The Dark Side of Owning a Tesla: My Bumper Repair Nightmare
In spring 2023, we sold our 2018 Toyota Sequoia Platinum 4WD and purchased a new 2023 Tesla Model 3 base model to save money. The Sequoia averaged about 15 miles per gallon, costing us approximately $3,500 annually in gas and maintenance for 12,000 miles of driving. We sold the Sequoia for $43,000 and bought the Tesla — often considered the Toyota Corolla of the Tesla lineup — for $35,000.
Now, let me give you a one-year update on the Tesla. The car itself is wonderful! Charging is easy, with zero maintenance issues. It’s fun to drive, and features like music, karaoke, and games enhance the experience. The trunk and frunk provide ample storage. However, I have one major complaint.
We live three hours from the nearest Tesla dealership, a manageable distance for a low-maintenance vehicle. Tesla even dangled the carrot of a mobile service unit. At the time of purchase, we could not anticipate our frustrating repair journey.
Our odyssey began in November 2023 with a hit-and-run in a school parking lot. A minor inconvenience that insurance would cover. A few weeks after the accident, we discovered that repairing a Tesla in a rural community is more frustrating than replacing a tire on a spaceship.
Local body shops declined the unique opportunity to repair our stealth electric steed. “We don’t work on Teslas,” they said, leaving us to contemplate a 10-hour round trip to Charlotte for the nearest official Tesla body shop. We then realized our futuristic car was tragically flawed with modern repair challenges.
Cue the bureaucratic comedy of errors. The first available appointment in Raleigh? April 2024. It felt less like scheduling a repair and more like planning for the next Olympics. As my wife embarked on her repair journey, Tesla’s policies hit her like a series of unexpected software updates.
First came the loaner car refusal. “Not a maintenance issue,” they said, shrugging off our bumper predicament. Fair enough, but a heads-up would’ve been nice. Then came the kicker: apparently, my wife needed to be physically present for the repair, as if her mere existence would magically mend the bumper. This little detail emerged only after she’d returned from a productive errand run, expecting to collect a freshly repaired car.
The absurdity peaked when, after an hour of twiddling thumbs and scrolling through her phone, my wife was informed that the new bumper — the very reason for this pilgrimage — was too damaged to install. The solution? A return trip in three weeks. Clearly, what every Tesla owner dreams of is a monthly 6-hour round trip to the dealership.
Understandably frustrated, my wife was relieved when a staff member offered to ship the bumper to our local mechanic. This seemingly generous offer, however, has yet to materialize. After a few email exchanges and unfulfilled promises, Tesla effectively ghosted us. We don’t want to sue Tesla or the dealership; we want our bumper replaced. In pursuit of this, I’ve contacted the Better Business Bureau and the attorney general for assistance.
The final insult? You must be physically present at a Tesla dealership to order a Tesla-approved bumper. And forget aftermarket parts — they’re as rare as a Tesla Supercharger in a practical location.
Seven months later, we own a technological marvel equipped with primitive and outdated customer service. If you’re considering a Tesla, it is best to live within an hour’s driving distance of a dealership and repair center. You’ll love the car, but if you never need repairs, be prepared for some opportunities and challenges. Our family supports electric vehicles, but sometimes I miss the convenience of a gas-guzzling road hog.
Update: In June 2024, almost eight months after a hit-and-run left a 5-inch crack in our rear bumper, our Tesla saga finally reached its conclusion. Despite our relentless efforts, we were never — and I cannot stress this enough — able to purchase a new bumper from Tesla. Aftermarket Tesla parts are as rare as the Jamaican Bobsled Team winning a gold medal at the Olympics.
Ultimately, we faced three choices: abandon the repair, find a Model 3 bumper from a salvage yard, or locate a local body shop willing to fix our minor bumper blemish. We chose door number three, which still cost our family $1500. Thankfully, an excellent local body shop rose to the challenge, performing an impeccable repair in under 72 hours.
Let our story serve as a cautionary tale for early adopters: when the next big innovation hits the market, pause before you purchase. The infrastructure and support systems might not be as fully evolved as the product itself. Remember, not every groundbreaking idea becomes the next iPhone; some end up as cautionary footnotes like Google Glass.
