It’s hard to know what to make of Slate Auto, since it doesn’t sell anything real yet. Will it deliver a true $25,000 electric truck that is everything the most hardcore fans think it will be? Maybe. But maybe not. Building cars is hard and only time will tell. That said, Slate’s commitment to the right to repair is definitely a breath of fresh air. However, would you do your own warranty work? Apparently Slate thinks so, as Chief Commercial Officer Jeremy Snyder recently told Jay Leno that this is the company’s plan.
If you’d like to watch the entire 35-minute episode, it’s embedded below and timestamped to ensure you see the part we’re focusing on here. Just before the 18 minute mark, Snyder says, “First and foremost, we want our customers to do their own repairs. They can even do their own warranty repairs, which is an industry first.” From the beginning, Slate has been quite vocal about its desire for owners to be able to work on and customize their own vehicles, so the “DIY repairs” section is far from new.
What I don’t think we’ve heard before, however, is that Slate wants to allow customers to make their own warranty repairs. Unfortunately for anyone who wants a little more detail, Leno seems to be much more focused on Slate’s partnership with RepairPal, so you can shop around for the best deal when your truck needs repairs. That’s probably pretty cool too, as is Snyder’s promise that the Slate app will include a code reader, but come on, Jay. When someone tells you they’re planning to do something no other automaker is currently doing, ask a follow-up question.
It might be great, or it might not
But for now I feel torn. It’s pretty clear that doing your own warranty repairs is optional and not mandatory, so you shouldn’t have any problems if you prefer to let a real shop do the work. And assuming it’s something fairly quick and easy, having Slate ship the part directly to you instead of going to a store can be a great way to avoid the hassle of having to wait for someone else to fix it.
On the other hand, unless Slate plans to pay its customers to do their own warranty repairs, it feels wrong in principle. I do the work, save your company money, and all I get is the convenience of not having to go to a store? I’m also curious how this would work from a legal liability perspective, as warranty work is often safety related. I’m sure you can do that job, but we both know there are plenty of idiots out there who somehow manage to screw up even the simplest of tasks.
If one of those idiots causes a crash after poorly performed warranty repair work, can Slate be held liable? Even assuming Slate makes you sign a waiver and absolves the company of any responsibility in the event you mess up your own warranty work, will that hold up in court if the other driver files a lawsuit? I can’t say. But what me can Let me just say that I am absolutely fascinated by the idea of having the ability to make your own warranty repairs, whether they end in disaster or not.
#Slate #warranty #work #truck #Jalopnik