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Tesla Model S Service Contract: $600/Year, Or Warranty Voided

 
13,624 views Oct 8, 2012

2012 Tesla Model S beta vehicle, Fremont, CA, October 2011

2012 Tesla Model S beta vehicle, Fremont, CA, October 2011

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One big advantage of electric cars is reduced maintenance.

With no internal combustion engine, there is no oil to change, no exhaust system,  no transmission, no myriad of moving parts to break or wear out, and no air or fuel filters to clog up. With regenerative braking, brake pads last virtually forever.


So it was a shock to learn that Tesla will charge $600 a year for a routine service on my 2012 Model S, which I specced out in September and am due to receive in December.

More:  Tesla Accused Of Operating Illegal Showrooms In 4 States

I currently own a 2011 Chevrolet Volt. Containing not only an engine but an electric motor and a battery thermal-management system, the Volt is among the most complex cars on the road today--far more complicated than the Tesla.

Yet its maintenance requirements are minimal: an annual systems check ($49 at my local dealer), and a $35 oil change every two years, which includes the annual inspection. (The Volt's engine runs so rarely--in my case, about 20 percent of the time--that oil change intervals are based on time, not mileage.)

Over a two-year period, my total Volt service cost will amount to $84. Over the same period, Tesla Motors [NSDQ:TSLA] will charge me $1,200 for service on my "low-maintenance" engine-less electric Model S.

So what's going on here?

According to the Tesla website, the $600 annual fee includes an inspection, replacement parts like brake pads and windshield wipers, 24-hour roadside assistance,  system monitoring, remote diagnostics, and software updates.

Parsing Tesla's $600 fee, let's allocate $100 for the wiper blades, roadside assistance, monitoring, and software update features.  (That's being generous; my OnStar-equipped Volt comes with roadside assistance and software updates for free.)

That leaves $500 for the annual inspection. At typical luxury-car shop rates, call it four hours of labor. So what the heck does a Tesla mechanic do during those four hours?

Tesla doesn't seem to want to talk about it.  When I contacted the company's public relations department, I got no response for almost a week.  A follow-up e-mail elicited a couple of questions about my question. Two weeks later, I'm still waiting.

Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk with Tesla Roadster

Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk with Tesla Roadster

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So I tried Plan B: a personal e-mail to Tesla CEO Elon Musk (a tactic that has worked well for me in the past).

Sure enough, Musk replied four hours later.

"We are matching service cost to be less than a Mercedes of comparable purchase price," Musk wrote.

"Some manufacturers incorporate more of the service cost in the purchase price of the car and/or have extra items that aren't covered by the manufacturer's warranty."

If Tesla is targeting Mercedes-Benz, they seem to be aiming too high.  My local Mercedes dealer quotes $220 for the 10,000-mile service on an S Class full-size luxury sedan.

2012 Tesla Model S, brief test drive, New York City, July 2012

2012 Tesla Model S, brief test drive, New York City, July 2012

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"This basically amounts to $50/month and covers all software upgrades as well as concierge level service," Musk went on to say,  "whereas other manufacturers make few to zero vehicle system upgrades post-purchase, and service is less than great."

This seems to imply that Tesla owners who opt out of the maintenance program won't receive software upgrades. Is that indeed the case?

I e-mailed Musk back with this question. Uncharacteristically, he has remained silent on the matter.

But in a recent blog post on the Tesla Motor Club forum, Tesla vice president George Blankenship made it perfectly clear: Failure to fork over $600 for an annual inspection will void your warranty. Period.

Moreover, any visit to a non-Tesla shop--even for something as simple as tire rotation--will also void the warranty. Period.






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Comments (69)

  1. fb_1001015277 avatar John Briggs Posted: 10/8/2012 7:23am PDT

    I have to wonder if this is even legal.
    Massachusetts has a "right to repair" law on the books. I don't know the details, but certainly the spirit of the law is to allow the consumer to take their vehicle to a shop of their choosing.

