Tesla Loan Car Refused

[Ant M3]

So my 3.5 year old M3P has developed the front suspension fault (squeaking and rattling). After they came out to test it a few weeks ago and couldn’t get it to repeat they refused the booking until it got worse … now it has, it’s very noisy and is constant!

Now booked in , so that’s fine, however they have said that my request for a loan car would not be met as it’s “not eligible for a loan vehicle”….

Am I going crazy or is it normal to expect a loan car when a £60k car develops a fault within the Warranty period ?

The way Tesla treats its existing customers I am fast going off them and am now unlikely to replace my M3 with a Tesla … fuming !

 

[UrbanSplash]

Tesla purchases generally make you ineligible for customer service. It’s their thing.

 

[MrBadger]

It’s a couple of hours in the SC to replace both control arms. Maybe it’s too short a period for a loan car which might be out for the whole day?

 

[Ant M3]

It’s a couple of hours in the SC to replace both control arms. Maybe it’s too short a period for a loan car which might be out for the whole day?

Is that all it is , 2 hrs ? I’ve also asked for my brake fluid to be changed… if all that can be done in 2 hrs then I can do that, but must admit I was thinking it would take them most of the day

 

[pgkevet]

Back when customer service was actual people my car was booked in for a warranty fix. It was a 2.5hr drive, told to be there 8.30 am but when i arrived I got told they wouldn't be doing mine 'til lunchtime and no loaner available. I collected up a number of seat cushions and made a nice bed for myself and kipped down in a corner. Suddenly a loaner was available!

 

[Jason71]

Back when customer service was actual people my car was booked in for a warranty fix. It was a 2.5hr drive, told to be there 8.30 am but when i arrived I got told they wouldn't be doing mine 'til lunchtime and no loaner available. I collected up a number of seat cushions and made a nice bed for myself and kipped down in a corner. Suddenly a loaner was available!

I had a similar thing I was told to be there at 8:30 when I had booked an afternoon appointment and If I could not they would cancel on me. I was planning to wait while the car was fixed ( It was a new undertray so like 1 hour max). so I told them I had to be there at 8:30 I would bring my laptop and work from their pretty nice waiting room with free coffee and snacks all day. At that point they were suddenly able to accommodate me in the afternoon again....

 

[Durzel]

Back when customer service was actual people my car was booked in for a warranty fix. It was a 2.5hr drive, told to be there 8.30 am but when i arrived I got told they wouldn't be doing mine 'til lunchtime and no loaner available. I collected up a number of seat cushions and made a nice bed for myself and kipped down in a corner. Suddenly a loaner was available!

I love that. You're not kicking off or making anyone's life (who individually likely doesn't deserve it, it's a process failure) a misery, you're just making it clear visually how you are being treated. Can understand why they wouldn't want other customers to be seeing someone appearing to have to sleep on the premises.

 

[ACarneiro]

So my 3.5 year old M3P has developed the front suspension fault (squeaking and rattling). After they came out to test it a few weeks ago and couldn’t get it to repeat they refused the booking until it got worse … now it has, it’s very noisy and is constant!

Now booked in , so that’s fine, however they have said that my request for a loan car would not be met as it’s “not eligible for a loan vehicle”….

Am I going crazy or is it normal to expect a loan car when a £60k car develops a fault within the Warranty period ?

The way Tesla treats its existing customers I am fast going off them and am now unlikely to replace my M3 with a Tesla … fuming !

Same thing here. Wiring loom needs replacing and it’ll be a whole day job.
They (Chester SC) said they have too much demand due to warranty repairs and they’re prioritising loan cars to those customers…

 

[yessuz]

for last couple of times I spent almost whole day working from SC in Notts. calls and *sugar*. no problem... free coffee, biscuits

they offered me Uber vouchers - I asked for ~150£ worth ones, as it is at least 60 gbp price for me to get home... they refused for whatever reason.

 

[M3noob]

Is that all it is , 2 hrs ? I’ve also asked for my brake fluid to be changed… if all that can be done in 2 hrs then I can do that, but must admit I was thinking it would take them most of the day

MK Serice Centre replaced my arms while I waited. More or less than 2 hours if memory serves

 

[Overworked]

MK Serice Centre replaced my arms while I waited. More or less than 2 hours if memory serves

That sounds better than the NHS could manage

 

[Morpheus84]

If you want the honest truth:

There are lots of warranty issues such as failed front motors/inverters happening at the minute - I was a victim. My car was in the SC for 3 weeks awaiting parts, then awaiting fitting. I was given a loan car because they knew it was going to be a long term delay. If they think it can be fixed in a day, they ain’t going to give you a car because others are without a car completely for weeks.

Sacrifice of the few for the good of the many!

Top Tip - If you persist, they will offer Uber Credits .

 

[ajmorr.is]

An example of another manufacturer (from my last vehicle); If you want a loan car from Land Rover while yours is in for a service then you need to book it months in advance - and often pay a daily charge around £20 per day for it, to cover insurance. If you are unfortunate enough to have a mechanical issue needing a dealer visit then it's the same process. There is a workaround with JLR though, as they have a similar service to Tesla's rangers and if you have an issue and call the Land Rover assistance number (run by the AA) a JLR or AA person will come to you, usually within a few hours and diagnose or fix on the drive etc. If they can't fix, then they will book you in at a local dealer and try to arrange one of JLR's pool vehicles straight away as it's classed as a breakdown. JLR pool vehicles are not always available though, and often there's a wait until one is returned by another customer.

Squeaking arms wouldn't be worthy of a loan car in this case.

 

[Zilla91]

Another data point, BMW would give a choice of car when my car was in for any service, even one that was done in a few hours. Didn't have to pay anything either.

 

[Jason71]

Another data point, BMW would give a choice of car when my car was in for any service, even one that was done in a few hours. Didn't have to pay anything either.

You kinda did. It was just built into the cost of the service.

 

[Zilla91]

You kinda did. It was just built into the cost of the service.

Paid nothing, all done under warranty.

 

[Doudeau]

Paid nothing, all done under warranty.

Great all your services were done under warranty - I used to pay what felt like crazy money for any BMW service (or even inspection) I had in the west london area.

I’ve always found dealerships are better at finding loan cars for warranty work - or maybe it’s because I argue more as I don’t think I should be inconvenienced due to their manufacturing mistakes.

 

[Jason71]

Paid nothing, all done under warranty.

Warranty does not cover service. If you had a service package sure. But that has a cost in theory even if in practice you had it thrown in, in place of a discount.

 

[Rooster6655]

Back when customer service was actual people my car was booked in for a warranty fix. It was a 2.5hr drive, told to be there 8.30 am but when i arrived I got told they wouldn't be doing mine 'til lunchtime and no loaner available. I collected up a number of seat cushions and made a nice bed for myself and kipped down in a corner. Suddenly a loaner was available!

Ha ha, another option could be to wear some BMW or VW merchandise and sit near the front of store!

 

[ajmorr.is]

Another data point, BMW would give a choice of car when my car was in for any service, even one that was done in a few hours. Didn't have to pay anything either.

My experience of BMW is otherwise, the vehicle before the Land Rover was a 5 series and when that was in for a service they often had no courtesy cars available for weeks (this was prior to covid) and they were chargeable.