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f-stop
Active Member
not a "P", but I did get a Model S 100D loaner last month when I brought my car in for its 2yr annual service appointment. Other times last year or two I’ve been given P85D, P85+ MS loaners etc
We've seen changes with the loaner program since we received our first Model S 5 years ago, before the local Service Centers opened.
Initially, every car Tesla was building was going to new customers and the Service Centers were providing us Enterprise rentals during service.
When Tesla caught up on back-orders, we then shifted to having brand new Model S cars as loaners, providing an opportunity for owners to exchange their Model S cars for a newer model, paying for the difference.
And the last few years, while we've had a few new S or X cars as loaners, it's more likely we'll get a CPO car as the loaner.
If Tesla really has exhausted their inventory of S/X cars, including CPO, that could impact the Service Centers, at least for a while, until Tesla can replenish the supply of new or used cars to use as loaners.
We plan to purchase a Model 3 soon - and it will be interesting to see if Tesla will extend the free loaner plan to Model 3 or if they'll expect us to arrange for our own rental car.
Another factor - Tesla is quickly expanding their mobile service vans. Much of the service will be done with the new vans, eliminating the loaner issue for those service calls.
Initially, every car Tesla was building was going to new customers and the Service Centers were providing us Enterprise rentals during service.
When Tesla caught up on back-orders, we then shifted to having brand new Model S cars as loaners, providing an opportunity for owners to exchange their Model S cars for a newer model, paying for the difference.
And the last few years, while we've had a few new S or X cars as loaners, it's more likely we'll get a CPO car as the loaner.
If Tesla really has exhausted their inventory of S/X cars, including CPO, that could impact the Service Centers, at least for a while, until Tesla can replenish the supply of new or used cars to use as loaners.
We plan to purchase a Model 3 soon - and it will be interesting to see if Tesla will extend the free loaner plan to Model 3 or if they'll expect us to arrange for our own rental car.
Another factor - Tesla is quickly expanding their mobile service vans. Much of the service will be done with the new vans, eliminating the loaner issue for those service calls.
BIG ACH
Member
I just took my Model S to the Orlando Service Center this morning. They said they didn't have any Tesla loaners (not sure if this was a permanent thing or they just ran out right now) but they have Hertz in house who gave me an ICE loaner (Infiniti Q50.... like I'm some sort of peasant 
)
Also, took this picture of a bunch of Model 3's they had parked behind this VIP rope!
)Also, took this picture of a bunch of Model 3's they had parked behind this VIP rope!
If we set up an appointment and asked about a loaner at that time we generally got one. One 90D and one 100D so far. I think they were loaning out the 100s in hopes it might generate sales, which is fine. One of those, the 90D very basic, no EAP and multipatterned seats was a loaner/rental from Enterprise they arranged who we assumed bought Tesla's over stock inventory and CPOs at the end of the year. My husband has also taken an uber they arranged not wanting to bother with the time checking out and returning the cars especially when it was in for just a day. It was convenient enough to his work and figured someone else might really need the loaner. We have our annual SvC apt. coming up next month so will see what happens then.
If they end up nixing the loaner program, it would be great if they at least had some type of courtesy car arrangement to drop you off at work if nearby but I guess with the advent of uber and lift it's probably hard to justify. And right now with the bottleneck at the Gigafactory and delayed ramping of the Model 3s, I can see where they are looking to tighten the belt. Usually when things get dropped however, they don't come back (although supercharging did sort of). I don't expect Model 3 owners will get the benefits of loaners if they are available.
If they end up nixing the loaner program, it would be great if they at least had some type of courtesy car arrangement to drop you off at work if nearby but I guess with the advent of uber and lift it's probably hard to justify. And right now with the bottleneck at the Gigafactory and delayed ramping of the Model 3s, I can see where they are looking to tighten the belt. Usually when things get dropped however, they don't come back (although supercharging did sort of). I don't expect Model 3 owners will get the benefits of loaners if they are available.
And the obvious conflict is the restrictions on parts and service manuals, while simultaneosly not providing a generous loaner program to alleviate the pain of having to take the car to the dealer for every little thing.
It is unconsciousable they cant change the 12V battery while you wait in 15 minutes or less... poor design exacerbated by poorly run service.
It is unconsciousable they cant change the 12V battery while you wait in 15 minutes or less... poor design exacerbated by poorly run service.
