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

[PattyChuck]

I just got off the phone with Tesla service and I'm a bit miffed. I was just told that they've changed their policy on loaner vehicles. I am just about to hit 12,500 (at 12,100 now), so I called to schedule my annual maintenance. Although I'm still "in range" to have a Ranger come out and pick up the car, I'm not "in range" to have a loaner vehicle. I told him I'd wait any amount of time, or even take an Enterprise rental, in order to have a car. He told me that they literally changed their policy on loaner cars today, and if I wanted to talk with his supervisor, he'd be more than happy to transfer me. I asked him if he honestly thought that would do me any good and he said probably not. I was told they're using a 50-mile radius to determine if they'll give a loaner car. What's even more tragic is that when the Service Center used to be in downtown Chicago, I would have been inside the 50-mile radius. Now that they've moved it to the west side, I'm outside the radius.

Anyone else having a similar experience?

 

[NigelM]

That doesn't sound up to Tesla's usual service standards.

As it happens, my wife blew a tire this afternoon and there's a truck with loaner car on the way to my house as I write. We're 58 miles from the service center.

 

[mknox]

As it happens, my wife blew a tire this afternoon and there's a truck with loaner car on the way to my house as I write. We're 58 miles from the service center.

Okay, I have to ask: Why wouldn't they just bring you a wheel/tire and change it at your house? They could come back later with your repaired wheel. Seems kinda wasteful to bring a whole car for a flat tire.

 

[PattyChuck]

That doesn't sound up to Tesla's usual service standards.

As it happens, my wife blew a tire this afternoon and there's a truck with loaner car on the way to my house as I write. We're 58 miles from the service center.

I'm 75 miles from nearest service center (driving distance), but only 52 miles if you just draw a circle on a map. Do I call back and just scream and shout until they agree to send me a loaner car? I hate being "that guy", just wanted to know if this is the new norm.

It was also mentioned on the call that they only have two loaner vehicles in the area, but again, I said I'd be willing to wait any length of time.

 

[Gizmotoy]

Okay, I have to ask: Why wouldn't they just bring you a wheel/tire and change it at your house? They could come back later with your repaired wheel. Seems kinda wasteful to bring a whole car for a flat tire.

Because it's not safe to drive cars with unequal tread on the tires. When you put on a spare, you're supposed to immediately drive to have the damaged tire fixed/replaced, and you should never replace a single tire unless they're essentially brand new. Tesla doesn't want to take on the liability.

I see your point, though. They could bring out a pair. That would work, but they'd be trusting you not to damage the wheel they loaned you while it's in your possession.

 

[NigelM]

Okay, I have to ask: Why wouldn't they just bring you a wheel/tire and change it at your house? They could come back later with your repaired wheel. Seems kinda wasteful to bring a whole car for a flat tire.

What Gizmotoy said.

Also it was a rear tire and it's unrepairable. I'll put two new ones on the rear, but it makes sense to rotate the front ones to the back and put the new ones on the front while they're at it. The whole thing will be much simpler at the service center.

Now we're waaay off topic....:redface:

- - - Updated - - -

I'm 75 miles from nearest service center (driving distance), but only 52 miles if you just draw a circle on a map. Do I call back and just scream and shout until they agree to send me a loaner car? I hate being "that guy", just wanted to know if this is the new norm.

It was also mentioned on the call that they only have two loaner vehicles in the area, but again, I said I'd be willing to wait any length of time.

I suspect they limiting the cars away because they only have two loaners and they blow time in getting it to and from your house. From a service point of view it makes more sense IMO to give loaners to folks like you who live further away as you'll have a much bigger problem organizing alternative transport to/from home. Some who lives a few miles away could even take a cab.

 

[JakeP]

PattyChuck, I was told the same exact thing by the Columbus Service Center, which is 200 miles from me, over a month ago. Prior to this internal edict, I have had other Service Centers even further away tell me that they *would* send me a loaner. Here is exactly what I was told by Columbus, with permission to quote:

[Begin quote from email to me from Tesla Service Manager, who was extremely helpful and patient in explaining this to me]

" Good afternoon. My apologies for the delay in hopping into this thread. I do understand where you are coming from and want to jump in and help define Ranger Service, Valet and our Loaner program.

· Valet:
Offered in major metropolitan areas within 50 miles of the service center
· Ranger:
Offered anywhere in the USA and Canada to customers outside of 50 miles
· Loaner Cars:
§ Offered in conjunction with valet in major metropolitan areas within 50 miles of the service center
§ Offered when the customer drops off their car at Service"

[End Quote]

He went on to say that they would send me a loaner anyway on my first service to make up for any confusion on the policy (and the fact that the next closest SC said they would send me a loaner, before this edict was issued) and even possibly in the future if circumstances allowed.

There were intimations from other employees that they were being told not to let the loaners stray too far from the Service Centers, so they could turn them around quickly if they were sold.

 

[Bucket22]

What's even more tragic is that when the Service Center used to be in downtown Chicago, I would have been inside the 50-mile radius. Now that they've moved it to the west side, I'm outside the radius.

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?

 

[quartzav]

JakeP, so when people drop off their Pittsburgh based model S at Columbus, they can still pick up a loaner Model S?

