Thank you, for that very uplifting, glass-is-half-full post!What do you mean "you got slapped" with a repair bill?
Did someone from Tesla sneak into your garage and leave a bill on your windshield?
If you took the car in for service with a suspension-related complaint, and SC addressed your problem, then it's all good. Right?
*Fair* is for horses.
With a Tesla, your only option is to take the car in for service to a Tesla Service Center. That's it.
They will charge you whatever they want. If you don't like it, you can refuse.
Those are your only options, unless you star DIY-ing, or find a rare independent shops that wants to mess with poorly documented and replacement parts-constrained Teslas.
Your mileage is high, so you are trail-blazing weak points of failure and wear'n'tear for this vehicle.
The sample size of 4-5 year cars with ~95-100K miles is limited.
Keep us posted on what fails next.
*my money is on the shocks*
No, it shows it's a Tesla.
And it can only be services by the Tesla monopoly.
Service prices and experience follow from that.
No, they did not touch the shocks. That's for the next time.
Only front lower control arms (and a few accompanying bits) in the multi-link suspension got swapped out.
Plenty more parts left untouched. For the next visit.
Yes.
Older cars require more maintenance.
Many suspension and moving parts will wear out and require replacement between 100-160K miles.
I would mentally (and financially) prepare to replace ALL suspension pieces on all four corners (starting with the shocks), as well as all the wheel bearings.
It's all part of the bargain of owning a higher mileage car.
You trade-off lower depreciation for higher TLC required to keep the car on the road. If you are comfortable with DIY-ing, it's a net positive trade-off.
If you plan to keep taking car in for service to a Tesla SC, you will get bent over the barrel again, and again, and again.
I would stock up on Vaseline.
YMMV,
a
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Suspension Replaced - Just the Beginning?
- Thread starter dansev
- Start date
Thank you, for that very uplifting, glass-is-half-full post!
Stanwood Steve
2018 Performance Model 3
My 2018 M3P has about 110,000 miles on it now, and I have no intention on getting rid of it, even if it needs new suspension components or even a new motor outside of warranty coverage. My philosophy has always been that if the car is not rusting out from under me, I lean towards fixing it. I have an old Toyota truck with over 420,000 miles on it and although it does have some minor rust on the bed (common for early 80's Toyota 4WD trucks), I had a new engine put in at 410,000 miles. It's not a daily driver for me, and it serves me very well. I also have a 2012 Toyota Prius V with over 160,000 miles, which has never had a repair - just preventive maintenance. I keep it because it's an economical car for periodic transportation where an ICE car is needed or if my kids need a temporary loaner. The Prius has zero rust and runs just about as well as it did when new.
So bottom line, the decision on whether to trade off a car due to mileage is a personal decision, but I subscribe to the "drive them until they drop" philosophy. It has served me very well over the years. I plan to keep my M3P until either I find it too hard to get in and out of it (I'm getting old), or it is falling apart, or I just "want" a new one.
Tesla is charging $305 per hour now for labor at the Service Center. Charging an hour for a diagnosis, and about another hour to replace the parts. $584 for both lateral links and another $584 for the lower control (compliance) arms. In total $1175 for parts and $630 in labor (1 for diagnosis and 1.06 for repair).
They said they checked to make sure they were properly torqued but there were also 2 safety recalls (2021 and 2023) for the 2019 Model 3s about them not being torqued properly and failing. Especially those built before March 2019, which mine was because I picked it up in March 2019. But the VIN isn't on the recall list.
Anyway, they told me they won't goodwill anything, including the diagnosis charge. And if I choose not to do it now with them, I still have to pay the diagnosis charge of one hour labor. However, I won't have to pay for a diagnosis again if I bring it back in later for the service. How nice of them to offer that.
The invoice I have from Tesla, their labor rate is now $305 per hour. I'd say that's excessive. I'd also add my car was already in the Service Center for a repair on the passenger seat mat which is being repaired and paid for by Tesla via the "Supplemental Restraint System Limited Warranty."I assume you mean $170/hr, not $1700/hr. My local Toyota dealer (Maryland) now charges $200/hr so Tesla doesn't seem that bad.
android04
Active Member
I would say that the need to replace so many suspension components early on is unusual.
My 2018 Model 3 has over 142,000 miles and the only thing I've replaced on the suspension were the front upper control arms due to the ball joints getting water in them and mixing with the grease. That's what causes them to creak, though mine didn't creak because I injected fresh grease into them every year. As soon as the aftermarket Meyle HD front upper control arms came out I bought them for about $360 and installed them myself.
