Slate will train RepairPal shops for accessories installs, service, repairs

[Letas]

Exactly.

I fear you are going to have to temper your expectations a bit. This is a pretty common theme in the low-service D2C model, and it is designed to keep cost down. Canyon Bikes is one that comes to mind- Canyon makes great spec bikes at prices that other mfgs can't touch. But the bike comes in a cardboard box with instructions on how to assemble it. Don't want to do it yourself? You can pay someone to assemble it for you if you choose. Have repairs or upgrades? Outside of major warranty work- you're on the hook.



Obviously Slate will cover true warranty work. But frankly- I would not expect a high bar of service. Potentially having to transport the car a significant distance to have it repaired, long lead times, etc. That is the "price" you pay for a lower price. If you are curious, plenty of horror stories from Tesla and Rivian- which both have a much higher investment in post-delivery service than Slate will.

 

[Dorbiman]

I fear you are going to have to temper your expectations a bit. This is a pretty common theme in the low-service D2C model, and it is designed to keep cost down. Canyon Bikes is one that comes to mind- Canyon makes great spec bikes at prices that other mfgs can't touch. But the bike comes in a cardboard box with instructions on how to assemble it. Don't want to do it yourself? You can pay someone to assemble it for you if you choose. Have repairs or upgrades? Outside of major warranty work- you're on the hook.



Obviously Slate will cover true warranty work. But frankly- I would not expect a high bar of service. Potentially having to transport the car a significant distance to have it repaired, long lead times, etc. That is the "price" you pay for a lower price. If you are curious, plenty of horror stories from Tesla and Rivian- which both have a much higher investment in post-delivery service than Slate will.

I would wholeheartedly agree with you if this thing was actually low price. The new base Leaf may actually come in CHEAPER than the Truck. And you’d at least have somewhere to have it serviced.

All I’m saying is that I’m unwilling to give them slack when the product is still comparable in price to regular vehicles with actual warranties. I want a Truck badly. But their model needs to make sense for me to jump in.

 

[Letas]

I would wholeheartedly agree with you if this thing was actually low price. The new base Leaf may actually come in CHEAPER than the Truck. And you’d at least have somewhere to have it serviced.

All I’m saying is that I’m unwilling to give them slack when the product is still comparable in price to regular vehicles with actual warranties. I want a Truck badly. But their model needs to make sense for me to jump in.

With you 100%- still have my reservation, but frankly do not expect to purchase unless I am pleasantly surprised by the final product.

 

[cadblu]

I think it’s a safe bet we will be fairly impressed by the final product. We’ve held on this far. If Slate disappoints, they are done and they know it. But the wildcard still needing to be addressed is….. pricing.

By now, we should all have a few trucks in our Slate maker / garage. I have 6, and they are all reasonably optioned out the way I like. Some have “the works.” Slate needs to price up each variation so we can balance our wish list with what we can afford. And give early reservation holders a generous discount!

I expect to log in one day, hopefully sooner than later, to see actual pricing. That said, I think we may all need to sit down first so we don’t pass out from sticker shock.

 

[sodamo]

I think it’s a safe bet we will be fairly impressed by the final product. We’ve held on this far. If Slate disappoints, they are done and they know it. But the wildcard still needing to be addressed is….. pricing.

By now, we should all have a few trucks in our Slate maker / garage. I have 6, and they are all reasonably optioned out the way I like. Some have “the works.” Slate needs to price up each variation so we can balance our wish list with what we can afford. And give early reservation holders a generous discount!

I expect to log in one day, hopefully sooner than later, to see actual pricing. That said, I think we may all need to sit down first so we don’t pass out from sticker shock.

Are you suggesting (hoping) some day we log on, go to the garage and each vehicle will show the price? That would be very nice and helpful

 

[cadblu]

Are you suggesting (hoping) some day we log on, go to the garage and each vehicle will show the price? That would be very nice and helpful

Absolutely! Price up each vehicle in our garage. Just like every other established OEM, saved builds all carry a price tag.

