Certified check or personal check

[In4lo]

You could open a bank account now, write yourself a check, cash it with the new bank, and have the money ready for Tesla on Tuesday.

I thought of that, seemed like a lot more work than it was worth honestly.

 

[Hiline]

I thought of that, seemed like a lot more work than it was worth honestly.

It might take 5 minutes if you open with Chase

 

[Stewart]

Read the fine print on doing a ACH, they want access to EVERYTHING! Get a bank check.

 

[metroplex]

Read the fine print on doing a ACH, they want access to EVERYTHING! Get a bank check.

What does the fine print say? I didn't go through the process yet, but wouldn't they just want routing number and checking account number in the app?

 

[Stewart]

What does the fine print say? I didn't go through the process yet, but wouldn't they just want routing number and checking account number in the app?

Yes, but once you handover that information the vendor that Tesla uses has access to all of your banking information. This is part of the agreement that you agree to when using the service. I used a bank check with no issues. Granted it’s been a year since I did the transaction, things could have changed.

 

[metroplex]

Yes, but once you handover that information the vendor that Tesla uses has access to all of your banking information. This is part of the agreement that you agree to when using the service. I used a bank check with no issues. Granted it’s been a year since I did the transaction, things could have changed.

Are you talking about the Plaid service? Or the system that Tesla would use via the app with your bank account info? I understand Plaid required a whole litnoid of banking info which is a cybersecurity risk. But ACH deposits/withdrawals are fairly common if you've used a broker account before. I suppose I could mail a bank check to Fremont using something like Priority Mail but what's stopping some 3rd party from intercepting that bank check. I'm not arguing, just trying to find out more.

 

[tm1v2]

Are you talking about the Plaid service? Or the system that Tesla would use via the app with your bank account info? I understand Plaid required a whole litnoid of banking info which is a cybersecurity risk. But ACH deposits/withdrawals are fairly common if you've used a broker account before. I suppose I could mail a bank check to Fremont using something like Priority Mail but what's stopping some 3rd party from intercepting that bank check. I'm not arguing, just trying to find out more.

I think that's where the confusion stems.

Tesla first steers you to the Plaid (company) service. Which I believe will ultimately perform an ACH transfer, but they do it by asking for your banking website login credentials. That is SUPER SKETCHY AND TERRIBLE. Please DO NOT give out your banking login + password to any 3rd party, ever!

The other ACH method is there's apparently some way to reject the Plaid option, and get a normal ACH transfer form instead where you just give it your routing number + account number. That seems reasonably safe, all that can be done with that is pull money, and you should be well protected by banking fraud laws should any amount be withdrawn beyond your permission.

The final electronic payment option is to wire the payment. Instructions should be in your Motor Vehicle Purchase Agreement (MVPA). That will of course be faster than ACH, and no risk of Tesla or their payment processor pulling more money than you authorized.

Normally I don't see any reason to pay for a car in advance of receiving it. My wife and I brought a cashier's check with us to the delivery center. Tesla accepts those too. Unless you are in a backwards state with dealership protection laws that prevent Tesla from officially selling cars within the state. If you are, sorry, and please consider that when voting for your lawmakers.

 

[Stewart]

Are you talking about the Plaid service? Or the system that Tesla would use via the app with your bank account info? I understand Plaid required a whole litnoid of banking info which is a cybersecurity risk. But ACH deposits/withdrawals are fairly common if you've used a broker account before. I suppose I could mail a bank check to Fremont using something like Priority Mail but what's stopping some 3rd party from intercepting that bank check. I'm not arguing, just trying to find out more.

It’s the Plaid service that I had major issues with. I had a conversation with my sales rep and told him that I’d be bringing a bank check at pickup, no issues at all. Well other them not asking for the check before I left, I made the suggestion that they might want it, they agreed!

 

[In4lo]

I ended up doing the Transfer via the app. It only wants the account number and routing number. Then removed the account from the app afterwards.

 

[metroplex]

I ended up doing the Transfer via the app. It only wants the account number and routing number. Then removed the account from the app afterwards.

This is the option I saw as well in my app, just to set up a bank account number and routing number and I don't even have a VIN or MVPA yet, just a reservation. In MI we're not allowed to bring the check the day of delivery. We have to pay the vehicle in full (either cash or loan) before it can cross state lines into Michigan. Otherwise apparently it sits in Ohio.

 

[BigNick]

This is the option I saw as well in my app, just to set up a bank account number and routing number and I don't even have a VIN or MVPA yet, just a reservation. In MI we're not allowed to bring the check the day of delivery. We have to pay the vehicle in full (either cash or loan) before it can cross state lines into Michigan. Otherwise apparently it sits in Ohio.

In Michigan you still have the Big Three Mafia controlling everything.

 

[julit0]

The other ACH method is there's apparently some way to reject the Plaid option, and get a normal ACH transfer form instead where you just give it your routing number + account number. That seems reasonably safe, all that can be done with that is pull money, and you should be well protected by banking fraud laws should any amount be withdrawn beyond your permission.

I did this. You have to enter garbage information when it brings up that Plaid payment window under any of the banks. It makes you nervous, but I had to enter bogus login and passwords Like 5-10 times and eventually, it asks if you would like to exit and just enter your information manually…then you can hit yes, and enter just your routing number and account number and do the Automated Clearing House (ACH) transfer.