Tesla is reaching out to Roadster owners about a new dedicated channel for service and a trade-in program.

Several TMC members have reported receiving such a note. An example was shared by dhrivnak, which says:

According to our records, we believe you own Roadster 5XXXXXXB881000255. We appreciate your support for Tesla and its first product. We realize that we need to improve service for Roadster – we are putting in place a dedicated channel to help you with all your Roadster needs. This means dedicated Service Advisors, Service Technicians, and repair centers. You can reach this service by emailing [email protected] Please note that this channel only services Roadsters. Please continue to use your Tesla app for all other Tesla cars – Model S, Model X and Model 3. You can also trade-in your current Roadster and apply the value towards the purchase of a Model S, Model X or Model 3 — even a reservation for a next generation Roadster. Request a trade-in quote to get started.

The news about improved service was certainly received positively by Roadster owners. For the most part original Roadster owners have been left to fend for themselves since most service centers don’t know how to work on them. Tesla made about 2,400 original Roadsters.

TMC member Brentt wrote:

My thought is, this is exactly what Tesla needed to do, especially with the upcoming release of the new roadster. The email didn’t come from just anyone, it came directly from Jerome Guillen. This shows the highest level of commitment to not only The new car, but the older ones as well. For those considering purchasing either a new Roadster, or and older one, it’s comforting to know that your investment will not go the way of an IPhone 4, and goes a long ways in making the decision of whether To buy or not. Kudos to whoever came up with this plan, It’s spot on!

TMC Member PV-EV wrote:

I agree with others that this is a step in the right direction. An even bigger step would be to release all the manuals and service tools and firmware so that owners and third parties could fill the need. That would save them a bundle and promote the same or more “goodwill.”

The trade-in value that Tesla is offering, however, was not met with joy. Dhrivnak shared his reply from the trade-in team:

I hope you’re having a terrific day! I wanted to update you and let you know that our trade in team came back with an offer of $26,300 for your Tesla Roadster. Please let me know if you’d like to move forward with this offer. Alternatively if you would like to try and sell the vehicle yourself there is always that option. Otherwise you can trade in with us to ensure you do not have to worry about trying to sell it before your Tesla is ready for pick up.

“I told them NO WAY and that such an offer was just an insult,” dhrivnak wrote.

Dhrivnak mentioned that his Roadster has a 3.0 battery. For context, a Roadster 3.0 Battery Upgrade is sold by Tesla for $29,000. So, Tesla offered less for the whole car than the price of a new battery.

TMC member X.l.r.8 replied:

I think we should all tell them that they are in fact insulting all Roadster owners with their offers. Totally to opposite of what they mentioned in the be beginning of their letter.

It’s still not clear what Tesla has planned for the trade-in Roadsters.

Will Tesla be “buying bricked Roadsters to repair bricked Roadsters?” X.l.r.8 asked. Could Tesla offer “retro Roadsters” with an updated Model 3 drive-train and battery? Will Tesla just dump their original flagship cars at auction? Will they launch them into space?

See the full thread here.