 

[KevinRS]

I think some of the options shown in the maker are preliminary. By launch there will be more options and variations on some of the parts shown now, particularly on the interior. For example currently for console there is none, black or brown, and there's no reason they wouldn't add colors, and different options for the "cupholder" area. It was mentioned early on that heated seats could be added with a heated seatcover, and that hasn't shown up yet.
I expect more in dash accessories to be added, like single and double din mounts, possibly multiple of each, speaker mounts, various storage options.
From one of the videos, while they are doing the major options that need safety testing like SUV kits in house, they plan to have a "marketplace" type setup where you can buy stuff made by other companies on the site, previewed with the 3d modeling as seen on the maker now, and a lot of even what's shown now may have preliminary designs Slate made and 3d printed, but will be mass produced by injection molding by other companies.

Just saying that the builds you make now should be considered only previews, stuff will change.

 

[Adam W]

Not sure when this was added, but theres a page and FAQ on the Slate website now specifically for shops that are interested in becoming Slate Certified.

https://www.slate.auto/en/certified

Also interesting, at the bottom, they're asking for 3rd party accessory manufacturers to get in touch for potential partnerships.

 

[KevinRS]

I am figuring they will shortly be giving 3rd party manufacturers at least preliminary specs and dimensions, and not long after that final dimensions. This wouldn't necessarily mean those detailed measurements would go public yet, just these 3rd parties need them to have the accessories ready at launch.

 

[Orley]

I'm not finding Slate listed on the Repairpal site. I know there is a lot of time to add Slate to the list. I searched Tesla Repairpal and I found only 1 business in my area. Where do you current EV owners get your vehicles serviced/repaired? Do you take it back to the dealership or to independent shops?

 

[cadblu]

I'm not finding Slate listed on the Repairpal site. I know there is a lot of time to add Slate to the list. I searched Tesla Repairpal and I found only 1 business in my area. Where do you current EV owners get your vehicles serviced/repaired? Do you take it back to the dealership or to independent shops?

For routine services like tire rotations, installations and state inspections, most independent shops are ok. I've used a local AAA service center for State inspections, and my local Mavis shop for tires with no issues. You'll need to contact them first to make sure they work on EVs. I try to avoid the Tesla service center as they typically have one week wait time for a reservation, although they do offer mobile service which is a great time saver.

You should also be aware that most EVs, including Slate, will have specific procedures for jacking up or using the floor hoist as used in auto service centers. Improper jacking procedures will crush or damage your battery, which is not covered under any warranty. For example, Tesla requires that you use a special pad or "donut" at each jacking point. That said, if your car requires major service, I recommend you contact the dealership for peace of mind.

 

[The Weatherman]

I'm not finding Slate listed on the Repairpal site. I know there is a lot of time to add Slate to the list. I searched Tesla Repairpal and I found only 1 business in my area. Where do you current EV owners get your vehicles serviced/repaired? Do you take it back to the dealership or to independent shops?

My F150 Lightning and Kia EV6 go back to their respective dealerships for servicing. Although, that has only been for tire rotations and fluid level inspections at specified intervals. Cost me $20 bucks per visit.

 

[cadblu]

Here's a message for the senior members on this forum (like me!):

If you have an AARP membership, you qualify for discounts on services through RepairPal. Members receive 10% off at participating RepairPal Certified shops across the US.

Link here: RepairPal AARP Discount

Does this mean we can get our SUV kits and accessories installed, along with brake, tire, and suspension work at a discounted rate?

In the words of Rich Rebuilds, "I like saving money."

 

[atx_ev]

I agree. My ONLY qualm is that if I'm going to be doing warranty work, I should be compensated at the standard technician rate using the standard repair time for a given repair. This is something I'm intimately familiar with. I would never expect any other automaker to outsource warranty work to the customer, so if Slate is going to do it, they should pay for it just the same as they would a dealer, a partnered repair shop, etc.

they will have partnered repair shops, I dont think they expect you to do warranty work.