Why Tesla Repairs are so Expensive: A Comprehensive Analysis
Ten years ago, the automotive market was taken by storm with the introduction of the Tesla Model S electric car. While the first roadster was more of an experiment, the Model S became the locomotive that propelled the American company to a brighter future. However, Tesla’s bouquet and flower period is coming to an end as more problematic issues arise from the famous electric car manufacturer. One of the major stumbling blocks is the expensive auto repair costs associated with the Tesla Model S. In this article, we will explore why Tesla automobiles are so expensive to repair and the impact it has on the company’s future.
Current State of Affairs in Tesla
Before proceeding to the analysis of the problem, let’s consider the current state of affairs in the Elon Musk-owned company. Over the past three months, Tesla has experienced a tangible drop in stocks, which have gone south by 27.5%. Nevertheless, the manufacturer continues to hold the honorary title of the most valuable auto company in the world with an impressive capitalization of $555 billion. There are several reasons why the famous techno mogul’s firm is undergoing difficult times. These include delays in the construction of a gigafactory in Berlin, a difficult situation with suppliers of various parts, and slow adoption of new technologies for the production of batteries, to name a few.
The Problem of Expensive Tesla Repairs
Against the backdrop of these turmoils, everyone is missing out on a more serious threat to Tesla’s future: costly repairs and effective parts. To understand the scale of the problem, it is worth recalling the recent recall of 135,000 cars that have critical failures in the media control unit. Now let’s take a look at a few situations that happen to the owners of electric cars. A first example is the story of the famous blogger Mark Hess Brownlee who narrated his experience with Tesla repair. His Model S dubbed the “Apollo” was hit on the side by a truck. Both doors and the rear fender were damaged, and all repairs were limited to bodywork. This adventure cost him $49,000 – in fact, the Model 3 performance costs $51,000. In other words, the body repair cost the blogger almost the price of a new electric sedan.
Another user registered under the Billion Dollar Twin nickname posted a video on YouTube titled “How Much to Repair a Tesla Bumper?.” His 2017 Model X 90D caught up with another car, damaging the rear bumper. The owner believed that the repair would not take long and would cost several hundred dollars, but in reality, everything turned out differently: two months of repair and $15,500. Even more surprising is the story of the blogger SamCrack, who told about the incredibly expensive repair of small dents and scratches on the top version of the 2015 Tesla Model S. It is important to note here that the car had no serious defects or damage. The most noticeable dent was at the junction of the tailgate and didn’t look like anything special. Imagine the owner’s surprise when he was told that the repair would cost $34,000. These are crazy numbers, and we have cited only three sensational stories, but the truth is that there are hundreds of thousands of such stories. It is enough to visit the Tesla Motor Club forum to see for yourself the paradoxically large bills for the repairs performed.
What are all these about, and why is Tesla repair so expensive? One of the main reasons for the frightening figures for the repair of Elon Musk’s electric cars is the expensive parts. For instance, the body is almost entirely made of aluminum. It has many advantages, but it also has serious disadvantages, namely, the difficult processing procedure. As Larry Peter of the Peter Auto Body explains, aluminum has no memory. This means that after the dent appears, the body structure is violated. For repairs, special rivets and binders have to be used, which cost a lot of money. A tube of Tesla recommended sealant costs hundreds of dollars to owners. Mechanical work on the body automatically raises the cost of repairs by several thousands. Another problem is the lack of highly qualified specialists in the service department, and you probably have heard stories about Tesla’s prolonged repairs. Therefore, right now, the company is making every effort to train personnel and educate employees. According to Larry Peter, Musk’s company runs an intensive training course that lasts longer than other automakers. Higher parts prices and personnel costs lead to higher repair costs as the service department needs to balance its budget. It’s interesting to note that in order to obtain the title of an authorized Tesla service business, owners need to spend over $100,000 on the purchase of equipment and various tools, which also negatively affects the cost of repairs.
The Future of Tesla
Taken together, all these factors form the rich guy syndrome. When you buy a car for $90,000 to $120,000, you must be prepared for all additional expenses that can be equal to the price of a new electric car. It’s no secret that over the past ten years, Tesla not only overcame the difficulties associated with scaling up production but also fought the automaker’s childhood illnesses. The engineers improved the build quality, added new features, and also tried to establish quality service maintenance. Most of these points were fulfilled, but a bunch of problems associated with repair work remained without proper attention from Tesla for too long. Now this situation has adverse effects on the position of the company and risks turning into a global problem. People are intimidated by the expensive repair costs of American electric cars, and they are beginning to look closely at alternative proposals. As a result, the company is already facing a drop in demand for top models of electric cars.
As we know, Elon Musk is famous for his ability to find a way out of the most complex situations. Perhaps the most famous engineer and entrepreneur will be able to cut the Gordian knots and renew confidence in faith in their cars. What are your thoughts? Is it worth buying a Tesla electric car given the impressive expenses for repair work, or is it better to go for a cheaper car from another manufacturer? Please share your opinion in the comments below the video. Press the like button as well as subscribe to the channel. You’re on the Innovative Tech Channel. See you soon. Take care!