[Resolved] Beyond Frustrated How do I contact a Regional Manager

[M-o-D]

No, my Model S has been perfect, whatever small problems I have had the SC fixed them. This will eventually be the case for the Model X as well. I have the 21 inch tires and wheels and always drive in the low setting, tire wear can be an issue. I live on a very rural narrow bumpy country road and drive 2 miles to get to my home, with the air suspension it rides very smooth. When I have to drive my ML430 Mercedes it feels like a clunker.

THANK YOU!! That post about non disclosure scared me stiff. I thought I had done my research before making this decision. Also, will have to look at whether I am driving on the low setting, in Model S? I don't recall learning about it during my tutorial.

 

[M-o-D]

@Kavita Batra Welcome! The Model S is a very mature vehicle known to have few problems in current production.
The Model X is a new model that has experienced problems in the early production models. The current Model X production models are reporting few problems and it appears that Tesla has made improvements.
You should not worry about the Model S having things go wrong. You are in the Model X forum (look at top of page, find the house, click on tesla motors forum and select the model S forum) and would be better helped by Members in the Model S forum to answer your question about driving on uneven roads. Where does your friend get their info? do they own an S? Better to get info from current members on the S forum.. look at threads for topic that may be close to your question. Good luck and congratulations on your Tesla purchase... you made a great choice.

Thanks for the check!

 

[Merrill]

THANK YOU!! That post about non disclosure scared me stiff. I thought I had done my research before making this decision. Also, will have to look at whether I am driving on the low setting, in Model S? I don't recall learning about it during my tutorial.

You can adjust the height to standard and have it go into to low at a specific speed, I just like it low all the time.

 

[DiveDeep]

I have had similar problems with my SC. My car was one of the very first production cars made. It was completed and shipped to my SC mid-January. I have had my Model X P90DL ($150k) for four months. Of the of the four months it has been at the service center for over 8 weeks. I won't go over all the issues I have had with the car as it would take too long but I will go over the current issues. . Two weeks ago I took it in for the seat recall along with a bunch of minor issues. They told me it would be a few days. Last week my service manager called and told me they had corrected most of the issues but they had to order replacement for the pieces of triangular glass that is part of each front door. They said this is what was causing the wind noise. They said it should arrive by last Monday. On Tuesday they sent me an email saying the parts had arrived and they would install them as soon as possible. Today I sent an email asking for an update. I got a response saying when they got the two pieces of glass but they didn't meet specification and they had to reorder them. Based on prior experience whenever they order something it always takes at least a week. Therefore it will be at least another week before I get the car making the total time it has been at the SC 9 weeks out 17 weeks. I have also been informed they need to replace the rear hatchback. It will be sent unpainted so they will need the car for 6-8 weeks to install it. Therefore during the first six months they will have the car for over 4 months.

The short amount of time I have had the car I found it to be an amazing. I got so spoiled driving the Model X I can't imagine driving any other car. They gave me a loaner Model S P85 but it is no where as nice as driving the Model X. I am the only Model X in my area and it really turns heads. Most every time I open the falcon wing doors a crowd forms.

I too am trying to stay positive. I do not find my SC to be very good but it is a two hour drive to the next closest SC.

I have read a number of these stories.. My question is..
WHY do the service centers keep the car in question while waiting for parts to fix a problem that does not make the car undrivable?
A do the examination/evaluation that they need, but the customer have his car back until parts arrive and then do the install?
In any instance, if they are keeping your car as long as 4 months out of the first 6 months that you own it, they should be extending the warranty expiration date by at least that far in my opinion.

 

[vandacca]

I have read a number of these stories.. My question is..
WHY do the service centers keep the car in question while waiting for parts to fix a problem that does not make the car undrivable?
A do the examination/evaluation that they need, but the customer have his car back until parts arrive and then do the install?
In any instance, if they are keeping your car as long as 4 months out of the first 6 months that you own it, they should be extending the warranty expiration date by at least that far in my opinion.

