[Mark B]

I've just been discussing the finer points of the NFU policy and it transpires that Bodytechnics in Slough (Tesla's approved repairer in the south) is not on NFU's approved repairer list. So if you need a repair and want to use Bodytechnics you would probably not get a replacement hire car from NFU.

This doesn't bother me much, but I though others may wish to know.

 

[Anto]

I've just been discussing the finer points of the NFU policy and it transpires that Bodytechnics in Slough (Tesla's approved repairer in the south) is not on NFU's approved repairer list. So if you need a repair and want to use Bodytechnics you would probably not get a replacement hire car from NFU.

This doesn't bother me much, but I though others may wish to know.

Yes, You're right and Be Aware.

NFU won't provide any spare car if you have your Tesla with the BodyTechnics. Tesla service call recommends you to drop the car (if you can drive the car for any repairs) to BodyTechnics as they are the approved body repair shop for Tesla.
Apparently BodyTechnics take their own time on the repairs.

Frustration builds from here and there is no support from Tesla, NFU (Insurer if you have insured with them). So the customer you are left behind. My Tesla is in the BodyTechnics and more than 45 days now for a repair.

Note: The parts are shipping from US at the moment and taking longer than usual. Just to let you guys know that never trust the AP until its fully operational (Even TACC for an extent). I was informed by the technical engineer Stuart. Go back to old days and use the Pedal and Brake. The sensors cause problems / issues and couldn't sense what it should do.

On another note, I have raised a customer dis-satisfaction with NFU and explained about the Tesla repair and they stood with the point that i have opted to go for BodyTechnics and NFU can't / won't issue spare car. Even Tesla wont sell any parts to non-Tesla approved Body shops in the UK AFAIK, so you are worse off to take precautionary measure (irrespective of insurance company).

Very BAD experience from Tesla and all 3rd parties involved for a REPAIR. What the hell i took plunge for 80k car?

 

[Mark B]

Does anyone know who the other Tesla approved repairers are?

Would Anto's experience have been any better with a different insurer, apart from the hire car issue?

 

[GreyDad]

Yes I've been discussing that with them as well. Even if you could find a bodywork shop they approved you only get a class A courtesy car for 14 days, which given the time it takes to get repairs done would help a bit but not much.

Also, their approved windscreen repairers are Autoglass (no excess if you use them) who I believe will not handle a Tesla windscreen because of all the camera electronics, so you need to go to Tesla and pay a £75 excess. Not a biggie but another benefit that wouldn't apply.

 

[Whitmarsh]

Yes I've been discussing that with them as well. Even if you could find a bodywork shop they approved you only get a class A courtesy car for 14 days, which given the time it takes to get repairs done would help a bit but not much.

Also, their approved windscreen repairers are Autoglass (no excess if you use them) who I believe will not handle a Tesla windscreen because of all the camera electronics, so you need to go to Tesla and pay a £75 excess. Not a biggie but another benefit that wouldn't apply.

That'a bugger, isn't it - though I imagine it applies also to other cars these days.

 

[GreyDad]

I need to go through the other quotes I have and bring them up to date. The only people who have this really sorted are H&L, who tend to be on the expensive side although for me just a bit more than NFU.

 

[MarkTomo]

So come on guys we must be able between us find an insurance company that makes us feel secure owning a Tesla. Can we!

 

[MarkTomo]

Yes, You're right and Be Aware.

NFU won't provide any spare car if you have your Tesla with the BodyTechnics. Tesla service call recommends you to drop the car (if you can drive the car for any repairs) to BodyTechnics as they are the approved body repair shop for Tesla.
Apparently BodyTechnics take their own time on the repairs.

Frustration builds from here and there is no support from Tesla, NFU (Insurer if you have insured with them). So the customer you are left behind. My Tesla is in the BodyTechnics and more than 45 days now for a repair.

Note: The parts are shipping from US at the moment and taking longer than usual. Just to let you guys know that never trust the AP until its fully operational (Even TACC for an extent). I was informed by the technical engineer Stuart. Go back to old days and use the Pedal and Brake. The sensors cause problems / issues and couldn't sense what it should do.

On another note, I have raised a customer dis-satisfaction with NFU and explained about the Tesla repair and they stood with the point that i have opted to go for BodyTechnics and NFU can't / won't issue spare car. Even Tesla wont sell any parts to non-Tesla approved Body shops in the UK AFAIK, so you are worse off to take precautionary measure (irrespective of insurance company).

Very BAD experience from Tesla and all 3rd parties involved for a REPAIR. What the hell i took plunge for 80k car?

Anto are you saying the AP caused the accident?

