Are Teslas any good?

[tintin]

So...I thought I'd share my Tesla recall experience today, which was a world away from what I used to get at Audi (Smith Knight Fay/Inchcape) with my Audi S8.

I got an email this morning from Tesla about a bonnet latch recall: non-urgent, not major, and my second recall in six years - the other being for the passenger airbag, which was fixed by a Tesla "mobile ranger" whilst I was charging at a Tesla supercharger and either working on my laptop, or drinking beer in the hotel bar - I can't remember which now .

Anyway, this is a summary of the steps in this process from start to end today - none of which bear any resemblance to my old "main dealer" experiences:

1) Take (about) a minute to schedule a service appointment with the App on my mobile,
2) Get confirmation on the App within seconds, and also via text/email,
3) Drive for 20 minutes to the store. On approach, Tesla "sees" my car in its "geocache" area, and sends a "thank you" to my App and also by text,
4) Get out of my car - and go into the store if I want, and help myself to the free wifi, coffee, biscuits, fruit, etc, and chat with the store staff (if I wish). No need to handover car keys, wait for anyone to come & speak to you, etc, etc, as they already have access to my car. Or head to the pub instead ,
5) Sit and do some work for 30 minutes, with my coffee & biscuits,
6) Get a confirmation text that the work has been done and my car is ready, along with a pin code to allow me to access/unlock the car,
7) Drive home with the app and car updated, and with my car fully charged again.

Simples. Never going back to Audi - or anyone else for that matter.

[ainarssems]

I had quite opposite experience.

Warning came up on dash that 12V battery need to be replaced soon. Raised service request in app asking how much for just the battery or how much to supply and fit. App said somebody will get back to me within 2 hours. Kept checking app, no update in app, no emails, no phone calls, after about 4 days my request disappeared from app.

Whatever, I will just measure up battery myself and get generic battery somewhere else. It's just a small AGM deep cycle lead acid 12V 33Ah battery.

[ainarssems]

Originally Posted by ainarssems

I had quite opposite experience.

Warning came up on dash that 12V battery need to be replaced soon. Raised service request in app asking how much for just the battery or how much to supply and fit. App said somebody will get back to me within 2 hours. Kept checking app, no update in app, no emails, no phone calls, after about 4 days my request disappeared from app.

Whatever, I will just measure up battery myself and get generic battery somewhere else. It's just a small AGM deep cycle lead acid 12V 33Ah battery.

So I raised another request yesterday just for testing and to see the price quote. It appears some in USA are getting battery for $85 and fitting for $28. But in UK it's more like £250 all in.

The request I raised yesterday has disappeared less than 24h after with no contact.

So I raised another one just now but don't have much hope of anybody actually getting back to me with quote

[ainarssems]

Third time lucky.



Labour charge seem very reasonable especially since they are spending time coming to me but battery itself seems expensive for what it is.
On the other hand it is rated for up to 600A max discharge current which is quite a lot for such a small battery. Any similar aftermarket batteries in the same size and same terminals are 26-40Ah £30-70 mostly for mobility scooters/golf carts and either does not list discharge current at all or it's 20-25 A and they only come with 1 year warranty. I have asked how long will the warranty be on Teslas battery.

[ainarssems]

Tesla now offering service manuals for free. It's a subscription service for a year so if interested better sign up quick before they change their mind and put prices up.

https://www.teslarati.com/tesla-serv...nual-free/amp/

https://t.co/gfr8SxEV2u

[tintin]

Worth marking this, I think, just over seven years from the start of this thread by Jim:

December's SMMT data shows Tesla outselling every other UK model on sale, taking not just first, but first and second place, and shifting almost five times as many cars as the third placed car (Nissan's Qashqai).

And diesel is now trailing in third place behind EVs, with only one VAG product (the Golf) in the top 10.

[Adrian E]

As an owner, how are people finding the charging experience these days? Reading the regular suspects it appears over xmas demand far exceeded capacity across the network (and because of the supercharger network at motorway services, that seemed to be a particularly featured Tesla phenomenon) with reports of queues of several hours. Obviously if you're travelling at peak times that's the risk you take, but just wondering if 'in the real world' it's not as bad as made out?

Main thing stopping us making the leap is the purchase price - I've never leased a car and don't particularly want to start now (having moved house 5 years ago we've just seen a big hit on our mortgage outgoings as it is), along with the stratospheric price of utilities......BIK etc doesn't benefit us as owner drivers

[pete-p]

Originally Posted by tintin

So...I thought I'd share my Tesla recall experience today, which was a world away from what I used to get at Audi (Smith Knight Fay/Inchcape) with my Audi S8.

I got an email this morning from Tesla about a bonnet latch recall: non-urgent, not major, and my second recall in six years - the other being for the passenger airbag, which was fixed by a Tesla "mobile ranger" whilst I was charging at a Tesla supercharger and either working on my laptop, or drinking beer in the hotel bar - I can't remember which now .

Anyway, this is a summary of the steps in this process from start to end today - none of which bear any resemblance to my old "main dealer" experiences:

1) Take (about) a minute to schedule a service appointment with the App on my mobile,
2) Get confirmation on the App within seconds, and also via text/email,
3) Drive for 20 minutes to the store. On approach, Tesla "sees" my car in its "geocache" area, and sends a "thank you" to my App and also by text,
4) Get out of my car - and go into the store if I want, and help myself to the free wifi, coffee, biscuits, fruit, etc, and chat with the store staff (if I wish). No need to handover car keys, wait for anyone to come & speak to you, etc, etc, as they already have access to my car. Or head to the pub instead ,
5) Sit and do some work for 30 minutes, with my coffee & biscuits,
6) Get a confirmation text that the work has been done and my car is ready, along with a pin code to allow me to access/unlock the car,
7) Drive home with the app and car updated, and with my car fully charged again.

Simples. Never going back to Audi - or anyone else for that matter.

That wasn't too far off my experience when I went for the airbag recall with Audi recently. Main differences would be that I had to call the dealer to book in, but that didn't take long, also the tech isn't there on a D2 and I had to ask for my coffee (they offered at the start but must have forgotten). I also then received a text to say the inspection was complete and a link to a walkaround video showing what additional work might need doing.

I could have gone across the road to a cafe but decided to wait in the waiting room and do some work, nice comfy seating, TVs etc all to the side away from the rest of the busy showroom.

Afterwards they found me in the waiting room to say it was all complete and gave my my paperwork and told me where my car was parked. No other selling of anything and all rather pleasant. perhaps your Audi dealer isn't so good

[paulrstaylor]

I thought of this thread when I watched a Rich Rebuilds video on youtube yesterday, outlining some (potentially sensationalist) service issues with Tesla in the US. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ml5meauKOEA

I think it is fair to say that Tesla like many brands can have a mixed reviews - they are growing faster than any other for sure, and that will bring challenges

Personally - I just avoid all "service" approaches, do it myself, make my own drinks

[tintin]

Originally Posted by pete-p

Perhaps your Audi dealer isn't so good

My Audi dealer was one of the main triggers for me walking away from the brand. It typically took about four conversations with various members of the "service department", none of which were usually of any value, before finally getting to talk to the person I needed to.

I have so many horror stories with them, and I wouldn't go anywhere near them anymore - I'd far rather make the 640 mile round trip to Truro to let Michaela work her magic, when needed