Options for repairs when service is now sparce and distant?

[acensor]

When we purchased 5 years ago our Mitsu dealer service was 12 miles away.
That dealer bailed out of Mitsubishi about 3 years ago. Now our closest is 450 miles one way.
Basically unreachable unless trucked there.
At the time of the great airbag recall there was a dealer service "only" 200 miles away, and after a bit of arm-twisting Mitsubishi paid for a truck to haul our 5 local MiEVs up and back.

But if we ever need repairs that are MiEV unique (not, for example, the conventional brakes, etc.) whether under warranty (such as failure fo the traction battery pack...the only thing still under any warranty AFAIK) or not we're up shits creek.

I have towing service on my auto insurance "to nearest place repairs can be made".... thought that covered me until I read the fine print and saw 50 mile limit. Shopped for third party towing and road service insurance and even the "premium" policy I found had a 150 mile limit.... and none of them would, even if they would cover a long trucking to a distant service dealer they'd never cover bringing the car back home.

I even looked at the option of renting a trailer and hauling it behind my newer Forester..... but the MiEV plus trailer would exceed its towing capacity.

So questions:
# Are any of you in the same situation.... long way from Mitsubishi service and see the potential problem I do?
# Any ideas for solutions re that risk?
# Do you share my virtual certainty that Mitsubishi would not readily agree to pay for a truck transport to a distant service even in the case of a clearly defective battery still under warranty?
# Would anyone in a similar situation have any interest at all in some kind of class action suit/claim on Mitsubishi (or a publicity campaign at least) based on, basically, that when we purchased we had a reasonable expectation of accessibility of service?

 

[Don]

I'm in the same boat. Our local Mitsu dealer was only 10 miles away, but he closed a year or two after we bought our first one. Now the closest dealer who services EV's is in Pensacola, 110 miles away. Like you, I raised enough ruckus with Mitsu that when we needed warranty work, they trucked both cars there and back . . . . twice. The first time, the dealer serviced the cars while the local tow operator hung around town and he brought them back the same day he took them over. The second time, the dealer had the cars for 3 days and it was a second round trip for the towing company to go back and get them

I'm sure the next time will be on me and I'll probably borrow (or rent) a trailer and tow it there myself. If they needed to keep it for a week or more (new battery??) I might just try and drive them home. 110 miles I should be able to do in a long day with a couple of enroute recharges

Luckily, in the 7 years we've been driving them, these are very reliable cars and other than the usual stuff - wiper blades and tires - they have been as close to 'maintenance free' as anything on the road, so even though we don't have a local dealer anymore, we don't regret at all buying them

Don

 

[WReed82]

Hi Folks,

Our 2014 has six months left on the original warranty.
Nearest authorized service center is about 75 miles, which I could do with a stop on the way.

Another Mitsubishi dealer is about 25 miles away, though they are not electric-certified.
But they can get parts.

We have a really good local mechanic.

Decades ago I worked as a mechanic and
am counting on this forum for guidance!

Thanks and good health, Weogo

 

[acensor]

Well, Don and Weogo at 75 and 110 miles from dealer service won't be in as deep shit as us 6 MiEV owners here near Medford Oregon several hundreds of miles out in event of really needing dealer diagnostics or repairs.
Assuming the MiEV is drivable, even 110 miles is doable on one intermediate charge. And if they get a decent towing policy, all cover "tow to nearest place where repairs can be made" and some will tow "up to 150 miles."

The saving grace is probably going to be that the probability of a significant repair that isn't on the conventional parts (AC, brakes, suspension, body, etc) AND we can't do ourselves is low. That's the beauty of EV's.... so little that can go wrong compared to ICE.

I still like the long-shot idea of a class action suite if Mitsu won't promise to truck us in.