Sometime this year, Tesla Motors quietly ended its Ranger program that would dispatch service technicians to fix or send for service Tesla cars for a flat rate, Automotive News reported.
The program, which was touted by the company in 2012 as “transforming automotive service” said the service would cost $100 “regardless of how far away owners live from a Tesla Service Center.” Tesla’s service page now says: “Tesla Ranger service may be available in your area. Service begins at $100 per visit and increases based on your distance from the nearest Tesla service center.”
A four-year, prepaid service plan for the cars, which cost $2,400 and included unlimited Ranger service visits, now only costs $1,900 without mentioning Ranger service, according to the company. A spokesman for Tesla didn’t immediately comment on the report.
Tesla owners since the beginning of the year have posted on forums that the Ranger service plans were no longer being honored. (Emphasis theirs.)
I’ve actually started telling people not to buy Teslas if they live more than ~100 miles from a service center. Tesla apparently doesn’t want us as customers. I strongly recommend to people living in Ithaca that they should not buy Teslas until Tesla opens a service center in this area, or restores the previous cheap Ranger service.
According to the report, 91 percent of Tesla owners live within 50 miles of a service center.
Tesla does sell parts for its cars, but only publishes a limited service manual if you live in Massachusetts to figure out how to install those parts.
Tesla recommends a $600 annual service for its cars and sells an extended service agreement for $4,000 above the initial warranty.
So if you run out of battery and you pay the $100 and up fee does the service center dispatch a power ranger to help you?
The closest operational service center to me is 140 miles away, but there will be one much closer (within 25 miles) soon – something to consider when purchasing.
Along with the essential Gigafactory, Tesla will need to increase its service center coverage and reduce the costs of service when the Model 3 arrives. The current pricing structure will not fly for a car that costs between $35-55k.
I actually expect more expensive cars to be cheaper to service.
The old engineering addage is that you gan make tradeoffs OR throw money at the problem.
With “premium” cars, it seems like you gan make tradeoffs AND throw money at the problem. Where do I sign up for THAT deal?
Still, I’m very interested in the Model 3, and I’m considering putting a deposit down after streaming the reveal it March. But, I’m going to be cross shopping it against a Leaf 2.0.
P.S. The 200 mile range is now a hard requirement, since my wife is being recruited for a job that will have an dour commute each way.
well, the brunette in the pink top looks pretty damn nice…
I’ll take two, and can you wrap them to go? I’m in a hurry.
Diablo sandwich
We got no time for that crap!
EBITDA is a bitch that endlessly demands more, more, more, more…
Just wait, the “free” supercharging and expansion of supercharging stations will go away too because let’s face it, that’s not sustainable either.
It’ll be a perk for buyers of the most expensive products.
The Model 3 hoi polloi will have to pay to recharge.
I wouldn’t buy any new car that didn’t have a service center nearby (as in, no further than the other side of town). That’s the biggest reason I have never bought a MINI, the closest dealer is 120 miles away.
The kid gloves level of service Tesla has been maintaining on their beta products is obviously unsustainable.
I think eventually (if not now), it will make sense for Tesla to start certifying high-end repair shops to conduct warranty work on their behalf. Such certification could include equipment and training.
Note how dealers are still not strictly necessary in such an option. It is possible for Tesla to sell the car directly and have it serviced by third parties.