Help I’m in a cult!

[JasonC]

Long time lurker first time poster.

so like many I’m a Tesla owner who’s starting to see things outside the Musk-sphere.

I’ve had my car for 9.5 years. It’s a rwd P85. One of the better built vehicles IMO, before volume went up and quality went down. I actually was saving up for a 911 when I discovered Tesla. Couldn't’ have been happier. my car has been rock solid from then until now.

however….

I’m getting tired of anti-tesla pickup truck driving, Honda civic red light racing, musk drama….basically all the non-car drama around the brand. Model 3/Y drivers stealing the crown from BMW drivers for most obnoxious on the road.

And finally (and the heart of this thread)….service! It’s really gone downhill from where it began.

my friends (an Audi exec and a former Porsche tech) tell me I’ve just been spoiled by Tesla. So please enlighten me.

I used to get car washes, loaner vehicles (even for an hour long service), an inspection to see if everything else was in working order, and a human being to speak with…..on every service visit!
Now, as has been well documented, everything is frustratingly done through their app. I haven’t gotten a wash in years. I’m offered luxurious Uber credits to get me out of their office….no more loaners. I’ve had a “software update needed, call service” message on my dash for months, and service could care less except to tell me leave my car for the night and take an Uber home. All this regardless of whether it’s my decade old Model S or my relatively new Model 3.

sorry for the rant. Is Porsche service any better? Are loaners a thing of the past? Are the service wait times really stretching into several weeks? Or have I been spoiled by a company initially desperate for sales and referrals?

I’d love to get my hands on a GTS (maybe an ST? Still can’t decide). But I’d be irked to experience the same lack of customer service as I am currently experiencing.

thanks for helping me come back into the light

I've had two computer issues since owning my Taycan and used two different dealers to service them. Both took a few days to correct and immediately was put into a Cayenne and a Macan and out the door in 15 minutes. I got text updates and a call to tell me the car was ready. In addition, got a text and email with a video link to the technician explaining what was done. Other than the two issues, couldn't be happier with the Taycan or the service.

 

[GregN]

Thanks. Totally agree….I’m not basing my purchase decision on service. Just want to know what I’m getting into.

the lack of loaners is really frustrating me these days, simply because my schedule is extremely tight, and I can’t afford much downtime without my vehicle.

I was a Porsche nut before the S, and am 100% back. My S is getting around 325km on a 90% charge these days, which is borderline unusable for me…especially since I feel like it’s not entirely being truthful with that range estimate. I always scoffed at the Taycan because of its range….but the numbers I’m seeing posted tell me I should be happy with the switch.

I just watched a YouTube video today of a guy who took his 4s all the way from 100-0 charge, and got 270 miles at 70mph. Other videos show similar results, MUCH greater than EPA estimates.

 

[LongLive959]

Is there a consensus yet on charging the battery to 100%?

my tesla is kept at 90% to maintain battery. But Porsche, Audi, etc supposedly lock up part of the batteryfor the same reason. So can we safely charge to the artificial 100% daily?

 

[whitex]

But I just can’t stand all the attention around the brand….

This guys seems to have found a solution.

 

[whitex]

Is there a consensus yet on charging the battery to 100%?

my tesla is kept at 90% to maintain battery. But Porsche, Audi, etc supposedly lock up part of the batteryfor the same reason. So can we safely charge to the artificial 100% daily?

Porsche recommends 85%, that is where I've been keeping it except on days where I have longer travel planned. Kept all my Teslas at the recommended 90% with no ill-effects.

 

[Torv]

Long time lurker first time poster.

so like many I’m a Tesla owner who’s starting to see things outside the Musk-sphere.

I’ve had my car for 9.5 years. It’s a rwd P85. One of the better built vehicles IMO, before volume went up and quality went down. I actually was saving up for a 911 when I discovered Tesla. Couldn't’ have been happier. my car has been rock solid from then until now.

however….

I’m getting tired of anti-tesla pickup truck driving, Honda civic red light racing, musk drama….basically all the non-car drama around the brand. Model 3/Y drivers stealing the crown from BMW drivers for most obnoxious on the road.

And finally (and the heart of this thread)….service! It’s really gone downhill from where it began.

my friends (an Audi exec and a former Porsche tech) tell me I’ve just been spoiled by Tesla. So please enlighten me.

I used to get car washes, loaner vehicles (even for an hour long service), an inspection to see if everything else was in working order, and a human being to speak with…..on every service visit!
Now, as has been well documented, everything is frustratingly done through their app. I haven’t gotten a wash in years. I’m offered luxurious Uber credits to get me out of their office….no more loaners. I’ve had a “software update needed, call service” message on my dash for months, and service could care less except to tell me leave my car for the night and take an Uber home. All this regardless of whether it’s my decade old Model S or my relatively new Model 3.

sorry for the rant. Is Porsche service any better? Are loaners a thing of the past? Are the service wait times really stretching into several weeks? Or have I been spoiled by a company initially desperate for sales and referrals?