    Tesla's behavior seems particularly egregious if they insist on the dealer rotating the tires (which I do myself). This is particularly troubling because tire rotation may be needed every 5000 miles and Tesla dealers will be few and far between.
     
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  2. Chris O avatar Chris O Posted: 10/8/2012 11:37am PDT

    The possible legal repercussions already suggest that the truth may be rather more nuanced than this story suggests but this story does touch on an interesting conundrum for specialised EV makers: they need to offer a network of service stations, but what will pay for that if the cars don't actually need that much service? Clearly Tesla is grappling with that question and it would appear that so far they haven't found a particularly satisfying solution.
     
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  3. CDspeed avatar CDspeed . Posted: 10/8/2012 12:46pm PDT

    That's why Tesla should open dealerships they'd make more money per location. A service center that only provides service to cars that almost don't need service plus the service rangers means that the service centers won't pull in a lot of income and may actually cost Tesla more then what they bring in. If Tesla had dealerships they'd make money off of sales, service, accessories, and preowned cars.
     
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  4. fb_100000004307729 avatar Al Bunzel Posted: 10/9/2012 3:53am PDT

    If this $600/year service charge is true, in my opinion, Tesla need to justify what they are doing for the $600. I can imagine many owners or potential owners wanting to see evidence that the $600 spent represents value for money.
    If Tesla fail in explaining or justifying the $600 adequately, then I can imagine critics like Top Gear will have a feast.
     
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  5. fb_100003357801281 avatar DrBob Reinke Posted: 10/10/2012 10:39am PDT

    Model S tires are not rotatable. The rear tires are a different size than the front, and can't be moved front to rear. The wheels are unirotational and cannot be moved side to side. They would have to dismount the tires from the rims to rotate. That's why they say that their servise rangers cannot rotate the tires on the field.
     
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  6. fb_1314716927 avatar Jason Lancaster Posted: 10/8/2012 7:40am PDT

    Tesla can *try* to force their customers to do maintenance work at a Tesla dealership, but the minute they invalidate a warranty, they'll have the FTC at their door.

    Magunsson-Moss is clear on this - a manufacturer can't force a consumer to perform service at any specific location as a condition of the warranty. All they can do is specify the exact type of service that must be performed.

    Once again, Tesla shows a lack of automotive knowledge and experience. It's mind boggling that such a smart company could make so many mistakes...
     
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  7. fb_1314716927 avatar Jason Lancaster Posted: 10/8/2012 7:41am PDT

    I'm sorry - make that "Magnuson-Moss". Can't spell today.
     
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  8. fb_549962284 avatar Ben Cox Posted: 10/8/2012 7:58am PDT

    As John Briggs said: I'm pretty sure it's illegal everywhere for a car manufacturer to void a warranty after a car is serviced at a third-party shop.
     
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  9. fb_549962284 avatar Ben Cox Posted: 10/8/2012 7:58am PDT

    (I guess I should add: Unless of course they can show that the third-party shop caused a problem.)
     
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  10. brianoflondon avatar Brian of London Posted: 10/8/2012 7:58am PDT

    So Tesla have snuck in charges by the back door that are pretty much like what I AGREED to pay Better Place and for which I have well defined service level agreements for. Nice.

    I have no argument with Tesla charging money, but be honest about it. Tell owners the car comes with a mandatory $50 month service fee.

    Are you allowed to put extra air in your own tyres?

    And I can rotate my own tyres and even change my own wiper blades. Which I will do because they usually rot from one rain to the next in Israel.
     
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  11. jmcvicker avatar John McVicker Posted: 10/8/2012 10:23am PDT

    If Chevy had a $50/month service contract for Volts, they wouldn't be selling any of them.

    More "pay to play" fees will keep Tesla from success.
     
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  12. fb_1057890311 avatar Sahas Katta Posted: 10/8/2012 8:03am PDT

    Hmm. I wonder if Tesla will backpedal on this pricing. That's way too expensive.

    About a week ago, Tesla tried charging every Model S owner with a 60 kWh model or above an extra $1,000-2,000 for "access" to the supercharger network even though the hardware is included in the price.

