Yeah, you seem to use the wrong dealers. I have always (including Tesla) had a loaner for warranty work and sometimes Even for non-warranty work.Apparently I've always bought cars from the wrong dealers.Chevy, Dodge, Toyota, Nissan and Honda never provided me with a loaner for warranty work, let alone out-of-warranty work.
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Why is Tesla not using used cars as loaners?
- Thread starter AMPd
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Cheburashka
Active Member
I got a loaner when I was servicing my Chevy Spark on any service that would take longer than a day. The Spark is probably the cheapest car GM sells here.
Tesla just doesn't care about the customer, and corporate wants to make sure customers feel neglected, as that means customers are less likely to bring the car in.
Tesla just doesn't care about the customer, and corporate wants to make sure customers feel neglected, as that means customers are less likely to bring the car in.
They do this with their lower end cars though.
When we had a Mercedes, we would always get a C Class as a loaner.
The mistake Tesla made was using the Model S as a Service Loaner. This would be like a Mercedes dealer giving out an S Class as a Service Loaner. Its not sustainable and would result in massive wear and tear on a relatively expensive vehicle.
I really feel they should build a feet of Model 3 vehicles for use as Service Loaners. It'll probably cost them less than Uber credits. I really dislike Uber credits and when this virus mess is over, I wish they'd give you the option to plug in your laptop and just wait at the Service Center.
I'd rather just drive my car there, work with my laptop, and just drive my own car back home.
Cheburashka
Active Member
I dunno, my Infiniti dealer lets me choose any model to use as a loaner when the car is in service, and they are all brand new demo cars.
I guess they realized people are more likely to buy a new car when they are coerced into a free test drive during service.
Silicon Desert
Well-Known Member
For the simple reason that they would get ridiculously trashed. Every time I received a Model S loaner, I felt so bad for that car. I take care of a loaner at least as well as my own car because it is someone else's property but it's like some people have absolutely no respect for someone else's property. Some of these Model S loaners look like they came from a war zone with virtually every body panel scratched/damaged, The interiors were trashed
You are probably right about that, yet interesting to note that whenever the wife takes her Acura to the dealer for service, they give her a really nice fairly new car as a loaner. I suspect the reason being what OP says. Perhaps a teaser to buy a new car.
Mercedes always gave me a loner car when I brought in the car for service. But it wasn't really free. They charged $500 for an oil change. I could have gotten that oil change somewhere else for $100. So I was really paying $400 for a loaner car.
Of course since Tesla doesn't have any competition for service, as far as we know, we are paying luxury dealership prices for service without the luxury dealership pampering.
Of course since Tesla doesn't have any competition for service, as far as we know, we are paying luxury dealership prices for service without the luxury dealership pampering.
Just as a reference, all the BMW dealerships I have used to service my cars have always used new cars for loaners. They usually only use them for about 5000 miles, and then sold/lease as used demo/loaner. They often allow people to specif the model of the loaner as long as they are in stock. I believe they treat it as a marketing tool.
I have had a brand new P100DL before as a loaner when we had a Model X, though majority of time they were fairly beat up Model S. I haven't had to take the Model 3 in yet, so not sure how things are now with the service centers here in OC.
I have had a brand new P100DL before as a loaner when we had a Model X, though majority of time they were fairly beat up Model S. I haven't had to take the Model 3 in yet, so not sure how things are now with the service centers here in OC.
For the simple reason that they would get ridiculously trashed. Every time I received a Model S loaner, I felt so bad for that car. I take care of a loaner at least as well as my own car because it is someone else's property but it's like some people have absolutely no respect for someone else's property. Some of these Model S loaners look like they came from a war zone with virtually every body panel scratched/damaged, The interiors were trashed
This is what they used to do and this is what led to so many Tesla CPO/used customers getting cars that look like they came from a garbage dump. These "used cars" end up being someone's "baby" when they buy that car and we've read so many sad stories of people who expressed dismay after finding out they bought a car that had been trashed,
I think a better solution is to build a fleet of "basic" Model 3s at a far lower cost to be used as Service Loaners and they can then convert those vehicles for use in the Tesla ride share program when FSD is implemented.
