Is the annual service required for Tesla leases?

MsElectric · Apr 16, 2015

Does anyone know if the annual service is required for Tesla leases?

IMHO this is so overpriced and contrary to EVs not needing as much service as ICE cars. At $600 this annual service cost is higher than the annual service cost of our Mercedes V8 that has vastly more components on service requirements.

I can understand maybe the every 2nd year service costing $600 as that includes the brake fluid flush but $600 for essentially replacing your wiper blades and adding windshield washer liquid? I know Tesla has said they don't want servicing to be a profit center but the $600 annual service sounds like a profit center to me and ironically more so than our ICE Mercedes...

Maybe they should charge $300 for a minor service every year and $600 for the major service they do every other year that involve fluid flushes. Even that seems a bit too much but would be an improvement over the status quo which is higher maintenance fee than what even Mercedes charges for their ICE vehicles.

Racerx22b · Apr 16, 2015

Before all the correction police show up let me remind you that the service is required every 12,500 miles, not every year.

I was told it was a requirement of the lease.

It makes no sense whatsoever though. No other lease program requires you to follow the service schedule and take to dealer for the work. All you need to do is turn it with halfway decent tires and relatively clean looking oil. I've known people who changed the oil once or twice during a 3yr lease with not a word at turn in.

I asked what the penalty would be if I didn't do the service and nobody had a specific answer. They just said that if at the time it's turned in and they discover a part needs to be replaced or serviced I would be responsible for the cost to do so. I reminded them that the car would still be under warranty and that if someone who bought the car did the same thing their would be no charge since getting the scheduled service is not a requirement of the warranty. They agreed but stood firm. So I guess the warranty for lease cars is somehow different than purchased cars.

Needless to say this very much annoyed me. I ended up buying the car because of questions like this that didn't have concrete answers as well as some other leasing terms that they didn't seem to have figured out.

JimmyAZ · Apr 16, 2015

This is a good thread. I was curious about this as I'm approaching my delivery in the next couple weeks. I'll reach out to my DS to see if there is anything additional from her perspective.

UPDATE: Just got off the phone with my DS. She stated that it's 12,500 miles OR 1 year, whichever comes first. BUT when I stated how little I'd actually be driving the car she stated that the best person to speak with would be the service advisor. They would be able to give a better idea. That's much help to us now. And I won't meet my SA until the first week of May. :crying:

IMHO, I would think 12,500 should be the status quo for service, especially when we're not planning on keeping the car. And anything that breaks from wear and tear would (should) be covered under the warranty. Since I imagine I'll always be upgrading to a new model every 2-3 years I should only pay for 1 of these services seeing as I only drive about 6000 miles/year on average.

befcomet · Apr 16, 2015

My understanding is this :: Not having the service won't void the warranty, but if there are items that need repaired that were neglected, Tesla could make you pay that at lease turn-in. As for me -- the 2nd service is the biggie - I do plan on doing that one. The first one - meh. Maybe not.

MsElectric · Apr 17, 2015

Every second year service (2, 4, 6, 8, etc.,) makes sense as there are fluid flushes involved but the first service and the odd year services (1,3, 5, etc.,) are a humongous waste of money. They basically change your wiper blades and the key fob battery and charge $600 for that. What was it that they said about service not being a "profit center?" Sure looks like a Profit Center for those odd year services.

If you lease, you should be required to pay only for what is needed to maintain the warranty just like any other car. It's a really shady double standard IMHO to say oh EVs are so reliable and service is not required and has no bearing on your warranty but if you lease you are required to waste money on services that really don't amount to anything.

Like I said earlier I'm okay with the every second year service that involves fluid changes but those odd year services seem to be a complete waste of money. I can change the key fob battery, the wiper blades and replace the cabin air filter on my own. What exactly am I paying $600 for the first year service when I can do all those things on my own? I know my brakes are going to be fine and if my tire needs replacement I don't need to pay someone $600 to tell me that...

- - - Updated - - -

befcomet said:
My understanding is this :: Not having the service won't void the warranty, but if there are items that need repaired that were neglected, Tesla could make you pay that at lease turn-in. As for me -- the 2nd service is the biggie - I do plan on doing that one. The first one - meh. Maybe not.

But that's just the point. There is *nothing* to maintain if you are barely putting about 12K miles on your car like most people. Like you I agree that the even year services make sense but they are making those who lease pay for the odd year services and I think it's quite an exorbitant sum they are charging to essentially do minor things that you can do on your own.

Other than tires, brakes, and wipers there are no other wear and tear items in a Model S that are even possible to be "neglected" and everything else is covered by the warranty. What they seem to say about holding you responsible if you don't do the odd year services makes absolutely no sense.

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Is the annual service required for Tesla leases?

MsElectric

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JimmyAZ

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befcomet

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MsElectric

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