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True, but when was the last time you heard about a car that needed a whole new engine every 7k miles? It's an interesting question actually, are Tesla motors o

True, but when was the last time you heard about a car that needed a whole new engine every 7k miles? It's an interesting question actually, are Tesla motors only really serviceable as a unit? That could be bad news. A new gasoline engine might be $10k, but 99% of the time you just replace a belt or a pulley or a seal, or take off the top and do some machining for a few thousand.

toomuchtodo 12y ago
The electric drive motor is about the size of a watermelon and weighs ~70lbs. Its easier to pull it and swap in a new one than to tear it down on-site.
- yaeger 12y ago
  If the alternative is to pay 15k for a new one, I don't care what is easier for the technicians. I care about what is most price friendly for me, the customer. If I think about it, no example comes to mind where I would be okay with paying much much more for something because the relevant technician says "I'll be easier for me if you buy a new one instead of me fixing this."
  - gambiting 12y ago
    The electrical motors can be rewound, but it's definitely a process no one will be able to do on site - the motor would need to be sent off to a company that has equipment necessary to do it. Still, it should be cheaper than $15k.
    - bitJericho 12y ago
      Perhaps Tesla does or should give a rebate for sending back the old part who can then turn around and refurbish it.
      - runamok 12y ago
        I would be almost certain they would have a core fee reimbursement of some sort.
- hueving 12y ago
  A house with mold is easier to burn down and rebuild rather than completely gut it out. That doesn't mean that's the correct decision.
  - blub 12y ago
    Are we talking about a specific type of mold? What makes it so difficult to get rid of?
    - sliverstorm 12y ago
      Black mold. It gets everywhere, and it is pretty dangerous to humans so you have to be sure you get it all.
  - mikeash 12y ago
    Why wouldn't it be the right decision, assuming that "easier" takes into account all the costs involved?
    - chc 12y ago
      "Easy" is not a measure of cost. Getting rid of mold is more painstaking work, but it is less resource-intensive than rebuilding. As another example, amputating a limb is relatively easy as surgery goes, but it will cost you your limb and you would probably prefer that doctors not do it for their own convenience.
      - mikeash 12y ago
        "Easy" only fails to be a measure of cost if you don't account for all the people involved. The sum total of amputation is much harder than fixing the limb, assuming it's possible. Yes, it's easy for the doctors, but it's hard for you. If fixing mold in a house is cheaper than building a new house, that's telling you that it's easier overall. It might look harder, but that's because much of the difficulty of building a new house happens off-site, in the felling of trees, mining of gypsum, fabrication of pipes and wires, etc. If Tesla is doing warranty replacements instead of repairs it's not because it's "easier" in the sense that the technicians do less work at the expense of the company, it's because it's "easier" in the sense that it's less effort and money in total.
altcognito 12y ago
You can get a new engine and transmission installed for under 10k on most mass produced mid-range sedans.
- jonknee 12y ago
  What about the Tesla is similar to mass produced mid-range?
  - josefresco 12y ago
    The Model 3 will be much closer to this characterization, and will be using much of the same technology as the Model S.
nick_riviera 12y ago
I suspect they are the 2013 Retina MBP of cars. Even the rather unreliable MultiJet engine I have in my car has had a total maintenance bill of around $2000 over 70k miles. This was for an EGR valve that got stuck and a timing chain.
rbcgerard 12y ago
I wonder if tesla (dealer mechanics) or the eventual non-tesla mechanics will adopt the model in the aircraft industry of engine leasing? Bad motor? Drop in a loaner that you pay a daily fee for while yours is shipped to facility the can repair yours, after which the loaner gets swapped for your original motor...

toomuchtodo 12y ago

The electric drive motor is about the size of a watermelon and weighs ~70lbs. Its easier to pull it and swap in a new one than to tear it down on-site.

yaeger 12y ago
If the alternative is to pay 15k for a new one, I don't care what is easier for the technicians. I care about what is most price friendly for me, the customer. If I think about it, no example comes to mind where I would be okay with paying much much more for something because the relevant technician says "I'll be easier for me if you buy a new one instead of me fixing this."
- gambiting 12y ago
  The electrical motors can be rewound, but it's definitely a process no one will be able to do on site - the motor would need to be sent off to a company that has equipment necessary to do it. Still, it should be cheaper than $15k.
  - bitJericho 12y ago
    Perhaps Tesla does or should give a rebate for sending back the old part who can then turn around and refurbish it.
    - runamok 12y ago
      I would be almost certain they would have a core fee reimbursement of some sort.
hueving 12y ago
A house with mold is easier to burn down and rebuild rather than completely gut it out. That doesn't mean that's the correct decision.
- blub 12y ago
  Are we talking about a specific type of mold? What makes it so difficult to get rid of?
  - sliverstorm 12y ago
    Black mold. It gets everywhere, and it is pretty dangerous to humans so you have to be sure you get it all.
- mikeash 12y ago
  Why wouldn't it be the right decision, assuming that "easier" takes into account all the costs involved?
  - chc 12y ago
    "Easy" is not a measure of cost. Getting rid of mold is more painstaking work, but it is less resource-intensive than rebuilding. As another example, amputating a limb is relatively easy as surgery goes, but it will cost you your limb and you would probably prefer that doctors not do it for their own convenience.
    - mikeash 12y ago
      "Easy" only fails to be a measure of cost if you don't account for all the people involved. The sum total of amputation is much harder than fixing the limb, assuming it's possible. Yes, it's easy for the doctors, but it's hard for you. If fixing mold in a house is cheaper than building a new house, that's telling you that it's easier overall. It might look harder, but that's because much of the difficulty of building a new house happens off-site, in the felling of trees, mining of gypsum, fabrication of pipes and wires, etc. If Tesla is doing warranty replacements instead of repairs it's not because it's "easier" in the sense that the technicians do less work at the expense of the company, it's because it's "easier" in the sense that it's less effort and money in total.

altcognito 12y ago

You can get a new engine and transmission installed for under 10k on most mass produced mid-range sedans.

jonknee 12y ago
What about the Tesla is similar to mass produced mid-range?
- josefresco 12y ago
  The Model 3 will be much closer to this characterization, and will be using much of the same technology as the Model S.

nick_riviera 12y ago

I suspect they are the 2013 Retina MBP of cars. Even the rather unreliable MultiJet engine I have in my car has had a total maintenance bill of around $2000 over 70k miles. This was for an EGR valve that got stuck and a timing chain.

rbcgerard 12y ago

I wonder if tesla (dealer mechanics) or the eventual non-tesla mechanics will adopt the model in the aircraft industry of engine leasing? Bad motor? Drop in a loaner that you pay a daily fee for while yours is shipped to facility the can repair yours, after which the loaner gets swapped for your original motor...