Tesla’s Stainless Steel Truck: Community Opinions
Elon Musk has kept his vow to bring the Tesla Cybertruck into production. Despite a few adaptations from the concept version, so as for the vehicle to function correctly, it still most closely mirrors its forerunner unveiled in 2019—complete with stainless steel body panels. This could be the Cybertruck’s most prominent adornment, however, may it also be its weakest point? The wedge-shaped design resembles a combination of Syd Mead and Giorgetto Giugiaro artistry, yet it will cost more than anticipated and not quite reach the initial levels proclaimed.
Musk and Tesla may have boasted that their truck display a strong resilience to injury; however, in accordance with the laws of nature, any material has its limitations in regards to enduring damages. Ultimately, this means repair will be necessary should something break. This is proving to be an issue though.
In conclusion, at present, there are merely a fraction of Cybertrucks being driven. Added to this is Tesla’s famously retire manner on divulging their fixing techniques, so until more of these vehicles are on the highways and people can talk openly about them, we simply won’t understand the specifics of how to mend them.
With its unique design outline, it definitely is one of the most eye-catching models out there.Despite the fact that we all have eyes, the Cybertruck has proved to be an unconventional standout vehicle. Other than just being yet another electric truck or a car from Tesla’s line up, it can also make a strong statement with its distinctively bold design. Its stainless steel body makes it sparkle like no other vehicle on the roads today.
Gaining insight into what Cybetruck owners may face when their rugged vehicles are up against it, I consulted several professionals who have familiarity in working with auto repairs, mending stainless steel, remedying Teslas specifically, as well as others with proficient understanding in this field.
The landscape portrayed is one of measured hopefulness, but honest in respect to the difficulties associated with the vehicle’s plan. Those notables were adamant about how such a truck could potentially stretch the sometimes-fraught correlation between customer, car repair personnel, and the insurance sector.
The startlingly strong Cybertruck features 3mm thick stainless steel- a peculiar accomplishment in the auto industry. Musk boasted that even with powerful automobile presses pushing tons of pressure, it is difficult to fold the material due to its unusual thickness and strength. PDR tool can’t even help as the denting becomes next to impossible. Coming back in time, since the 1980s when DeLoreans were at their heights, there is an example which exists, probably applicable to the modern day situation, of how to repair stainless steel.
It takes a significant amount of effort to make sure the body panels remain aligned and in top condition. For a truck with unpainted panels, unlike traditional auto steel or aluminum bodies, you can’t just disguise imperfections that are structurally sound but look unsightly by applying body filler and paint. This means that each repair must be perfect, which is not only hard to do but also quite laborious.
The reason many DeLorean cars ended up being painted is because of the amount of damage they suffered in accidents; fixing a stainless-steel sheet wouldn’t make any economic sense. So some people, such as owners and expert auto-repair personnel, opted to use more traditional measures that involved using body filler, then proceeding to paint the vehicle.
Josh Bengston, owner and operator of DeLorean Industries in Tallmadge, Ohio declared, “Fixing stainless steel is a novelty.” In the course of our brief talk, he was straightforward and succinct. The idea of refurbishing stainless steel makes sense only for vintage or collector automobiles such as the DMC-12, where replacement components may not be present, and the vehicles themselves are exclusive trinkets meant for enthusiasts.
James Espey, the head of Classic DMC, expressed relatively higher expectations. Still, he comprehended that revamping stainless steel is difficult. Espey noted some of the repairs of DeLorean pieces are done like they used to, with chisels and hammers instead of technologically advanced automotive bodywork apparatuses. It’s a task filled with intricacy that requires much more effort than a standard steel coat. According to Epsey, “if it takes more than 8 or 9 hours fixing one area, you’re much better off just getting a fresh part.”