My 2018 Model 3 has over 142,000 miles and the only thing I've replaced on the suspension were the front upper control arms due to the ball joints getting water in them and mixing with the grease. That's what causes them to creak, though mine didn't creak because I injected fresh grease into them every year. As soon as the aftermarket Meyle HD front upper control arms came out I bought them for about $360 and installed them myself.
ODWms
Member
Gotta say, I’ve never replaced the suspension on any car I’ve ever owned with the exception of modifcations for performance. Never for wear / damage.
In August 2001, I had just a creaking sound and brought it in for service. The ticket correction was to "reseal area around both front upper control arm ball joints with urethane." In October 2021, it started clunking and I brought it back in. This time they replaced the left upper control arm. 2 years later, it's back in Service, out of warranty, and $1900 to replace both lateral links and lower control/compliance arms. Charging me 1-hour labor ($305 per) for troubleshooting and just over one more hour to do the replacement parts. This is a 2019 (purchased March 2019) Model 3 LR with only 47k miles on it.
Here in the Northeast, with potholes all over the place, it's not unusual over time to replace ball joints. Maybe not so much in Florida.
To me the simple answer is zerk (grease) fittings. I'm surprised Tesla has not starting adding them to the manufacturing process. It's a
simple, cheap fix. But then, maybe the car wouldn't be maintenance free. You'd have to grease those fittings!
That's pretty amazing. My previous car was an Audi Allroad and I had to replace the front suspension twice. Once at 60k and then again at 120k. You don't want' to know how much that costs... sold at 135k after the power steering failed and it would have been 8k to replace in a car worth about the same. Tesla gave me $500 for it
My 2019 has 44k at this point and I've had the uppers done under warrenty. So far everything else is pretty solid. I wouldn't think twice about a 2k for suspension work at 100k. That's just usual maintenance stuff. It's a heavy car, parts are going to wear out.
Shocks are probably next. I wouldn't think wheel bearings would go out anytime soon, that doesn't seem to be a common issue.
There are other things also to look forward to: fan motors, coolant seals, electronics, latches, etc. that will all slowly degrade and need to be replaced.
When the yearly costs start getting towards 75% of a new vehicle yearly cost, that's when I'd start looking to replace it.
Very useful info. Will start thinking about that 75% number. How much would I expect shocks to cost? I think in the end, if there is another FSD transfer option, I will absolutely unload this thing for a Model Y. I'm really kicking myself for not going through with the trade that I was just days away from. Live and learn. Who knows, maybe I'll come out ahead after all.That's pretty amazing. My previous car was an Audi Allroad and I had to replace the front suspension twice. Once at 60k and then again at 120k. You don't want' to know how much that costs... sold at 135k after the power steering failed and it would have been 8k to replace in a car worth about the same. Tesla gave me $500 for it
My 2019 has 44k at this point and I've had the uppers done under warrenty. So far everything else is pretty solid. I wouldn't think twice about a 2k for suspension work at 100k. That's just usual maintenance stuff. It's a heavy car, parts are going to wear out.
Shocks are probably next. I wouldn't think wheel bearings would go out anytime soon, that doesn't seem to be a common issue.
There are other things also to look forward to: fan motors, coolant seals, electronics, latches, etc. that will all slowly degrade and need to be replaced.
When the yearly costs start getting towards 75% of a new vehicle yearly cost, that's when I'd start looking to replace it.
Electrified Garage is up in Ocala. Hours away from me. I did call EV Garage in Miami. They were a little more expensive than Tesla. There's someone else I know in Broward who works on Teslas. I'd have him do it even though his price is close to Tesla's price.
Well, this car has only 47k miles on it and had the left upper replaced under warranty because it was a bit louder than just creaking after they sealed both uppers under warranty. It's not so much the $2k for the work. It's paying for an hour for diagnosing as well as labor to replace the parts. I've never in my past paid a diagnostic fee when I've had the work performed.That's pretty amazing. My previous car was an Audi Allroad and I had to replace the front suspension twice. Once at 60k and then again at 120k. You don't want' to know how much that costs... sold at 135k after the power steering failed and it would have been 8k to replace in a car worth about the same. Tesla gave me $500 for it
My 2019 has 44k at this point and I've had the uppers done under warrenty. So far everything else is pretty solid. I wouldn't think twice about a 2k for suspension work at 100k. That's just usual maintenance stuff. It's a heavy car, parts are going to wear out.
Shocks are probably next. I wouldn't think wheel bearings would go out anytime soon, that doesn't seem to be a common issue.
There are other things also to look forward to: fan motors, coolant seals, electronics, latches, etc. that will all slowly degrade and need to be replaced.
When the yearly costs start getting towards 75% of a new vehicle yearly cost, that's when I'd start looking to replace it.
