Tesla Introducing Dedicated Service Centers for the Original Roadster

author: Vineeth Joel Patel   

Before Tesla became a household name with electric cars like the Model S, Model X, and Model 3, there was the humble Roadster. 

The original Roadster was introduced in 2006 and helped put Tesla on the map. In addition to being one of the first mainstream electric cars on the market, the Roadster was a darn good look at the future. It had an all-electric range of 245 miles on a single charge and could make the sprint to 60 mph in just four seconds. 

Unfortunately, the first Roadsters weren't that great, even Tesla CEO Elon Musk said so. But the electric automaker is looking to support the consumers that purchased one of its first EVs all those years ago.

Finally Giving Owners Proper Service

According to CNBC, Tesla has recently started to reach out to customers that own one of its early Roadster models. Apparently, the electric automaker knows that service for its first electric cars hasn't been fantastic, and it wants to change that. To that end, Tesla wants to introduce a "dedicated channel" for servicing the Roadster and only the Roadster.

The outlet received an email from Roadster owners where, Tesla's President of Automotive, Jerome Guillen, stated: "We appreciate your continued and pioneering support for Tesla. We realize that we need to improve service for Roadster – we are putting in place a dedicated channel to help with all your Roadster needs. This means dedicated service advisors, service technicians, and repair centers."

Service has been one of Tesla's major issues. The automaker continues to sell a large, especially for its footprint, number of vehicles, but has been lagging behind when it comes to servicing them. Numerous complaints have been made for long wait times, few Tesla-approved repair centers, and shoddy workmanship by the repair team. This, at least for the Roadster, is something Tesla is looking to fix.

Owners Won't Feel Neglected

Obviously, this is great news for current Roadster owners. Owners have had a tough time keeping their electric cars on the road, as Tesla stopped making spare parts for the model and even went so far as to not allow owners to schedule a service appointment through the company's smartphone app. As CNBC points out, Roadster owners have felt "neglected" ever since the Model S was introduced in 2012.

Tesla may be experiencing growth and may control a large portion of the electric segment in the U.S., but servicing has always been a major part of owning a vehicle. With new vehicle sales down in general in the country, more and more consumers are making the decision to hold onto their old vehicles, which makes servicing an even more important aspect for automakers.

Without internal combustion engines, electric vehicles require much less maintenance. But they still require service, especially when accidents occur. CNBC states that items like tires and suspension systems need to be replaced frequently on electric vehicles because of their high curb weights. Special technicians need to be hired to work on electric vehicles, too, which complicates things. At least Roadster owners are getting some love.

Vineeth Joel Patel

Joel Patel has been covering all aspects of the automotive industry for four years as an editor and freelance writer for various websites. When it comes to cars, he enjoys covering the merger between technology and cars. In his spare time, Joel likes to watch baseball, work on his car, and try new foods