I've never had a problem getting a loaner even for overnights. But I checked with my local (Salt Lake) service center to see if things were changing. They said they could not speak for every service center but they are still at a point that they are able to offer a loaner or replacement vehicle to just about every scheduled service visit.
The Dublin SC changed my 12v battery this past December while I waited (and I only waited about 45 minutes).
whitex
Well-Known Member
SC can only offer what they are given. Elon's lavish "Everyone will get a P100D" is just cheap media hype, like the "FSD in 3 to 6 months", "AP1 car will be able to find you anywhere on private property", etc, etc. The reason it has worked so well is because most people can't afford a Tesla, or just haven't gotten around to buying one, but their impressions are shaped by what they hear in the media. I had friends tell me how great it must be for me to get a P100D every time I service my car (never happened, not once since 2013 did I get what was the top model car). They also tell me how they wish their cars would drive them while they sleep, etc, etc - they honestly believe this stuff since Elon said it was coming soon so long ago, it must me here already. Gotta hand it to Elon though, he is the P.T. Barnum of the 21st century - he knows how to whip up media hype and shape public perception with insinuation and misleading statements and some times just lies "3 months probably, 6 months definitely". Again, not the SC's fault, it's Elon's. His own VP of sales and service just left him (and fittingly, Elon took on his job because I'm sure between all the other jobs he has some spare time).
This thread... started on a negative, but I see that the title of the thread is not corroborated by others responding in this thread. I have a feeling that maybe the OP could have asked when they would have a loaner available on a different day. I know that they happily rescheduled me to make sure that they would have a loaner for me to drive.
My local SVC can’t keep the loaners in stock...they keep getting purchased. Last fall they had to order some loaners directly from the factory after being without for over a week. I’ve never been without wheels, even If it’s just been for a one day job which is good since I live over an hour away.
Thanks!
URL at Creating the World’s Best Service and Warranty Program. Snapshot at Creating the World’s Best Service and Warranty Program.
I can sort of confirm the same thing. I had to drop off my car this week for MCU replacement. When I was told that they have no loaners and they will drive me to the closest Enterprise to pick up a rental, I said "Again?" and was told that there's a new regulation that went into effect in Massachusetts on the first of January that doesn't allow loaning new vehicles to customer for longer then 24 hours. They said that they used to have a fleet of 20 loaners, but now they only have 3 (used). And they are struggling to buy more used Teslas from all over the country and ship them here as loaner. My repairs two too days and the only thing local Enterprise had was a Nissan Versa (honestly, the worst car I even driven in my life, and that includes every single rental car I ever gotten). They also mentioned that this regulation kicked in not only in Massachusetts but in some other states as well. I doubt that the regulation prohibits loaning new cars, I'm guessing it does not allow resale of those cars as new after they have been loaned.
This was in Watertown service center in MA. Another guy that was dropping his Tesla at exactly the same time was told the same thing, and they drove both of us to Enterprise nearby in the same Model X.
That's not exactly the same as what OP said though. I think he said there will be no loaner at all (enterprise or otherwise). I think that sounded pretty crazy for a premium car service center. Although the Enterprise thing seems to also happening here in So Cal. Last time when I took it to Buena Park SC, I got a loaner MS but I overheard another customer there being driven to Enterprise to get her loaner. But I also read that someone else here got a Tesla loaner from Enterprise. So enterprise may start to stock Tesla for loaner purpose?
f-stop
Active Member
I attended one of those Tesla social events last year, it was after that announcement of P100D loaners for everyone, but I personally hadn't yet received such a loaner for a service appointment. I asked the local Service Manager who was in attendance about it and his reply was exactly as suggested above i.e. any new/top end loaners they have keep getting purchased
snellenr
Member
Our P85 was at Rocklin twice in January -- once for warranty work & again for its 4-year checkup; both visits were scheduled with loaner requested. Both loaners were Enterprise ICErs - a BMW X3 and a Chrysler 300. I didn't mind -- sure, it'd be nice to drive a nice new 100D X for a couple of days, but a temporary set of wheels is temporary. The BMW was an easy driver with an actively user-hostile user interface. The Chrysler was a horror story...
The only thing that hurt (a tiny bit) was having to drive the X3 to Fremont to take the factory tour...
The only thing that hurt (a tiny bit) was having to drive the X3 to Fremont to take the factory tour...
10 days ago I made a service appointment in Nashville 3 weeks ahead. they proactively told me they would make arrangements for a Enterprise loaner .. no Model S or X ... with 3 weeks notice.
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