Alignment no longer part of Annual Service?

AmpedRealtor · Jul 1, 2015

Someone just posted over at TM Forums that they were informed of a new policy by their local service center. Per that person's service center, annual service is still $600 but alignments are an additional $149. Alignments are no longer included. I am posting here to see if anyone else can corroborate this. This sounds crazy??

carlk | JULY 1, 2015

Just came back from the Fremont SC. A couple of disappointments. One is that wheel alignment is not included in the service. They are charging an additional $149 for that. When asked the service advicer confirmed it's a new policy. I asked them to do it anyway because I thought the steering was not as sharp as it was before.

The next disappointment is I got a rental instead of a loaner. I quess the timing is bad that they probably have sold out their inventories at end of quarter. He promised to swap it to a loaner when one comes in later. Lets see how it goes. I'd hate to drive the mini cooper 25 miles home and back tomorrow. Yes it made me to appreciate my S even more.

mibaro2 · Jul 1, 2015

Yes, it sounds crazy. I expect an alignment to be done with the annual service. I'll ask our SC and see if they are aware of any policy change (wonder if it a global policy change, or a local one at that SC).

AmpedRealtor · Jul 1, 2015

I've asked my service manager to check into this, but he was not immediately aware of any policy change.

TexasEV · Jul 1, 2015

And what about people who had prepaid for annual service?

AmpedRealtor · Jul 1, 2015

TexasEV said:
And what about people who had prepaid for annual service?

Those who pre-paid for service have a written contract that specifically states alignments are included. Access your MyTesla and you will see the pre-paid service contract along with your owner's manual, warranty papers, etc. I do not believe Tesla can unilaterally change the terms of that agreement to remove a benefit.

Hodginator · Jul 1, 2015

I scheduled a service for August and at the time of our discussion (last weekend), the alignment was still part of the standard $600 service.

jbcarioca · Jul 1, 2015

I surely hope that they would not change policy when we've already paid assuming alignment was included.

TexasEV said:
And what about people who had prepaid for annual service?

slevit1md · Jul 1, 2015

This would be pretty upsetting, if true. I already thought the cost of the annual service was a bit of a rip off (and from what I've been reading, I'm not alone), but at least there was the alignment there as something they were guaranteed to do, even if nothing else is wrong. Since alignments aren't cheap anyway, I felt it helped to offset the cost some. But now, I really don't know what I'd be getting for $600, particularly since I have to drive about 130 miles to my nearest service center, and especially if they don't find anything that needs attention.

Zarwin · Jul 1, 2015

It's still in the service FAQ on the website:

Service Answers | Tesla Motors

What happens during my scheduled maintenance inspection?

During your annual inspection, our expert Tesla Service team will take your Model S through a bumper to bumper, roof to wheel inspection. The wheels will be removed and tires will be rotated. If wheel alignment is necessary, this will be taken care of during your appointment. Logs will be pulled and examined, and all systems will be tested for operation. The drive unit assemblies will be inspected, and the temperature management system will be checked. Your brakes will be inspected, and normal items, such as brake pads and windshield wipers will be replaced as needed. Please note that tire wear is not covered as part of the annual inspection or under the Tesla Service Plans or the New Vehicle Limited Warranty.

MsElectric · Jul 1, 2015

This IMHO further negates taking your car in for the odd year services where they don't perform any fluid changes. Even at $600 it was already twice as much as what our Mercedes dealer charged to service our V8 for the "minor" services that don't require major fluid flushes. Every other year our Mercedes service bill is under $200 so at $600 that is 3X more for an electric car that should require vastly less service.

I've said this before and I'll say it again... IMHO Tesla should do away with the same price for service no matter what you do and just bill you for what they actually do. Ironically car dealers are reasonable this way. I can see the $600 service making sense for the every 4 year services where they do a bunch of fluid flushes but certainly not the minor services done on odd years.

dsm363 · Jul 1, 2015

I'm getting my alignment done under warranty today with the prepaid service plan.

sorka · Jul 1, 2015

Alignment is a warranty issue for the first 20K miles with Toyota. Additionally, up until 20K miles, you can ask for one free alignment check just because you want it.

tinm · Jul 9, 2015

I did my 2nd annual service at the Scottsdale service center on Tues/Wed. They said my car needed alignment adjusted. They wanted to charge me the fee.

I protested. Pointed out the Service FAQ page. They backed down, gave it to me as part of the $600.

Max* · Jul 9, 2015

Damn... if alignment isn't included that might change how often I want to get my car serviced...

AmpedRealtor · Jul 9, 2015

Suggest folks bookmark and/or print out this page in case it mysteriously changes in the future:

Service Answers | Tesla Motors

In this FAQ, it clearly says that alignment is INCLUDED as part of the annual service. It also states that you CAN transfer the pre-paid service plan to a subsequent owner, which some owners in the past were told is not possible.

Curiously, if you go to Tesla Service | Tesla Motors only, there are no links to the FAQ page. Could the FAQ page be outdated and no longer linked to?

tinm · Jul 9, 2015

Thanks for the link.

Let's memorialize the actual text on that page, as it reads on Thu Jul 9 2015:

TexasEV · Jul 9, 2015

AmpedRealtor said:
Those who pre-paid for service have a written contract that specifically states alignments are included. Access your MyTesla and you will see the pre-paid service contract along with your owner's manual, warranty papers, etc. I do not believe Tesla can unilaterally change the terms of that agreement to remove a benefit.

I just looked at my pre-paid service agreement online and actually Tesla can change the terms to remove a benefit:

The regularly scheduled maintenance inspections shall include the following (subject to change by Tesla
at any time and without notice, in its sole discretion):
•
Vehicle inspection;
•
Replacement or repair at the time of inspection of normal maintenance items and wear and
tear
parts, excluding the Battery and tires;
•
Wheel alignment*; and
•
Tire rotation*.

I'm scheduled for my 2-year service on Monday. We'll see what happens.

AmpedRealtor · Jul 9, 2015

TexasEV said:
I just looked at my pre-paid service agreement online and actually Tesla can change the terms to remove a benefit:

The regularly scheduled maintenance inspections shall include the following (subject to change by Tesla
at any time and without notice, in its sole discretion):
•
Vehicle inspection;
•
Replacement or repair at the time of inspection of normal maintenance items and wear and
tear
parts, excluding the Battery and tires;
•
Wheel alignment*; and
•
Tire rotation*.

I'm scheduled for my 2-year service on Monday. We'll see what happens.

This seems onerous to me. I'm not sure how Tesla can legally remove a contracted benefit unilaterally without offering the other party the option to cancel the agreement and receive a pro-rated refund. Cell phone companies change their plans quite often, but when a change is made to your calling plan, you then have the option to cancel the remainder of the contract. Perhaps Tesla included that language to cover the addition of benefits, but would a court of law actually uphold the removal of benefits?

I'm sure we have lawyers in the house. Hello?

Electricfan · Jul 9, 2015

tinm said:
I did my 2nd annual service at the Scottsdale service center on Tues/Wed. They said my car needed alignment adjusted. They wanted to charge me the fee.

I protested. Pointed out the Service FAQ page. They backed down, gave it to me as part of the $600.

Thanks for sharing that. More evidence Tesla service is going the dealership model route - take the customer for everything you can. And I'm glad I'm not the only one its happening to.

qwk · Jul 9, 2015

I'm not sure why anyone here is surprised. Instead of doing the right thing from the get go, Tesla seems to implement these ill-will policies, and then change them back to something reasonable after all of the outrage from customers. Makes very little sense.

Alignment no longer part of Annual Service?

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