Does Elio Has A Golden Opportunity Here To Change The Way We Think About Warranty Car Service?

[johnsnownw]

I also agree with the last part of your statement "....These are BEVs...so I'm not sure it's as easily translatable..." how much maintenance do you have on a BEV?

Not a lot in the power-train...but they share many other components with ICE vehicles. It would seem that the tools necessary to repair any drivetrain issues would be fewer though. Probably also easier to swap things out on a BEV.

 

[Mel]

Where would they work on the vehicle? Places I've lived and worked expressly forbid working on vehicles in their parking lots. I got called to the office more than once in one apartment complex because I opened the hood of my car. Working on a car parked on a city street would be difficult too, if not prohibited.

I would argue this practice with the complex since checking the oil and fluids is a routine requirement for operating a motor vehicle.
If they complain about your checking you oil, are they willing to warranty your vehicle without these checks?

 

[JEBar]

"....this outfit has a contract with Ryder and some other fleet operations...." just as I mentioned, semi's and big truck fleets.
And you're correct in the assessment "...his services aren't cheap..."; I don't think anyone that bought the Elio for saving money is going to want to have to spend that much on maintaining it; plus there's isn't enough profit built into them to be able to cover this under warranty. Even doing a shuttle service or free rental is going to be difficult to cover. You started with "...mobile repair services are common in the RV industry ...."; how many Elio's could you buy for what you paid for your trailer and tow rig?

they are on their way to a site down from us to work on a Jeep that folks tow behind their motorhome and just stopped by to check and make sure all's well .... they do have have fleet accounts but the fellow says most of his business comes from people traveling through the St Louis area who break down after garages are closed .... the Jeep he is going to work on would have to be towed to a shop and the wrecker bill would be more than his charge to come to the site .... as to how man Elio's could I buy for what we paid for out truck, I have no clue but it would be a bunch of them .... agree (as already stated) I don't see contracting with a mobile repair service to be a viable option for EM or for most Elio owners .... the point I was making is, services of this type are available for those who may want them .... since January of this year we've had to use one at our home in NC, one north of Houston at Lake Conroe, one north of San Antonio at Media Lake and now one in St Louis .... can only wish we hadn't of needed any of them

 

[Gas-Powered Awesome]

I would argue this practice with the complex since checking the oil and fluids is a routine requirement for operating a motor vehicle.
If they complain about your checking you oil, are they willing to warranty your vehicle without these checks?

It was an expensive, super-well-made (concrete!) and maintained complex of single-bedroom apartments in the midst of a sea of a dozen+ horrible cheap apartments (the area is known as "Apartment Hell"). Best I've ever rented. But because of the cost, size, and location, populated with a significant number of elderly widows with nothing better to do all day than look out their windows and call every infraction in to the office. I called them the "Granny Squad". The office ladies giggled at that, but said rules are rules and asked me nicely to comply. The complex did provide a "service area" behind the office.

 

[Marshall]

I would argue this practice with the complex since checking the oil and fluids is a routine requirement for operating a motor vehicle.
If they complain about your checking you oil, are they willing to warranty your vehicle without these checks?

The mindset there is that EVERYONE should take their car to the shop for even routine things like checking the oil. It's a mindset share by rich men and most women.

 

[JEBar]

The mindset there is that EVERYONE should take their car to the shop for even routine things like checking the oil. It's a mindset share by rich men and most women.

its not a new concept .... from early on "full service" gas stations (AKA service stations) routinely checked the vehicle's oil while the attendant was filling it .... stereotypically a dad who was to busy to mess with it would send mom to the service station to get the car checked .... those days are gone but the need to monitor a vehicle's fluids and such .... over the years, our sons have commented many times about some of their friends who have no basically no concept of how to do so

 

[HonestTex]

When each of my 3 daughters got their learners permit I taught them how to check all of the fluid levels, battery clamps, and belts. Then supervised them changing a tire and the oil and filter. And how to drive a manual transmission. They have stunned more than a few boys.

 

[Marshall]

its not a new concept .... from early on "full service" gas stations (AKA service stations) routinely checked the vehicle's oil while the attendant was filling it .... stereotypically a dad who was to busy to mess with it would send mom to the service station to get the car checked .... those days are gone but the need to monitor a vehicle's fluids and such .... over the years, our sons have commented many times about some of their friends who have no basically no concept of how to do so

I vaguely remember those days. But they vanished quickly when I was VERY young. I think it was before Gomer gave way to Goober.

And when you could Trust your Car to the Man who wears the Star.

 

[Coss]

When each of my 3 daughters got their learners permit I taught them how to check all of the fluid levels, battery clamps, and belts. Then supervised them changing a tire and the oil and filter. And how to drive a manual transmission. They have stunned more than a few boys.

I did the same with my daughter; she surprised me one day by saying "have you checked the wipers on your truck lately"? I was at a loss for words; so I told her know and she came back with "well can you check them and get some new ones so I can learn how to changes those too?"

When we went to the store to get them; she asked if I could get some for her car too; AH HA! there was another motive for asking; she needed wipers on her car, and she knew I would tell her to go do it herself; she was broke at the time (typical) so she had done some good planning for this whole thing.

 

[W. WIllie]

And of course you gave in.