2021 Model 3, second battery replacement and fourth month off the road in two years

[daifly]

The good bit about the Hire Agreement for my 2021 Model 3 is that I can hand it back in under two years.

It's been an shocker of an ownership cycle, the neighbour's house roof fell off onto it in February 2022, the 12V battery failed in July 2022, then the main battery got replaced shortly after it (they wouldn't let me get my stuff out of it as the whole car was live and taped off with yellow and black tape after it was collected, someone T-boned the car on a dual carriageway in May 2023 and it was off the road for a month, now it's back with Tesla as the same 2022 battery issue reappeared and it's waiting for a second new battery. As it's the same issue as when the car was taped up as dangerous, I'm now actually bothered about driving it again.

If it was a puppy, I've had had it put down. It it were a TV, I'd have asked for my money back. I don't want the car, I don't want to be in it when the entire car next goes live. Anyone understand the law on Hire Agreements and getting it replaced or have similar stories?

I realise that I should be happy about another new battery extending my range a bit, but I have lost confidence in this particular vehicle.

Thanks...

 

[Oxid8ter]

I believe that a hire agreement (if it is akin to PCP or HP finance) will explicitly state the VIN and/or registration number and so it is a "tied contract" (in that the money is tied to the car). You could speak to the Hire company and explain your situation, but they would like treat it the same way as most - value it as of now and come up with whatever financials it will take (whichever way) for you to part ways. It depends on the terms of your agreement really.

All of that aside, you can't really blame being T-Boned (depending how it happened) or your neighbours roof landing on it on the car... wrong place, wrong time.

 

[daifly]

Yeah, agree it's not Tesla's fault for bad building and driving

It's a Tesla Hire Agreement so PCP and is tied to the VIN.

I'm paying for a full Model 3 Performance and driving either an old Model S, or a entry spec Model 3, that doesn't seem fair to me, I might be whinging at the wall, I realise this too...!

 

[Oxid8ter]

If it's PCP it will all depend on the value Vs what the current settlement figure is. You can terminate early on the agreements but if the car is worth less than the settlement figure then you have to make up the difference, if it's worth more you get the difference back... But I doubt it will be a lot, if it's even in positive equity.

Feel free to DM me if you want to discuss how it works, I've terminated a few PCPs after a 18 months to 2 years before so can try and be of some help if I can.

 

[NewbieT]

Two HV batteries? That’s some insurance claim. Might make enquiries if they want to write it off?

Have you paid more than 50% of the loan? Ending PCP and HP early – how to settle car finance - cinch

Re: battery - don’t assume they’ll fit a new one either.

 

[M1tch]

I’m on my 4th HV battery and it’s only just two years old. The swap from new, second and third batteries were quite rapid (they had fitted substandard or incorrect ones) the current one took some arguments but I won and now back to the range I had. Car has been off the road a similar amount of time as you and had the pleasure of short, LR and P models as courtesy cars. Also had zero fuel bill over the times they had mine so no issues there.

Am I happy now? Yep. No issues at all. They owned up and fixed the mistakes so all is good. I know you have had crash issues but I don’t know if the hire company will see that as reason to take the car back.

Also, the replacement battery will be of a similar or better capacity than your current one, before it died. It won’t be new.

 

[jaz4uk1]

I have been waiting since 12th Dec initially 2 months for a replacement due to a couple of dents in the case but the 21 plate 3LR was running ok and was physically and remote checked by tesla. 2 months ago it went in for the replacement and its still waiting.

So I have been waiting since 12th Dec for a replacement,

Its working. No signs of an issue by tesla. It passed the case pressure test by tesla. Its just got a few dents but now compromised.
now 13K plus bill estimate and they need to put it back to pre accident and wont or cant release the tesla back as it could be a hazard. I cant accept it back either now.

SHOCKING

 

[kelvin 660]

I’m on my 4th HV battery and it’s only just two years old. The swap from new, second and third batteries were quite rapid (they had fitted substandard or incorrect ones) the current one took some arguments but I won and now back to the range I had. Car has been off the road a similar amount of time as you and had the pleasure of short, LR and P models as courtesy cars. Also had zero fuel bill over the times they had mine so no issues there.

Am I happy now? Yep. No issues at all. They owned up and fixed the mistakes so all is good. I know you have had crash issues but I don’t know if the hire company will see that as reason to take the car back.

Also, the replacement battery will be of a similar or better capacity than your current one, before it died. It won’t be new.

I'm just wondering where do Tesla get these used HV batteries from? Are faulty batteries shipped back to a repair facility in Europe, USA or China? If so, their quantity control doesn't seem very good if they have such a high failure rate...