The fears of steep expenses were common throughout a Facebook team combining novices and veterans alike of car body repair. Although repairing the Cybertruck’s panels could be possible similar to how the DeLoreans were previously done, the foremost worry was whether insurers would authorize labor-demanding fixes. High work costs are what lead to totaled cars; take for instance an Ohio owner’s Rivian R1T, whose said repair totals an outrageous $42,000 just due to an ordinary fender bender. Such costly repair bills are what can total out trucks, something some Rivian users are discovering.
Switching panels would most likely take significantly less time (and therefore, incur lower labor costs) than fixing them, supporting a replacement rather than mending might cause a different set of issues. Undoubtedly, this is only amplifying the challenging scenarios Tesla owners are already experiencing with their insurance providers: long waiting periods for repairs, and expensive fixes, even preceding Tesla’s debated decision to opt for stainless steel panels.
A great many patrons employ me to battle insurance providers, considering that they do not want to reimburse what it takes to restore a Tesla to its pre-damaged state,” stated Billy Walkowiak, CEO of Collision Safety Consultants. This organisation was established partly to provide assistance and act on behalf of claimants who feel their situations are not fairly being addressed. “I personally handle close to 10 to 15 Teslas every week,” he remarked.
Walkowiak elucidated that, regardless of the results of the Cybertruck debut, Tesla’s service plans have typically leaned towards replacing parts as opposed to simply mend them. This, compounded with the intricate software re-configurations and costly labor — exclusively by qualified Tesla staff — leads to an immense rise in price tag. He illustrated this by citing a Tesla Model 3 claim worth $22,000; shockingly, $14,000 of it were only replacement parts.
“Tesla is facing a challenge as insurance companies are now attempting to gain control of the estimating software,” Walkowiak commented. “They can then make decisions about what they believe is necessary for repairs, or what they are willing to pay for, based on their own software.” He continued, “This means that the body shop’s estimates may be disregarded in favor of the insurance company’s calculations, which can lead to costly repairs for the customer.”
Despite this, the substitution components methodology that is predicted to be employed by the Cybertruck may cause a fresh vexation: can Tesla manufacture enough accessories to remain abreast?
I recall going over tales in the motor vehicle commerce publications concerning how components for the Model S, 3, Y, and X were all in limited quantities because they had manufactured whatever amount they could. It seemed to me that Tesla hadn’t assigned an adequate quantity of backup components,” Espey remarked.
In recent years, Tesla’s part repair issues have improved, yet it’s not difficult to find posts on social media of Tesla owners frustrated that their repairs take such a long time, with wait times extending up to six months. “The DeLorean company was really good about making every dealer buy a certain subset of spare parts, including body panels,” Epsey stated. “Will every Tesla service center have body panels on hand to deliver?”
He also raised questions over the potential access of out-of-house production components. Considering that the Cybertruck is apparently using a distinctive stainless steel mixture, it’s uncertain whether any external businesses will be competent to generate accessory sheet metal pieces for the pickup truck.
Irrespective, Espey was not wholly despondent regarding the Cybertruck. During our discussion, he related the stainless steel plates of the Cybertruck to Ford’s F-150 aluminum frame – an opinion which stirred up awesome commotion when initially exposed.
Although there remain certain reservations in regards to the charges and approaches taken to mend an aluminum car, on the whole, the vehicle body repair milieu has adjusted extensively. This is likely attributed to the enormous renown of Ford’s F-150. Nowadays, repairing aluminum cars is little more than a trivial issue; however, some auto body shop owners are determined that the heightened fees required to fix them is still a major problem.
Employees at one other Ohio auto repair facility I discussed with (which consists of 7,000 square feet dedicated solely to EV service) offered an encouraging outlook.They maintained that Tesla typically grants helpful instruction when it comes to their car repairs, something also confirmed by other business professionals I consulted for this article. It is highly likely that the automaker – who doesn’t respond to press inquiries in the US – already has a plan for addressing repairs which is still unknown to us.
Nevertheless, repairing collisions entails more than just the action of elimination of dents and remuneration to a shop manager. Countless components are associated in this process, and it is yet unclear how the Cybertruck will respond when the last chime sounds.
