Question about the service plans

[erickulcyk]

The manager you I took a test drive seemed to indicate the default service plan was $600 a year or every 12,500 miles, whichever comes later. This would likely be a good deal if you didn't drive many miles a year. Looking online, it seems to be the 12,500 miles thing is only if you buy the prepaid plans, and the $600 dollars is every year regardless of mileage. Which one is right here?

Thanks,
Eric

 

[electricBear]

My understanding was the service plan (say 3yrs) works out to a bit less than $600 year but is fixed on that 12,500/yr (whichever is reached first), or you can pay $600 when you bring the car in. I drive about 15k a year and figure I'll just pay $600 once a year regardless of mileage and bring it in when the car needs state inspection anyway.

 

[Brass Guy]

If I understand your question, you're talking about the annual service if you don't purchase a service plan. "Annual Service" is the name of the service, not when you have to have it done. Tesla's policy is that service is optional, your warranty will not be void if you don't do it. It's up to the owner when (or even if) to bring it in for Annual Service. If/when you do, it's $600.

With a prepaid service plan, it's my understanding that you don't have to use your prepaid visits every 12,500 miles, or every year if your mileage is less than that, but I'm not sure if you can stretch them out to (for example) every 2 years if you drive 20,000 miles per year.

 

[RDoc]

If I understand your question, you're talking about the annual service if you don't purchase a service plan. "Annual Service" is the name of the service, not when you have to have it done. Tesla's policy is that service is optional, your warranty will not be void if you don't do it. It's up to the owner when (or even if) to bring it in for Annual Service. If/when you do, it's $600.

With a prepaid service plan, it's my understanding that you don't have to use your prepaid visits every 12,500 miles, or every year if your mileage is less than that, but I'm not sure if you can stretch them out to (for example) every 2 years if you drive 20,000 miles per year.

This is one of those areas where Tesla is being IMHO deliberately unclear. The plan documents say the service is at every year or 12500 miles and if you miss it by going over mileage or time you loose it. However, several people have reported that at least some service centers have said that you get 4 services regardless of when you bring the car in. So, do you believe the documents or what some people have been told?
I got it, but that fits our driving use pretty well and, while the service itself is pretty much a non-event AFAIK, they do do a tire rotation and alignment, so it's not a complete waste of money.

 

[Fazik69]

I just had first 20000km service done.
Cost $650 + tax. My milage was actually 25000km.

 

[CmdrThor]

The page where you purchase the plan is pretty clear that you can only use your 4 services while your car has 50,000 or fewer miles.

Four year prepaid service, $1,900
One inspection per year, up to 50,000 miles

http://www.teslamotors.com/support/service-plans

There have definitely been many conflicting reports on what service centers will actually honor, but it seems going forward Tesla's intention is to limit it to 4 years or 50,000, whichever is reached first. Otherwise they would update the website and contract. They may take care of early owners as a act of goodwill, but if you are considering purchasing a plan now I wouldn't count on unlimited mileage and 4 years to use the services.

 

[ny888]

I average only 7500 miles/yr. It sounds like I shouldn't get the prepaid service and just bring my car in whenever I hit 12,500 miles?

 

[tomas]

There are some good reasons to bring car in for service annually, even if it's low mi. Not that it needs service-- it barely needs anything. But they always apply about a dozen TSBs which improve and tighten it up. Many of these are they will only do if you ask, so good to tell them EVERYTHING that's issue, they may have fix. I've had seats updated, AC insulated, defrost vents installed. All as part of annual svc. Not to mention new 12v battery and countless suspension and chassis tweaks.

 

[MsElectric]

The only services that are of any consequence are the services you do every 2 years (even number of years since the day of sale).

IMHO the odd number year services (1,3,5,7) are an insane waste of money and a complete rip off where they essentially replace your key fob battery and give you wiper blades for $600. They should change the cost of the services to reflect what they actually do. The service they do every 4 years is major one with a coolant flush and a brake fluid flush. They charge the same for that service as the service where they pretty much just change your wiper blades.

Like Mercedes and other car manufacturers they should have A (odd year services), B (every 2nd year service), and C (every 4th year service) services and price them accordingly. As it is for the small services the Tesla is about 3X as expensive as a V8 Mercedes we own to maintain and that makes absolutely no sense.

- - - Updated - - -

There are some good reasons to bring car in for service annually, even if it's low mi. Not that it needs service-- it barely needs anything. But they always apply about a dozen TSBs which improve and tighten it up. Many of these are they will only do if you ask, so good to tell them EVERYTHING that's issue, they may have fix. I've had seats updated, AC insulated, defrost vents installed. All as part of annual svc. Not to mention new 12v battery and countless suspension and chassis tweaks.

But for those "small services" $600 is an absurd amount to charge...