Skip to main content

Tesla boosts in-house services with collision repairs

Tesla is now offering a much wider range of collision repairs for its electric vehicles.

The move to offer more repairs at Tesla Service Centers will come as a relief to owners of its electric cars who have long complained about the sometimes slow work of third-party firms.

Recommended Videos

It’s taken a while, though, as Tesla boss Elon Musk first announced the plan three years ago.

In a message to customers seen by CNBC, the company said it is now able to sort out everything from dents and scratches to more complex issues such as suspension and axle damage.

Tesla currently has 140 service centers throughout North America, and has plans to open nearly 50 more by July this year.

As CNBC notes in its report, the new service should provide a revenue boost for Tesla as its global sales steadily grow and more of its vehicles lose their limited-time warranty protection.

The automaker’s message to its customers said its in-house service can fix “minor dents, scuffs, scratches and more now at your local Tesla Service Center as an alternative option to a body shop. Our optimized repair flow enables a fast and seamless experience when you need it most.”

It added: “Collision repair services may include: Suspension and axle damage, front and rear bumpers, hoods, liftgates, and side mirror caps, along with doors, wheels, and all glass repairs.”

To schedule an appointment, customers need to select Collision & Glass Repair from the Service menu in the Tesla app. The customer can then track the work via step-by-step app notifications.

News of the bolstered in-house repair service came at the same time as Tesla unveiled an updated version of the Model S and Model X with lots of new features aimed at enticing new buyers, including a spaceship-like steering wheel and a second-row touchscreen infotainment screen.

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
Plug-in hybrids are becoming more popular. Why? And will it continue?
Kia Niro EV Charging Port

There's a lot of talk about the idea that the growth in electric car sales has kind of slowed a little. It's not all that surprising -- EVs are still expensive, early adopters all have one by now, and they're still new enough to where there aren't too many ultra-affordable used EVs available. But plenty of people still want a greener vehicle, and that has given rise to an explosion in hybrid vehicle sales.

That's especially true of plug-in hybrid vehicles, which can be charged like an EV and driven in all-electric mode for short distances, and have a gas engine as a backup for longer distances or to be used in combination with electric mode for more efficient driving.

Read more
EV drivers are not going back to gas cars, global survey says
ev drivers are not going back to gas cars global survey says screenshot

Nearly all current owners of electric vehicles (EVs) are either satisfied or very satisfied with the experience, and 92% of them plan to buy another EV, according to a survey by the Global EV Drivers Alliance.

The survey of 23,000 EV drivers worldwide found that only 1% would return to a petrol or diesel car, while 4% would opt for a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) if they had to replace their car.

Read more
Trump team in sync with Tesla on ending crash-reporting requirements, report says
Beta of Tesla's FSD in a car.

The transition team of President-elect Donald Trump is planning to end existing car-crash reporting requirements to safety regulators, according to a Reuters report.

The report cites a document obtained by Reuters that lays out the transition team’s 100-day strategy for automotive policy. In the document, the team says the crash-reporting requirement leads to “excessive” data collection, Reuters says.

Read more