Posted on 10/04/2025 6:00:47 PM PDT by xxqqzz
Used electric vehicles have become the fastest-selling cars in the country, but one buyer said his Tesla came with a hidden surprise that left him stranded at a charger.
Daniel Boycott was absolutely loving the 2022 Tesla Model 3 he bought from a used car dealership in September, until he pulled up to a Tesla Supercharger, and his car wouldn't charge.
"That's when I found out it didn't work. I tried multiple stations. It's just not working," he said.
A Tesla representative told him on the phone and later in an email that "the car is currently unsupported for supercharging and warranties are voided due to salvaged vehicle."
"I was told it was clean. The CARFAX said it was clean, and I trusted that," he said.
The term "salvage" was a complete shock, but a deeper dive into the CARFAX vehicle history report, which he didn't pull until after the sale, uncovered a "minor accident."
Photos of the damage made it look more than minor, and a Tesla technician told him the repair work as shoddy.
"It was bad enough where they flagged it," he said.
Tesla said it's a safety issue connecting a damaged vehicle to the powerful superchargers.
"It's insanely frustrating," Boycott said.
Boycott said the network of 70,000 Tesla Superchargers across the country was one of the main reasons he bought the car. Without it, he said long distance trips are nearly impossible.
Fred Lambert, the editor-in-chief of Electrek, a news magazine about electric vehicles, said he's heard of at least one other case where a car with a clean title was labeled "salvage" in Tesla's system and blocked from supercharging.
Now Tesla is offering an inspection option for drivers trying to get back on the charging network.
(Excerpt) Read more at cbsnews.com ...
Then you mean that no new battery is required.
“Tesla said it’s a safety issue connecting a damaged vehicle to the powerful superchargers.”
Never had a problem putting a gasoline nozzle into the tank filler neck on a damaged vehicle.
“You have to wonder, how did Tesla get pictures of the damage and repair?”
Went to Tesla for repair estimate, someone else was cheaper. Tesla says bad repair tough luck. Who knows who is being honest?
I know, but it’s just too perfect too pass up.
Hey where are all the Elon slob-jobbers on this thread? I thought this was Capitalism and stuff. His cars are the bomb and he deserves half a trillion fedbux.
Stuped reply —90 % of Freepers know that a (/S) is not always needed
Stupidity and ignorance are contagious diseases. Many are infected./SARCASM. Tag for those sleeping in the back of the room.
“Tesla representative told him on the phone and later in an email that “the car is currently unsupported”.
“Sometimes I feel like somebodys watching me...”
Buying a used EV? WTF?
What’s next?
Purchase a used fire extinguisher?
C’mon, Man!
“Tag for those sleeping in the back of the room.”
Tell that to Wild Bill [aces and eights].
Keep your head on a swivel, nobody behind you, and your eyes on the door[s].
[I always did and still do sit in the back row.]
I’ve banged up some gasoline cars quite a bit...but EVERY TIME when I pulled into a gas station, the pump at the station operated normally...instead of telling me to f-off.
The last time my gas guzzling car had an “unsupportive” issue was when they discontinued leaded gas. However, the solution was simple. Keep bottles of lead in the car and add it to the tank when I fuel up
Too bad about the EV.
I don’t want a new EV. I certainly don’t want a used one. Only person I know that bought a used Prius had the batteries go boink soon after. At least she could drive it.
"If Tesla believes you're independently fixing a salvage-titled Tesla model, they can ban the VIN from their proprietary fast charge network. Something they can and have done in the past, and even had the gall to charge abhorrent amounts of money to have the car reinstated into the network."
https://www.hotcars.com/this-man-ls-swapped-a-tesla-and-hes-elon-musks-sworn-enemy/
“Used electric vehicles have become the fastest-selling cars in the country,“
I find this VERY hard to beleive.
I wouldn’t take a free EV.
I’m reminded of a story I read about a year ago of a guy who paid $70K for a hydrogen car in Sacramento. The nearest refueling station was something like 25 miles away in West Sacramento, but the range of fuel in the vehicle was 20. That was only the start of his trouble. That station closed and the nearest ones were San Francisco 100 miles to the west and Reno 120 miles to the east. Due diligence, as you say. He effectively bought himself a $70K paperweight
There's still time in this Brave New World.
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