    About 2-3 days later, I got an email waving the fees.
     
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  13. fb_668626333 avatar Kurt Jenney Posted: 1/13/2013 6:58pm PST

    you got them to waive the 2k dollar fee for supercharging?
     
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  14. Todd R. Lockwood avatar Todd Lockwood Posted: 10/8/2012 8:27am PDT

    You've been misinformed, David. Tesla's marketing director recently clarified the Model S warranty on Tesla's web site forum.

    The $600/year service plan is optional. You will NOT void your warranty by not purchasing it. The only thing the warranty requires is that you get the car inspected at a Tesla service facility every 12-months or 12,500 miles (whichever occurs first). This inspection is done to insure the integrity of the battery pack is not compromised by a defective cell or two. Letting such a problem linger for a long period could cause further damage. The inspection is also done to check wear on parts like brake pads, replacing them (for free) before they damage the rotors.

    But the optional $600/year plan is worth considering.
     
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  15. DavidNoland avatar David Noland Posted: 10/8/2012 8:50am PDT

    Here's the direct quote fromGeorge Blankenship's blog post::

    "You will forfeit your warranty if you do not do Annual or 12,500 mile Inspections, when due. You will forfeit your warranty if you take your Model S to an independent shop for vehicle service and/or repairs. Your car needs to be serviced by a current, Tesla Certified mechanic to make sure it is working properly and to maintain the warranty on your car.

    I don't see how you can be any more clear than that.
     
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  16. fb_615350351 avatar Nick Willan Posted: 10/8/2012 12:26pm PDT

    Actually, that quote does not say that you are required to buy the service plan. Only that you must get it serviced at the Tesla repair shop. Maybe you'll just be charged for work done at the annual inspection.
     
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  17. fb_1314716927 avatar Jason Lancaster Posted: 10/8/2012 1:21pm PDT

    Yes, and it's still in direct opposition to the letter of the law. Magnuson-Moss is a blanket consumer protection that keeps manufacturers from pulling this kind of crap.

    Between this issue and Tesla's attempt to skirt dealer franchise laws, it's pretty clear to me that they think they're smarter than everyone else.

    If you buy a Tesla, beware.
     
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  18. fb_1425304620 avatar Joe Foerster Posted: 10/10/2012 3:13pm PDT

    Well, I'm no lawyer, but I think the caveat is that it "needs to be serviced by a current, Tesla Certified mechanic". So you can get it serviced anywhere that has one of those, right? No Magnuson-Moss violation. But of course, there is only one place you will find said mechanic...
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  19. fb_100000300125523 avatar fb_100000300125523 Posted: 10/9/2012 9:21am PDT

    George is obviously confused, you can have your repairs done at any independent facility, as long as they have the proper tools and computers to service your S.. if they dont and break something its obvious your warranty will not cover it.

    Many manufacturers require a yearly inspection.. its a good idea.
     
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  20. Krafter324 avatar RIck Scinta Posted: 10/8/2012 8:30am PDT

    I hardly EVER take my car to the dealer unless its a warranty repair. It's not convenient and I'm not the type to really make an appointment for service. When I have time, I will do it... and wiper replacement really? It's takes 5 minutes and you can buy wiper blades for $25 or less in most cases. Very disappointing to hear.
     
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  21. fb_1333530932 avatar John Griswell Posted: 10/8/2012 8:33am PDT

    I guess I see this as part and parcel of being an early adaptor. The money to build out the service centers and employ the mechanics has to come from somewhere if Tesla is to ramp Gen3 to mass production levels.

    We own an Audi and Mercedes Benz and this does not feel that out of line with them (yes the 10k was less but when I average in the massive 60k and beyond things even out).

    Clearly I am in the minority here though, but I am not buying the Model S to save money on gas/service but to drive the cars of the future today and to help that future get built. $600 a year on a $70k car seems reasonable to me.

    Having said that I expect the costs come down for Gen3.
     
