[LonePalmBJ]

This was posted on the Karma Automotive Forums. Also please note the attachment link at the end

Dear Fisker Karma owner,

It is great to be talking to you. We appreciate all of your support, and we are happy to offer another opportunity to continue our relationship.

We hope you already enjoyed the benefits of our Customer Support Program (CSP). That program as announced at its initiation ends on January 31, 2016.

But we are still watching out for you, and we have a new program to give you a great ownership experience. It involves 18 hours of intense scrutiny on your vehicle to further improve her state of health.

If you choose this program offer, we cover ALMOST EVERYTHING for two years: a virtually unlimited, transferable obligation from us to you. This one isn’t free, but the cost to you --$4,500-- is well below what our competitors charge their customers (please go ahead; check).

Call us at 844 276 3589 or just call your nearest newly authorized service provider for the fine print, but there aren’t many asterisks. Basically, your vehicle needs to pass a 70 point inspection before you enroll. In health care terms, we won’t accept pre-existing conditions, and if they exist, they need to be taken care of first. But the inspection is free, and you don’t need to do anything if you don’t want any work or continuing coverage.

On an equally exciting note, we are thrilled to be closer to presenting our first Made-in-California Karma Automotive vehicle in the second half of 2016. We aren’t giving out any product details yet, but our web site will be refreshed this week, and by all means go there and check out what we are revealing.

Thanks again for everything.

All the best,
Joost de Vries
VP Sales & Service

Click here for the inspection form: http://i.imgur.com/xtxuMi1.png

 

[steven]

I hate being a negative Nelly here, but it seems if your RDMs do not end with 003, you will may have to have them replaced before you can qualify. Fingers crossed that I have hardened spines! Otherwise it may cost up to $20,000 for the 2 year powertrain program... even if there is nothing wrong with your car. Not very fair. Please tell me i'm wrong.

 

[Harleyguy]

Your wrong Karma Auto is suppose to start an exchange program for the Traction Motors which get replaced and the RDM gets reworked the RDM and the traction motors are parts of the program.
Looks like the only out of pocket for the customer is the cost of the warranty

 

[steven]

Your wrong Karma Auto is suppose to start an exchange program for the Traction Motors which get replaced and the RDM gets reworked the RDM and the traction motors are parts of the program.
Looks like the only out of pocket for the customer is the cost of the warranty

Yes!!!! That's great news! I'm loving the new Karma Automotive Company... as much as my car! Thank you for the info!

 

[steven]

Your wrong Karma Auto is suppose to start an exchange program for the Traction Motors which get replaced and the RDM gets reworked the RDM and the traction motors are parts of the program.
Looks like the only out of pocket for the customer is the cost of the warranty

Hopefully you are right and the Karma Auto rep who called me back is wrong. He said if your Traction Motor numbers don't end in "003", you have to replace them before we can issue you a warranty... Fingers crossed on my numbers.

Also, I found out they had CSP money left over, and we could have had our motors replaced even if there was nothing wrong with them

 

[JCMorrill]

Could somebody post a picture of where to look for the Traction Motor number? Do you have to have it on a lift (or worse, disassembled) to see it?

 

[Nikon]

Confirmed with Hunter @ Karma Auto that if any of the main bits are not the most updated and/or re-worked it is customer pay to bring the vehicle up to warrant-able standards. Once the re-works and/or replaced parts have been paid for by the customer, Karma Auto will allow the customer to purchase the PPP after inspection. The PPP warranty takes effect after the vehicle has gotten a clean bill of health which was clearly stated to be after customer paid re-works to bring vehicle up to snuff.

It was also stated that if the RDM was not re-worked during the CSP program that it is likely that vehicle has the "old" rev of the RDM which will need to be customer-pay reworked or swapped for the 003 rev prior to being eligible for PPP.

Not worth it IMO

 

[willempie1972]

This is ridiculous. First you have to change all the expensive things and pay for them, and then you may have the extended warranty... What will be the cost of that? Sorry but do you guys think this is normal?

