Tesla Model S Maintenance Experience

[captain118]

After more Model 3s are delivered, Tesla stores will be pretty much out of loaners for a very long time. There's no way around it since Tesla stores don't stock hundreds of cars like dealerships... It may have a few of each car for test driving, not nearly enough to use as loaners as many Model 3s will be needing service.

My hope would be that with production ramping up on the model 3's, they would allocate a certain percent maybe .01% to loaners. Considering there are 72 service centers that would give each service center roughly 7 new model 3's.

 

[captain118]

Just out of curiosity, why were you relying on AAA for the tow?
I would think that the service center would arrange the tow or at least refer you to a qualified tow company

The tow is only free if you are under warranty. I would have had to pay $350 for the tow. With AAA it would have been free. AAA does allow you to request reimbursement if they are unable to fulfill their obligations and it meets their criteria. We are in the process of doing that now.

 

[captain118]

As much as it sounds like fun, I agree with you, I'd be a nervous wreck with that car

I understand that. Probably the same reason I've only had one person take me up on my offer to drive my car (not that I offer it to many people.)

 

[jjh1234]

My local service center went from using Enterprise to Hertz to using both, so no, it's not a standard Enterprise deal Tesla' has.

Higher end cars depreciate faster from a $$ perspective, so they'd lose more money, thus further devaluing new P100Ds. So owners who buy new, would be screwed twice (once when they buy new, and once they go to sell and realize that Tesla has further devalued their depreciating asset)

My Tesla dealer gave me a 2017 MX75D with ~400 miles on it toady as a service loaner. They said it is their only official Tesla service loaner. They also use Enterprise for additional service loaners. The two P100D's they have are for sales demos. Tesla has a formula for discounting the sale of their demo/loaner cars. It's something like $1/mile and some amount per month in service. Whoever buys these will get a decent deal (I saved $3,500) and only suffer the normal depreciation that anyone buying new would.

 

[WhiskySTL]

It seems that there is a law in Tennessee prohibiting them from using new cars as loaners. I know politics doesn't have to make since so this does not surprise me however it does outrage me a bit. I don't understand why the local/state government would put in a law like this. I can't see the positive side of this law for anyone. Does anyone else have any insight? I would simply write a letter to the appropriate office however I don't live in Tennessee so I seriously doubt it would have any impact aside from a good chuckle as my letter went in the waist bin.

It sounds like this is the meat of your question/confusion.

I don't know, but my guess is that the law is to protect the new car buyer. If they loan out a new car, allowing it to be driven by someone else overnight (potentially many nights), to/from work, to get groceries, to pick up the kids, etc, can it still be sold as "new" to the person who ultimately buys it?

If I get a new car loaner for just 24 hours, I'm putting easily 75 miles on it with my commute. And who knows how I'll treat it?

If I think about that from the new car buyer's perspective, it kind of sucks.

I'd guess that the dealer/SC is allowed to do it... but then they'd have to sell that car as "used" instead of "new."