Tesla service plan / annual mileage

[Subhuman]

Since tesla has backed off on requiring the service plan to maintain the vehicle warranty, I am still trying to decide if it makes sense to purchase it. The issue is I will be putting 32,000 plus miles on the car in a year which if I buy the service plan will last me all of 1.5 years (@12,500 service intervals). I'm okay with spending $600 a year to have the car checked out but not $600 every 4 months.

Is it possible to purchase the 4-year service plan but only have it inspected annually (4-year plan is discounted) or will I have to purchase individual yearly inspections. If I purchase individual yearly inspections, do I still receive full coverage (i.e. software updates, brakes, wipers, etc.). I wish Tesla was more clear on how the service plans are setup.

 

[mknox]

I drive about 25,000 miles a year so I'm in a similar situation. I purchased the 4 + 4 Plan literally hours before they announced it wasn't necessary to maintain your warranty.

I'll likely just do annuals regardless of mileage and actually get my 8 years out of the plan.

 

[ChadS]

I emailed the ownership alias and asked about this back in May. They say the mileage condition has been dropped - if you have a 4 or 8-year service package, you are free to bring in your car once a year regardless of mileage. They didn't mention any mileage-related adjustments to coverage.

Note that the time condition has NOT been dropped; the package still only lasts 4 years (or 8 if you bought them all) so you still want to take the car in once a year. I just confirmed this last week (they still weren't positive back in May).

This is great news for high-mile drivers. Less exciting for low-mile drivers...maybe paying $600 every other year is a better deal for them.

 

[shady]

Chads,
That's very good to hear.
I bought the 4+4 and have already put on 11,000 miles since March.

Other than tire rotations, is there anything requiring attention before a full year is up?

 

[Subhuman]

This is great news if correct and would make alot of sense. However, it does not match with what is currently listed on the website. My concern would be that I am told I am covered for 4 or 8 years regardless of mileage and complete annual car inspections only to find out that once I hit 50,000 or 100,000 miles my service agreement would expire resulting in using less than half of the inspections that I had paid for.

 

[omarsultan]

Also a high milage driver who is not getting the service plan because of the milage requirements. The current agreements posted online still stipulate the milage intervals and give you a 1,000 mi/30-day window to get the service done, with the warning that if you miss your window, you lose them. I would make sure you have something in writing if you are going to bite.

I talked to someone at Ownership about any added benefits of the service plan over just paying the annual fee and he said know, basically you are locking in the price and the discount--the actual services performed are the same either way.

Omar

UPDATE

Just pinged ownership and got this response:

Thank you for contacting Tesla Motors. You are correct, we have loosened mileage interval limitations. We have set the expectation that a 4+4 pre-paid service plan is free of any type of mileage limitation but 8 instances must be used in the span of 8 years. That is to say, to maximize the benefit of your plan, you would still be best served bringing your vehicle in annually to utilize all 8 visits.

I have not heard of any timeline for when the agreements will change, but I have spoken with Jerome, our VP of Service, directly regarding this issue and he has affirmed that this is how we intend to enforce these prepaid plans moving forward.

Maybe I am paranoid, but I see a bit of risk here. I completely trust Tesla management to do the right thing, but we cannot be assured that Tesla management will always be in charge of these things.

 

[Liz G]

I emailed the ownership alias and asked about this back in May. They say the mileage condition has been dropped - if you have a 4 or 8-year service package, you are free to bring in your car once a year regardless of mileage. They didn't mention any mileage-related adjustments to coverage.

Note that the time condition has NOT been dropped; the package still only lasts 4 years (or 8 if you bought them all) so you still want to take the car in once a year. I just confirmed this last week (they still weren't positive back in May).

This is great news for high-mile drivers. Less exciting for low-mile drivers...maybe paying $600 every other year is a better deal for them.

Another case of Tesla inconsistent communication. I asked my Service Manager this same question a couple of weeks ago and he said that the milage requirement was still in affect.

Looks like we need a better clarification or better communication with in servicing.

 

[ElSupreme]

I didn't buy the plan. Only plan on taking my car in every January. I should be 20k-25k miles more each year.

 

[Bound466]

Another case of Tesla inconsistent communication. I asked my Service Manager this same question a couple of weeks ago and he said that the milage requirement was still in affect.

Looks like we need a better clarification or better communication with in servicing.

I brought my car into my service center about a month ago for its 12,500 mile service, had an appointment, but my Service Manager convinced me to wait until a full year was reached. She told me the mileage requirement was lifted.

I drive about 30,000 a year.

 

[Jonathan Hewitt]

But what about people who live too far from service centers? Or can you pay $100 to have a Tesla ranger get your car on top of the $600 service charge?

 

[omarsultan]

According to the website, you can just the the $100 Ranger upcharge on to of the regular $600 annual cost.

Omar

 

[Subhuman]

With the P85 loaners drop off service, is the ranger service really needed anymore? Some people might have an issue with someone driving their car a long distance but as long as you are okay with that I don't really see the need for ranger service or am I missing something?

But what about people who live too far from service centers? Or can you pay $100 to have a Tesla ranger get your car on top of the $600 service charge?

 

[kendallpb]

Okay, somewhat inconsistent communication from Tesla, but hearing one of the Tesla folk spoke directly with Jerome, it sounds like the word simply hasn't fully gotten out yet.

Recently I've been thinking of letting my other half drive my car more often--saving on gas and mileage on the SUV--but prepaying the 4+4 has slightly held me back. As it is, instead of taking the SUV a lot instead of my old Miata, now we're taking the Model S a lot instead of the SUV, so I already expect more miles this year than in the past, which I hadn't thought of. Using this car for both of us would be a bit jump in miles (we work at the same place, but different shifts).

So, reading this thread leads me to think it'd be safe to drive the Model S even more, and just save the SUV for times when we're going different places, or I'm working super late, or whatever. :-D Of course, that means I have to let go emotionally and let someone else drive my car regularly.......well, okay, maybe it won't be every day ;-) but I can let it go occasionally, I guess, and not sweat the mileage.

/ramble

 

[ChadS]

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how two-EV families are created.

 

[ken830]

If I knew they were going to not enforce the mileage portion of the contract, I would have bought the 4+4 plan... But now it's way too late... Serves me right to actually read the contract.

 

[kendallpb]

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how two-EV families are created.

Heh. Fortunately, my other half is very interested in not buying gas (or...likes driving my car? maybe both).

 

[apacheguy]

Quick follow up on this thread:

I have the 4+4 plan and last had my car in for service in January. I have another appointment scheduled for mid July, but I could sense skepticism over the phone when I talked to the service concierge to schedule it. He did not see why I was entitled to a tire rotation outside of the annual maintenance check. I told him that I thought two tire rotations were included in my plan and eventually got it to go through.

Is my understanding correct that I can bring my car in twice a year regardless of miles? Once for annual service and the other visit for tire rotation?

 

[capt601]

Even without the plan you can bring it in for a rotation while they are doing other service. Plan is not required.

Quick follow up on this thread:

I have the 4+4 plan and last had my car in for service in January. I have another appointment scheduled for mid July, but I could sense skepticism over the phone when I talked to the service concierge to schedule it. He did not see why I was entitled to a tire rotation outside of the annual maintenance check. I told him that I thought two tire rotations were included in my plan and eventually got it to go through.

Is my understanding correct that I can bring my car in twice a year regardless of miles? Once for annual service and the other visit for tire rotation?

 

[hughconn]

Only other thing to consider is if you want to take advantage of the residual guarantee. If so, you must have the scheduled maintenance's done even though not required for warranty purposes.