What to expect? Service thru Tesla app.

[cmaster]

Do they give vouchers and loaner vehicles when you are out of warranty? I mean they barely give them when they are in warranty now.

Here in Houston, they now play the trick of telling you there is no loaner or vouchers if the work is expected to take less than 24 hours (overnight doesn't count, it's 24 hours). So they make sure to "expect" all work will take less than 24 hour and revise the estimate when it's almost 24 hours later to make it harder to get a loaner.

Yes, I know for a fact they give Uber Vouchers for out-of-warranty repair. It happened to me in Ottawa, Canada Service Center, when I had my coolant valve replaced, and when my PTC heater + fuse was replaced in Massachusetts.

As far as loaners, I didn't ask. But, seeing they give you a $100 Uber Voucher/day for days your car is in service, I think they can spare $100/day. However, you maybe correct me about being less than 24 hours.

I had no car for a few days and had to take the bus and Uber. It was better to take the voucher since I didn't have to worry about filling up gas.

 

[dwbv]

I guess I was just a little impatient. I did receive an estimate today via the app.

As I had previously thought, they did do a remote diagnostic check and came back with an estimate to replace the battery heater. The estimate is dated today so I'm guessing they ran the remote check this morning.

I think the reason I didn't get an estimate sooner was that my appointment was so far out when I made it. Appointment was made on 4/3/23 for service date of 4/10/23. In my case, the estimate came in on 4/7/23. I guess the timeline is reasonable and within logical argument.

Either way, I'm glad the experience is going well. I was planning to show up regardless of a remote diagnostic and/or estimate however I'm very grateful for it.

 

[dwbv]

I'm glad to report that I made it to the SC and back with my P85D in limp mode there and fully functional back!

Here's what happened:

• Upon arrival, I parked my car in the drop off slots and walked into the service center. There was no service desk, just an office off to the left. I was greeted promptly and got checked in very quickly.
  
  
• I was told they wanted to keep my car until 3-4pm which struck me as odd since my appointment was at 9am and the estimate was only for 1.5 hours of labor.
  
  
• Without even asking, I was given a loaner... a 2017 MS 100D with 19" wheels. Too bad it wasn't a P100D but I was happy to get into another MS to compare it to my P85D. It even showed up in the app!
  
  
  
  
  
• Decided to wait it out in the waiting room hoping they would get it done without me even having to leave the dealership, plus I had my laptop with me so I could work while I wait.
  
  
• Spoke with the friendly staff, looked at an M3, looked at an MY, sat in an MX with the yoke! I LIKE THE YOKE! I LIKE THE YOKE!
• At around 11am, I decided to go sightseeing with the 100D and left the dealership. On my way out, I noticed my P85D was still parked in the same spot I left it... "WTF? My appointment was a 9am?!".
  
  
• Around 3:30PMish, I get a message and I replied.
  
  
  
  
  
• I guess I'm staying in Madison. Personally, this was not a big deal as I had planned for this exact predicament to happen and had lodging on standby just in case. I was truly worried that it may be more than just a battery heater therefore my car would have to stay at the SC for more than one day. I was hoping to not have to stay overnight but at least I was prepared. I had a feeling that this might happen. The good news was that the issue was truly just a battery heater and nothing more.
  
  
• Since I was stuck in Madison, I decided to stop by the Porsche dealer to see if there was a Taycan there, and there was! There was a white 2023 4S in the lot. It took all of 30 seconds for a sales guy to greet me after seeing me pull up in a 100D, hehe. I have to admit that the Taycan is a way better looking car than the S, as well as the interior of the Taycan is eons beyond the S in quality and finish. As I stated before, I had considered the Taycan but was afraid that it would be hard to unload if EVs turned out to be not for me. An MS would be easier to resell than a Taycan. If I make the decision that EVs will be a part of my life long-term then a Taycan is in my future for sure!
  
  
• Fast forward to the next day, I get a message around 10:30AMish that my car was ready so I headed back over to the SC.
  
  
• I asked them why my car was kept overnight. Their explanation was that it took longer than expected and they were crunched for time by the end of the day so didn't want to promise that my car would be completed in the case that they ran into any potential issues. Basically they didn't have enough of a cushion of buffer time for mishaps so it was "better safe to keep the car overnight than sorry at the close of business". I personally think they got backed up since my car wasn't even touched at 11am when I left the dealership.
  
  
• The checkout process was seamless as well. I just paid it via the app while standing in the service area. I gotta say that I like the whole interaction-via-app experience. I can understand if you're a person-to-person interaction-type individual but for me, it was simple and easy.
  
  
• I stepped outside and they drove my car right to me, passed me the key fob, and I was outta there to the nearest supercharger that was 1.3 miles away.
  