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  22. fb_1341732987 avatar Douglas Kerr Posted: 10/8/2012 11:13am PDT

    You seem to be justifying the $600 fee simply because Tesla needs the money. That's a pretty weak reason. Comparing the fee to gas vehicles doesn't begin to compare. The fee has to be justified, or customers are simply being charged a hidden "early adopter" fee. If that is the case, then just charge more for the car. Don't B.S. the customer that the $600 is actually a service.
     
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  23. fb_1001015277 avatar John Briggs Posted: 10/9/2012 4:52am PDT

    I love that he said "early adapter" rather than "early adopter". Maybe what we need to do is "adapt" to Tesla's world view :).
     
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  24. Todd R. Lockwood avatar Todd Lockwood Posted: 10/8/2012 8:53am PDT

    David, here's the Tesla forum post referred to in my last comment. If you read the Q&A at the bottom, it is plainly stated that your warranty WILL stay in effect, even if you don't purchase the $600/mo service plan...

    http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showthread.php/10150-Warranty-Servicing-official-Tesla-responses-%28incl-GeorgeB%29/page3?p=187010&viewfull=1#post187010

    To maintain the warranty, you simply have to bring your Model S to a Tesla service facility every 12 months or 12,500 miles for an annual inspection.
     
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  25. DavidNoland avatar David Noland Posted: 10/8/2012 9:52am PDT

    Yes, and that annual inspection costs $600.
     
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  26. fb_1825381859 avatar Snoopdiddy Gant Posted: 10/13/2012 3:13pm PDT

    Did they identify the cost for that inspection??? Bet it's around $600!
     
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  27. MichaelThwaite avatar Michael Thwaite Posted: 10/8/2012 8:59am PDT

    I'm in that 48% that thinks it high but not outrageous, actually, I'm really close to the 'It's good value' group. It might be personal circumstances, it might be that I'm driving a Roadster but, Tesla Service is not the same thing as having your BMW/Audi/Merc looked at. They visit your house/place of work and carry out the maintenance there or they pick it up in a low-loader and take it to the local facility. This will change with the S no doubt but I think that it will long remain a more personal service like Aston/Jag/Ferrari, etc. than Toyota (_shudder_). I suspect that the Volt service, which sounds great btw, is a loss-leader price wise. As my old Dad would say, dealers don't get enough - he was a dealer.
     
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  28. jmcvicker avatar John McVicker Posted: 10/8/2012 10:27am PDT

    The whole point of buying an EV is to cut resource usage - that includes paying regular ICE-based service fees. A well desgined EV should basically be service-free except for tire rotations and occasional coolant fluid changing and alignment adjustments. I think you're looking at it from a 'peace of mind' point of view but the thing you may not be seeing is the level of what a more average person has in their budget for expenses. I can afford this, you can afford this - but should we? I bought a Volt to save money and expect to not go to a service center except for annual state inspections and perhaps tire rotations and a brief overview of any adjustments under warranty. For the next six years. No way would I have bought with 50/mo.
     
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  29. CDspeed avatar CDspeed . Posted: 10/8/2012 11:59am PDT

    I agree, fewer service needs should mean cheaper upkeep and that is a bonus for EVs. This yearly fee almost wipes out the bonus.
     
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  30. Sudre avatar jim m Posted: 10/8/2012 7:13pm PDT

    I think it's just time to admit this is not an "average person"'s car.

    That car is at least three years away. GenIII
     
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  31. fb_1201199 avatar Davis Darvish Posted: 4/6/2013 7:18pm PDT

    Seriously i have never seen a bunch of cry babies. The Tesla S is a LUXURY VEHICLE. LUXURY means $$$. I agree they may be a little dihonest about the fees but they could have just added $3000 to the cost of each vehicle and offered free service to everyone and no one would think twice about it. You are buying a luxury car so deal with the costs
     
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  32. Todd R. Lockwood avatar Todd Lockwood Posted: 10/8/2012 9:15am PDT

    This article is NOT TRUE and should be taken down. It's giving people a false impression of Tesla. Below is the text from Tesla Marketing VP George Blankenship on Tesla's web site forum...