I’d love to get my hands on a GTS (maybe an ST? Still can’t decide). But I’d be irked to experience the same lack of customer service as I am currently experiencing.

thanks for helping me come back into the light

You've described in almost perfect, parallel detail my experience with my 2015 Model S 85D and exactly why I'm now driving a Taycan 4S. As the Porsche ad says, “Nothing Even Comes Close” to matching the incredible experience I've had with my Taycan. I simply love this car.

My only gripe, is that there is no true OTA software update like with a Tesla, which honestly they've nailed. That's frustrating, but a minor inconvenience mitigated by the fantastic driving experience, the impeccable fit and finish, the stunning design and yes, vastly superior service.

 

[whitex]

Apparently the cult is growing:
https://electrek.co/2023/07/13/tesla-most-wanted-car-brand-us-study/

 

[RAHRCR]

Long time lurker first time poster.

so like many I’m a Tesla owner who’s starting to see things outside the Musk-sphere.

I’ve had my car for 9.5 years. It’s a rwd P85. One of the better built vehicles IMO, before volume went up and quality went down. I actually was saving up for a 911 when I discovered Tesla. Couldn't’ have been happier. my car has been rock solid from then until now.

however….

I’m getting tired of anti-tesla pickup truck driving, Honda civic red light racing, musk drama….basically all the non-car drama around the brand. Model 3/Y drivers stealing the crown from BMW drivers for most obnoxious on the road.

And finally (and the heart of this thread)….service! It’s really gone downhill from where it began.

my friends (an Audi exec and a former Porsche tech) tell me I’ve just been spoiled by Tesla. So please enlighten me.

I used to get car washes, loaner vehicles (even for an hour long service), an inspection to see if everything else was in working order, and a human being to speak with…..on every service visit!
Now, as has been well documented, everything is frustratingly done through their app. I haven’t gotten a wash in years. I’m offered luxurious Uber credits to get me out of their office….no more loaners. I’ve had a “software update needed, call service” message on my dash for months, and service could care less except to tell me leave my car for the night and take an Uber home. All this regardless of whether it’s my decade old Model S or my relatively new Model 3.

sorry for the rant. Is Porsche service any better? Are loaners a thing of the past? Are the service wait times really stretching into several weeks? Or have I been spoiled by a company initially desperate for sales and referrals?

I’d love to get my hands on a GTS (maybe an ST? Still can’t decide). But I’d be irked to experience the same lack of customer service as I am currently experiencing.

thanks for helping me come back into the light

Things to know about Porsche service:
-Wait times to service Taycan are generally a bit longer than their ICE vehicles.
-Porsche is still learning how to service/support EVs.
-Costs for non-warranty repairs or service are comparatively very high.
-Service centers are generally nice and people are friendly.
-Loaner cars are typically below expectations (ie 4cyl Macan).
-You are likely to use them at least once in the first year…likely for something minor.
-Most likely you will love your car so much that nothing I have listed above would deter you from buying another Porsche.

 

[LongLive959]

RAHRCR

my experience with Tesla has been backwards. It has been getting worse with every software update and service visit.
The car started off perfect. I invested in the stock, touted the car to everyone, gave strangers test rides, everything my fellow cult members did.

but each new “feature”, from video games to self driving has just deteriorated my experience behind the wheel. I used to be able to arrange the widgets on the giant iPad how I liked….now they’re locked. They locked some of my range (after purchase) to “protect the battery” (read: protect their warranty claims). I used to be able to zoom my map how I liked, now it’s locked. On and on

these gripes are bigger than service. But it’s hard to have something you love get chipped away at

I’m glad they’re the most wanted car brand in the US (great for the stock). Id prefer to drive something a bit more refined. It’s too bad these OEMs are so slow to adopt some features (car thefts are a huge issue here lately, and Tesla’s PIN to drive is a great security feature)

 

[f1eng]

I have never had the possibility of OTA or DIY updates on any car before the Taycan so not that bothered myself.

OTA updates implies either having got it wrong the first time or adding something I have never needed…

 

[whitex]

OTA updates implies either having got it wrong the first time or adding something I have never needed…

OTA updates can be used for good of for bad.

• Good - fix things quick, useful as nothing is ever perfect, especially with the complexity of current cars. Also, with internet connected devices which will always require security patches as it's a constant cat and mouse game between cyber attackers and defenders.
• Bad - ship incomplete product because you can always plan to complete it later. Also bad, keep everyone updated to the latest trend, whether or not the customer likes the change.