 

[Mnlevin]

I am bringing my car in for PANO service Thur morning and the appt was scheduled then because they want me to have a loaner and that is when it is available. I would have thought the loaner is a win win. They will eventually sell all the loaners as quick deals for someone.

 

[jp158]

I am starting to get the feeling that Tesla is NOT living up to what it says about loaders. Our cars are wonderful but things like this simply are not good business!

In September I had service to my S and had to have an Enterprise Chevy Cruz to roll with...

Very Interesting

 

[FlasherZ]

Loaners are apparently hard for the service centers to keep in supply, because people want to buy them. The last two times my car's been in for service, a loaner is not available and I've been offered an Enterprise car. I politely decline because I still have various other hunks of steel that I can drive, but I asked about loaners being available (I'd love a Roadster for a few days... and they're hard to keep, because they're selling 'em!

 

[Doug_G]

Hmm. My car was in for service for several days a while back. They retrieved my car and swapped it for a loaner. Then swapped it back a few days later. I live over 400 km from the service center, and paid for the "anywhere service" plan.

Does this mean they will no longer to this? Seems like a major cut to the service level.

 

[JakeP]

JakeP, so when people drop off their Pittsburgh based model S at Columbus, they can still pick up a loaner Model S?

Yes, I was told you can drop off your car and pick up a loaner, if they are available. Though I was also told that you could not take it out of state, at one point.

- - - Updated - - -

Hmm. My car was in for service for several days a while back. They retrieved my car and swapped it for a loaner. Then swapped it back a few days later. I live over 400 km from the service center, and paid for the "anywhere service" plan.

Does this mean they will no longer to this? Seems like a major cut to the service level.

I was told this was a new company-wide policy, sent to all Service Center managers. Agreed it is a pretty radical departure from what was a BRILLIANT marketing tool...take something that was a hassle to an owner, or a concern to a potential buyer, and turn it into an opportunity for FUN: "I get a P85+ loaner, wahooo!" Seems like some mid-level manager does not understand the intent and brilliance of Elon's very publicly touted "Valet Service" vision.

At the same time, I don't know how long this would have lasted, given the size of a loaner fleet you would need to support an increasing number of vehicles sold. Now I am just hoping for a Service Center to be built within 50 miles of me, which I am told may be coming someday relatively soon, perhaps in 2014.

 

[NigelM]

A few thoughts:

Fair enough that the loaner cars keep getting sold, but the best business approach would be to increase the supply of loaners not restrict the rules for using them.

As a Roadster and Model S owner with a Model X reserved, I would be very unhappy if someone told me I was 8 miles too far from the service center.

I have to say that Mark in Tampa was enormously helpful today when the tire blew and he had a loaner at our house within 90 minutes. We're 58 miles by road from the service center and Mark didn't hesitate but we also can't forget that FL owners can't buy the anywhere plan (yet).

 

[Beavis]

I'm 75 miles from nearest service center (driving distance), but only 52 miles if you just draw a circle on a map. Do I call back and just scream and shout until they agree to send me a loaner car? I hate being "that guy", just wanted to know if this is the new norm.

It was also mentioned on the call that they only have two loaner vehicles in the area, but again, I said I'd be willing to wait any length of time.

Find a friend that lives 2 miles closer and use his address. Meet them there.

I called to schedule my annual service today and they offered to do the whole valet thing, either with a loaner or Enterprise. I am more than able to just drop my car off at the service center without a lot of hassle. It was a nice surprise that they offered to do the valet service but I live in the 50 mile radius.

I can see why they set a limit on the distance to the service center for valet service.

 

[markb1]

50 miles for valet service seems pretty generous to me. What was the expectation? Surely no one was expecting the distance to be unlimited.

 

[elecblue]

If you're in ranger service range just have them come out to do the service at your house. Would take a few hours.

 

[PattyChuck]

I was told they won't do the annual service check-up on location, that it has to go back to a service center.

 

[lolachampcar]

A couple of comments on this thread have touched on the quality of Tesla's business decisions. Please let me vent just a bit....

A recent test drive I gave turned into an order.
The car was delivered with several issues. When my friend got the car home and had a good chance to look it over the next day he determined that the issues were unacceptable (panel alignment issues and such). Tesla came out, looked at the car, agreed and took it back to order him a new car. This was an end of Q3 push poor QC car (another test drive I gave picked his car up the next day and had several issues with his car as well).
Tesla did not give him a loaner.... Remember, he paid for the car.
Roughly six weeks later that friend gets a call. His car was on a truck in Texas during the storms a few weeks ago and had Frunk, Windscreen and Pano hail damage. They wanted to assure him that they were offloading the car to a Tesla certified body shop in Texas to have it fixed and delivered as soon as possible. I'm not joking here. The person that called my friend with this information even commented on how sorry they were given that this car was a new build from a previous failure to deliver a quality vehicle.
My friend declined the body shop repaired version of a new car. Remember, Tesla has had over $120K of his money for six to seven weeks at this time and they would need another six or seven weeks to get him his third production car.
Telsa offered my friend a rental (Enterprise, I think). He declined. This was AFTER I spoke with several people at Tesla and suggested they may want to put a loaner in his driveway.

Given the above, I've had to make significant changes to the information I provide about Tesla as a company and the ability of their mid-level management to make quality decisions. For me, there is no way of getting around the gulf that exists between Elon's aspirations and his management team's capabilities.

Thanks for letting me vent.