Summary
Since taking delivery of my Tesla in 2021, I have had 9 free check-ups, charged for free 14 times, never spent a penny on car washes, received cash and JD cards through posting, exchanged for headphones, clothes, walkie-talkies, etc. and even received eggs.
Charging, car washing and tire pressure adjustment at Tesla service centers are the most sustainable methods for getting free benefits!
Now I’ll go through the nine ways I’ve summarized on how to get the most out of your Tesla!
Tesla Employee Benefit Program
If you or your spouse’s company is a Tesla partner, Tesla will send an email to the email address you provided during the ordering process to tell you about this after ordering but before taking delivery. After placing my order, I proactively called Tesla’s 400 hotline to confirm that neither my wife nor I work for any Tesla partners. But for some unknown reason, we received this email shortly thereafter!
The exclusive benefits include an after-sales coupon (valid for 6 months) provided by Tesla-authorized body paint shops and 3 free air conditioning cleaning services (valid for the lifetime of the vehicle) provided by Tesla service centers. The authorized body paint shop coupons include 2 vouchers worth ¥1,000 for paintwork, a 4-wheel alignment, 1 body polishing and waxing, 1 interior disinfection and sterilization, and 12 car washes. I’ve only used the car washes; never had anything else done.
Tesla Referral Program
On the day (within 24 hours) you place a ¥1,000 deposit at a Tesla store to order your vehicle or when purchasing your vehicle online using a referral code or link from an existing owner, both the new and existing owners will receive 1,500 km of free Supercharger credit (equivalent to around 2,300 km of range with basic consumption rate of 372 Wh/km). This credit can be used at any Tesla Supercharger station across the country. So owners have the incentive to refer Tesla to their friends and family.
Sadly, Tesla discontinued its referral program on September 18, 2021. It instantly made loyal owners feel undervalued and thus reluctant to promote Tesla.
Free Service Center InspectionsThis year we have done a total of 9 free inspections! Tesla usually provides free inspections for holiday travel vehicles during May Day, National Day, Spring Festival, etc. Of course, you can go for a free basic inspection at any time (it is better to make an appointment in advance to reduce waiting time), and you can also request to charge, wash the car, and have lunch for free. More details will be introduced later.
Every time the Tesla staff will register the scratches on the appearance of the car in detail, put on seat covers and steering wheel covers, and then drive into the workshop to have professional technicians tighten the tires, adjust the tire pressure, check the wipers and glass water, and handle other problems reported by the owner.
Free Charging – Supercharging and Slow Charging?
Supercharging in Tesla Service Centers
Most of the chargers in the service centers are superchargers, while the chargers at Guanzhuang are 70-80% slow chargers (as of September 2021, not sure about the current situation). You can charge for free while checking your car. Many service centers will actively help you charge when checking your car. I have charged 7 times at the service center.
Destination Chargers (Slow Chargers) at the Entrance of Tesla Service Centers
There are usually destination chargers at the entrance of the service center, and you can directly charge for free if there are available spaces, at a speed of 70-80 kilometers per hour. I have only charged once at Guanzhuang Service Center: I stayed for three hours and charged 200 kilometers. This free charging is indeed “expensive”!
Free Supercharging Available from Time to Time
During May Day in 2021, all nationwide supercharging was free of charge. I went to Qingdao to charge 7 times! During the floods in Henan in the summer of 2021, all supercharging in Henan was free. It is said that when a supercharging station is ready but not yet online, you can still get free charging, but I haven’t tried it yet.
Car Washing for a Whole Year Without Spending Any Money
I haven’t spent a penny on car washing this year because I don’t have high requirements for car washing. I have washed my car at Tesla service centers, Huaxiang Jichi Xing, Huitong Luhua Sihui store, and YCL Kuche Xiaozhen. I invented a car washing method of “washing twice and wiping once with 1 bucket of water and 5 bottles of water”, but I got tired of washing it after five or six times.
Car Washing at Tesla Service Centers
Currently, car washing is available at the service centers in Lai Guangying, Nan Si Huan Zhong Road and Yizhuang. I have only washed my car at Nan Si Huan Zhong Road, and after washing it, the staff drove it out and handed it to me. I don’t know where it was washed specifically.
Tesla Authorized Body Spray Center Car Wash
I’ve been to HuaXiangJiChiZhiXing Body Spray Center for 5 times. The service there is amazing. The first time I went there, I planned to use the “Exclusive Benefit for Partner Company Employees” provided by Tesla to exchange for 12 car washes. However, they told me that there was no need for verification and I could come anytime I wanted to wash my car. The only problem is that the place is too narrow and I dared not drive my car in just after picking my car up. Therefore, I stopped going there.
Later, I exchanged the car wash with the one-year 12-time card in HuTongLuHuaSiHui store. They also told me that there was no need for verification. The place has convenient transportation and is easy to get in and out. Moreover, they do not charge for parking at Supercharger stations. You can rest in the store while charging. In short, it is a very nice place.
Third-Party Car Accessory Stores Car Wash
In the Tesla WeChat group, car accessory stores that provide services such as car repair and film pasting regularly organize lucky draw activities to reward their customers. I was lucky enough to win a YCL Cool Car Town one-year 12-time car wash card. I washed my car once there for self-help before the Spring Festival holiday (the car washer had gone back home for the holiday). The card has not been used yet.
Tesla Snowy Mooncakes and Soft Drinks
Almost every Tesla service center offers free snacks and drinks, such as snow mooncakes, fairy cakes, cola, Sprite, mineral water, and coffee, for the car owners to use while resting. “Going to eat snowy mooncakes” has become a humorous way for Tesla car owners to say they are going to the service center for repair or inspection! The service center lounge basically has game machines and massage chairs that require payment, but I have never used them.
Tesla’s Free Lunch is Good
I have had lunch at the service center twice, and both times were bento boxes with Teacher Tian’s braised pork. I wasn’t specifically going for a free lunch, but I only had time at noon during those two visits!
If you make an appointment in advance for a free inspection through the Tesla APP, the Tesla staff will ask you if you have any companions joining you for lunch. They will then deliver the lunch to the lounge and the cleaning staff will take care of the rest of the mess after you finish eating. The whole process of eating and drinking for free as a customer will not feel awkward 😜
Various Activities Organized by Tesla’s Official and Unofficial OrganisationsTesla usually organizes various themed online and offline activities during many holidays. I have participated in offline activities such as Children’s Day charity sales, Dragon Boat Festival sachet-making and Valentine’s Day roses with my child, and received free EAP (ModelY owners take you to understand Tesla’s advanced driving assistance AP/EAP) and NetEase Cloud VIP memberships. You can sign up for activities in the “Tesla” – “Learn” – “Recent Activities” section of the official WeChat account or find information in the official WeChat group.
Major platforms also organize occasional camping, movie-watching, King of Glory, and self-driving tours. I have only participated in the Huairou Yunyang Fairyland camping activity organized by Yiche and had a great time with both adults and children!
Post on forums to win JD cards and eggs
Major APP forums will occasionally have post rewards activities specifically for Tesla, or for all car models. During holidays such as May Day and Spring Festival, there will be more activities. Generally, according to the quality of the posted content or the number of interactive comments, participants can receive reward points, cash red envelopes, JD cards, etc. (a member in the group received a JD card worth 1900 yuan in January 2022), or peripheral car products such as keys, car washing machines, walkie-talkies, inflatable pumps, headphones, clothes, etc. Reward points can also be redeemed for these products. I even tried to redeem 30 ecological fresh eggs with reward points! Currently, I can still redeem 266 eggs with the remaining reward points, saving me from buying eggs for more than half a year!
This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.