Tesla's ongoing quality issues are a problem for the brand, as is inconsistent customer service in some locations. A real deal breaker though is their treatment of owners with older cars as in the case above. Limiting access to parts needed for repair and supporting independent repair facilities only to the amount required by local laws is leading to more and more repairable "million mile capable" Teslas being scrapped. This is unconscionably wasteful of carbon intensive product. If you are not familiar with Rich Benoit of the "Rich Rebuilds" YouTube channel and his many Tesla customer service stories he is well worth checking out.
Rich's saga about purchasing a used Model X and the many missteps, misstatements, and outright customer service failures he encountered in this one transaction should serve as a lesson for Lucid Motors as they build out their network. Tesla once had a reputation for 'white glove' service, but that image quickly faded as sales volume increased. The company never devoted the planning or resources needed to support its products. Unlike a true tech company, personal vehicles require hands-on physical support services provided in a timely manner at a realistic price.
I feel confident that Lucid will treat
us well in this regard, but I hope they have learned from Tesla's example and establish a functional and consistent service network that is scalable and one day includes independent service facilities. Perhaps they should study Ford as well, and its support for enthusiasts. The Ford Performance Division is gearing up with parts for the company's electric vehicles and today offers a Mach E crate motor to builders. That is clearly not the path for Lucid today, but Ford's engagement with enthusiasts, owners, and long standing support for vehicles long out of warranty has certainly helped them survive for over 100 years in a competitive market. Even Nissan has gone out of their way to help support the 2011 LEAF I passed down to younger relatives long ago and kept that car on the road to well past 100k miles to date (I know not everyone has had that experience with them). Service and support determine a brand's reputation. Tesla is damaging, maybe ultimately ruining, their reputation through slow, inconsistent, and tone deaf customer service.
That brings me to my concern of Zak Edson being appointed VP of sales and service at Lucid. I see no vehicle service and maintenance related experience in his past other than Tesla, not the company we would hope to emulate. I hope he is able to put qualified people with valid industry experience in place to help develop a strong service and support structure from the start. Doing so is more costly and involved than most people imagine, and it is critical for the brand's long term success.
Sorry for the rant. I am an investor as well as having a car on order. This has just been bottled up for a while. I could go on all day but it's perhaps best to spare you all from that
europeanmotorcarworks.com
