Was a potential new Tesla owner....

[imiS]

Took a Model X out for a testdrive - the wife loved it.

PCP plan looked pretty OK despite the increased 2.5% APR - it is an expensive car with very limited options for a premium price.

However the showstopper - The Maintenance plan of 2.6K for 4 years AND the GBP1200pa insurance costs are what are putting us off.

I've been informed that the 2.5% APR will be increasing on Sunday - so thats unfortunately that the decision made for us on our behalf.

I have a reservation on a Model 3 - concerned that the insurance and maintenance plans are going to be uncompetitive on that too...

 

[JonG]

That’s why people dont bother with servicing - if it’s not a condition of the finance then you’re under no obligation to have it serviced, there is no log book either. I would recommend the odd service or just specific elements like having the drive unit oil changed

 

[Rockster]

There's no need for the service plan. I had it on my first Tesla but don't have it on our second.

 

[gavine]

That’s why people dont bother with servicing - if it’s not a condition of the finance then you’re under no obligation to have it serviced, there is no log book either. I would recommend the odd service or just specific elements like having the drive unit oil changed

The scheduled oil change for the gearbox (drive unit) is 15 years.

 

[WannabeOwner]

Took a Model X out for a testdrive

Slippery slope that is ...

the wife loved it.

Even better! In that case "sorted" I think

AND the GBP1200pa insurance costs are what are putting us off

Direct Line have a dedicated Tesla line. That's the only one to use (calling them on a normal line doesn't get you the price). If the model you buy has Autopilot they will give you an additional 5% discount.

Unless you are a high-risk (age, geography or past history) the prices I see being mentioned are around the GBP 500 mark, certainly nowhere near GBP 1200

I've been informed that the 2.5% APR will be increasing on Sunday

There is a cooling off period on the deposit (7 days I think?) so one option, if you need more thinking / research time, is to place an order before the price increase. I wanted max lead time when I ordered mine (finance on existing vehicle, price increase imminent), the price increase didn't happen so I cancelled and reordered a couple of weeks later when my Spies! told me it was actually going to happen.

That’s why people dont bother with servicing

Yup, agreed. My car does about 25,000 miles p.a., and my intention was to service at 12 month intervals, but I didn't get around to it, so it was quite a bit over the year and 27,000 miles at first service. There was nothing on the dash hassling me to get it serviced ... so apart from some Finance Obligation, or some annoying fault, there isn't any particular need for mileage-based service intervals. When's the last time the electric motor broke on your Hoover? Reliable things ... compared to Pistons and Crankshafts, and Timing Belts and all that high-wear junk. For a comparison data point: one of the promises, at the recent launch of the Tesla Articulated Lorry, was a 1,000,000 mile warranty ... Elon is clearly not expecting them to break often

 

[WannabeOwner]

P.S. With Regen there is very little brake wear either - provided you drive using a "lift off in good time" approach, rather than screaming up to the bend and chucking all the anchors out the back ... one thing I am surprised about is the tire life. Given the number of launches the car does with mates saying "Go on, do it again" I reckon to get nearly 30K miles from a set ...

 

[imiS]

Thx all for your comments - good to hear that the maintenance plan in reality is not required - the impression from Tesla was "strongly recommended".

Regarding Insurance - This was the Tesla dedicated line for Direct Line - apparently its to do with being in London. Surprisingly my wife pays half of that for a top end BMW X3 which frankly doesn't make any sense.

 

[imiS]

Yup, agreed. My car does about 25,000 miles p.a., and my intention was to service at 12 month intervals, but I didn't get around to it, so it was quite a bit over the year and 27,000 miles at first service. There was nothing on the dash hassling me to get it serviced ... so apart from some Finance Obligation, or some annoying fault, there isn't any particular need for mileage-based service intervals. When's the last time the electric motor broke on your Hoover? Reliable things ... compared to Pistons and Crankshafts, and Timing Belts and all that high-wear junk. For a comparison data point: one of the promises, at the recent launch of the Tesla Articulated Lorry, was a 1,000,000 mile warranty ... Elon is clearly not expecting them to break often

Makes sense - according to Tesla - in order to honour the warranty the car needs to be serviced and the most cost effective way of doing that is via the maintenance plan.

 

[M4guy]

Makes sense - according to Tesla - in order to honour the warranty the car needs to be serviced and the most cost effective way of doing that is via the maintenance plan.

The servicing is not required to honour the warranty. That’s what I have just been told, I ordered mine yesterday.