Use of Model S vehicles as Service Loaners really trashes their value. IMHO it is better to put that wear and tear on a $35K Model 3 rather than a $50-70K+ used Model S.
The loner 2016 SP90D I received while my vehicle was getting the windshield replaced, was in unbelievably bad shape as far as how people treated it. It was just a few months older than my car with fewer miles but the inside door Handle was all banged up, seats were extremely worn and the carpeting had holes in it. I thought, “my god what do people do to these things?” Fortunately it still drove well.
electricar
Member
The OEMs also can count every car put in loaner service as sold so they put lots of pressure on the dealers to do it to goose the sales numbers. The dealers own these cars so it doesn't cost the OEM anything aside from some relatively lame " help " they extend to the dealers from time to time. The dealers don't like it due to all the abuse of the program by the customers. In BMW land the customers with the cheapest models can be real animals and those with the most expensive are usually far more civilized. I have seen customers with low mile per year leases drop their car off on Friday afternoon for the oil change offered under the maintenance program, load their luggage in, and return the car on Monday with 700 more miles on it. Personally I would be pleased if Tesla quit offering loaners to remove that parasitic draw from their balance sheet altogether. Those customers who consider loaners very important can go buy an I-pace or E-tron. They should have no problem doing that since those cars are currently nailed to the showroom floor and the dealers would love to have someone besides themselves own them.
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I haven't gotten Tesla loaner in the last 18 months, but got it 3 times before that. They gave you the keyfob, point to the car, there it is... you go drive it. The ones I got was quite dirty inside and it still have the previous owners information in the glovebox. When I return it, they just take the keyfob. They don't even ask where I park it... or check it.
beatle
Active Member
I'd find it incredibly infuriating if a dealership asked me to bring a loaner back so they could sell it to someone. If Tesla were to institute this policy on a wider scale, they they should exchange the loaner on their own time with two drivers and a replacement loaner, scheduling the exchange at the owner's convenience. The only time I'd want to take a loaner back on my own time is to retrieve my repaired car.
Note: I am not saying Tesla should do away with loaners - I am only saying they should not use their "fleet" of used cars as loaners. The logistics are ripe to leave a lot of people frustrated, and a prospective buyer or a person with a broken car will be the last people to frustrate further. I wonder if Tesla even has the parking capacity at their SCs for a fleet of loaners/used cars. This may explain why they have so few loaners, and used cars are kept at auction house lots instead.
Yeah why ruin a perfect used car buying experience that Tesla has going on now.
I remember back when Elon said that all loaner cars would be the newest and fully optioned cars. And if you wanted to keep the loaner car over your current car, you could (for a price).
T-Mom
Banned
yes but wasn't that only for "3 months likely, 6 months definitely"
(paraphrasing that quote)
reddy
Active Member
I just got work done at the Dallas Cedar Springs location next to Love Field.
My loaner was a 2013 Model S 85 with 56000 miles on it. It was in great shape. It had a Texas toll tag on it , and an old California CARB sticker on the bumper.
I was fine with that.
My loaner was a 2013 Model S 85 with 56000 miles on it. It was in great shape. It had a Texas toll tag on it , and an old California CARB sticker on the bumper.
I was fine with that.
Mercedes Benz here in San Diego stopped with free loaners and went to Uber credits. The would use Enterprise on site as their "free loaner" provider. The service manager said they were paying $60k+/month on this. Uber credits were a no brainer.
Also the Tesla Service center in SD still provides Tesla loaners. I took my Model 3 in last week and they gave me a Model S. I think they have a few available and then provide Uber credits when they run out.
My expectation in buying a used vehicle from Tesla would be that the vehicle was inspected, cleaned and prepared and have it be in that condition until sale. Imagine if the car was prepared, photographs taken etc and posted on the website and then you purchase it based on what you see and then you get it and it has 1,000+ more miles and scratches and interior damage not shown on the photos?
If you buy a used car from Hertz or whomever, you expect that those vehicles are "sitting around" and not being used for rentals.
If you buy a used car from Hertz or whomever, you expect that those vehicles are "sitting around" and not being used for rentals.
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