Welcome to Tesla Motors Club
Discuss Tesla's Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Cybertruck, Roadster and More.
Register

Service center takes my model s out to lunch ?

This site may earn commission on affiliate links.
I had to bring in my model S today for some issues with the radar and to my surprise when I checked my app just now I see that my car is now parked 25kms away from the service center at a local McDonalds. So it looks like they took my car out for their lunch break. Is this considered normal behaviour ? It kind of bothers me. I would think they'd use their own loaners or other cars to go for lunch.... have any of you experienced this as well ?
 
I had to bring in my model S today for some issues with the radar and to my surprise when I checked my app just now I see that my car is now parked 25kms away from the service center at a local McDonalds. So it looks like they took my car out for their lunch break. Is this considered normal behaviour ? It kind of bothers me. I would think they'd use their own loaners or other cars to go for lunch.... have any of you experienced this as well ?

if it's in for a repair.. i do imagine they have to test drive the car.
 
Observation: when a tire shop employee took a car for a spin (in valet mode) the employee was fired and there were pages and pages of complaints on TMC. When a Tesla employee takes the car for a spin "that's normal, they're just testing the car".
 
Usually, Tesla will pull the power cable to my dash cam, but not always. Once I spotted my car running in to a coffee shop and the driver coming out with a tray of take-out cups. Not worried because they always clean and detail the inside and outside of the car to a very high standard every time I take it in. My dash cam caught them removing all my winter carpet liners, cleaning them with soap and water and vacuuming every crumb off the carpet. If on a test drive if they want to swing in to a coffee shop or McDonalds I don't see the harm.

One thing I do is record my odometer whenever I leave my car (anywhere) for service. At one Tesla visit, I got the car back with over 100 miles added. That was a head scratcher because the dash cam was disconnected and I could never figure out why it would have needed that much of a test drive. The car was no worse for wear, so again not a problem.
 
Observation: when a tire shop employee took a car for a spin (in valet mode) the employee was fired and there were pages and pages of complaints on TMC. When a Tesla employee takes the car for a spin "that's normal, they're just testing the car".

Tesla handles the cars everyday, and dosnt make comments about it not feeling like 700 hp.
 
Observation: when a tire shop employee took a car for a spin (in valet mode) the employee was fired and there were pages and pages of complaints on TMC. When a Tesla employee takes the car for a spin "that's normal, they're just testing the car".

You overly simplify.
In the other case the technician was on video and audio talking about it as it basically was a joy ride.
In this case, the issue to be looked at was a cruise control issue that randomly occurred.
It is rather obvious here that the car had to be taken for a test drive to try to reproduce the error.
If the Tesla tech said and did the things the tire shop did, I'd say the treatment should be the same.
It wasn't though.
 
I've had occasions where I put a car in for repair (not a Tesla), and when I picked it up, it was clear that it had not been taken for a test drive, because the problem I had complained about was still there. If Tesla service drives the car, to me this is a big plus.
 
Having been in the service business at several high end manufactures if you bring you car in for repair and there is something that needs extensive road testing we would call the customer and explain what we need to do and why. Possibly have the shop foreman or myself drive the vehicle with test equipment connected. Anything over a few miles would be ok, going to pick up lunch in the customers vehicle would not be allowed under my management.
 
Having been in the service business at several high end manufactures if you bring you car in for repair and there is something that needs extensive road testing we would call the customer and explain what we need to do and why. Possibly have the shop foreman or myself drive the vehicle with test equipment connected. Anything over a few miles would be ok, going to pick up lunch in the customers vehicle would not be allowed under my management.
I agree. I think they should make it a company-wide policy to raise the standard of service.
 
Unfortunately many Dealerships do not have a structured policy on the fixed operations portion of there business. Lots of seat of the pants kind of policy. Many managers have worked up from being a mechanic or service advisor and have no management background or specific education in management. You should have a specific test drive route depending upon what you are looking for and going on a joy ride is never part of this scenario.
 
from the environmental stand point, it's better that they combine an errand they need to do, and a road test that needs doing in to one trip.
The reason for the mess at the tire shop was that they had no reason to test drive the car at all, and they tried to open compartments they had no need to be in, and they floored the accelerator.
This doesn't even compare, from all indications they needed to drive the car to troubleshoot the issue, and they drove responsibly, if the destination is a restaurant or a dead end turn around is really rather irrelevant. (Though the boss may care if they were being paid to work and not to lunch. ..)