Why is Tesla not using used cars as loaners?

[JayNJ]

I mean, that’s the only way I can read his response. Just fluff. Remember when he told us every single loaner was going to be a top of the line P100D, because everybody should have the best?

It was just a plain and simple lie, like so much else has been. It was never feasible. It’s never going to be.

I think it was an Elon pipe dream other than out right lie. Sounded like a good idea until he heard about how much it would cost and they convinced him otherwise. They don't want the added cost of maintaining and storing the loaners, which is why they went to Enterprise originally. That was a decent compromise. But now pushing Uber credits is terrible. Most people do not live near their SCs, many have to drive an hour or more. Also many repairs that they can't do with mobile service takes multiple days or weeks. Using Uber during that time to commute to work or elsewhere is nonsensical.

As said above, this is a big problem with not having the dealer system (which is one reason there were laws put in place to mandate dealers) - service. Dealers want to do service, want repeat customers and will go out of their way to keep you coming back when there are many other options. Tesla SCs do not want your business. Every customer that comes in with a warranty issue is a problem and only costs them money. Maybe when there is more out of warranty work being done things will change, but still they are not competing with other service centers or mechanics for your work,

 

[JayNJ]

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. Having never owned or driven a Mercedes, BMW, Lexus or other higher end vehicle before, I can't speak as to their practices.

No loaners should be provided for out of warranty. That is up to your insurance or yourself to rent a car.

 

[pongajim]

So many service centers don’t have enough loaners, yet they have a lot of used cars in storage at manheim.

Why not spread them out to service centers and use them as a loaner?
That would also add the benefit of being able to allow potential buyers to come in and look at the vehicle and sell it to them on the spot.

I wish I was in charge of that department! Not only would customer service improve, but id be slinging used cars left and right to walk ins!

They are waiting for Cybertruck so people can't trash them...

 

[Merle]

Driving a loaner right now. It's a Model S (70) and almost as basic as basic can be. The driver side door handle (auto-present) doesn't work, but it's better than literally nothing.

Would like to have the opportunity to drive a Model X (it's on the short list as next purchase) but that's apparently not possible at the current service center.

Yeah, a top-of-the-line loaner would be great, I'd like to try out the new features and potentially a different vehicle if I were in the market, but ... not to be.

 

[roseng]

Considering every other manufacturer does give free loaners, I don't see how it's a bad business decision.

NO manufacturers give loaners. It's strictly a dealership decision.

 

[pongajim]

NO manufacturers give loaners. It's strictly a dealership decision.

Best answer..

 

[Cheburashka]

Exactly. It's pretty sad that Tesla can't even match standard dealership service.

 

[nuP90D]

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.

Same with Lexus, they would give you the same make and model of your car as a loaner or something better. Most of the time, it's something better with all options. I was disappointed when I got my Tesla loaner, but it was better than not having a loaner. Not the same make and model, but a model S that was pretty beat-up.

 

[pt19713]

My local (Salt Lake City) has done that. One of the loaners I got belonged to some famous basketball person (I'm not a sports person so don't remember who it was. I only remember what I do because the service center person made a big deal over it.)

Karl Malone?

 

[Ed Hart]

So many service centers don’t have enough loaners, yet they have a lot of used cars in storage at manheim.

Why not spread them out to service centers and use them as a loaner?
That would also add the benefit of being able to allow potential buyers to come in and look at the vehicle and sell it to them on the spot.

I wish I was in charge of that department! Not only would customer service improve, but id be slinging used cars left and right to walk ins!

Uber has been working just fine for me.

 

[Heymister]

At the service centers in Oslo Norway they rent in Avis and then they rent out fully loaded 2018 75D MS and MX for loaners, so Then i got to test the MCU2 and FSD in the loaner. Then you can pay for glass insurance if you want. Then Avis takes care of damages, maintenance costs and cleaning. So much better than the inventory cars as loaners.

 

[electricar]

NO manufacturers give loaners. It's strictly a dealership decision.

That is true but the OEMs put a lot of pressure on the dealers to have a loaner program. They have all sorts of delightful games they play to coerce the dealers like keeping some or all of the holdback, moving you to the back of the allocation line for popular high-gross models, pounding you in the survey because the espresso wasn't perfect, and the list goes on. Another dealer favorite is having to charge a higher service labor rate to cover the cost of loaners and then seeing the customers go to independent repair shops as soon as the warranty is over because of the lower labor rate. Funny how there is no complaining about the lack of loaners at the independent shops.

 

[WallyB]

I like that they just call me an Uber to take me home and then I use one of my other cars or trucks and they send me an Uber to take me back when my Tesla is finished. I did not like driving a used S home and having to park it some place and then driving it back along with the paperwork and hoping it had the range to get me home.

 

[AMPd]

Uber has been working just fine for me.

So?

 

[AMPd]

I like that they just call me an Uber to take me home and then I use one of my other cars or trucks and they send me an Uber to take me back when my Tesla is finished. I did not like driving a used S home and having to park it some place and then driving it back along with the paperwork and hoping it had the range to get me home.View attachment 550910

Huh? What?
You’re exchanging one car for another... why would a loaner car be more difficult to park? Just park it where you park your car. Why would you be worried about range if you already own a Tesla... just charge it like you would your car and loaner cars would obviously have to be charged before being assigned

 

[Tforee]

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. Having never owned or driven a Mercedes, BMW, Lexus or other higher end vehicle before, I can't speak as to their practices.

I can tell you that Lexus will give you the loaner you desire if you tell them ahead of time but of course, their customer service is excellent in almost every way. The one in Louisville, Ky even feeds us plus dessert!

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Independent contractors I hired through Uber have been working just fine for me.

FTFY.

 

[Cheburashka]

I like that they just call me an Uber to take me home and then I use one of my other cars or trucks and they send me an Uber to take me back when my Tesla is finished. I did not like driving a used S home and having to park it some place and then driving it back along with the paperwork and hoping it had the range to get me home.View attachment 550910

Uber doesn't work for everyone in every situation.

My other vehicles are a Ford Ranger, in which my son's carseat does not fit, and a couple of motorcycles. If we want to go somewhere as a family, we cannot do it.

Worst service ever.

 

[Sandi]

Yeah the top of the line model is definitely not feasible, and I don’t mean to bring up dealerships again but even they don’t offer top of the line models as loaners.
But even a used 75d would be great.

I’m just saying, they have used cars parked waiting to be sold. Might as well put them to good use. But as you’ve said they’ve decided customer service is not one of their priorities right now.

I am having huge issues with my Model S at the moment and it has been going on for 11 months. I have constantly asked Them to give me a loan car and take mine away for how ever long it needs. They have never agreed. Now however they finally agreed that they would like to give me a car so that I can feel the joy of owning a Tesla again and also to see if the issues are the same (I live on the border of 2 countries). I said I would need the car for at least a week, they said only a weekend was possible. They said it would be new car used for test driving. They have now got back to me and said due to Coronavirus they don’t have any spare test vehicles.
I previously had a loan car though, a P100 (!) and as someone mentioned, we had to go round the whole car and note any damage and likewise with mine.
Customer service is the worst I have ever experienced, but over the 11 months I have got to know them a bit better and I have the feeling that their hands are tied and they just don‘t have the manpower

 

[MS 60]

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.