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Model S Service Contracts - the poll edition(tm)!

Your opinion of the Tesla service plan announced in the blog post of 9/10/2012?

  • Tesla really screwed the pooch on this one -- it costs too much and I'm canceling my reservation!

    Votes: 34 12.3%
  • The price is high, it isn't a new model of service. I'll reluctantly pay because I feel I have to.

    Votes: 131 47.3%
  • All things considered, it feels roughly in line with what I expected, and I'll pay for it.

    Votes: 86 31.0%
  • Tesla's service plans are a great deal and I'll happily pay it!

    Votes: 26 9.4%

  • Total voters
    277
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A bit disappointing that there's no included service...and $600 a year isn't going to qualify as low maintenance cost. But I guess I knew this news was coming.

Edit: Tesla Ranger service is not covered under warranty? I live a few hundred miles from the nearest service center (D.C.) So if my drivetrain dies on day 3 due to a faulty inverter, I have to pay the $100 for Tesla Rangers to come to repair the car? Yuck. That's not great service!

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I guess if you go for the 4-yr plan, it comes out to $475/yr so that's a bit better. And I suppose if you consider 24/7 monitoring and software updates that's not too bad...
 
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A bit disappointing that there's no included service...and $600 a year isn't going to qualify as low maintenance cost. But I guess I knew this news was coming.

Edit: Tesla Ranger service is not covered under warranty? I live a few hundred miles from the nearest service center (D.C.) So if my drivetrain dies on day 3 due to a faulty inverter, I have to pay the $100 for Tesla Rangers to come to repair the car? Yuck. That's not great service!

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I guess if you go for the 4-yr plan, it comes out to $475/yr so that's a bit better. And I suppose if you consider 24/7 monitoring and software updates that's not too bad...

But why not go for the 4 year anywhere plan????? then tesla ranger service is included......still breaks down to $600/y
 
A bit disappointing that there's no included service...and $600 a year isn't going to qualify as low maintenance cost. But I guess I knew this news was coming.

Edit: Tesla Ranger service is not covered under warranty? I live a few hundred miles from the nearest service center (D.C.) So if my drivetrain dies on day 3 due to a faulty inverter, I have to pay the $100 for Tesla Rangers to come to repair the car? Yuck. That's not great service!

- - - Updated - - -

I guess if you go for the 4-yr plan, it comes out to $475/yr so that's a bit better. And I suppose if you consider 24/7 monitoring and software updates that's not too bad...

Looks like it isn't covered. That's different that the Roadster since warranty items were included with Ranger service. I would be hard for them to keep that up with thousands of cars though without charging for it.
The $2,400 plan includes unlimited Ranger visits though. The $100 per Ranger visit is better than the $1/mile though for non-warranty Ranger service on the Roadster.


But why not go for the 4 year anywhere plan????? then tesla ranger service is included......still breaks down to $600/y

Excellent point. Sounds like that is the way to go if you don't live near a service center.
 
But why not go for the 4 year anywhere plan????? then tesla ranger service is included......still breaks down to $600/y

It depends on where you live and how much a gambler you are...I'm debating whether the extra $500 is worth it to me, as I might turn some of those service trips into a day trip to D.C. or Raleigh.

I'll most likely go for the "service anywhere" though.

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I wonder what else "Replacement parts like brake pads and windshield wipers (excluding tires)" includes?
 
It depends on where you live and how much a gambler you are...I'm debating whether the extra $500 is worth it to me, as I might turn some of those service trips into a day trip to D.C. or Raleigh.

I can't say enough about the Ranger service. If that is an option for you, might be nice. All in all, not took bad options I think.
 
Edit: Tesla Ranger service is not covered under warranty?

Well, I think the service plan and the warranty are two separate things. As far as I can tell, there aren't any details on teslamotors.com about what exactly is covered under the two warranties you get when you buy the car (there's a battery warranty and an everything-else warranty).

Annual service clearly covers things that are not under warranty, such as inspection labor, brake pads, wipers, etc. So that costs you at least $475 or $600 a year. That's if you take your car to a service center. In addition to that, if you choose (or otherwise have to use) the Tesla ranger service, you will also have to pay $100 per visit (unless you get that certain prepaid plan).

The way I see it, those charges are definitely for service that is not covered by the warranty.

