When I wrote about battery electric vehicle (BEV) repairs in May, I talked about battery packs and missed something crucial that only a recent estimate made me see. This document came from a customer who demanded to keep his old battery pack from Tesla after replacing it. The BEV maker then provided him with an estimate. The final bill was $31,025.92 just for parts. In other words, it would be a mistake to consider the component costs only $21,000. It only costs that much because the old piece makes it cheaper.
In my previous article, I tried to discuss if Tesla's policy of keeping old parts was legal. The BEV maker puts a disclaimer at the end of all its estimates that clarifies its policy for replaced components:
"Any parts (including tires/wheels) removed or replaced by Tesla during vehicle service will become the property of Tesla. However, at the time you authorize repairs, you may request to receive (subject to any applicable core charge, which you agree to pay) or inspect replaced parts (excluding inflatable restraint system components), except body shop repair parts and parts required to be returned to the manufacturer or a third party under a warranty, trade-in or exchange agreement, which will only be presented to you for examination and not returned."
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