 

[timsk]

@GreyDad, if the quotes are similar, then yes, you're likely to be much better treated by H&L. Their quote was nearly three times more than I'm now paying with Churchill, and given that I've only made one motor insurance claim in ~25 years of driving, I decided it was worth the risk. YMMV of course.

 

[MarkTomo]

What's the tracker called on the Tesla? Insurance company asked!

 

[timsk]

As far as I know, it doesn't have a specific name, and it isn't Thatcham approved to any particular level. It's just "the manufacturer's standard tracker".

That's one of the red flags that marks out an insurer who actually understands what a Tesla car is, and those that have their pre-Tesla boxes that they need to tick. Others include "is it petrol or diesel?" and "manual or automatic?" with no willingness to accept an answer of "Neither!".

 

[Mark B]

At my recent induction (indoctrination?) at WD, I seem to recall that the tracking ability was soon to receive a Thatcham approval. But it really is a sign of insurer's ignorance.

 

[Simon Mac]

At my recent induction (indoctrination?) at WD, I seem to recall that the tracking ability was soon to receive a Thatcham approval. But it really is a sign of insurer's ignorance.

I think there's a bit more to approval than the hardware unfortunately, like having a 24/7 secure monitoring centre with background checked staff. (I'm not 100% sure, but I think it also has to be UK based )

Knowing Tesla's love of keeping everything in a walled garden (like the repairs), this would mean them going through the cost of running such a centre in house. I'm not holding my breath.

 

[Royz]

I think there's a bit more to approval than the hardware unfortunately, like having a 24/7 secure monitoring centre with background checked staff. (I'm not 100% sure, but I think it also has to be UK based ).

I recall that the Thatcham devices, when triggered as stolen, send out a "distress signal" that can be picked up by suitably equipped police cars - so it would really depend if the Tesla has that transmitter capability. I also recall hearing that a Tesla engineer was having meetings with Thatcham re compliance around 6 months ago - no idea if anything came of that.
It is hardly relevant to the Tesla anyway given the ability of the owner to pinpoint the car with their smart phone + Tesla ability to shut the car down any time they were notified it was stolen.

 

[kin]

It is hardly relevant to the Tesla anyway given the ability of the owner to pinpoint the car with their smart phone + Tesla ability to shut the car down any time they were notified it was stolen.

A couple of questions..
The car could have been stolen while the owner is deep in sleep, won't noticed its gone until in the morning a number of hours later, where as 24/7 tracker would have notify the owner.

Secondly, if the thief went into the screen and disable the mobile connection, would Tesla still able to shut the car down?

Unless of course you switch on Valet mode every night , so potential thief could not go into the menu.

 

[mgboyes]

Various things...

I'd echo other people's cynicism that the Model S tracker will ever be Thatcham approved. It would be a massive hassle for Tesla to do it, and have relatively little benefit (since self-evidently there are insurers who are happy with Tesla's in-house arrangements anyway).

If the insurer asks silly questions about this sort of thing then walk away.

The core group of insurers who are well-known to understand the Model S is Admiral, LV, NFU, Home & Legacy. I've used two of them for my 2 cars, but never made a claim on either so can't really comment on their service. Admiral notably do not include Gap insurance; the rest I believe all bundle it as standard.

When I've needed repair work to my Model S I simply asked Tesla Gatwick to quote for me. They subcontracted Motorcare in Tonbridge, but I dealt directly with (and was billed by) Tesla. TM Gatwick supplied me a Model S replacement car for the duration.

I don't know if it would be possible to do that with an insurer paying.

Parts supply times do seem to be a major concern at the moment. There are something like 30 Model S's currently sitting at Bodytechnics waiting for parts!!

 

[mgboyes]

Secondly, if the thief went into the screen and disable the mobile connection, would Tesla still able to shut the car down?

Turning off "remote access" disables the owner's smartphone app; it doesn't have any effect on Tesla's ability to remotely access the car.

 

[Royz]

A couple of questions..
The car could have been stolen while the owner is deep in sleep, won't noticed its gone until in the morning a number of hours later, where as 24/7 tracker would have notify the owner.

Secondly, if the thief went into the screen and disable the mobile connection, would Tesla still able to shut the car down?

Unless of course you switch on Valet mode every night , so potential thief could not go into the menu.

And how is this thief going to get in and start the car????

 

[mgboyes]

And how is this thief going to get in and start the car????

AFAIK 100% of (the very few) Model S thefts so far have been key thefts. But in that case I guess a Thatcham tracker wouldn't have been triggered either.

 

[Royz]

USA info
“The Model S currently has a theft rating of 0.15 vehicles stolen per 1,000 built. That compares to an across-the-board average of 3.51 stolen per 1,000 produced".