GM Reportedly Has Serviced More Than 11,000 Teslas Since 2021
It’s hardly a side gig for GM, but it is a bragging right.
Tesla's Service Centers haven't been a bright spot recently, and the automaker's even reportedly resorted to sending untrained employees to fix cars in overwhelmed shops. That might make what General Motors President Mark Reuss said Thursday salt in an already-open wound.
"Since 2021, our dealers took repair orders on vehicles whose make or model was listed as Tesla more than 11,000 times," Reuss told investors during a presentation this week. "A lot of their customers are coming to our dealerships."
GM specified it worked on 11,180 Teslas in that time, though it didn't say what sorts of work were performed. It's likely many were in only for routine maintenance such as tire rotations, but any other sevice performed on Teslas by GM service centers is unclear. Parts availability has been a chronic problem for even Tesla's in-house service network, and it's unlikely third-party service centers can get their hands on Tesla parts.
Wait times at Tesla Service Centers has been a recurring issue for the automaker, and in 2019 CEO Elon Musk said it was a "personal priority" to shore up parts availability and wait times. Even with that reported focus, Tesla owners have continued to complain about long waits for appointments on Tesla Owners Online and Tesla Motors Club.
Reuss' comments likely didn't sit well with Tesla executives, although it's hardly out of the ordinary for service centers to maintain or repair other makes. Although it's not likely a huge revenue stream for GM, it's clearly a bragging right and another salvo in the battle for EV dollars.
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