In Stock Demo Vehicle Condition

[derichio02]

Hey Tesla Fam,

I am currently looking at some in stock 2020/21 Performance Models S Demo units. I see quite a few of these vehicles in southern California with miles ranging from 76mi to 3k+. My question is does Tesla do any reconditioning as it sells these vehicles to consumers. I have seen some folks do horrid things during tests drives and not treat it like the vehicle is their own of course.

Does Tesla give the vehicles a once over and replaced any damaged parts prior to selling these to the public? Or should a potential buyer look even harder at theses vehicles since there could have potentially been a lot of foot traffic. The vehicle I am looking at has 715 miles and is discounted around 9k. Any help is appreciated.

 

[CapeOne]

From used to demo/new inventory to custom order new, a buyer should thoroughly inspect ANY car purchased from Tesla. A demo is not necessarily going to be any worse than a custom order new car and could even be in better condition as some issues may have been noticed and corrected while in inventory. Simply make note of any issues you find and Tesla should fix them for you if not at delivery, later on. Depending on the issue(s) or how picky you are, it may take multiple appointments to get everything corrected.

Keep in mind that Tesla dropped its 7 day return policy so try to inspect the car as much as possible up front (before signing papers) in case you want to refuse delivery. If you refuse delivery, you would still be responsible for any transportation fee (not applicable if car is local).

 

[DerbyDave]

Besides visible cosmetic damage, there is very little damage other prospective owners or buyers could do to a very low mileage Tesla. Driving the piss out of a new Tesla will not hurt the drivetrain's longevity. I'd say the only possible hurt could be if the new brakes were frequently applied fully before the brake pads could properly break-in on the disc, and increased tire wear from hard driving. Other than that, you should be able to see any damage as it will likely be cosmetic, or loss of power connector, or tow hook, etc.

 

[derichio02]

Yeah I was speaking of cosmetic damage really and if Tesla fixes this or preps the vehicle when it’s added to available inventory or is it just a wash and vacuum and throw it out there lol. Like deeper scratches or broken cup holders. I definitely understand purchasing Tesla, this would be my 4th but first non custom order.

 

[DerbyDave]

Yeah I was speaking of cosmetic damage really and if Tesla fixes this or preps the vehicle when it’s added to available inventory or is it just a wash and vacuum and throw it out there lol. Like deeper scratches or broken cup holders. I definitely understand purchasing Tesla, this would be my 4th but first non custom order.

Likely a wash and vacuum is what it gets. Just take your time and check out everything that could be a warranty question (cosmetic damage). Anything else can be fixed under warranty.

 

[2101Guy]

short answer is "no", there is no tesla conditioning. Wash and vacuum

 

[Reddyym]

Both my Model S and Model X were new inventory vehicles. Model S had around 1900 miles (2018) and X had about 2100 miles ( 2020), when I bought them from Tesla. Super happy with both cars. They were in Pristine condition and I didn't notice any difference when compared to a new car. Had a great deal on both and love the buying experience for both vehicles.

 

[BigNick]

short answer is "no", there is no tesla conditioning. Wash and vacuum

You're lucky you even get a wash and vacuum.
My car was delivered dirty. Probably skipped the cleaning because it was a rainy day.

 

[popgodazipa]

I bought my MSLR+ as a demo, came with free supercharging and a couple of thousands off so to me it was worth it. This was at the height of the pandemic so I did do a walk through but not too thorough. Pick up was delayed probably a day due to a broken rear glass during transport from Austin. Once I got it home there were a few paint chips, snapped pictures and dropped it back off at service about a week later. Also had a service tech out for a lose axel nut about 2 months in. I don’t consider either of these deal breakers and will buy a demo again once the MY has been updated with some of the 3 improvements.

 

[Sunshine State]

short answer is "no", there is no tesla conditioning. Wash and vacuum

I just went to pick up a less than 50 mile "demo" Performance Y in Orlando this past week and deciding not to take the Y. It was dirty inside and out with blue jean stained white worn drivers seat, rear bumper cover loose and misaligned hood and doors. The car was a showroom display car and Tesla doesn’t do a good job of building or cleaning their cars. I’m on my 6th new Tesla and I’m accustomed to having to clean and detail the cars myself after delivery but I know they will not replace a worn seat unless it has a mechanical issue so I decided to just order a new Y when the bigger battery and new consoles are confirmed. It was kinda sad, I parked right next to the new Performance Y and my Performance 3 trade was far cleaner inside and out.

 

[OLEE]

My new inventory 2019 model x with “50 miles” for the odometer reading (standard for all new inventory cars) was flawless and has been great. I did inspect it carefully at the time of the pickup, though.

Good luck!

 

[BioSci]

Same here: I picked up an inventory 2020 MS with "50 miles". It was very nearly perfect, and actually had 15 miles. YMMV.

 

[dWill]

Accepted a demo Model X earlier this week and will echo the same as many others here about being sure to fully inspect the vehicle regardless of its condition.

My X had around 300 miles and I'd previously discovered it was a showroom vehicle (build date of 9/20). Vehicle was pretty much flawless, but did notice one of the back reflectors was cracked, that there was some squeaking coming from one of the middle captain chairs when moved, and that the back seat cup holder was jammed. Had no issues whatsoever with Tesla immediately taking it into service and addressing all issues on the spot prior to me accepting or signing anything.

If you haven't already, would recommend searching through the forum to find a good delivery checklist to reference and if possible, just take your time looking over the vehicle before accepting it. Both the exterior and interior including moving the seats, mirrors, etc.

Good luck and hope this helps!