I have noticed the same thing from this forum. I can only surmise that since Tesla has lots of storage space, they would rather hold onto the vehicles in the interest of time. That way they can repair the vehicle more quickly and not have to do another analysis when the vehicle has returned.

If they allowed the customer to return later with their vehicle, the SC would probably have to re-evaluate the whole thing again (some things may have changed or been damaged), which would take more time.

My guess is that Tesla values time more than space right now.

 

[stopcrazypp]

What part of this post was a lie? Are you disputing the suspension component failed or the NDA?

Your suggestion that that it is a general problem for a prospective owner to look out for suggests that they just spontaneously fall off (and that it commonly happens). This is the same unsubstantiated claim that the banned person put out in that thread (the "evidence" he posted were of cars involved in accidents).

 

[vandacca]

What part of this post was a lie? Are you disputing the suspension component failed or the NDA?

The thread you quoted earlier was about a high-speed chase that lead to a crash back in July 2014 that split the Model-S in 2. Suspension failure was the least of it's problems. But there was never any conclusion that the suspension failed and caused the crash. I would expect the suspension to fail when hitting curbs, light posts with enough force to split the car in two. There is no connection between this high speed chase and to "...wheels falling off some of the Model S...". There is no "suspension-gate" that I'm currently aware of.

I assume that your NDA reference is to a completely different issue and it was actually referenced as a "Goodwill Agreement" (NDA was never mentioned). The actual wording was, "You agree to keep confidential our provision of the Goodwill, the terms of this agreement and the incidents or claims leading or related to our provision of the Goodwill." (standard legal stuff)

I'm thinking Tesla doesn't want to upset other customers that have had to pay for such repairs or start a precedent for repairing all suspension for free. I see no evil plan being hatched here.

However, trying to co-relate these two completely unrelated events does sound like an evil, suspension-gate type of plan.

 

[Coolcarx]

Automotive Stockholm Syndrome. No, it's not acceptable is the correct answer. I understand it, though. I had a hot, psychotic girlfriend like the Model X once. Expensive, troublesome, cost a lot of time and worry, and I missed her greatly when she routinely made herself unavailable, usually with another guy. I tolerated it and made excuses for her...for a while.....

This reminds me of something a car sales guy always said, "Trust me, I'll cheat you right". I keep hearing trust me from Tesla. We shall soon see how it all turns out. Right now I'm trusting what they say.

 

[CaliX]

This reminds me of something a car sales guy always said, "Trust me, I'll cheat you right". I keep hearing trust me from Tesla. We shall soon see how it all turns out. Right now I'm trusting what they say.

Trust me Tesla Van Nuys took care of my X. My drivers door was way out of alignment, FWD seals were warped and some other stuff. They fixed it all when another SC said the two I listed weren't fixable. When I took my X to my new SC (Van Nuys) they said to me "we made your X we can fix your X". It caught me off guard after being told it wasn't fixable... instantly deflated all my anger You know what they fixed it to my pleasant surprise I am very happy! This is our 3rd Tesla and it won't be our last.

 

[Merrill]

Trust me Tesla Van Nuys took care of my X. My drivers door was way out of alignment, FWD seals were warped and some other stuff. They fixed it all when another SC said the two I listed weren't fixable. When I took my X to my new SC (Van Nuys) they said to me "we made your X we can fix your X". It caught me off guard after being told it wasn't fixable... instantly deflated all my anger You know what they fixed it to my pleasant surprise I am very happy! This is our 3rd Tesla and it won't be our last.

Glad to hear they took care of it, cannot believe the other place said it cannot be fixed. Good news.

 

[aesculus]

I had a hot, psychotic girlfriend like the Model X once.

Everybody should probably have one of these once, but not as a regular diet.

