I don't own a Tesla, let alone a car. What is "servicing" for a car? You go to the dealer when something is wrong/broken? Or do you call Tesla?
Also, can you give a specific example of how Tesla servicing is "famously bad"? (I'm not doubting, but it will help me to better understand your comment.)
I sold my Tesla after 4 years, because I refused to own it out of warranty. No longer being associated with Musk is a bonus.
During the 4 years, it needed servicing (for actual faults, not for maintenance) 13 times.
4 of those times were "Car is dead" and it had to be towed.
To book service, you have to use the app. There's no phone number. You pick a date which is usually at least a week in advance, type in what's wrong, maybe attach a photo.
First, you'll get a reply in app's "chat" feature that your problem is actually normal, or it's somehow your fault, and it's not something they can fix.
After you've convinced them it's a real problem, your appointment comes around, and you take it into your service center, and wait about 30 minutes for someone to get around to seeing you. They repeat the previous message that it's your fault, or normal, etc. etc.
When they finally take it, there's zero feedback as to what's going on. In theory, you should get a loaner car while they repair, but they are usually "out".
3-14 days later, if you are lucky, your car is ready for pickup. No-one will be there to help you collect it, you just have to find it in the parking lot.
There's about a 50/50 chance of your problem being fixed, and 100% chance that they've added a couple of new ones. Your car will be filthy, inside and out, and need to be cleaned.
They also offer "mobile service" which is basically the same except they are rude to you in your driveway instead of at the service center.
Worst experience of any car. By far. Will never buy another one.
In Geneva, Switzerland they simply dont give replacement cars as per colleague's recent visit. And of course they are in the middle of nowhere, impractical for ie going to work adterwards.
Thats a very shitty service, even cheapest noname garages give replacements
I've come to think of cars, and maybe other big purchases, as you're purchasing a culture; the company that made it and will service it - it's why Toyota is so highly regarded. I own a 20yo Toyota Tacoma - and it's making more frequent shop visits now; and there are some good independent shops, but the Toyota guys really do a good job and over-communicate what's going on when they have your vehicle. You also have a person who handles you through the entire process - it's a great experience.
Tesla culture is the opposite - buy the care and go away please.
The first time I got a Toyota, I brought it for regular maintenance and they cleaned my car at the end. I was shocked because I never experienced this before, but the technician told me it was free and standard procedure.
At least they understood that if you see clean cars around you when you drive, you're more likely to buy the brand later, and keep happy clients.
Many dealership service centers have gone to great lengths to buck the stereotype they had acquired and have realized how a good experience with the service side of the business helps feed back into the sales side of the business.
I’m also a data point for excellent Toyota service from the dealership where we bought our Prius. From the concierge who holds your hand throughout the visit, to the free lunch voucher in their pleasant little cafeteria (sadly, closed after covid), to the couple of years of free oil changes, I actually looked forward to bringing the car in. And they cleaned it as well, a quick interior vacuum at least.
When my Audi is serviced, I actually get a video from the dealer made by the tech working on the car who walks around it and actually shows the issue, and talks about what they are doing for it.
I went to regular maintenance at Toyota, air filter and oil change and they inspected the chassis and sent me a video.
It was bit more expensive than normal shop, but very good service.
To be fair i don’t think there is a business where I can make an appointment in the same week.
I have ICE and getting basic oil change must be week in advance even when I call, I never get “we can book you tomorrow”.
Heck gettin haircut in my area they have calendars blocked so you have to plan with a week in advance. Super annoying as I have a simple cut and most of time it can be done in 15mins. Ok washing down cut hair is useful so maybe 18mins.
But I get frustrated I cannot just walk in, hotels, restaurants, hairdressers.
At lest ordering food online is usually an hour so no need to wait a week
AAA is exactly that business: call-out roadside assistance for flat/dead batteries, breakdowns, tows etc. They have 65 million members in North America. Response time varies greatly by day/time-of-day/your location/dispatching company, traffic but typically < 1.5-2h. https://mwg.aaa.com/ (And T-Mobile was even giving free AAA membership in 2024.)