  
• IT WAS SO NICE TO SEE MY CAR HAD REGEN AND FULL POWER! I'm actually getting to drive my P85D like a normal working car!
  
  
• They even had my car plugged into the dealer supercharger and only had to sit at the public supercharger for 20 minutes to get to 89%. Gotta appreciate the FUSC that my car has!
  
  
  
  
  
• Headed home with a big smile and big sigh of relief that my car is back to 100%. The trip computer said my ending SoC would be 8% however I got home with 19% SoC just like the trip computer predicted and adjusted to along the way with me traveling at 73MPH (plus a few spirited passes at over 90MPH I had to scientifically test the passing power of my P85D to make sure it was working properly).

I can honestly say that I'm glad this ordeal is finally over and she is back in my garage; safe, sound, and charging. I think the Tesla-Gods were testing my resolve and keeping me true to my decision to owning a Tesla. I'm hoping this will be my first and last time to a Tesla SC for a while and that my future SC experiences will be at this level or better. I can't speak to other SCs but the Madison SC in WI was good to me overall.

On a side note, that 100D with the 19 inch wheels drove so smooth and comfortable unlike my P85D. After I got in my car, the ride was so stiff and harsh, plus bumpy. That plus suspension and 21 inch wheels are night and day to the normal suspension and 19 inch wheels. I do have to say that my P85D is more planted at taking those curved ramps at higher speed than the 100D. I'm starting to wonder if I will ever be able to let go of that plus suspension? Also, my P85D seems to have more punch than the 100D in regards to power and acceleration. Maybe it's just my own personal bias? AP2 was a treat in the 100D although autopilot is gimmicky to me; I like to drive myself vs AP driving.

I will close with this: how the hell does anyone get away with 120v charging at home? Goodness! My 240v setup is still in the works and I'm having no choice but to charge at 120v. Looks like any long-distant trip will suffer at least a day or two of charging if supercharging is not a nearby option. Luckily I have FUSC and nearby superchargers if I need it. I still have my A8 so there's no rush to the supercharger. It can sit in my garage and slow-charge for the next 24+ hours to get to 80% SoC.

If you actually read all the way to the bottom then let me send you some serious juju and kudos for your patience! It shows how much you love Teslas and are willing to read stories about Teslas. Have a awesome day/night!

 

[islandbayy]

I'm glad to report that I made it to the SC and back with my P85D in limp mode there and fully functional back!

Here's what happened:

• Upon arrival, I parked my car in the drop off slots and walked into the service center. There was no service desk, just an office off to the left. I was greeted promptly and got checked in very quickly.
  
  
• I was told they wanted to keep my car until 3-4pm which struck me as odd since my appointment was at 9am and the estimate was only for 1.5 hours of labor.
  
  
• Without even asking, I was given a loaner... a 2017 MS 100D with 19" wheels. Too bad it wasn't a P100D but I was happy to get into another MS to compare it to my P85D. It even showed up in the app!
  View attachment 928196
  
  
• Decided to wait it out in the waiting room hoping they would get it done without me even having to leave the dealership, plus I had my laptop with me so I could work while I wait.
  
  
• Spoke with the friendly staff, looked at an M3, looked at an MY, sat in an MX with the yoke! I LIKE THE YOKE! I LIKE THE YOKE!
• At around 11am, I decided to go sightseeing with the 100D and left the dealership. On my way out, I noticed my P85D was still parked in the same spot I left it... "WTF? My appointment was a 9am?!".
  
  
• Around 3:30PMish, I get a message and I replied.
  View attachment 928193
  
  
• I guess I'm staying in Madison. Personally, this was not a big deal as I had planned for this exact predicament to happen and had lodging on standby just in case. I was truly worried that it may be more than just a battery heater therefore my car would have to stay at the SC for more than one day. I was hoping to not have to stay overnight but at least I was prepared. I had a feeling that this might happen. The good news was that the issue was truly just a battery heater and nothing more.
  
  
• Since I was stuck in Madison, I decided to stop by the Porsche dealer to see if there was a Taycan there, and there was! There was a white 2023 4S in the lot. It took all of 30 seconds for a sales guy to greet me after seeing me pull up in a 100D, hehe. I have to admit that the Taycan is a way better looking car than the S, as well as the interior of the Taycan is eons beyond the S in quality and finish. As I stated before, I had considered the Taycan but was afraid that it would be hard to unload if EVs turned out to be not for me. An MS would be easier to resell than a Taycan. If I make the decision that EVs will be a part of my life long-term then a Taycan is in my future for sure!
  
  
• Fast forward to the next day, I get a message around 10:30AMish that my car was ready so I headed back over to the SC.
  
  
• I asked them why my car was kept overnight. Their explanation was that it took longer than expected and they were crunched for time by the end of the day so didn't want to promise that my car would be completed in the case that they ran into any potential issues. Basically they didn't have enough of a cushion of buffer time for mishaps so it was "better safe to keep the car overnight than sorry at the close of business". I personally think they got backed up since my car wasn't even touched at 11am when I left the dealership.
  