 

[txam99]

It's really a ridiculous prospect.....pay out of pocket to bring the car up to full speed and then pay another $4,500.00 bucks for a 24 month warranty that will cover all of the things you just paid to replace?? I think maybe the intent is there to provide some additional support, but the reality of it makes no sense.

 

[PowerSource]

With other manufacturers, out of pocket work has a 12 month parts and labor warranty attached to it. I read previously that if CSP funds are used in any way, shape or form that there is no warranty on parts or labor. If a customer pays for the work fully then there is a one year warranty. It is up to the CSP to decide if they will warrant work performed using CSP funds; the manufacturer is not obligated to reimburse on subsequent work done to vehicles that have used any CSP funds to replace or repair failed parts.

Basically the way I read this is that if you use CSP funds KA will not warrant the parts or labor. If the owner pays in full for work done, there is a 12 month/unlimited mileage warranty. If you buy the powertrain warranty program you get an additional year on top (2 cumulative years) for the components that have been replaced completely paid using out of pocket money.

Is this correct?

 

[JCMorrill]

Still, I keep thinking that, with regard to the PPP ... There is the HVAC system, the Genset, and battery modules that can fail -- as well as the RDM. There's a lot of risk that this $4500 might mitigate. If you suddenly want to start driving your car instead of keeping it in a cotton box, it would take the strain off. If you don't choose the PPP -- what good have you done yourself? Although, it would be nicer if they could say that you could have it and just exclude your RDM if you have an old one. Not force you to replace it if it keeps working.

 

[Fabulist]

The big question for me is the HV battery. My car has an upgraded RDM and new motors, but there is nothing I can do about the battery if it is on the suspect battery list, there is nothing I could do about it at this point.

 

[JCMorrill]

So, how extensive is this checklist? My guy just said he needed to keep my late VIN/perfect condition car overnight to finish it. How long is it taking others to get through it? (Did he maybe just get a late start on it today? Or, is this thing borderline crazy?)

 

[FiskerPhilly]

Its quite extensive, alot of serial # documentation, checking for upgrades, recalls, etc. plus contacting the tech support and filling out a case etc. Its basically the same as we do for a certified preowned inspection.

 

[EV Driver]

When I spoke to Nathan Bird at Fisker headquarters he told me that all subpar parts that litter all of our vehicles would have to be replaced with newer revision parts. The price-tag for many would cost several thousands- just for the right to purchase this "warranty." I was quoted a minimum of $12,800 in additional parts, which do not include the big ticket RDM and battery, in order for my vehicle to be eligible to purchase the warranty. What a scam.

 

[JCMorrill]

What kind of a "warranty" doesn't cover the parts that were delivered with the car?

 

[Fabulist]

When I spoke to Nathan Bird at Fisker headquarters he told me that all subpar parts that litter all of our vehicles would have to be replaced with newer revision parts. The price-tag for many would cost several thousands- just for the right to purchase this "warranty." I was quoted a minimum of $12,800 in additional parts, which do not include the big ticket RDM and battery, in order for my vehicle to be eligible to purchase the warranty. What a scam.

Calling it a "scam" is unfair, IMHO. KA is under no obligation to offer any sort of warranty, post BK As long as the terms are clearly spelled out in advance, we can choose to participate, or not. The real scam was promising a factory warranty and failing to honor it.

 

[sherrillt]

It is very naïve to think an entity offering any type of warranty does not come out on top (no to minimal payout) and believe me they’ve done the risk analysis/probability assessments to ensure they do - the house typically wins or there is no casino, if they didn’t – they wouldn’t be in business (shouldn’t be too shocking) very long. All this talk about great warranties regardless of manufacturer is silly if you know anything about risk analysis.

 

[steven]

What irks me most is that if some of our parts are such a big risk as to not warranty them, why were we not told to use the "CSP" money to offset the replacement? Why wait until after the deadline? I'm trying to be upbeat here, but... This does not instill much trust in the new KA. I was told by KA that very little of the CSP money was used.

 

[EV Driver]

They get to pocket whatever was left over after the CSP program ended. I will be putting my $4500 in TSLA stock and be using the profit to fund any future repairs to my Karma.