Basic oil change is typically while-you-wait in non-peak hours; where on earth do you live? some 'services desert'?
I've even gotten while-you-wait smog testing done within 45min out-the-door.
I am not sure where you live but in most of America you can get an ICE vehicle serviced in minutes. I always go through one of those express oil changes, usually they get me all setup 10 mins once I roll in, don’t even have to get out of the car.
Last time I went to one of those, they managed to overfill my oil by two full quarts and it was leaking oil while parked in my garage. I’m hesitant to go back. The auto shop I prefer, that has employees I trust, mostly does “real repairs” and is booked out months in advance. There are tire places around here that offer oil change services as well. They are typically booked out a week or so. I mostly change my own oil as a result and only have the shops do it when I have other work lined up as well.
I own a 2006 lx470, and a 2002 ls430. I own old cars. If I have a problem, and I want maximum convenience, I can drop the car off at the dealership pretty much whenever I want and they set me up with a nice loaner for the entire duration of the repair. I can do this whenever I want, without any scheduling headaches. But I have to pay the dealership premium for this experience.
If I want to be more cost effective, I call my local repair shop and they usually have me sorted within the week.
Out of curiosity, where do you get your oil change done?
The local mechanic here can do it the same day, and they're next to a restaurant. Last time I did an oil change and tire rotation I just grabbed lunch while they worked on it.
The dealership for my car is perpetually booked though, and my experience reflects what you mentioned.
I had an issue with my Toyota where it was making a really loud rattling noise before a big drive I had planned the next day - called a local garage and dropped it off an hour later, got it back end of the day.
You live in an extremely atypical place that doesn't generalize at all to the rest of the US. I've never lived in or visited an American city where I couldn't get something basic like an oil change or haircut with no notice. If one place is busy, go a half mile to the next place and they will probably have time for you. Is this post just a humble brag about how you live in Manhattan or some other expensive outlier location?
>>To be fair i don’t think there is a business where I can make an appointment in the same week.
....where do you live where that's true??? I just checked with my local Volvo garage - I can get an appointment tomorrow. Checked with our local Volkswagen garage - I can get an appointment on Wednesday. And all the big name "express service" chains like Kwik-Fit or ATS will see you while you wait. That's literally their entire business model.
>>Heck gettin haircut in my area they have calendars blocked so you have to plan with a week in advance.
Again, where the hell do you live. I know my wife has to book a hairdresser because she usually spends 4 hours in there, but I have never in my life had to book a haircut, you pop over, wait 15 minutes max, maybe 20 if it's busy and you get a haircut.
For comparision with Tesla, with my little 15 year old clio it's like this:
1. There is mandatory service with technical exam yearly. Few days before it I call my mechanic, drive car to him, then pick it up next day. He changes the oil, brake pads if they are getting bad, tightens a few nuts. Usually I pay less than 100€ for that, but price varies heavily by car model/mechanic/location.
2. I go change the wheels before and after winter (we have to use separate ones for summer and winter there due to snow). Again, I call the mechanic, drive the car to him same day, chat for 15min, then he is finished. Around 120€ if I need new wheels, just 40€ if previous season ones are still good.
Every so often a bit bigger service is needed (if exhaust needs to be replaced or something else). In this case the car stays at mechanic over weekend, maybe max 4-5 days if he needs to order parts he doesn't have in stock.
Average it's less than 400€ yearly and less than a week of downtime in total per year.
Servicing normally means you take your car in annually to check it over for any problems that have developed.
In most countries you have a mandatory safety check. Here in the UK it’s called an MOT and it is annual. It will check things like tyre tread depth, whether the windscreen wash is aimed at the windscreen, steering, suspension, brake pads, brake disks, condition of seatbelts.
Normally people try and service their car at the same time. The service typically will include things like oil changes and oil filter changes and air filter changes.
Also, can you give a specific example of how Tesla servicing is "famously bad"? (I'm not doubting, but it will help me to better understand your comment.)