Can You Use Uber Credits for Tesla Service? Tesla Owner Tips

Many of us have way too many Uber Credits. Since Tesla Services are relatviely expensive, why not make most of the situation, right? Would it even be possible to pay for the service with Uber Credits?

Unfortunately you cannot pay for your Tesla or any other service with Uber Credits. Their credit system is designed with limited uses in mind. The aim of this system is to build a new customer base and maintain an ongoing relationship with existing customers, which is why Uber Credits can only be redeemed within the platform. 

However, there is more to this than meets the eye. Check out the details below!

There are only two ways to use Uber Credits:

• You can use them to pay for an Uber ride.
• You can use them to order food from Uber Eats.

While it would be awesome to find a practical use for those credits, like getting a car wash or service, Uber has no plans of fine-tuning its system and upgrading its Credit service.

You may be thinking that it’s still possible to convert your Uber Credit to cash somehow, and use that money to get your Tesla serviced. However, there’s a caveat to this approach.

If you’re interested in figuring out how to get a credit refund, visit the Uber website for more information.

Fortunately, unlike their vouchers, Uber Credits don’t have an expiration date. So, regardless of how long ago you bought your credits, you can use them or convert them back to cash (if applicable) at any time.

If you’re interested to find out if Tesla has good service in general, then check out this detailed article that I wrote on the topic. I broke down the good and the bad of all the various Tesla Service branches.

How You Can Use Uber Credits as a Tesla Owner

While you can’t use Uber Credits to pay for Tesla services directly, you may still be able to redeem them while your car is in the shop. 

Tesla is renowned for its car loaning program, through which Tesla owners are provided with a spare vehicle while their car is being serviced. However, over the last few years the company has been issuing Uber Credits instead of giving owners a temporary replacement. So they give you Uber credits to hire a car for the time being.

While the option of using Uber for free when your car is being serviced seems like a pretty good deal, most Tesla owners were unhappy when the change was first introduced in the summer of 2019.

However, if you’re wondering whether there’s any use for your Uber credits, the best time would be when your Tesla is in for service so you can cut costs on transport.

Did You Know?

When the news first came out in 2019 that Tesla is giving Uber Credits instead of a temporary vehicle, Elon Musk seemed to have no knowledge of the policy, even going so far as to tweet, “This isn’t correct. Will address”. 

But alas, the policy is still going strong years later.

The reason for this change is that up until then Tesla loaned cars to owners whose vehicles were being serviced. However, as their models became more popular and the demand for loaners skyrocketed, it became challenging for the company to follow through with this promise. There just weren’t enough vehicles to go around!

So, through their partnership with Uber, they began to provide free personal transportation using credits while the Tesla was being serviced. And, of course, this didn’t sit too well with most Tesla owners.

While the temporary solution offered some relief (at least you’d be able to commute to and from work with a rental), it didn’t match up to the convenience of having a car at your disposal for trips 24/7.

In the long run, though, this minor inconvenience didn’t seem to affect Tesla’s consumer base too much as Tesla owners still remain the brand’s biggest supporters.

If you want to learn more about how this Tesla policy came to be and how their customer base reacted to it, check out this video by Electric Motoring:

Tesla Owner Satisfaction Statistic

Tesla customers are the most satisfied vehicle owners in the world. According to Business Insider, in 2019, Tesla received a score of 89/100 in the owner satisfaction evaluation! This rating sets Tesla apart from any other elite automobile brand.

And one of the main reasons for such high satisfaction was that Tesla provided a replacement vehicle during service. To be fair, this solution was meant for short-term services, where the car would be promptly returned to the owner. So if you had to manage without your car for a few days, Tesla would provide a replacement vehicle.

However, when they switched to the Uber Credit system, Tesla owners began asking, “Can I use Uber credits for anything else Tesla-related?“. Unfortunately, the answer is no. 

Can I use My Voucher For Another Rental Service?

Uber credits offer limited use, regardless of whether you’re a customer or a driver. And they’re pretty useful for transporting yourself around in an Uber, but not much else. You definitely can’t use them for another rental service, like Lyft.

Tesla typically provides customers between $100 and $300 worth of Uber Credits, depending on where you live. However, some customers have claimed to have received even more. 

Fun Fact: How To Check Your Uber Credit Balance

According to Tesla Motors Club users, a San Francisco service center offered $500 in Uber Credits to a Tesla owner whose car was in the shop.

If you’re getting your car serviced and aren’t sure how many credits you’ve earned, you can always check your balance by selecting “Payment” on the Uber menu. 

Here you’ll come across another drop-down menu allowing you to pick your payment method. One of the options on this menu is labeled “Uber Credits.” Next to it, you should be able to view your current balance.

How To Use Uber Credits Gifted by Tesla

Using Uber Credits is pretty straightforward, even those gifted to you by Tesla when your car is in the service center. Here’s what you have to do:

1. Open the Uber app.
2. Choose the ride you want.
3. Click/ tap on the credit balance when the menu asking you to choose your payment option pops up.

How To Pay for Tesla Service

If you’re strapped for cash and wondering if there’s some creative way to pay for your Tesla Service (like using Uber Credits), I’ve got some unhappy news for you. Tesla is pretty strict regarding the payment options it offers customers, which means if you take your Tesla to the shop, there’s no way of getting around having to pay full price from your pocket.

Tesla only accepts three payment methods:

• Wire transfer
• Financing through a bank
• Cash

The good news is that paying for Tesla Service is easier than ever, and you can quickly make a payment from the comfort of your home. The company recently introduced a new feature on its app allowing owners to pay their bills with a single tap/click.

So if you prefer sorting out the payment before you pick up your car (so you can better plan your budget, or for whatever reason), the new update can help. 

Here’s how much you can expect to pay for some of the most common Tesla Services:

Does Tesla Give Loaner Cars?

According to the Tesla Service Plan Terms and Conditions, if you have a scheduled maintenance appointment at a Tesla Authorized Service Center and the estimated duration of the service exceeds four hours, Tesla will provide you with a loaner vehicle.

This means that while your car is being serviced, you will be able to temporarily use a loaner vehicle from Tesla. The loaner car is offered as a convenience to ensure that you have transportation during the extended service period.

However, it is very possible that the Service Center will inform you that they have no loaner cars available, and they will give you Uber credits instead. You will be able to travel home and to and from work with Uber and cover the cost of the trips with these credits while they repair your Tesla.

The usage of Uber credits is limited to Uber and Uber Eats. Note that these credits Uber gives you from Tesla cannot be exchanged for cash.

Does My Tesla Uber Voucher Cover the Driver Tip?

According to Uber policies, you can’t use a voucher from a company like Tesla to pay for a driver tip. If you want to tip your driver, you’ll have to pay for it yourself using a personal payment method.

Frequently Asked Questions

Check out these 20 great gift ideas for yourself or a Tesla fanboy.

Contact Us if you have any questions or queries.