  
• The checkout process was seamless as well. I just paid it via the app while standing in the service area. I gotta say that I like the whole interaction-via-app experience. I can understand if you're a person-to-person interaction-type individual but for me, it was simple and easy.
  
  
• I stepped outside and they drove my car right to me, passed me the key fob, and I was outta there to the nearest supercharger that was 1.3 miles away.
  
  
• IT WAS SO NICE TO SEE MY CAR HAD REGEN AND FULL POWER! I'm actually getting to drive my P85D like a normal working car!
  
  
• They even had my car plugged into the dealer supercharger and only had to sit at the public supercharger for 20 minutes to get to 89%. Gotta appreciate the FUSC that my car has!
  View attachment 928202
  
  
• Headed home with a big smile and big sigh of relief that my car is back to 100%. The trip computer said my ending SoC would be 8% however I got home with 19% SoC just like the trip computer predicted and adjusted to along the way with me traveling at 73MPH (plus a few spirited passes at over 90MPH I had to scientifically test the passing power of my P85D to make sure it was working properly).

I can honestly say that I'm glad this ordeal is finally over and she is back in my garage; safe, sound, and charging. I think the Tesla-Gods were testing my resolve and keeping me true to my decision to owning a Tesla. I'm hoping this will be my first and last time to a Tesla SC for a while and that my future SC experiences will be at this level or better. I can't speak to other SCs but the Madison SC in WI was good to me overall.

On a side note, that 100D with the 19 inch wheels drove so smooth and comfortable unlike my P85D. After I got in my car, the ride was so stiff and harsh, plus bumpy. That plus suspension and 21 inch wheels are night and day to the normal suspension and 19 inch wheels. I do have to say that my P85D is more planted at taking those curved ramps at higher speed than the 100D. I'm starting to wonder if I will ever be able to let go of that plus suspension? Also, my P85D seems to have more punch than the 100D in regards to power and acceleration. Maybe it's just my own personal bias? AP2 was a treat in the 100D although autopilot is gimmicky to me; I like to drive myself vs AP driving.

I will close with this: how the hell does anyone get away with 120v charging at home? Goodness! My 240v setup is still in the works and I'm having no choice but to charge at 120v. Looks like any long-distant trip will suffer at least a day or two of charging if supercharging is not a nearby option. Luckily I have FUSC and nearby superchargers if I need it. I still have my A8 so there's no rush to the supercharger. It can sit in my garage and slow-charge for the next 24+ hours to get to 80% SoC.

View attachment 928208

If you actually read all the way to the bottom then let me send you some serious juju and kudos for your patience! It shows how much you love Teslas and are willing to read stories about Teslas. Have a awesome day/night!

I told ya the WI Service Centers are full of Rock Stars ;-)

 

[dwbv]

I told ya the WI Service Centers are full of Rock Stars ;-)

Yes, everyone I interacted with was very friendly and pleasant. All conversations were very nice as well. Although I truly do believe all these horror stories that I read here and online, I sometimes wonder about all the good stories. We never hear about the good experiences as they get overshadowed by the bad ones.

Either way, I'm glad the closest SC to me is full of good people and I do hope my next visit will be as good as or better (or even better if I don't have to go back at all).

 

[cmaster]

Yes, everyone I interacted with was very friendly and pleasant. All conversations were very nice as well. Although I truly do believe all these horror stories that I read here and online, I sometimes wonder about all the good stories. We never hear about the good experiences as they get overshadowed by the bad ones.

Either way, I'm glad the closest SC to me is full of good people and I do hope my next visit will be as good as or better (or even better if I don't have to go back at all).

Usually people provide feedback negatively because it's a form of venting and frustrating. People don't vent when they're feeling good. Very interesting.

 

[dmurphy]

Yes, everyone I interacted with was very friendly and pleasant. All conversations were very nice as well. Although I truly do believe all these horror stories that I read here and online, I sometimes wonder about all the good stories. We never hear about the good experiences as they get overshadowed by the bad ones.

Either way, I'm glad the closest SC to me is full of good people and I do hope my next visit will be as good as or better (or even better if I don't have to go back at all).

It's very unscientific, and not exact, but I suspect a good portion of those horror stories come from California. Simply, I think that entire region is just so overwhelmed, there aren't nearly enough Service Centers. There's a reason they call Model 3 the "California Camry" ...

But I'm glad your experience was smooth. This is very similar to every interaction I've ever had here in NJ -- I'm blessed to be surrounded by Service Centers who care. It's high volume here for sure, but with the typical Northeast hustle they somehow find a way to make it all work. No idea how, to be frank, but they do!