Service Center no longer giving loaner cars outside of 50-mile radius?

[markb1]

I've shifted my view a little bit. If you have ranger service, and if they are taking your car back to the service center, they should provide a loaner. It shouldn't be a big deal for them, since they are already hauling a trailer.

On the other hand, for on-site ranger repairs, I don't think it's reasonable to expect a loaner. And if you don't have ranger service, I also think it's unreasonable to expect them to deliver a loaner more than 50 miles. At 50 miles, valet service means 200 miles of driving for some service center employee, which is quite generous on Tesla's part.

 

[JakeP]

I've shifted my view a little bit. If you have ranger service, and if they are taking your car back to the service center, they should provide a loaner. It shouldn't be a big deal for them, since they are already hauling a trailer.

On the other hand, for on-site ranger repairs, I don't think it's reasonable to expect a loaner. And if you don't have ranger service, I also think it's unreasonable to expect them to deliver a loaner more than 50 miles. At 50 miles, valet service means 200 miles of driving for some service center employee, which is quite generous on Tesla's part.

I would fully agree with this, and even caveat the above by saying a loaner would only be sent if one was available, or you scheduled well in advance to reserve a loaner. But emergencies should always take precedence, if someone's car had an issue.

I am far less concerned about getting a new (loaner) car quickly back to a buyer who is so impatient that they cannot even wait a few weeks for a new car to roll off the assembly line, or someone who is getting a bargain and discount by buying a loaner. They can wait an extra day!

 

[Doug_G]

I've shifted my view a little bit. If you have ranger service, and if they are taking your car back to the service center, they should provide a loaner. It shouldn't be a big deal for them, since they are already hauling a trailer.

Completely agree. Same amount of driving.

On the other hand, for on-site ranger repairs, I don't think it's reasonable to expect a loaner.

Completely agree. They do the repairs at my convenience - either at the office or in my garage at home. I have no absolutely expectation of getting a loaner. I'm either already at work, or I'm at home and have another car available.

And if you don't have ranger service, I also think it's unreasonable to expect them to deliver a loaner more than 50 miles. At 50 miles, valet service means 200 miles of driving for some service center employee, which is quite generous on Tesla's part.

True, that's getting to be a heck of a lot of driving. I can see where they're coming from on that one.

 

[ibcs]

I've shifted my view a little bit. If you have ranger service, and if they are taking your car back to the service center, they should provide a loaner. It shouldn't be a big deal for them, since they are already hauling a trailer.

On the other hand, for on-site ranger repairs, I don't think it's reasonable to expect a loaner. And if you don't have ranger service, I also think it's unreasonable to expect them to deliver a loaner more than 50 miles. At 50 miles, valet service means 200 miles of driving for some service center employee, which is quite generous on Tesla's part.

I guess I'm not sure on the new policy. I've never had a loaner delivered to me. I get a loaner when they are working on my car after I deliver it to them. I want to be able to get back to work while the repairs are being done. I do not expect them to come to me 72 miles away, but I do expect to have a car while mine is being repaired and to drive it home which is over 50 miles away. If it's just for delivery, I'm fine with the policy change.

 

[NigelM]

And if you don't have ranger service, I also think it's unreasonable to expect them to deliver a loaner more than 50 miles. At 50 miles, valet service means 200 miles of driving for some service center employee, which is quite generous on Tesla's part.

I disagree. That's not what Tesla promised....AFAIK no-one has ever said that the valet service is only within 50 miles of the service center. Also the TM website doesn't support what you're saying.

Some of us are more than 50 miles from a service center, can't yet buy Ranger service, but are good customers. Why should we be excluded from this service?

I'm trying to imagine explaining this to someone buying a Model S:

Q. What about service?
A. Rangers will come to you to carry out the service or repairs.

Q. What if the repairs take time or have to be done at the service center? Can I get a loaner?
A. If you live within 50 miles of the service center.

Q. I live 65 miles away. What happens then?
A. You're out of luck.

 

[PattyChuck]

Isn't the Chicago Service Center still open? It is on their website. If you're within 50 miles of that, aren't you good?

Last time I called the Grand Ave Service Center, I was told to always call the Villa Park Service Center, and I was given a new phone number. I just assumed that since I was now calling VP, all my service needs (ranger or otherwise) would be handled at that center. Maybe that's not the case, because what is really odd is that the Grand Ave location is closer to me than the VP location by about 25 miles.

 

[NigelM]

I spoke to someone at Tesla today and it seems that they've always had this policy but it's been largely left at the discretion of the Service Center Managers. I can only imagine that one or two places with a shortage of loaner cars are falling back on policy as a way of dealing with availability problems.

