Tesla tuner gets seal of approval from automaker by becoming authorized for official vehicle service

Tesla tuner Unplugged Performance (UP) has just received an important and rare seal of approval from Tesla by becoming an official authorized service and repair shop for its electric vehicles.

Car tuners and modification companies are not always appreciated by the original automaker.

It’s not always the AMG story where the tuners end up being bought by Mercedes-Benz to offically make tuned and modified versions of their cars.

While Unplugged Performance is not quite there with Tesla yet, it just had a major milestone toward that direction.

The Los Angeles-based company, which specializes in premium upgrades and customization for Tesla vehicles, announced that they are now an authorized Tesla service and repair shop (via Instagram):

“We are always grateful of our 8 year relationship with our neighbors at Tesla and today we announce something very special to us. Unplugged Performance is now directly authorized for Tesla vehicle service and body repair. Our technicians have completed Tesla official training, we have received Tesla’s access to vehicle diagnostic equipment, proprietary Tesla repair tools, and direct replacement parts access. We are pleased to offer a wider range of support to Tesla clients as a result. All cars received at our shop now go into service mode for all work performed and we can connect directly to help diagnose and resolve service concerns.”

While other independent shops have received the same training and access to tools before, this is especially good for Unplugged since Tesla is doing it knowing that it is to help a Tesla tuner and not just a repair shop.

In a way, it is a sort of approval for the company’s work on Tesla vehicles, which have produced some of the best times on several race tracks over the last few years.

But it’s not UP’s first seal of approval from Tesla.

When asked about what he thinks of Tesla tuners on the Joe Rogan podcast, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said that he has “no problem” with people modifying the vehicles, especially when it comes to “lightening the car up and improving tire traction.”

Rogan then showed him Unplugged’s S-APEX series for Tesla Model S and the CEO said he likes it.

Now access to the service mode, diagnostic tools, and training from Tesla is going to make it easier for Unplugged to produce these vehicles and their many other Tesla mods.