Incorrect payment accusations

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

My wife had a similar issue years ago with some type of welfare payment's where she had been sent checks she thought should have stopped, asked the relevant agency, someone there said it was OK, but of course after the money was spent they demanded the money back.

Here, you've signed a contract to pay a particular amount, and Tesla (being the chaotic, bug-ridden organization that it is) showed a zero balance even though you knew you hadn't paid the full amount. There's no opacity that could have led to confusion on the amount, so the decent thing to do is to own up and say that you understand that you need to pay, but with the system showing zero balance you committed/spent the $10k, so it'll take time to make it available. I'd think that it'd only be how Tesla tries to collect that could lead to legal issues.

 

[HankLloydRight]

I think it's funny how Clint keeps saying that a similar error was found and caught within days, and somehow that's OK.. but for him, it was a FULL MONTH, and that somehow makes a difference.


When I bought my inventory car, the website screwed up and I could not pay by EFT, so the delivery guy said "just bring a personal check". So I did. I asked him about it, and how most transactions like this the companies want bank or certified checks, but Tesla didn't care about a regular old personal check. He said "We know where to find you". That was enough.

For the OP, keep in mind that Tesla can disable your car remotely. Not that we've heard of them doing such a thing, but it's possible.

 

[Shipbldr200]

This is not complicated.

You took delivery to the car. You are accountable for paying for it.

Di d Tesla get 10% the money that you promised to pay them for the car or not?

If they made a clerical error and did not demand all of the money you should have paid them, then "man up" and pay your freaking bill!

If Tesla has been paid in full then show them the canceled checks and wire receipts.

Seriously, nobody standing here attempting to not pay the money owed because of a paperwork error. Right?

 

[azdryheat]

I could, but I would rather just discuss. Let's hypothesize for a moment that they are correct in that there is a deficit of $10,000. If this were the case, and they made a mistake on the website which made them think that I was paid up at the time of delivery, and then they eventually realized their error a month later...where would we go from there? I know no car company that would allow you to take possession without full payment. If there ends up being proof that there is a $10,000 deficit do I wire them the money? Or do I say, I was paid up and you gave me my car, saying I was paid up?

I would do whatever the truth is. Did you pay 10K less than agreed? If so you owe them. If the roles were reversed, that's what you would want.

 

[tomas]

Ok people, the horse is dead and the stick is broken.

BUZZKILL! but you are probably right. I guess we must be running out of things to get excited about on the forum right now.... need a jolt! Time for either 8.0 for real or maybe second 3 reveal

 

[NYEVDriver]

I am scheduled to pickup my car this week and my "My Tesla" account has the same issue. It states that I have a "0" balance even though I know I have a balance due at delivery. The balance was correct up until the point where my Bank funded the account. After which time "MyTesla" displayed a "0" balance. I'm big on having everything in writing and my "MVPA" has the balance due at delivery. IMHO it is always best to do the right thing even if the mistake benefits you at that point and time. In the end doing the wrong thing always causes more headaches than it's worth

 

[Clint Eastwood]

I am scheduled to pickup my car this week and my "My Tesla" account has the same issue. It states that I have a "0" balance even though I know I have a balance due at delivery. The balance was correct up until the point where my Bank funded the account. After which time "MyTesla" displayed a "0" balance. I'm big on having everything in writing and my "MVPA" has the balance due at delivery. IMHO it is always best to do the right thing even if the mistake benefits you at that point and time. In the end doing the wrong thing always causes more headaches than it's worth

Yes, they are glitchy on this issue. Guys, I never intended not to pay. Yes, the MVPA shows the shortfall. Yes, I was prepared to pay on delivery, and the delivery person said, no, it is paid up. My instincts do not tell me to give someone money when they tell me it is not necessary. But obviously when I got home I felt I owed 10,000. All of my friends and a lawyer in the family suggested I wait for tesla to contact me. This is what I did, and I was shocked it took this long. When I was contacted it was in a really strange way. It started with odd small talk then kept into a diatribe about reopening my tesla account. I exchanged some vague emails, and had arranged how I would wire the money. You can all judge me and insult me all you want, but I know my ethics and morality, so I simply thank you all for your contributions and mind reading of my thoughts on the matter. I thought this an interesting topic to get people to share their stories. Apparently this is something that happens with frequency, and I'm wondering how tesla can make this mistake many times and not figure out how to avoid it. No other car company have I heard of making this kind of financial miscalculation frequently.

 

[HankLloydRight]

No other car company have I heard of making this kind of financial miscalculation frequently.

That's because Tesla is like no other car company. In many ways, they're still in "start-up" mode, and their systems aren't fully developed or can handle all the odd-ball cases. So many things do fall through the cracks.. it's not called the "bleeding edge" for nothing.

