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Tesla approved body shop highlights Model 3 repair in time-lapse video

[Credit: Autocraft Bodywerks/YouTube]

Published

7 years ago

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Tesla-certified body shop, Autocraft Bodywerks based out of Austin, TX, has showcased just how much work goes into repairing and restoring a damaged Tesla Model 3 in a time-lapse video posted to YouTube. As could be seen in the video, workers of the body shop spent several days replacing Model 3’s rear-quarter body panel that was damaged in an accident.

According to Autocraft Bodywerks, the process of restoring a damaged Tesla back to showroom condition takes specialized training in aluminum welding and adhesive and mechanical joining technology used in the construction of Tesla vehicles. These skillets were highlighted in the company’s documentation of its recent Model 3 repair project, where the shop’s workers could be seen taking deliberate care in fitting, setting, and painting a new body panel.

Tesla’s Model S and Model X are made almost entirely of aluminum. While aluminum has several advantages over steel, such as lighter weight, stellar absorption of energy during collisions, and higher corrosion resistance, the material is also notoriously difficult to work with. Thus, Tesla requires factory training and specialized equipment before a body shop could be certified for repairs and restoration. Repair costs of the company’s vehicles are expensive as well. A Model S owner from the Tesla Motors Club forum, for example, stated that a minor damage on his vehicle’s rear passenger door was quoted $4,422 by a certified body shop. A picture of the damage could be viewed below.

A damaged Model S rear panel which was quoted $4,422 in repairs. [Credit: Hota/Tesla Motors Club]

It’s not just costly repairs that are giving Tesla owners difficulties, either. Tesla owners have also dealt with long wait times for their vehicles’ repair work to be completed, especially if body panels need to be replaced. Johnny, a Model S owner, for one, described his painful “Repair nightmare” story in Teslarati’s forum, stating that he had to wait months as the repair shop waited for parts to arrive from Tesla’s factory.

Repairing Tesla vehicles are set to improve soon, however. During Tesla’s 2018 Annual Shareholder Meeting, Elon Musk discussed the expansion of Tesla Service Centers and authorized body shops. Musk also stated that the company is also in the process of creating Tesla body shop repair locations, which are expected to be ready by the end of the month in several key locations across the United States.

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“We’re rapidly expanding service centers. Year over year, probably see a doubling of service center capacity for Tesla. We’re making major progress on the body-shop front. This is quite a big deal. We’re creating Tesla body shop repair locations. We should have by the end of the month in at least the Top 10 metro areas in the US being able to be serviced by a Tesla body shop. This will be a dramatic improvement in the cost and time of body repair,” Musk said.

This is not all, however, as Musk also noted that eventually, Tesla owners could soon experience the convenience of having same-day body repair services. According to Musk, owners could expect an improvement in the time it takes approved body shops to repair vehicles.

“In fact, we think we might be able to do for a lot of them same-day body repair. It’s definitely possible. I think we want to aim for maybe some number of body repair to be same-day. Whereas if we go to a third party, best case is about a week, and some cases, it’s several weeks. We’re basically just taking our biggest service centers, adding an annex for body repair and pre-stocking the parts, so you don’t have to wait for the parts to come from the factory,” Musk said.

Tesla’s 2018 Annual Shareholder Meeting proved to be highly successful for the electric car and energy company. During the meeting, Musk and Tesla’s executives related several pieces of good news to shareholders, from upcoming free trials on Autopilot, the growth of Tesla Energy, and positive updates on the Model 3 production line.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=31&v=HCWAnsRk1XQ

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Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

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Lifestyle

Elon Musk seemingly confirms Cybertruck gift to 13-year-old cancer fighter

Diagnosed in 2018 with a rare form of brain and spine cancer with no cure, the teen has undergone 13 surgeries by the time he was 12.

Published

2 months ago

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March 6, 2025

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Credit: Tesla

Elon Musk has seemingly confirmed that he will be sending a Tesla Cybertruck to 13-year-old Devarjaye “DJ” Daniel, a 13-year-old Houston boy fighting brain cancer. The teen was recognized as an honorary Secret Service member by U.S. President Donald Trump during his address to Congress on Tuesday. 

A Chance Meeting

The Tesla CEO’s Cybertruck pledge was mentioned during DJ’s short interview with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins. When Collins asked the 13-year-old what he told the Tesla CEO, DJ answered that he asked for a Cybertruck.

“I said, ‘can you do me a big favor, when you get back to Houston can you send us a Cybertruck down there?’” the cancer fighter stated.

Daniel noted that Musk responded positively to his request, which was highlighted by Collins in a post on X. Musk responded to the post with a heart emoji, suggesting that he really will be sending a Cybertruck to the 13-year-old cancer fighter.