 

[brkaus]

The scheduled oil change for the gearbox (drive unit) is 15 years.

It's a first year item now...

Maintenance Plans

 

[JonG]

The scheduled oil change for the gearbox (drive unit) is 15 years.

Don’t know where you read that, Tesla website says 12k miles.

 

[JonG]

Makes sense - according to Tesla - in order to honour the warranty the car needs to be serviced and the most cost effective way of doing that is via the maintenance plan.

Wrong on two counts really,

Warranty is not dependant on servicing, some finance packages required it but most of those no longer do

And secondly the service plan is the sum of the services with a small reduction in lieu of a 4 year interest free loan. You may as well pay as you go

Maintenance Plans

If you pre purchase 3 services which you don’t need you save £100. What’s increasingly common is to just pay for the work and not the inspection, eg brake fluid change is a fraction of the cost of a full service which is largely checking things.

 

[jelloslug]

Thx all for your comments - good to hear that the maintenance plan in reality is not required - the impression from Tesla was "strongly recommended".

Regarding Insurance - This was the Tesla dedicated line for Direct Line - apparently its to do with being in London. Surprisingly my wife pays half of that for a top end BMW X3 which frankly doesn't make any sense.

I have no idea how insurance pricing works in the UK, but here in my state, you can get vastly different quotes from seemingly similar insurance companies.

 

[michaelgill]

the impression from Tesla was "strongly recommended".

Regarding Insurance - This was the Tesla dedicated line for Direct Line

Surprised to hear that. They didn't want to even talk about it with me!

Our insurance is <£600 with Direct Line. Speak to the specialist and they'll give you 5% off if it's Autopilot enabled.

 

[JonG]

I presume you’re aware of the referral code too to give unlimited supercharging on a new car? Mines available on here along with a load of advice on ownership and all the cars for sale in the uk at the moment if you were tempted by inventory.

Tesla

 

[unbelievable]

I’m pretty sure the car needs to be serviced or Tesla won’t honour the guaranteed buy back price when the pcp gets to end of term.

 

[DJP31]

I’m pretty sure the car needs to be serviced or Tesla won’t honour the guaranteed buy back price when the pcp gets to end of term.

@imiS I’d echo this. I’ve yet to see a PCP finance agreement that doesn’t have a clause in it stating that the car needs to be serviced in line with the manufacturers recommendation. If you are definitely going to buy the car at the end of the PCP then perhaps it doesn’t matter, but if you have any intention of handing it back then it needs to be serviced by Tesla.

 

[JonG]

It’s what I said in the first response to the question. But ask Tesla, they’re keen to shift cars, they’re not worried for warranty, they’ve been know not to specify it as a requirement for finance

 

[Reciprocity]

Took a Model X out for a testdrive - the wife loved it.

PCP plan looked pretty OK despite the increased 2.5% APR - it is an expensive car with very limited options for a premium price.

However the showstopper - The Maintenance plan of 2.6K for 4 years AND the GBP1200pa insurance costs are what are putting us off.

I've been informed that the 2.5% APR will be increasing on Sunday - so thats unfortunately that the decision made for us on our behalf.

I have a reservation on a Model 3 - concerned that the insurance and maintenance plans are going to be uncompetitive on that too...

Others have mentioned.. the service plan is not required. I have talked to more then a few owners who have and have not purchased it. Basically Tesla will fix just about anything under the warranty and I would advise the second year and 4th year maintenance part of the plan only. The only other thing you have to do is rotate the tires and maybe the 12v battery. Im at 24k Miles and the only thing I have done is rotate the tires. Model X 75D. You are probably looking at more like $2400 for 4 years of maintenance for everything but tires. Tires on the other hand, $1500 a year if you drive enough. I am about to replace mine at 24k. The other maintenance stuff is more time based then miles. The 12v should not go out in the first couple of years and you definitely want to do the full service at year 4 so you know whats going on before the warranty runs out.

 

[imiS]

@imiS I’d echo this. I’ve yet to see a PCP finance agreement that doesn’t have a clause in it stating that the car needs to be serviced in line with the manufacturers recommendation. If you are definitely going to buy the car at the end of the PCP then perhaps it doesn’t matter, but if you have any intention of handing it back then it needs to be serviced by Tesla.

Yes, you are right - its a condition for the residual value.

Whats involved in a service for a Tesla anyway? Unlike an ICE car there are hardly any serviceable components. GBP2600 over 4 years is much more than i pay for my Porsche....