 

[vandacca]

Okay, Tesla decided to officially make a statement on this story (via their blog): A Grain of Salt
Interesting quotes from the blog:
- "NHTSA has not opened any investigation nor has it even started a “preliminary evaluation,” which is the lowest form of formal investigatory work that it does."
- "NHTSA informally asked us to provide information about our suspensions"
- "On April 30th, we provided all relevant information to NHTSA. NHTSA has since told us that we have cooperated fully and that no further information is needed"
- "Tesla has never and would never ask a customer to sign a document to prevent them from talking to NHTSA or any other government agency"
- "the blogger who fabricated this issue...is Edward Niedermayer. This is the same gentle soul who previously wrote a blog titled “Tesla Death Watch""

 

[BBMc]

Does anyone find this to be acceptable in a 140k vehicle?

Does this compensate?

So far they have had mine for 45 days for a minor paint bubble on a sales addendum. No explanation. "Body shop had a delay", Yeah, no sh7, Sherlock! Now they are ghosting me. Why take the car if they are not ready for it? These jerks have no consequences as we have no recourse. If I lived in the city, I would sit there every day and cry.

 

[Electroman]

Here is what I am puzzled with all these cosmetic repairs.

Why do they need the car before the parts and labor are ready to do the job? Why can't they just say: 'keep driving the car and we will call you when everything is ready'

This is true even for repairs that are not driving or safety related.

I did exactly the same thing when I had a minor low speed rear-end fender bender. The car was perfectly drivable except the rear fender had some minor damage. After the 3rd party body shop took one day to assess the damage, I told them I will take the car and bring it back after they get all the parts ready. Was in the shop for exactly 3 days.

 

[stopcrazypp]

Here is what I am puzzled with all these cosmetic repairs.

Why do they need the car before the parts and labor are ready to do the job? Why can't they just say: 'keep driving the car and we will call you when everything is ready'

This is true even for repairs that are not driving or safety related.

I did exactly the same thing when I had a minor low speed rear-end fender bender. The car was perfectly drivable except the rear fender had some minor damage. After the 3rd party body shop took one day to assess the damage, I told them I will take the car and bring it back after they get all the parts ready. Was in the shop for exactly 3 days.

Body shops like it because they get to collect storage fees. For Tesla it may just be a convenience thing, as they can send the car anytime the shop has time open instead of coordinating with owner. Of course this causes huge inconvenience for the owner.

 

[Electroman]

As the owner we can and we should insist that we keep the car until all the parts arrive.

I have had no problems with that approach in the past.

 

[stopcrazypp]

As the owner we can and we should insist that we keep the car until all the parts arrive.

I have had no problems with that approach in the past.

But the case being complained about is not about a parts wait, but rather waiting for the body shop to have a time slot available to do a respray. Tesla is paying for the respray under warranty.

When parts are being waited for, Tesla already has a system where you don't bring in your car until the part is in (at least that was my experience).

 

[Electroman]

but rather waiting for the body shop to have a time slot available to do a respray

Are you saying these timeslots just appear suddenly and vanish, that the car has to be sitting there for weeks waiting to grab that magical timeslot?

Come on. Any decent shop should be able to give you an approx week, or should get to know two or three days in advance.

 

[stopcrazypp]

Are you saying these timeslots just appear suddenly and vanish, that the car has to be sitting there for weeks waiting to grab that magical timeslot?

Come on. Any decent shop should be able to give you an approx week, or should get to know two or three days in advance.

It's contracted out to a third party shops (AFAIK Tesla SCs don't do their own paint other than minor touchups with a touchup kit) and it may be a low priority job where they only do it when they happen to be spraying all Teslas (or even that particular color), so basically you adjust to their schedule, not the other way around.

After hearing tons of horror stories on the forums, I don't think third party shops have as organized a schedule as you suggest. I've seen plenty of stories of cars just sitting at a body shop for weeks or months where they use all sorts of excuses about waiting for parts, when the truth is they didn't even order the parts yet and when the owner steps in to order parts themselves or to ask for proof of parts being ordered, suddenly things move along much faster.

To be fair, the same thing may be happening here at Tesla.