 

[William13]

Although I believe that as an early adopter/signature owner some special favors should occur, the loaners are unworkable. The Ranger may make several stops along the way fixing cars and adding loaners adds a huge amount of work. The Valet service was always nebulous and distinct from Ranger service. In the past they also offered Enterprise cars. What is their position on these?

 

[markb1]

I disagree. That's not what Tesla promised....AFAIK no-one has ever said that the valet service is only within 50 miles of the service center. Also the TM website doesn't support what you're saying.

I think they were actually just not specific. Tesla sucks as communication.

Some of us are more than 50 miles from a service center, can't yet buy Ranger service, but are good customers. Why should we be excluded from this service?

Because it's costly to Tesla.

I'm trying to imagine explaining this to someone buying a Model S:

Q. What about service?
A. Rangers will come to you to carry out the service or repairs.

Q. What if the repairs take time or have to be done at the service center? Can I get a loaner?
A. If you live within 50 miles of the service center.

Well, hopefully, they will provide a loaner for ranger service that involves towing your car back to the service center. But I don't really know their intention on this. This is just what I think they should do.

Q. I live 65 miles away. What happens then?
A. You're out of luck.

Either get ranger service or be willing to drive to the service center. My understanding is that distance only matters for valet service. As long as you drop off your car at the service center, you can pick up a loaner, no matter how far away you live.

 

[NigelM]

Because it's costly to Tesla.

Sorry, that reasoning isn't acceptable seeing as Tesla said "We'll do xyz..." They didn't say "We'll do xyz if you live within 50 miles of a service center. It's false advertising.

Tesla sucks at communication.

Well, we agree on that.

 

[gbdesai]

Hm. Then I'm due a refund for the alignment (which I paid for) that they did during my annual service in July.

I just got a free alignment just by asking, told them the car was pulling right and it was taken care of. I just had to pay for one of the seven items I asked em to look at (paid for TPMS reset).

 

[brianman]

I thought alignments were included in the annual service from the beginning? (and therefore if you wanted one, your car had to make it's way to the SC).

It wasn't the case in July 2013.

- - - Updated - - -

• Wheel alignment*; and

Thanks, Jake.

 

[mknox]

A drive unit replacement typically requires an alignment, so that might explain why it feels better after the replacement.

That's what I assumed, but there was no note or anything to that effect on the work order that Tesla emailed to me. In fact, on my "complaint" of freeway "wobbliness" they wrote "Drives as designed" or something like that. Another forum member says a drive unit replacement can be done without an alignment since all they have to do is disconnect the drive shafts.

In any event, it seems better, although still not as good as my previous car was over the same roads.

 

[JakeP]

Following up on this, I spoke with Columbus after sending them my list of To-Dos. Almost everything on my list can be done by a Ranger at my house. But they specifically said that the annual service must be done back at the Service Center. As per their earlier promise, they graciously offered to send me a loaner on a flatbed when they come to get my car. Since they are three hours away, I offered to meet them halfway!

 

[Greg G]

And, as the other owner who benefited from the HPWC upgrade, I can confirm that!

 

[neroden]

I've shifted my view a little bit. If you have ranger service, and if they are taking your car back to the service center, they should provide a loaner. It shouldn't be a big deal for them, since they are already hauling a trailer.

I can confirm that they did provide a loaner for me when the rangers took my car in last week for a bunch of little issues.

 

[Carlos Danger]

I'm naturally slow and a little drunk so I'm not sure what the answer to this question is.

If I drop off my car at a Service Center, will they give me a loaner?

 

[JakeP]

Yes, they will give you a loaner if you drop your car off, though you may want to schedule ahead to make sure one is available.

 

[dave]

+1 about the Columbus service center being great. Dave Huff is very professional and great to work with!

I had some warranty work done on my car this week, and they picked it up and dropped it off. I live about 120 miles from the SC. He asked if I had something to drive and I said yes. Maybe I'm not the norm, but I would have felt a bit weird asking them to flatbed tow a loaner car to me. I was already ecstatic that they were going out of their way to pick up the car and drop it off when it was in no way disabled. I've never had service like that from a car company before!

 

[huntjo]

I got a loaner when I dropped off my baby for 1 yr service (~70 mi away), but I did schedule that several weeks in advance to assure they had one available. When I have had ranger service in the past they just fix it in my office parking lot while I keep working. Pretty goddamn convenient. One time the ranger drove it over to a local alignment shop to get it in line.