    “What I will forfeit if I do NOT buy a service plan?”

    "You do not have to buy a pre-paid service plan. The pre-paid plans were designed for those who want to reduce their costs by pre-paying, or get unlimited Ranger visits… but you do not have to buy a pre-paid plan at all."
     
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  33. john_v avatar John Voelcker Posted: 10/8/2012 9:42am PDT

    @Todd: So, in other words, it would appear that George Blankenship is on record in two places saying diametrically opposed things: the quote cited by author Noland, which is on an official Tesla site, versus the one you cited on TMC, which is not a Tesla-operated site.

    And Tesla communications staff is not returning Noland's repeated queries.

    Until this apparent contradiction is resolved definitively, I see no reason to take down the article. The author and I will happily update it as needed once Tesla responds directly to his questions.
     
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  34. Todd R. Lockwood avatar Todd Lockwood Posted: 10/16/2012 5:47pm PDT

    John: George Blankenship's entire post first appeared on the blog on the Tesla Motors company site...

    http://www.teslamotors.com/blog/transforming-automotive-service

    (scroll about half way down the page until you see GBLANKENSHIP 12:39am | Sep 17, 2012 )

    As you will see, it's the same post.

    I believe the Model S has attracted a lot of buyers who have never owned a car in this price category. If they had, they would understand that $600/year is not a bad deal. A complete brake pad and rotor replacement on an Audi can set you back $1,200 and it's not covered by Audi's warranty. Tesla's plan also includes their ranger service, which is particularly nice if you don't live near a Tesla service center. They'll come to you.
     
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  35. scottf200 avatar scottf200 Posted: 2/6/2013 9:17pm PST

    With great regen braking you are not going to need new brake pads very often. Certainly has been true on my Volt. Model X is very interesting but these of gotcha are disturbing.
     
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  36. DavidNoland avatar David Noland Posted: 10/8/2012 9:57am PDT

    Notice it says "pre-paid." If you don't buy the pre-paid plan, you just pay your $600 when you come in for the inspection. Pre-paid plan or not, you still have to pay $600 a year for the inspection that will keep your warranty in place
     
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  37. fb_528677124 avatar Thomas Fisher Posted: 10/8/2012 5:04pm PDT

    The headline is not factually correct. You only pay $600 if you DON'T purchase a service contract.

    If you DO purchase the service contract you get the annual/12,500 mile inspections and the other benefits for $1,900 for four years ($475/year).

    There is a service contract available which costs $600/year which might account for your confusion, but that contract includes unlimited Ranger service, which otherwise costs $100/visit.

    It would be nice if the article actually discussed the service plan as it exists instead of blending multiple price points and service levels (and gripes) together.

    The issue is not in fact the service plan (which has real value at $600/year) but the exorbitant fee if you don't purchase a service plan.
     
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  38. DavidNoland avatar David Noland Posted: 10/9/2012 8:59am PDT

    I must respond to your claim that "The headline is not factually correct. You only pay $600 if you DON'T purchase a service contract."

    The headline is correct. Here's the direct quote from the Tesla website:

    "In North America, a one-year (or 12,500-mile) service plan costs $600. This price covers your annual inspection and all wear and tear parts, excluding tires. This plan is paid for at the time of your annual (or 12,500-mile) inspection."

    As I've said before, how much clearer can you get?
     
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  39. Dkuba avatar Doug Kuba Posted: 10/8/2012 9:21am PDT

    That’s a good article reminds me of TMZ….. I was wondering the following….. the article fails to state if it is a cost failed to be disclosed, or if people who ordered the car knew this upfront…It only states the information as provided online at Tesla. In fact the author ordered a car as stated in article but never mentions where he first noticed such a charge. He mentions he specced his car out in Sept, judging from his line of work as an automotive author/Blogger I doubt his decision was impulsive in Sept about a Tesla purchase, which he had to know full well had such a program. Since the author mentioned his statistics from an “ online forum of Teslas reservation holders...” his mention of 12% cancellation rate of reservation holders s
     
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  40. DavidNoland avatar David Noland Posted: 10/9/2012 10:47am PDT

    I signed my purchase agreement about a week before the maintenance plan was announced. So, no, I did not know about it when I bought the car. Which explains why I used the word "shocked" to describe my reaction upon learning about it.
     