Teen’s Cancer Battle Inspires

Diagnosed in 2018 with a rare form of brain and spine cancer with no cure, Daniel has undergone 13 surgeries by the time he was 12. During his speech, Trump highlighted the 13-year-old’s long battle with his disease. 

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“Joining us in the gallery tonight is a young man who truly loves our police. The doctors gave him five months at most to live. That was more than six years ago. Since that time, DJ and his dad have been on a quest to make his dream come true,” Trump stated.

Daniels officially received an honorary badge from U.S. Secret Service Director Sean Curran, to much applause during the event.

Surprisingly Partisan

While Daniels’ story has been inspiring, Trump’s focus on the 13-year-old cancer fighter has received its own fair share of criticism. MSNBC host Nicolle Wallace, while referencing Daniels’ love for law enforcement, noted that she is hoping the 13-year-old never has to defend the U.S. capitol against Trump supporters. “If he does, I hope he isn’t one of the six who loses his life to suicide,” Wallace stated.

Anti-Musk and Trump accounts on X have also thrown jokes at the cancer fighter’s honorary badge, with some dubbing the 13-year-old as a “DEI hire” that should be looked into by DOGE.

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Lifestyle

Tesla owner highlights underrated benefit of FSD Supervised

Published

3 months ago

on

January 31, 2025

By

Credit: Tesla

Elon Musk has been pretty open about the idea of FSD being the difference maker for Tesla’s future.

If Tesla succeeds in achieving FSD, it could become the world’s most valuable company. If it doesn’t, then the company would not be able to reach its optimum potential.

FSD Supervised’s safety benefits:

  • But even if FSD is still not perfect today, FSD Supervised is already making a difference on the roads today.
  • This was highlighted in Tesla’s Q4 2024 Vehicle Safety Report.
  • As per Tesla, it recorded one crash for every 5.94 million miles driven in which drivers were using Autopilot technology.
  • For comparison, the most recent data available from the NHTSA and FHWA (from 2023) showed that there was one automobile crash every 702,000 miles in the United States. 

FSD user’s tale:

  • As per an FSD user’s post on social media platform X, FSD Supervised was able to help him drive a relative to a medical facility safely even if he was exhausted.
  • During the trip, the driver only had to monitor FSD Supervised’s performance to make sure the Tesla operated safely.
  • In a vehicle without FSD, such a trip with an exhausted driver would have been quite dangerous. 
  • “This morning, Tesla FSD proved to be an absolute godsend. I had to take my brother-in-law to the hospital in Sugar Land, TX, which is 40 miles away, at the ungodly hour of 4 AM. Both of us were exhausted, and he was understandably anxious about the surgery.
  • “The convenience of sending the hospital’s address directly from my iPhone to my Tesla while still inside my house, then just a single button press once inside, and 40 miles later we were precisely in front of the hospital’s admissions area.This experience really underscores just how transformative this technology can be for society,” Tesla owner JC Christopher noted in his post.

Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.

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Lifestyle

Tesla Optimus “stars” in incredible fanmade action short film

Published

3 months ago

on

January 14, 2025

By

Credit: @SoKrispyMedia/YouTube

There are few things that prove an enthusiast’s love towards a company more than a dedicated short film. This was highlighted recently when YouTube’s SoKrispyMedia posted a 10-minute action movie starring Optimus, Tesla’s humanoid robot, as well as several of the company’s most iconic products. 

The video: 

  • Shot like a Hollywood action flick, the video featured a rather humorous plot involving a group of thieves that mistakenly targeted a Tesla Model 3 driver. 
  • The Model 3 driver then ended up speaking to Tesla for assistance, and some high-octane and high-speed hijinks ensued.
  • While the short film featured several Tesla products like the Model 3, Superchargers, and the Cybertruck, it is Optimus that truly stole the show.
  • Optimus served several roles in the short film, from an assistant in a Tesla office to a “robocop” enforcer that helped out the Model 3 driver.

Cool inside jokes: 

  • The best Tesla videos are those that show an in-depth knowledge of the company, and SoKrispyMedia definitely had it. 
  • From the opening scenes alone, the video immediately poked fun at TSLA traders, the large number of gray Tesla owners, and the fact that many still do not understand Superchargers.
  • The video even poked fun at Tesla’s software updates, as well as how some Tesla drivers use Autopilot or other features without reading the fine print in the company’s release notes.
  • The video ended with a tour de force of references to Elon Musk products, from the Tesla Cybertruck to the Boring Company Not-a-Flamethrower, which was released back in 2018.

Check out SoKrispyMedia’s Tesla action short film in the video below.

Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.

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