Advice for comprehensive claim, rear glass liftgate, 2023-MYLR

[sarah_pdx]

TL;DR: Need my car, but seems repair will take months. Have rental coverage for only 1 month. Looking for ideas on how to deal with it...

The damage:

• When: A couple weeks ago at 1:45am during a winter storm
• Where: Parked overnight at a winter cabin under large pine trees. This is Portland Oregon Mt Hood area.
• How: A large branch broke from heavy snow and wind and fell on the rear window and lift gate.
• Damage: Rear glass smashed. Left upper lift gate dented (but not badly?). A very minor bend on left corner window trim. Liftgate works fine with no rubbing. Liftgate alignment seems fine.
  

What I did so far

• Vacuumed up as much glass as I could. Still a fair amount rattling around under rear seat and in liftgate trim...
• Patched the window with cardboard/plastic/painters-tape/gorilla-tape. Good enough for short trips in the rain. Probably not good enough to be outside in the rain/snow all day?
• Made an appointment at the local Tesla service center to get it repaired. I thought this was the right thing to do, but read on...
• I have insurance through Tesla. I opened a comprehensive claim. I have 30 days of rental coverage at $45/day ($1350/claim).
• I can commute to work during the week via alternate means, but I really enjoy skiing and typically travel ~2hrs to local ski every weekend in the winter.

Current predicament

• After waiting two weeks, Tesla service center canceled my appointment saying they don't repair body damage. They say I need to call body shops from their list. Would have been good to know that two weeks ago... Maybe this is on me?
• Haven't heard any response from my questions to Tesla claims person. Frustrating. Perhaps we are supposed to understand the whole process ourselves?
• I called three shops on Tesla's list today. Earliest possibility for repair is months away. One was scheduling 12 months out??!!

Options

1. Pay someone (out of pocket?) to repair the glass - leave the dent for now. This assumes the window sealing area isn't too damaged. Also assumes I can find someone who will do it. Buys time until dent can be fixed at a local body shop. The new glass will have to be removed and re-installed when the dent is fixed (wasteful?). If I can do this, this is the least disruptive for me. I ski a lot and have snow tires, chains, and winter gear for the car.
2. Make my makeshift repair more robust. Make it so I can leave it out in the rain/snow for multiple days. Would also work, but not stoked about driving with a janky patched rear window for several months. Possibility of being stopped by police? Probably not super safe since the rear view mirror is currently completely blocked?
3. Keep looking for a shop that can repair it sooner? Not hopeful on this...
4. Buy a cheap temporary car. Perhaps drastic, but just trying to come up with ideas... Park the MYLR in garage until it can be repaired. Get it repaired then sell the temp car. But... need temp car to have winter tires. Need to buy winter chains. Major hassle...
5. Buy a new MYLR. Park my old MYLR in garage until repaired, then sell it after repair. Really drastic, but I have all the winter stuff for it already, and probably pretty quick?
6. Other ideas?

Love the cars. Repair is a nightmare.

 

[sarah_pdx]

Went with Option 1 from above.

But first took it to a body shop (Mackin's 56 Portland Oregon from Tesla's list) for repair estimate ($5,160). I'm scheduled for repair until end of May.

Then I took it to a glass shop (Complete Glass, who I understand do a lot of Tesla glass in the Portland area) and had the glass repaired. They said the dent affected it a little but not too bad. Cost was $1250 ($1080 glass + $170 upper brake light).

I could end up paying for the glass twice - if they break it when removing it for the liftgate repair. I figure $1000 is cheaper than a rental car for a few months.

Haven't heard anything from Tesla insurance yet...