service writer informed me that they did not have loaners any longer.
I have had problems with the service done on the S; that's a matter for another thread. But I drove back to the service center today to inquire about the work done on my S, and I waited my turn behind another customer who was picking up his car ---- AND RETURNING HIS LOANER!!!! How did he get a loaner when the service writer clearly told me that they did not provide loaners any more?
I think I can call myself an "early adopter." My S was purchased new in early 2013; my X was purchased new in Fall of 2016. I've been a supporter of Tesla since those days, including taking people on test drives; going to a high school event with a couple of other owners to talk to the the kids about electric vehicles and the environment; going to Cars and Coffee events to showcase the car. But I'm starting to lose confidence in the company. As others stated, customer service is what keeps people coming back. And I am wondering if, when the time comes to replace a vehicle, I will purchase another Tesla.
I do still have a 2007 Lexus GX 470. I use it for business purposes. When (and if) I need service, the Lexus dealer ALWAYS, without fail, provides a clean loaner. And they COMMUNICATE with their customers --- letting them know if there will be delays, etc. Compare that to Tesla communications ..... oh, sorry, I should have said Tesla "lack of communications." I can't telephone the service center. They text me and ask me to respond -- and when I do, I hear nothing. The most recent episode is that they tell me the "engineers are looking at a potential issue with my battery....", but they would not provide me with a service invoice stating what the problem is. So I have no documentation of my problem.
Beyond frustrating.
