One Year Mark - Service Center Visit

[tinm]

I just made my appointment for the 2nd Annual Maintenance visit. It involves a hotel stay: no service centers in New Mexico, so I have to drive 9 hours (incl supercharger stops) to Scottsdale and its 110º+ heat. Lovely.

I was gonna hold off and do this later on, but car has an annoying brake pump problem, an annoying cicada/milling inverter noise problem (that's getting worse over time), needs tire rotation, etc. I reckon, might as well get it all done. I don't relish the long trip though, which comes courtesy of the New Mexico Automotive Dealers Association and the New Mexico legislature that's under their control.

 

[AmpedRealtor]

I just made my appointment for the 2nd Annual Maintenance visit. It involves a hotel stay: no service centers in New Mexico, so I have to drive 9 hours (incl supercharger stops) to Scottsdale and its 110º+ heat. Lovely.

I was gonna hold off and do this later on, but car has an annoying brake pump problem, an annoying cicada/milling inverter noise problem (that's getting worse over time), needs tire rotation, etc. I reckon, might as well get it all done. I don't relish the long trip though, which comes courtesy of the New Mexico Automotive Dealers Association and the New Mexico legislature that's under their control.

It's only 101 today in Phoenix, if that's any consolation!

Nicholas Thompson is the service manager there, he and his amazing team will take very good care of you.

 

[jaguar36]

I just made my appointment for the 2nd Annual Maintenance visit. It involves a hotel stay: no service centers in New Mexico, so I have to drive 9 hours (incl supercharger stops) to Scottsdale and its 110º+ heat. Lovely.

Can't you do a ranger service instead?

 

[tinm]

How would a ranger do a full 2nd year annual service without having a lift and all the stuff available at the service center? And if they *did* offer to provide full annual maintenance via ranger, how'd they do tire rotation, by lifting the car a few times in the driveway?

 

[sorka]

The ESA already increased in price once from $2,500 to $4,000. I paid $2,500 in 2013 and am so glad that I bought it before the price increase. There is no guarantee that it will still be $4,000 three years from now.

No but at $4K it's already more than double most factory wrap extended warranty plans. For instance, the 7 year 100K bumper to bumper extended warranty on my Infiniti FX50S (stickered for $68) is only about $1500 with the typical dealer markup.

Under normal market conditions, the extended warranty purchase cost is proportional to the actual cost of repairs experienced by that model regardless of the purchase price of the vehicle.

 

[jaguar36]

How would a ranger do a full 2nd year annual service without having a lift and all the stuff available at the service center? And if they *did* offer to provide full annual maintenance via ranger, how'd they do tire rotation, by lifting the car a few times in the driveway?

You don't need a lift to work on a car, it makes life easier and faster, but with a good jack or two and some jack stands (particularly the jackpoint jackstands) its not difficult. Once you get all four wheels off the ground, rotating the tires is as easy on jack stands as it is on a lift.

Course it does seem like Tesla is at least phasing out the ranger service, if not killing it entirely.

 

[Atebit]

If I had to do it again I would not purchase the pre-paid maintenance and take the car in for service bi-annually. While I don't think Tesla is looking to actively "rip us off" with this plan, it is clearly a revenue stream for them that I managed to blunder into. While this is somewhat offset by Tesla's proactiveness and overall exemplary service experience, I would've gotten that anyway without the plan.

 

[Max*]

I haven't decided what I'm going to do yet. I'm 100% taking the car in at the 2 year and 4 year mark, but unless I see compelling reasons in the next 11.5 months, I don't see a need to spend $600 (or $475 if you prepay) to get my wipers changed at year 1.

 

[tinm]

At my 1st annual service, they:

• replaced wiper blades
• cabin filter
• key fob batteries
• inspected vehicle underbody and suspension
• torqued rear suspension
• lubricated sunroof tracks, door strikers/latches
• blew out front radiator and A/C condeners
• inspected brake system
• checked exterior/ interior lighting and switches
• performed four wheel alignment
• upgraded side motor mount
• performed steering wheel calibration
• performed thermal test
• replaced left rear door handle assembly
• updated firmware

oh yeah, and they

• replaced drive unit aseembly

So yeah I think it was worth it.

 

[kirkbauer]

• replaced drive unit aseembly

So yeah I think it was worth it.

Well, to be fair, that part would have been free anyways, right?

 

[tinm]

Well, to be fair, that part would have been free anyways, right?

*grin* yeah, but those new wiper blades!

(Actually the new wiper blades were lousy, left an annoying, wide streak right in the middle of the driver's field of view. Apparently this was a common problem.)

 

[AmpedRealtor]

No but at $4K it's already more than double most factory wrap extended warranty plans. For instance, the 7 year 100K bumper to bumper extended warranty on my Infiniti FX50S (stickered for $68) is only about $1500 with the typical dealer markup.

Under normal market conditions, the extended warranty purchase cost is proportional to the actual cost of repairs experienced by that model regardless of the purchase price of the vehicle.

In that case, $2,500 was more than enough as well, but Tesla still raised the price. I'm just saying that there are no guarantees that the current price stays where it is. I think that's a fair statement.