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  41. Dkuba avatar Doug Kuba Posted: 10/8/2012 9:23am PDT

    Teslas Service cost reminds me of Baggage fees on airlines. What do people expect Tesla to do let BP Procare work on your care then honor your warranty….Who buys Tesla or Fisker and thinks anybody but the people who sold you the car would work on it and that the guy who sold it to you would fail to tell you that his boss wanted you to know about how service/cost(s) works……



    Just to help out Tesla I am going to post this article on this Green Car site…. Somebody call the TeslaPR dept and wake them up its Monday!
     
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  42. fb_100003357801281 avatar DrBob Reinke Posted: 10/10/2012 11:34am PDT

    When we bought our Model S, I was very clear that I expected to do my own service, and stated that is why I wanted the factory repair manual. I was assured that the manual would be published and available at the time of my delivery. Without going into dozens of horror storys about post dealer repair failures, including the left rear wheel falling off-- the rear axels bursting into flames--the clutch chatter--the airconditioning cpmpressor damage--the wiring harnes bursting into flames--the drivers door falling off--the car falling off the hoist--the engine failing because a seal was left out(oil pumped out)--gas tank fell off on the freeway. And that is only a tiny expression of disapointment and fear of 50 yrs of mechanic's incompetence.
     
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  43. geo241 avatar george parrott Posted: 10/8/2012 9:38am PDT

    As a Model S deposit holder (#9883) I think $600/year of forced service contract is WAY too high. I have owned BMW, Audi, Lexus and Infiniti and never had anything like that level of "service cost," particularly in the first 2-3 years! I don't care if they have to truck my car to Fremont or wherever, the actual "service" included is minimal. And as another poster noted, we also now have BOTH the Volt and the Leaf. The Volt is so much more complex than the Model S, and it has needed ZIP service charged in our first 18 months of ownership. Yes, there have been "service recalls," but those were without charge and the provision of a free loaner car for the duration. WAKE UP Please Elon! We love the technology and design, but NOT $600/yr.
     
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  44. fb_500191062 avatar K O Posted: 10/8/2012 10:02am PDT

    Comment disabled by moderators.

     

  45. jmcvicker avatar John McVicker Posted: 10/8/2012 10:30am PDT

    This is like joining a country club and *enjoying* paying assessment fees because they help the club :)
     
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  46. fb_1470388190 avatar David Laur Posted: 10/8/2012 10:06am PDT

    i will forego the obvious here but your estimates of Volt maintenance is too low. many states have recycling laws that prevents them from doing oil changes for $35 and i live in one of them. also onstar is not free forever but it is shocking that Tesla is not offering free service for at least a year or two. Nissan also provides Carwings free but that is only good for 3 years.

    other than that; any maintenance required to maintain a warranty can be done by any certified mechanic. i guess the real question would be how easily this Tesla certification can be had?
     
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  47. fb_1559222512 avatar Xiaolong Li Posted: 10/8/2012 11:38am PDT

    $35 is a reasonable price for expensive area such as SF Bay Area. Anything more is just dealer profit.
     
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  48. fb_1425304620 avatar Joe Foerster Posted: 10/10/2012 3:30pm PDT

    My 2011 Volt has free OnStar for 5 years. Two years longer than my lease. So if I decide to buy it at the end, I will get those two years, otherwise I won't care. I'm halfway through my lease now and my oil life indicator is still at 82%. I've had a couple of software upgrades and a retrofit on the battery compartment, but have not spent one penny on service. I put 6.947 gallons of gas in it once since I got the car. I spend about $30 a month to charge it. In another year and a half, I plan to lease a 2014 model. It doesn't get any better.
     
