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> Tesla recently released its Toolbox, a set of diagnostic software that will tell a repair shop or Tesla owner what’s wrong with a car. Anyone can purchase acc

> Tesla recently released its Toolbox, a set of diagnostic software that will tell a repair shop or Tesla owner what’s wrong with a car. Anyone can purchase access to the Toolbox but it costs $3,000 a year or $100 for 24 hours. But diagnostics are only half the issue. > Replacement Tesla parts have to be installed by a certified Tesla dealership. Which begs the question, how did Benoit and his team replace Hoover’s battery? “We have alternate means of getting into things,” he said. “We don’t necessarily need the Toolbox in a lot of cases, but it would make our lives 10 time easier…Tesla is locking down more and more access to cars. There’s a lot of things that you used to be able to do that you no longer can do. They’re definitely tightening restrictions.” Am I reading this right, that the problem is solved by a $100 charge for a tool that could easily be passed on to the consumer? They imply the toolbox isn't all that's needed but then say “We don’t necessarily need the Toolbox in a lot of cases, but it would make our lives 10 time easier" Sounds like they're loosening restrictions, not tightening them?

nolok 5y ago
No you did not read that right. IDENTIFYING the problem is done by the $100 charge for 24 hours. They did without. Solving the problem was costing tens of thousands of dollars from Tesla if using their "certified" network, while they did it for 5k.
- 1123581321 5y ago
  Yes, but if independent shops can either do this for $5k or do it with a faster/easier diagnosis for $5.1k, that’s not a bad situation for either the shop or the car owner. It doesn’t sound terribly far off from the indie-vs-dealer choices I make as an ICE auto owner.
  - nolok 5y ago
    Sure but the quote was hand picked by parent, the core of the article and the meat of the (cost) complaint is not the toolbox access but the part replacement.
    - 1123581321 5y ago
      Ah. I didn’t get the impression from the article that $5k was unreasonable, other than that the price should come down as technical mastery spreads to more independent shops.
- spywaregorilla 5y ago
  They say > Which begs the question, how did Benoit and his team replace Hoover’s battery? “We have alternate means of getting into things,” he said. “We don’t necessarily need the Toolbox in a lot of cases, but it would make our lives 10 time easier" It certainly sounds to me like they're saying if they had the toolbox they would not need the alternate means to replace the battery. I recognize the previous passage says otherwise. But this part is a direct quote from the mechanic. The quote doesn't make sense either. Why would you not purchase something that costs $100 if it makes your life ten times easier? This thing is surely paying for itself if what they say is true. On the other hand, it seems this toolbox thing was released in response to right to repair laws in other states. edit: also don't conflate cost to fix with price to repair. The bulk of the $5k is almost certainly labor. If $100 makes the job easier, it will probably cost the consumer less than $5k.
sschueller 5y ago
I doubt the $100 for the access is the issue. It is probably the NDA and ULA you sign so Tesla can sue your ass I you do anything they don't want.
runnerup 5y ago
In the video, Rich notes that the "Toolbox" is limited in scope to things like simple body panel replacements -- definitely not things like battery repair.

nolok 5y ago

No you did not read that right. IDENTIFYING the problem is done by the $100 charge for 24 hours. They did without. Solving the problem was costing tens of thousands of dollars from Tesla if using their "certified" network, while they did it for 5k.

1123581321 5y ago
Yes, but if independent shops can either do this for $5k or do it with a faster/easier diagnosis for $5.1k, that’s not a bad situation for either the shop or the car owner. It doesn’t sound terribly far off from the indie-vs-dealer choices I make as an ICE auto owner.
- nolok 5y ago
  Sure but the quote was hand picked by parent, the core of the article and the meat of the (cost) complaint is not the toolbox access but the part replacement.
  - 1123581321 5y ago
    Ah. I didn’t get the impression from the article that $5k was unreasonable, other than that the price should come down as technical mastery spreads to more independent shops.
spywaregorilla 5y ago
They say > Which begs the question, how did Benoit and his team replace Hoover’s battery? “We have alternate means of getting into things,” he said. “We don’t necessarily need the Toolbox in a lot of cases, but it would make our lives 10 time easier" It certainly sounds to me like they're saying if they had the toolbox they would not need the alternate means to replace the battery. I recognize the previous passage says otherwise. But this part is a direct quote from the mechanic. The quote doesn't make sense either. Why would you not purchase something that costs $100 if it makes your life ten times easier? This thing is surely paying for itself if what they say is true. On the other hand, it seems this toolbox thing was released in response to right to repair laws in other states. edit: also don't conflate cost to fix with price to repair. The bulk of the $5k is almost certainly labor. If $100 makes the job easier, it will probably cost the consumer less than $5k.

sschueller 5y ago

I doubt the $100 for the access is the issue. It is probably the NDA and ULA you sign so Tesla can sue your ass I you do anything they don't want.

runnerup 5y ago

In the video, Rich notes that the "Toolbox" is limited in scope to things like simple body panel replacements -- definitely not things like battery repair.