Welcome to Tesla Motors Club
Discuss Tesla's Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Cybertruck, Roadster and More.
Register

Upgradeing your drive unit from standard to a P

This site may earn commission on affiliate links.
My drive unit needs to be replaced under warranty - I want to use this opportunity to upgrade to a P drive unit. Has anyone done this? My service center says they wont do it which is disappointing. I know there are LOTS of discrepancies with what a service center will or wont do from location to location. Let me know if you have done this, inquired about this and cost!
 
Will the SC not do it at all or is it because you're trying to save money on labor and cost of parts because of the warranty? I read in another thread that they wouldn't swap in the electrical retractable mirrors for someone that was having some warranty work done on the mirrors and door panel. He had to schedule it separately, which means no saving on the cost of labor or parts.
 
I know a local owner who asked JB straight up when he met him at one of the coast-to-coast events and JB said yes it can be done. Everything can be done. 40->60 (software), 60->85 (~18k), 85->P85 (~$20k), P85->P85+ (~#23k). almost everything can be retrofitted and upgraded now. some service centers just refuse though. try another OR go straight up the chain to management @ HQ. they can usually override the service center's decision.
 
S85 -> P85 ought to cost less than 60 -> 85. That doesn't make much sense.
Agreed. I've always thought S85->P85 upgrades seemed like a good first step for a startup "Electric Performance" tuning shop. I thought maybe Saleen would go that way, but I guess not. It's a single-part upgrade, and the potential profit is high with Tesla charging $10k at delivery (and apparently $20k after delivery).

Yes, the motor, gearbox/differential, and inverter are all integrated and replaced as one unit-- "the drive unit"
I knew the motor and gearbox were together, I didn't realize the inverter was part of the assembly as well. Thanks for the clarification! That probably explains the barrier of entry to the above... you can't simply call Tesla and buy the inverter on its own.
 
Last edited:
S85 -> P85 ought to cost less than 60 -> 85. That doesn't make much sense.

of course it doesn't make sense, because Tesla doesn't want you to do it. the difference between S85->P85 retail is > $10k. but by "upgrading" your basically swapping out your used drive unit for a new one, which includes a lot more than just the high power inverter. they aren't going to "go in the hole" for the upgrade, and they need to be paid for their time. and they're swamped with other work. the upgrade prices are high to discourage people from upgrading. they'd rather you trade up to a new car instead (and $$$-wise it probably cheaper to sell & buy new P85).
 
I don't understand how that works since I'll be losing more than $20,000 selling my 2012 S85.

The difference in acceleration is nice but not sure it's worth $20,000 or more. Who knows what cars next year or in 2016 will have. Might simply be better to hang on to what you have for a few more years and upgrade to a new car with newer features too.
 
I think what the OP is asking is if Tesla has to go through the work of replacing the drive unit anyway because of a warranty issue, can he pay for just the difference in price between a standard drive unit and a performance drive unit. Much of that $20k cost is because you're buying a whole new drive unit and all the labor involved. In this case, the only difference should be the price difference between P and non-P. Seems like a reasonable request, but would probably set a bad precedent. The times I've had my drive unit replaced, I've always told my service center they have my permission to replace it with a performance drive unit if they don't have any standard ones in stock. :)
 
Turning this question on its ear... P85 owners who have had their drive units replaced, how do you know that Tesla gave you a P and not a standard drive unit? Mistakes happen... :p

After driving a performance model, I believe I could instantly tell by driving it if a standard drive unit were to be installed by mistake. I've had a non-P Model loaner and the difference was pretty obvious...
 
After driving a performance model, I believe I could instantly tell by driving it if a standard drive unit were to be installed by mistake. I've had a non-P Model loaner and the difference was pretty obvious...
I agree. I just had a non P loaner for 2 weeks, the first time I ever drove a standard S. P is much quicker

- - - Updated - - -

Turning this question on its ear... P85 owners who have had their drive units replaced, how do you know that Tesla gave you a P and not a standard drive unit? Mistakes happen... :p

have you not driven a non P?
 
Turning this question on its ear... P85 owners who have had their drive units replaced, how do you know that Tesla gave you a P and not a standard drive unit? Mistakes happen... :p

I almost hesitate to post this, but my replacement drive unit feels a bit less "zippy" than my original one did. (I have an S85). It's still pretty darn quick, and maybe it's just me "getting used to it" but to me it was noticeable. Could I have possible had a P unit from the factory by mistake?
 
@OP: I completely understand where you are coming from. Since they are replacing your DU anyways it would be marginally more expensive to put in a P DU and you want ONLY that marginal extra cost forwarded to you. This is why they won't do it: Some people would become opportunistic and buy an S instead of a P and then try to destroy their DU to get a warranty swap and just pay the $500(or whatever TM internal cost may be) for the upgrade. So that person would now have a P85 for 82k instead of the 94k that everybody else paid, while TM would have an intentionally damaged S DU to send to the factory for repair. This is the same reason that TM makes an effort to give you a degraded HV battery if yours goes bad. Mine was down to 256 rated. It just broke and I got a warranty swap that charges to 255 miles). If they gave a 265 mile battery, what do you think people would do to their batteries after 7 years and 11 months?

For this reason, if they agree to upgrade you to a P DU it will probably cost you $20k as others have stated.

Since you think in money saving terms (otherwise you would just trade in your S for a new P, no?), figure this: Any used car that has been modified sells for less than a factory original spec car. Look at chip tuned cars and it is obvious. So even if you got your upgrade for free now, you would lose money in the future when it is time to sell the car.

If you need P, the most economical thing is to sell you S85 and buy a P85, new or used. And then you will get the metal pedals and the other details that make it "real" Just my 2 cents.