 

[Johan]

Here's my input to the discussion: there's a contract and there's documentation of however much has been paid. If there is a $10k deficit outstanding then you owe Tesla $10k. If you've paid the full amount you owe them nothing.

Any court would reach this conclusion. So if you go to court you'll be paying $10k + legal fees.

By the way, this was my attempt at Elon-answering the problem: reasoning from first priciples and finding the "solution" answer (i.e. the probable outcome including degree of certainty in the probability) as opposed ro the "right" answer (as in morally right, what "feels right", what right should be etc.). In this instance of course it turns out "moral" and "law/legal aspects" coinside, which they often do. But my answer wasn't based on morals/ethics but on the "solution" to the equation; the end game is a legal dispute in which Tesla will prevail and this can be estimate to occur with a very high probability.

 

[labfm]

Can't believe this thread is still open. Lol.

 

[CuriousG]

Obviously it will be easy to calculate to see if the funds are truly owed, that is not the question. My delivery specialist sent me emails tonight about it. It's actually amusing, he started with small talk in the email, then hit hard with the nitty gritty and asking about my timing about when this will be taken care of. Interesting that he responded to each of my replies in minutes, when obviously he was not nearly as responsive when my car was in production. And FYI, a Lannister always pays his debts.

I find it ironic he chooses this quote from a family that lies and is deceitful all the time. I haven't watched the current season so no spoilers.

 

[Electroman]

Clint: why are you concerned about why and how Tesla made this mistake? That is Tesla's problem.

You should be concerned and reflect upon why you chose not to pay at that time when you clearly knew that you owed Tesla money. Now that Tesla is after that money, why this hesitation?

 

[Bishop]

ok, I took delivery of my refresh model s a month ago. I financed. On delivery, the delivery specialist looked up my payments and deposit from my credit union, and it showed my balance as zero. My tesla account online also read as balance zero, and the car showed as delivered. I drove the car home. Now one month later I get an email from my delivery specialist that I never gave them a check for $10,000 which was what he said we agreed to and he had my tesla opened back up to reflect a payment deficit of $10,000 and when do I plan on paying this. My response was that I took possession already, and they told me it was balance of zero, and that no car company would allow anyone to take possession of a car without full payment. He said that they submit the papers to California, and then the finance department found this "descrepancy". As it is now a month later, that money isn't readily available. Does anyone have any thoughts about this? If it turns out that it was a shortfall in payment due to their mistake, but they delivered, and now a month later they want more money, how should I proceed.

this exact same thing happen to me when i bought my porsche ... about 8k more than the should have and waited 3 months try and ask for the money back .. legally there isnt anything they can do .. the signed the paperwork they gave your the car if they post more paperwork with difffernt numbers that isnt what you signed when you took delivery ... legally there isnt anything they can do..

Now considering you car is more or less a computer... thats not to say they would not shut of features to your car until you pay up or that your service center would overcharge you on service ( worked for me cause i moved out of state anyway) if they send you a legal notice call a lawyer simple.. keep an eye on your credit report also cause they might try to report it as debt

 

[JohnSnowNW]

In high school I used to work retail, often as a cashier. Whenever something would fail to scan at the register someone would inevitably make the quip that the item must be free, har har har.

This situation is kind of like that, only it's not a joke.

 

[Bishop]

however in reading the rest of this .. i realize we have two different situations .. in my case they discounted the car 8k when they shouldnt have and tried to get me to pay that back .. in your case it looks like the delivery specialist didnt check his numbers and went off what the website said.. its also why he keeps calling you back he may be on the hook for that amount... when his regional starts calling thats how you will know..

 

[Vip]

I always try to do the right thing because one thing I have learned in life is that Karma is a B****!

 

[CHG-ON]

Satisfy your obligation and be done with it. Stop rationalizing your way out of it. If you owe it, pay it. If you don't, don't. Period.

You, and only you, know if you have been honest and upstanding.

 

[HankLloydRight]

this exact same thing happen to me when i bought my porsche ... about 8k more than the should have and waited 3 months try and ask for the money back .. legally there isnt anything they can do .. the signed the paperwork they gave your the car if they post more paperwork with difffernt numbers that isnt what you signed when you took delivery ... legally there isnt anything they can do..

This is different -- the paperwork shows the missing amount not paid, they just didn't collect it at delivery, so yes, they have all legal recourse available to them to collect the unpaid amount.

In your case, they can't change the paperwork after the fact. That is not the "exact same thing".

 

[Bishop]

This is different -- the paperwork shows the missing amount not paid, they just didn't collect it at delivery, so yes, they have all legal recourse available to them to collect the unpaid amount.

In your case, they can't change the paperwork after the fact. That is not the "exact same thing".

agreed i wrote that before i read thru all 3 pages

 

[Super_Popular]

Can't believe this thread is still open. Lol.

I can.