November 6, 2019—On Monday, Tesla opened a collision repair shop in Virginia Beach, Va., just one month after announcing plans to do so, per The Virginian Pilot. It is the first Tesla collision repair facility in the region, and local Tesla owners won’t have to drive to Richmond or Raleigh, N.C.—over 200 miles away—to have their vehicles serviced.
It’s not easy for independent repair shops to service Teslas. Featuring advanced electrical technology, gull-wing doors, flush handles within the door panels and a bevy of sensors and modules, Tesla repairs are often costly, time-consuming and complicated.
No one is happier than Todd Bartnik, owner of nearby Dream Team Collision, the only other Tesla-certified shop in the area. Though it cost him over $200,000 to convert his shop to be able to handle Teslas, he’s thrilled to offer competitive service.
“The volume is here,” he said. “Tesla wouldn’t be investing in the area if it wasn’t growing.”