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  49. fb_1470388190 avatar David Laur Posted: 10/8/2012 10:07am PDT

    will say it is now easy to see where the funding for that supercharger network is coming from...
     
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  50. fb_1470388190 avatar David Laur Posted: 10/8/2012 10:20am PDT

    i just talked with pending Tesla S 85 KWh holder who confirms that service contract is just like any other service contract. highly recommended but not required. granted many areas of the country owners have few options other than this which now looks like a great idea for many in the center of the US where Tesla Service Centers are sparse
     
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  51. CDspeed avatar CDspeed . Posted: 10/8/2012 11:07am PDT

    Well this stinks. I'm currently driving a BMW, it came with a zero cost maintenance plan. Along with the tire protection plan I purchased I've paid nothing for service over the nearly three years I've had the car. This yearly fee is almost in exotic car territory, my Porsche costs about $275.00 a year for regular service so my 911 is actually cheaper. Tesla should at least have a cheaper option if you only want the regular software upgrades. But it's this kind of mandatory fee crap that ticks me off, it's a pay this or else hostage situation. Why can't they have a reasonable fee that the service tech charges you when you actually need them?
     
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  52. fb_100000300125523 avatar fb_100000300125523 Posted: 10/9/2012 9:27am PDT

    CDspeed, you really did not get that BMW maintenance plan for free.. I hope you realize that :)
     
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  53. CDspeed avatar CDspeed . Posted: 10/9/2012 12:45pm PDT

    Yes I'm sure it was in the cost of the car, and it has been nice to just pick up my car and go. BMW's zero maintenance is standard along with their warranty and like the warranty it only lasts four years. And most importantly they have never hassled me or tried to charge me more money, they just get the job done and give my car back. There are also free loaner cars provided by the dealer.
     
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  54. BigB avatar Yuval Brandstetter Posted: 1/31/2013 12:57pm PST

    Yes but wait and see what happens when the warranty runs out. I can almost guarantee a major break-down likely enough in the gear or gear computer that will cost you an arm and a leg. German cars are absolutely the worst deal long-term.
     
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  55. CDspeed avatar CDspeed . Posted: 10/9/2012 12:48pm PDT

    http://www.bmwusa.com/Standard/Content/Owner/BMWUltimateService/Maintenance.aspx
     
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  56. fb_756180237 avatar Alexandre Lepretre Posted: 10/8/2012 11:27am PDT

    Model S is not yet imported in Europe and I'm still waiting for mine (reservation #202, I won't probably get it before March of 2013 !).
    But I think, in France, an obligatory visit to a control center to keep your warranty valid is illegal, for cars, as in some US states...
    We don't have prices indication for european market but as there is only ONE Tesla Store in France (in Paris) and one in Monaco, the anual visit will be complex to organise for the whole country, don't you think ? Tesla rangers will have to travel A LOT (some miles per year uh ?) ;-)
    The almost no cost maintenance for an electric car is a crucial argument, so ruin it with that unnecessary visit is very disapointing to me.
     
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  57. fb_1559222512 avatar Xiaolong Li Posted: 10/8/2012 11:39am PDT

    Tesla is expecting $100k car buyers to fork over $600/yr without any hestitation...
    But Tesla forgot that one of the reason that people "justify" EV cost is b/c of its low annual maintainence cost....
     
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  58. fb_756180237 avatar Alexandre Lepretre Posted: 10/8/2012 11:40am PDT

    Tesla keeps telling everyone that they get very precise informations about the state of your car, teletransmisted wirelessly via 3G, that they can even diagnose almost any problems and remotely reboot it if necessary. They already updated over the air the Model S system firmware to include the clutch option modification, which is cool and now they tell us that it is necessary for them to bring the car to a service dealer to perform a system check and an update of the OS ? Are you KIDDING ?
    This looks like a LIE, and for a firm like Tesla who wants a very "special" relation with their cutomers (which they achieved until now), you don't do that kind of things.
    I still want my car, but I don't want it to cost me another obligatory 600$/year !
     