OTA telemetry can help improve the product by providing usage data back to the company, as well as potentially diagnose issues early.

 

[Zwick]

Thanks. Totally agree….I’m not basing my purchase decision on service. Just want to know what I’m getting into.

the lack of loaners is really frustrating me these days, simply because my schedule is extremely tight, and I can’t afford much downtime without my vehicle.

I was a Porsche nut before the S, and am 100% back. My S is getting around 325km on a 90% charge these days, which is borderline unusable for me…especially since I feel like it’s not entirely being truthful with that range estimate. I always scoffed at the Taycan because of its range….but the numbers I’m seeing posted tell me I should be happy with the switch.

When my Porsche dealer had exhausted it's loaners, they rented me a car for a week. It was seamless. They dropped me off at the rental car place, everything was already in order, and I drove off. When my Taycan was ready, I just left the rental at the dealership, and they handled everything. It was a great experience.

And after owning a Taycan, the rental Corolla was no worse than a loaner Macan for me... all mushy and terrible

As for range, if 325km is borderline unusable for you, that may be a concern. I charge to 85% and sit around 205m (330km), which is pretty close to what you quoted above...

 

[wicksta]

I have never had the possibility of OTA or DIY updates on any car before the Taycan so not that bothered myself.

OTA updates implies either having got it wrong the first time or adding something I have never needed…

Having owned a Tesla and Polestar 2, I'm really put off OTA updates. With the Tesla, one update caused a fault which meant the alarm would go off, plus another ruined the auto lights. With the Polestar, where do I start! My wife and kids got locked out after one update and luckily I was only 5 miles away and was able to get in with my phone 'digital key'. Then another time the indicators stopped working not long after an update.

Manufacturers need to realise that these are heavy, dangerous objects that they are sending out software to, not mobile phones. I used to work in the devices area of a major phone company in the UK, and we seemed to have a lot higher bar of testing firmware than some car companies do.

 

[4424]

In my area (Washington, DC), Porsche service is horrible for the Taycan. If I want a loaner, I have to book out 6-7 weeks, I had to bring it to the dealer 3 times for the same issue (which they had no clue how to fix and just said it was working as expected (the 3rd time I brought it to another dealer and got Porsche NA involved and they finally fixed it after a couple weeks).

I was expected much more out of Porsche service.

Just a couple things to be aware of, you may be in a Tesla cult now, but the Taycan has it's own cult, they look down their noses at Tesla owners every chance they get. As someone who has owned both, the Porsche is better built and handles much, much better but the software is awful and so is the charging. Don't expect any type of autopilot either.

With that being said, I can't wait for a 718EV. I assume it'll be out before the Tesla Roadster but I'll but whatever comes out first (most likely, depending on specs of each).


Now I'm going to sit back and wait for everybody to tell me how wrong I am....3, 2, 1

 

[Alemany]

Long time lurker first time poster.

so like many I’m a Tesla owner who’s starting to see things outside the Musk-sphere.

I’ve had my car for 9.5 years. It’s a rwd P85. One of the better built vehicles IMO, before volume went up and quality went down. I actually was saving up for a 911 when I discovered Tesla. Couldn't’ have been happier. my car has been rock solid from then until now.

however….

I’m getting tired of anti-tesla pickup truck driving, Honda civic red light racing, musk drama….basically all the non-car drama around the brand. Model 3/Y drivers stealing the crown from BMW drivers for most obnoxious on the road.

And finally (and the heart of this thread)….service! It’s really gone downhill from where it began.

my friends (an Audi exec and a former Porsche tech) tell me I’ve just been spoiled by Tesla. So please enlighten me.

I used to get car washes, loaner vehicles (even for an hour long service), an inspection to see if everything else was in working order, and a human being to speak with…..on every service visit!
Now, as has been well documented, everything is frustratingly done through their app. I haven’t gotten a wash in years. I’m offered luxurious Uber credits to get me out of their office….no more loaners. I’ve had a “software update needed, call service” message on my dash for months, and service could care less except to tell me leave my car for the night and take an Uber home. All this regardless of whether it’s my decade old Model S or my relatively new Model 3.

sorry for the rant. Is Porsche service any better? Are loaners a thing of the past? Are the service wait times really stretching into several weeks? Or have I been spoiled by a company initially desperate for sales and referrals?

I’d love to get my hands on a GTS (maybe an ST? Still can’t decide). But I’d be irked to experience the same lack of customer service as I am currently experiencing.

thanks for helping me come back into the light

As a twice Tesla owner (p85 and p100d), I moved to Porsche because of Tesla’s service and the arrogance and disrespect of the service manager. Would never buy a Tesla again even though I liked it and I LOVE their software. I am happy with the Taycan (better quality) and truly a sports car.