Service - No Uber/Loaner

[EvilStryke]

I will be visiting the Dublin-Amador Service Center for the first time, decided to not go to the Fremont Service Center after visiting 6 times for various issues. The reason I'm visiting is due to trim damages caused by a Mobile Technician last month and to address a few other things.

This is the first time ever receiving this message: "Tesla Service Notification: Alternative Transportation (Uber/Loaner) will NOT be provided for your service. You will need to arrange your own transportation. Thank you for your understanding." I replied back asking why this is.

Has anyone experienced this at their Service Center? It seems unfair that I need to pay for my own transportation with all of these quality issues.

 

[Tam]

...unfair...

Gone is the time when you could get a Roadster loaner. I guess the Tesla brand is now an economy brand.

 

[systemr]

welcome to the new tesla

 

[Yelobird]

Oddly I get the same response when I take my wifes 65k Ford Flex to the dealership. Actually they kind of just laugh when I ask about a loaner.

 

[Tam]

Oddly I get the same response when I take my wifes 65k Ford Flex to the dealership. Actually they kind of just laugh when I ask about a loaner.

When I used to own a cheap Ford Escort, the dealer provided free transportation to home and back via their own minivan and driver.

 

[Yelobird]

When I used to own a cheap Ford Escort, the dealer provided free transportation to home and back via their own minivan and driver.

Sure and that was what 25 plus years ago? Yeah things change for all car companies.

 

[Tam]

Sure and that was what 25 plus years ago? Yeah things change for all car companies.

How about 10 years ago when I used to own a cheap Toyota Prius and the dealership provided the same kind of transportation as the cheap Ford did.

To be fair, by then, 2012, I switched to Tesla and it let me used a loaner by that time.

I don’t know about those dealerships now but Lucid does provide loaners even on this day.

But Lucid Grand Touring now costs over $150,000. Not sure if it will still provide loaners when the sub $90,000 Pure come out next year.

 

[coleman567]

Sure and that was what 25 plus years ago? Yeah things change for all car companies.

3 years ago before my Tesla, actually... And if I schedule the service visit, they would have a loaner available as well.

 

[Velcade]

Depends on how long they think the service will take, if it's just an hour or two they don't provide loaners.

I've had my car in for service a few times and have always gotten a loaner if they're planning on keeping the vehicle overnight. Otherwise same day service I've just waited at the dealership.

 

[DanDi58]

I think the issue is really the Uber credits - Tesla frequently provided those even without an overnight stay. Not sure why they aren't any longer, or at least in this scenario.

 

[Tam]

...Not sure why...

It's MONEY!

The mobile connector used to be included, but not anymore.
Model S/X used to come with fobs, but not anymore.
The license frames used to be included, but not anymore...

"Soon," Tesla will be an economy brand like my old Ford Escort and Toyota Prius!

 

[TomServo]

In early Sept when my 5-day old PMY died and had to be towed to our SC 40 miles away I was initially given $100 per day in Uber credits but on day two they called and said they had a loaner and an unlocked 2016 Model X P90D. I haven't needed service since. I guess I'll find out what my SC is doing the next time I need service.

 

[jjrandorin]

I have seen a couple different threads on this topic (of no uber credits for service). I think it may be somewhat area / SC dependent as I recently took my car in for a "end of warranty checkup". I dont do uber / lyft anymore (not since about feb of 2019) so I had my wife follow me and pick me up for the service. I even told them I didnt need uber credits since my wife was picking me up, and they said oh no problem but we assign them anyway just in case your needs change while we have the car.

In the same conversation, they also said "we only give loaners if we are going to have your vehicle a week or more, for example a battery swap or inverter change, we no longer have loaners available for shorter service and have not for quite some time."

about 5 minutes after that I got the notice of the $100 in uber credits that was good for that day.

This was about 10 days ago ish, so it wasnt a long time ago.

 

[WhiteOnWhiteMY]

I have seen a couple different threads on this topic (of no uber credits for service). I think it may be somewhat area / SC dependent as I recently took my car in for a "end of warranty checkup". I dont do uber / lyft anymore (not since about feb of 2019) so I had my wife follow me and pick me up for the service. I even told them I didnt need uber credits since my wife was picking me up, and they said oh no problem but we assign them anyway just in case your needs change while we have the car.

In the same conversation, they also said "we only give loaners if we are going to have your vehicle a week or more, for example a battery swap or inverter change, we no longer have loaners available for shorter service and have not for quite some time."

about 5 minutes after that I got the notice of the $100 in uber credits that was good for that day.

This was about 10 days ago ish, so it wasnt a long time ago.

This makes me believe that this may be on a per SC location basis. Tin foil hat time, maybe some SC are performing better and can afford to offer credits more often as a courtesy, while others can't if they are underperforming.

 

[Kokukenji]

Pretty sure is case by case. Might also differ based on the service center and even the service advisor that you're working with. Squeaky wheels might get the grease so we're basically back to the standard dealership experience, lol

 

[jjrandorin]

This makes me believe that this may be on a per SC location basis. Tin foil hat time, maybe some SC are performing better and can afford to offer credits more often as a courtesy, while others can't if they are underperforming.

Thats as good a guess as any, lol. I definitely believe this must be at least "region" dependent, which is unfortunate.

I also think its unfortunate that we are at a spot now where we are discussing lack of uber credits as something thats a negative, and have basically given up on the idea that we can get a loaner vehicle in most cases.

I am not one to "rail at the moon" its not my style, but it doesnt mean I dont feel disappointment in this deterioration. Tesla has treated me pretty good as a customer, so my experiences have been generally positive, to very positive, but this part of it is disappointing.

 

[EvilStryke]

Update — just received a response from Tesla Service:

“Hi, we can only giveaway Uber Credits if the work will be covered under warranty. We have not determined if your repair will be covered under warranty yet. We will be able to make a better determination when you drop off your vehicle.”

Interesting. So warranty repairs come with alternative transportation. But paying customers are SOL.

 

[Kokukenji]

Update — just received a response from Tesla Service:

“Hi, we can only giveaway Uber Credits if the work will be covered under warranty. We have not determined if your repair will be covered under warranty yet. We will be able to make a better determination when you drop off your vehicle.”

Interesting. So warranty repairs come with alternative transportation. But paying customers are SOL.

More of a boilerplate, I think. This way, there's no expectations in the case they don't have any loaners or the work does not qualify for a loaner.

 

[jjrandorin]

Update — just received a response from Tesla Service:

“Hi, we can only giveaway Uber Credits if the work will be covered under warranty. We have not determined if your repair will be covered under warranty yet. We will be able to make a better determination when you drop off your vehicle.”

Interesting. So warranty repairs come with alternative transportation. But paying customers are SOL.

Again that must be regional... since my situation I described above was for a paid end of warranty check ($143) that I scheduled, approved the price, and paid for via the app. As I described they offered me uber credits and it was about 10 days ago.

 

[tengtengvn]

The free loaner for out of warranty repair was stopped around the summer. Before that, I had no problem getting the loaner from service. They used to use Enterprise then Hertz if they were out of Tesla loaner.