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  59. Brian_Henderson avatar Brian Henderson Posted: 10/8/2012 12:46pm PDT

    $600/yr is $50/mo. This is interesting as Model S has a vehicle telemetrics system that reports status to Tesla over 3G. It also provides live map navigation & internet access. Perhaps the fee is to cover 3G data service to S in addition to maintenance inspections? This is speculation on my part, as haven't seen a breakdown of the fee.

    Better communication and clarification is needed from Tesla, particularly as they scale their customer base.
     
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  60. RDoc avatar Ralph Doctorow Posted: 10/8/2012 12:59pm PDT

    Another issue with this is what happens after 4 years/50K miles? The battery is warrantied for 8 years and represents over half the value of the car in many cases. Thus far, there's no word on what the last 4 years of warranty will cost. It could be expensive.
     
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  61. BigB avatar Yuval Brandstetter Posted: 1/31/2013 12:52pm PST

    That's the problem with ownjing the battery. In my case the battery belongs to Better Place, i swap it as often as i wish or need to, and its in their interest to keep the batteries in top-notch condition so drivers dont swap them needlessly.
     
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  62. RDoc avatar Ralph Doctorow Posted: 10/8/2012 1:47pm PDT

    While we're at it...

    Tesla also will void the warranty if you drive the car into Mexico, or even have it trucked through Mexico.
     
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  63. fb_100000004307729 avatar Al Bunzel Posted: 10/9/2012 3:31am PDT

    Isn't one of the world's richest person a Mexican (Carlos Slim)? What would happen if he wanted to buy a Model S or a fleet of them?
     
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  64. paulwesterberg avatar paul westerberg Posted: 10/10/2012 12:45pm PDT

    There are no Tesla service centers in Mexico so he would have a hard time getting any service, require, covered by warranty or otherwise.
     
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  65. fb_527471544 avatar Brian Hall Posted: 10/8/2012 9:11pm PDT

    The linkage of maintenance and the SuperCharging network is delusory. Essentially, the SC network has been "franchised" to Solar City, which will, on a n/w-wide basis, make a profit from selling more energy output to the utilities than the cars draw from the grid.

    If you parse that, it means SC is paying for the charging, and selling back more than it uses. TM is not even in the loop (though it could be 'on paper' while SC is actually paying the bills).
     
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  66. Mark Stang avatar Mark Stang Posted: 10/9/2012 5:18am PDT

    It seems like Tesla is having some problems most likely due to their inexperience with deciding what it would like to do such as providing service contracts that are mandatory? Despite what other high-end luxury car manufactures charge for routine maintenance $600 dollars per year or you void your warranty is a bit harsh and will most likely not go over too wells with the buyers. Also as others have said since the Model S is a totally new vehicle you will not find parts for it at your local NAPA and Tesla will be the only part supplier for some time to come. Tesla has to be comparable in what it charges for routine maintenance to what other manufacturers and dealers are charging for service or they will suffer a backlash
     
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  67. fb_1825381859 avatar Snoopdiddy Gant Posted: 10/13/2012 2:59pm PDT

    I normally don't cuss, but that just a bunch of mularky!!!
     
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  68. Todd R. Lockwood avatar Todd Lockwood Posted: 10/16/2012 5:51pm PDT

    Here, once again is the CORRECT story, as told by Tesla's VP of Sales, George Blankenship...

    http://www.teslamotors.com/blog/transforming-automotive-service

    (scroll about half way down the page until you see GBLANKENSHIP 12:39am | Sep 17, 2012 )
     
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  69. BigB avatar Yuval Brandstetter Posted: 1/31/2013 12:49pm PST

    I just paid 150 $ for my 12 month service on the Fluence ZE(its 12 months or 20K miles, whichever comes first)
    Besides detailed inspection all they had to do is change two filters: Batt vent filer and AC filter. That is all folks
    Next service is 40K miles. However, having seen my filters I think i will pop in in 20K miles and change them.
     
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