I don't think there's anything on the website that definitively says one way or another whether or not you would be charged for the ranger service if necessary for a service job that is covered under warranty.

I would hope and expect that you are not charged. As a hypothetical example, let's say one of the belt buckle fasteners doesn't work and needs to be replaced, and let's assume that it's covered under the warranty (ie, it's a defect, not damaged somehow through misuse). I would expect that if feasible, that Tesla would ask you to drive the car to a service center and the buckle will be replaced for free. However, let's say you're 300 miles away from a service center. In this case, I would expect the ranger service to be free.

Now let's give a different example. Suppose you're an idiot, and you're racing around you're neighborhood at 100 mph. You go up a square curb and you actually crack a wheel! Now you need a wheel replacement. You can't drive to the service center, and so you opt for ranger service to get the wheel replaced. In this case, I would of course, expect you to be charged for the wheel and an additional $100 for the ranger service.
 
It's not too bad...I just think that if something's covered under warranty...then Ranger service shouldn't cost anything.

That would be ideal but probably not practical or financially wise for a Tesla to continue. They probably didn't have a choice with the Roadster seeing as the closest service to me is actually Chicago so a $1,800 per visit Ranger fee if I ever had to pay for it. It sounds like you might enjoy the $2,400 prepaid plan since that gives you flexibility to either take it in or call for Ranger service.
I'm wondering what it will cost after the 4 years are up. If it is still $100 per visit regardless of how far you live away, that's not bad.
 
I don't think there's anything on the website that definitively says one way or another whether or not you would be charged for the ranger service if necessary for a service job that is covered under warranty.

The fine text under the service plans says the warranty doesn't cover ranger trips:
Tesla Rangers can perform most warranty repairs, but the cost of their visit is not covered under the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.
I guess if you buy the $2400 plan you're covered, but you're basically pre-paying $500 towards ranger visits (as compared to the $1900 plan). The $1900 plan looks like a no-brainer if you're planning on keeping the car long term like I am and live near a service station.
 
Dang, that sucks. Terrible customer service, IMO.

There should be a provision that says if you live > x miles away from a service center, ranger service is free for warranty repairs or warranty-covered problems that prevent you from driving to the service center.


P.S.
Also I suck for missing that detail on the page. Apologies.

P.P.S
I am going to send an email voicing my displeasure over this policy, even though I live close enough to a service center that this would only affect me if my car was undrivable.

I think the only way this would be acceptable is if this is their stated official policy, but in reality, they actually bend the rules on the ranger charge. I realize that Tesla needs to keep costs under control and customers will generaly be wealthy, but still, people are taking a chance on your car Tesla! Having a defect that is completely not the owner's fault, having limited service options, and then sticking them for another $100 for the privelige of having a working car does not demonstrate how electric car ownership can actually be better than ICE ownership. As it stands, $600/year is already significantly more than anyone would expect to pay for the maintenence of a new car for the first four years.
 
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I don't think there's anything on the website that definitively says one way or another whether or not you would be charged for the ranger service if necessary for a service job that is covered under warranty.

How do you read this text at the bottom of the page?
Tesla Rangers can perform most warranty repairs, but the cost of their visit is not covered under the New Vehicle Limited Warranty. Ranger service may not be immediately available in all areas. Ranger service pricing is based on a per visit, per vehicle basis.

I read it to say that Ranger service for warranty items is not covered.

Edit: Everyone else beat me to the punch!
 
I don't think he saw the fine print Todd.


Reading George B's blog post on service, it sounds pretty good overall. The $600 covers all wear and tear parts as well, such as wiper blades. Basically you know your maintenance costs exactly for 4 years...$600 a year, period. Well, except tires.
 
There should be a provision that says if you live > x miles away from a service center, ranger service is free for warranty repairs or warranty-covered problems that prevent you from driving to the service center.

Tesla says 90% of customers are within 100 miles of a service center. I'd be happy if Ranger service were free only for warrantied repairs in which the car is in an undriveable state and cannot be driven to a service center.
 
$600/12,500 miles = 4.8 cents/mile
$1,900/50,000 miles = 3.8 cents/mile

I don't see this as a bargain for miles 0-50,000, and I really did use the simplicity of the structure and the presumed savings on maintenance as part of the justification for the expense of the vehicle.

What happens after 50,000 miles?