"They probably aren't actually bricks, but cars in need of servicing." $40k bill is not a "servicing" - it's a new car. My problem with counter-arguments that

"They probably aren't actually bricks, but cars in need of servicing." $40k bill is not a "servicing" - it's a new car. My problem with counter-arguments that use "drained oil" as an example, is that oil change is done every few thousand miles (say, 3000 miles in case of my car). Now, this is recommended (albeit, strongly) frequency. This means that if I drove my car around 3000 miles, then went to airport, left my car sitting on the parking lot for a month, chances are I'll drive back home sound and safe, and my bill for oil change will be the same $30, as it would if I get it change on or below recommended 3000 miles. Note that I don't need to trickle-change the oil in this case. Now, if we compare battery drain to fuel tank depletion (which is technically more correct, since battery is the fuel for Tesla), then comparisson is even less pleasant for Tesla. Having said that, I don't see anything wrong to bringing the potential battery bricking issue up (especially in light of arrival of more affordable vehicles from Tesla) - Tesla should've used this as an opportunity to educate people and do right by the owners of bricked cars by picking up part of the repair bill with some strings attached.