There are other stories like this one but as a dealer I wanted to share a unique, negative experience I'm having.
My very small dealership purchased a 2018 Tesla Model 3 at Manheim auto auction recently. The vehicle was advertised showing FSD in the images included during the sale. I verified FSD was still enabled during the allotted vehicle preview time, which is the opportunity buyers are given to look over cars since most sales are basically "as is."
Background - Manheim is an auto auction similar to eBay for dealers. They connect wholesale buyers (me) with wholesale sellers (Tesla, in this case).
I bought the car during the auction and payment cleared the following day. When I went to pickup the vehicle, the car has somehow been downgraded already to simply "Autopilot." I didn't know this could be done over the air, or so quickly. I suspect I was targeted in the quick removal, but that's more to the story than I want to get into right now.
I am now trying to fight Tesla through Manheim's arbitration service where I can try to dispute the sale. Unfortunately, Manheim has very little incentive to help a small dealer like me instead of their huge client Tesla. So far, they have refused to void the sale or support my claim.
In my opinion, this practice is deceitful and greedy on Tesla's part. It was especially bad when it happens to retail customers, but I really see this example as clear cut. They advertised the car with the feature and then removed it immediately after sale.
Tesla should be forced to deliver the car in the same condition with the same options as when it Was "advertised" during preview. They should remove the feature before the vehicle is offered for sale to dealers if they intend to downgrade the car. I think they have that right, it just needs to be done in a way that is clearly disclosed to the buyer. It's as if I buy a used Tesla from their own website, it says the car includes FSD, but then they deliver a car without the feature.
The auction is enabling this whole loop hole by burying their head in the sand. They refuse to acknowledge FSD as a feature of the car and instead are viewing it as a subscription similar to Sirius XM. Tesla is exploiting this at the expense of dealers, and often those dealer's retail buyers.
I'm pretty sure the auction won't help me out. My only option is probably getting a lawyer, just in case anyone knows one that is working this issue for retail buyers already.
I love the cars, but what a terrible policy.