RIP Vin #783

[wiztecy]

Cool!! Glad you're back on the Road! Did the sports and the 2.5's come with those style wheels? I thought those only were on the 1.5 and early 2.0's. Also I noticed there's no sport badging on the lower corner behind the door, but it is there in the rear. Stoked you got the original hard-top with it! Congrats

 

[Doug_G]

Those are the base wheels - my very late 2.0 came with them standard. I believe they were always available because I later bought a second set, well into the 2.5 era.

 

[wiztecy]

Those are the base wheels - my very late 2.0 came with them standard. I believe they were always available because I later bought a second set, well into the 2.5 era.

Thank you Doug.

Good to know, curious why a sport would have base wheels? I believe the seats are a base seat setup as well, no Tesla badging. I've never seen a Roadster seat without the badging. So I guess this was a valid configuration, someone originally ordered the Sport Roadster with the base seating and wheels?

 

[Doug_G]

Well, it could be that the wheels were replaced at some point. They might have been banged up (potholes, etc.) and the forged rims are a LOT more expensive. Maybe the seats were also changed due to wear and tear. He did say it was originally a service loaner.

 

[augkuo]

This is the original Monroney - added options were the umc, hardtop and winter wheels (what's on now).
The original forged wheels were lost/misplaced but I plan to get another non-tesla set.

 

[bart513]

My 2.5 non sport has the base wheels as well, but I lucked out with the sport seats!

 

[doug]

Those are the base wheels - my very late 2.0 came with them standard. I believe they were always available because I later bought a second set, well into the 2.5 era.

Not always available. The original 1.x forged wheels were "standard" but in 2009 became an extra cost option. These wheels were introduced as the new base wheels.

 

[tomsax]

Not always available. The original 1.x forged wheels were "standard" but in 2009 became an extra cost option. These wheels were introduced as the new base wheels.

The base wheel switcheroo was part of the infamous "bait and switch" price increase of January, 2009 for about 400 people who (thought they) had finalized their v1.5 orders.

But now we're so far off in the weeds, we'll need to switch to mud and snow tires to get back on topic...

 

[csummers]

Is this a good place to ask what model was it? By the VIN I'm guessing 1.5. I've been looking for a 2.0+ center console to swap out my existing 1.5 stick gear shift. Anyone know where to get one?

 

[wycolo]

So a Roadster with 50k miles (!!) punctures the battery so normally TM would replace the battery with new, to be paid by owner/insurance company. But TM claims battery cannot be removed for some reason, thus TM views it as 'total loss' which by their definition means they refuse to do any work on it. Then owner finds a 3rd party that easily removes the battery and even feels they can repair the battery since the damage is about as miniscule as one could have hoped for. Not that repairing will be simple or easy but that it only involves damage to one sheet.

Once the owner had the battery removed it would seem that TM could then do a normal 50k mile battery replacement. Did they offer to do so or not? Seems with the battery out, TM could do a chassis integrity check and then #783 could get on with its useful life.

#764 here- hate to see it orphaned like this.
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[tomsax]

Is this a good place to ask what model was it? By the VIN I'm guessing 1.5. I've been looking for a 2.0+ center console to swap out my existing 1.5 stick gear shift. Anyone know where to get one?

That's a totally different topic. I'd recommend starting a new thread.

 

[augkuo]

So a Roadster with 50k miles (!!) punctures the battery so normally TM would replace the battery with new, to be paid by owner/insurance company. But TM claims battery cannot be removed for some reason, thus TM views it as 'total loss' which by their definition means they refuse to do any work on it. Then owner finds a 3rd party that easily removes the battery and even feels they can repair the battery since the damage is about as miniscule as one could have hoped for. Not that repairing will be simple or easy but that it only involves damage to one sheet.

Once the owner had the battery removed it would seem that TM could then do a normal 50k mile battery replacement. Did they offer to do so or not? Seems with the battery out, TM could do a chassis integrity check and then #783 could get on with its useful life.

#764 here- hate to see it orphaned like this.
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It's a big job to remove the battery from a roadster so the 3rd party owns 783 now. I'm thinking of replacing the aluminum bottom cover with steel so that this doesn't happen again

 

[spaceballs]

Once the owner had the battery removed it would seem that TM could then do a normal 50k mile battery replacement.

wycolo I have 783 now, from my talk with the Tesla service guys the only option for me is new ESS, they will not fix single sheets if the pack as been damaged in any serious way.

It's a big job to remove the battery from a roadster so the 3rd party owns 783 now.

It took 3 people ~7 hours with no previous experience working with an ESS. The longest time was waiting for the lift adapters to be made (Tesla doesn't sell them anymore) I had to design my own. Also re-install was 1/3 faster since we documented everything on the removal process.

I'm thinking of replacing the aluminum bottom cover with steel so that this doesn't happen again

Might be good idea, I wouldn't think their be too much work to replace it with steel, just take your existing one to your local waterjet company.

 

[wycolo]

> only option for me is new ESS [spaceballs]

ESS = battery pack?

Denver Service worker claimed he could have the Roadster battery pack (in its crate) that we were standing next to, installed in just a bit more time than it took him to install my MS battery pack, which had been recently done. He reiterated that it was essentially the same method, just takes a bit longer. I was much relieved to hear this from the guy who actually does this procedure.

After 50k miles I expect mine will likely be due for replacement, too. Especially with these long distances and no Roadster charging at SC locations. So glad you are able to renew #783!!
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[doug]

How much for the new ESS? It used to be $40K. Any cheaper now?

 

[bart513]

yes $38K including installation

 

[spaceballs]

ESS = battery pack?

Yes

So glad you are able to renew #783!!

Well I shouldn't have said "only option for me is new ESS", I meant to say that was the only option that Tesla service would offer me in my situation (damaged ESS). At the moment I'm repairing the ESS myself, the bad brick has been replaced, and now I'm digging into the BMB system.

How much for the new ESS? It used to be $40K. Any cheaper now?

I was quoted ~38k for replacement unit and ~2k for labor. The service guys said if my ESS wasn't damaged I could also 'ship' my ESS to CA to have the bad sheet replaced in it. but they never got back to me for the cost of this service.

 

[hcsharp]

At the moment I'm repairing the ESS myself, the bad brick has been replaced, and now I'm digging into the BMB system.

Congrats on getting a brick replaced. We would love to see pictures and details of how you did it. Was the BMB damaged physically by the debris that dented the ESS? Or was it damaged in the process of replacing the cells? It appears that it was working for augkuo before he took it into Service.

 

[spaceballs]

Technically I still haven't replaced the brick, just bypassed it for now.

BMB appears to be fine on that sheet, as if I bypass the bad sheet's brick voltage sense, car will function fine, otherwise I will blow a few fuses on the BMB. But only when I connect up the ESS's service disconnect.
Looks like I'll have little more digging into whats else is bad on that sheet, likely will end up taking out the ESS of the car again.
Though the brick break out cables from the brick has given me a way to test out odd scenarios like being powered from Ultracaps, or other battery types.

Congrats on getting a brick replaced. We would love to see pictures and details of how you did it. Was the BMB damaged physically by the debris that dented the ESS? Or was it damaged in the process of replacing the cells? It appears that it was working for augkuo before he took it into Service.

 

[JRP3]

Nice work. What size capacitor bank did you use to spoof the sheet?