YouTuber slams Tesla for their “ridiculous” service
YouTube: Engineering ExplainedOwning a Tesla has a number of benefits, such as reducing your carbon footprint, and enjoying the instant power available from the electric motors. There are downsides too, however, as YouTuber Engineering Explained revealed.
Having owned his Tesla Model 3 for around two years at the time of writing, Engineering Explained has revealed his single biggest issue about Tesla ownership.
While build quality and autopilot issues are often the subjects that make headlines, according to the YouTuber, they aren’t the biggest frustration with the brand. In fact, it’s an issue that many owners likely take for granted, or have limited experience with: Service and parts.
The biggest issue with Tesla ownership.
While Jason of Engineering Explained admits the Tesla Model 3 is “probably the best daily driver out there”, that’s not to say it’s without issues.
Specifically, the issues are with the Tesla service team, as opposed to the car itself: “The good news is with electric cars, you don’t need service very often. The bad news is that when you do, it’s difficult to get.”
YouTube: Engineering ExplainedThe first big issue that Jason had was when he drove through a pothole, cracking two wheels in the process. Unfortunately, it took Tesla’s service department six-and-a-half hours to get him back on the road.
That wasn’t even the worst experience, though. The biggest problem was when the Model 3 was booked in for a simple wheel change and brake service. Having booked an appointment, Jason was presented with a loan car for the day, and told to come back later.
However, when he called up five hours later (for what should’ve been a 1 or 2 hour job) the centre were ‘unsure’ whether he could collect the car.
Not only that, but he also was given the run-around by his local service center. After requesting a simple set of upgraded ‘track package’ brake pads, he was led down an email rabbit hole.
A “ridiculous” process to get parts
After speaking to his local service center, they suggested speaking to a higher authority. Unfortunately, the higher authority simply sent him back to the service center that he was turned away from in the first place.
Having contacted both individual addresses and still getting no further towards getting the pads, Jason said he thought it was “ridiculous” how difficult the process was.
He also found it “bizarre” how it was so difficult to order such a simple part as some brake pads. These are consumable items, so should be easy to order for anyone that needs them. It turns out that it wasn’t just Jason that had issues here, as Rich (of Rich Rebuilds) simply laughed and said “you don’t” when he asked how to get Tesla parts.
Clearly, in spite of the electric vehicle revolution that Tesla is partly responsible for, they don’t seem to be able to provide basic service needs. With ever-nearing deadlines of electrification across the globe, this may be one area Tesla has to seriously work on.