According to Elon Musk, third-party firms are driving everyone crazy with slow Telsa collision repairs so the automaker is going to handle most repairs itself.
The electric car company’s CEO lit up Twitter on Sunday, September 16 with an announcement about the intended switch, “Tesla is bringing most collision repairs in-house, as outside firms take weeks to months for repairs, driving Tesla owners (and us) crazy.”
Tesla is bringing most collision repairs in-house, as outside firms take weeks to months for repairs, driving Tesla owners (and us) crazy
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 16, 2018
Musk’s announcement indicated that the transition to in-house repairs has already begun with next day service as just the first step, “Exciting to see some Tesla collision repair operations already completing within 24 hrs. Aiming for same day soon, then under an hour.”
Exciting to see some Tesla collision repair operations already completing within 24 hrs. Aiming for same day soon, then under an hour.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 16, 2018
Musk set the repair satisfaction mark high and focused on parts. “Goal is for repaired car to be better than before accident. Should always be true if damaged/used parts are correctly replaced with newer parts.”
Goal is for repaired car to be better than before accident. Should always be true if damaged/used parts are correctly replaced with newer parts.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 16, 2018
Twitter user @SnazzyQ commented on Musk’s thread about parts availability being the crux of the problem, “I thought the inability to supply parts to said repair shops was the issue — not the shops themselves….”
I thought the inability to supply parts to said repair shops was the issue—not the shops themselves….
— Quinn Nelson (@SnazzyQ) September 16, 2018
And Musk agreed. Because Tesla only sells three models, that helps with parts inventory and insurance companies. “Outside repair shops are jack of all trades, which means supporting 1000’s of makes & models. Tesla collision repair specializes in three. Having all parts in stock & not waiting for insurance approval also make a world of difference.”
Outside repair shops are jack of all trades, which means supporting 1000’s of makes & models. Tesla collision repair specializes in three. Having all parts in stock & not waiting for insurance approval also make a world of difference.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 16, 2018
But parts inventory isn’t the only bottleneck to fast auto collision repairs. If third-party shops have to wait a long time after ordering new Tesla parts, repair jobs sit till the parts show up.
Twitter user @thereal_scottv commented, “Part of the delay from what I’ve heard personally is the time to receive the parts from Tesla. Perhaps this could be iterated upon as well!”
Tesla’s CEO agreed once more and didn’t dodge the question or Tesla’s role in slow parts delivery to outside shops. “Yeah, that’s our problem. Service & parts supply in general will be the top Tesla priority after we get through the insane car delivery logistics of the next few weeks.”
Yeah, that’s our problem. Service & parts supply in general will be the top Tesla priority after we get through the insane car delivery logistics of the next few weeks.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 16, 2018
Musk’s “insane car delivery logistics” referenced an earlier Twitter thread in which Musk responded to a customer waiting for her car’s delivery.
Twitter user @megangale tweeted, “There are 42 Tesla’s sitting at the Union Pacific Railroad in SLC. My car is one of these. I’ve been told I was getting delivery the 8th, then the 15th, then the 20th, then the 22nd, and now my delivery has been delayed indefinite. @Tesla, @elonmusk… Please make this right.”
And once again, no dodging by Musk, “Sorry, we’ve gone from production hell to delivery logistics hell, but this problem is far more tractable. We’re making rapid progress. Should be solved shortly.”
Sorry, we’ve gone from production hell to delivery logistics hell, but this problem is far more tractable. We’re making rapid progress. Should be solved shortly.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 17, 2018
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