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Is there a market for used 2014 MS 85 needing new battery & computer?

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Hi everyone --

I welcome the wisdom of this group on my current dilemma.

Background:
-- 2014 MS 85; 21" rims; grey/grey; add on console unit upgrade; leather; suspension; etc
-- 71k miles; garage kept entire time; original owner
-- 8-Year Warranty expired April 2022
-- Current error message: BMS_u029 "Maximum battery charge level reduced"
-- Tesla Service determined it needs 1) new battery (refurbished, with 4 year warranty); and 2) new computer
-- Tesla Service conducted additional inspections and said everything else is ok.
-- Repair Cost for Battery and Computer is $17K
-- KBB is $28K-$30K
-- Based in Bay Area, CA
-- Takeaway: I want to sell the car and do not plan to keep it. Obviously I should have done more homework and forced inspections before the warranty expired (and been involved in this forum) but I wasn't aware and it is now in the rear view mirror and need to move forward.

Question: How easy is it to sell the car "as is"? Are there companies that will purchase my car with these disclosures or should I pay the $17K to fix the issues and then sell the car to a third party (Shift) or an individual? Obviously I am only walking away with ~$10K or so after all is said in done which is a huge disappointment given I paid $100K in April 2014 for the car and it has relatively low mileage.

Welcome any and all advice on this.
Thank you.
 
Whatever you decide to do about the battery, I would check out Recell's (TX) options for third party refurbished battery replacement: Vendor - Recell Launches Groundbreaking Remanufactured Battery Packs for Model S and Model X

I would also get another opinion on the need for a new MCU (computer), which seems not typical for a battery replacement situation. You may need to find a third party EV specialist for a second opinion, but there should be someone within a reasonable distance from you in CA.
 
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I'm not sure if there's a market per se (like crowds of people who'd bid up for your disabled car), but there must be a handful of folks who want an affordable Tesla that needs a few tweaks to get it running. I say this because I made sure that I had sufficient funds available for potential major repairs when we bought our used 11/13 built S85 from Tesla with just under 60K miles on it. We paid just under $40K for it and the primary reason for buying the car was to get the solo-HOV carpool stickers since the white decals on our Fiat 500e expired.

We did not pay the $100K MSRP from when it was new, we've driven over 62K miles in it so I feel completely justified in spending up to $14K for a replacement battery pack or up to $30K for an upgraded battery pack with more range and a faster charging curve. I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels that way and that would probably be your target buyer.

I would definitely look into ReCell and wk057 to get an evaluation and to get a quote for what they might buy your car for given its current state. Some folks were parting out their Teslas a few years ago and I think the estimate in the value for used parts was somewhere between $20K-$30K. At any rate, I'm sorry you have to deal with this right now and I hope you find a suitable solution. I can't stress enough that you should get some advice from ReCell and wk057. There's also EV's Republic in the San Diego area but haven't heard of any reviews or detail about their work.

My hope was that there would have been more 3rd party support and more affordable solutions in comparison to Tesla. I'm grateful that some alternative options exist and I long for the day when 3rd party upgraded battery packs become widely available...that should make EVs more sustainable as well as more marketable.

 
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We buy cars from customers all the time, but we can also beat the replacement costs on batteries and other components generally (as long as you're not in a huge rush, we're a little backed up at the moment). We usually suggest getting the car to us (we can help arrange) and then letting us give you a list of options, which will usually include a buyout price based on the actual condition of components.

Just shoot us a note.
 
Upvote 0
I'm not sure if there's a market per se (like crowds of people who'd bid up for your disabled car), but there must be a handful of folks who want an affordable Tesla that needs a few tweaks to get it running. I say this because I made sure that I had sufficient funds available for potential major repairs when we bought our used 11/13 built S85 from Tesla with just under 60K miles on it. We paid just under $40K for it and the primary reason for buying the car was to get the solo-HOV carpool stickers since the white decals on our Fiat 500e expired.

We did not pay the $100K MSRP from when it was new, we've driven over 62K miles in it so I feel completely justified in spending up to $14K for a replacement battery pack or up to $30K for an upgraded battery pack with more range and a faster charging curve. I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels that way and that would probably be your target buyer.

I would definitely look into ReCell and wk057 to get an evaluation and to get a quote for what they might buy your car for given its current state. Some folks were parting out their Teslas a few years ago and I think the estimate in the value for used parts was somewhere between $20K-$30K. At any rate, I'm sorry you have to deal with this right now and I hope you find a suitable solution. I can't stress enough that you should get some advice from ReCell and wk057. There's also EV's Republic in the San Diego area but haven't heard of any reviews or detail about their work.

My hope was that there would have been more 3rd party support and more affordable solutions in comparison to Tesla. I'm grateful that some alternative options exist and I long for the day when 3rd party upgraded battery packs become widely available...that should make EVs more sustainable as well as more marketable.

Thank you so much. I just sent emails to both ReCell and wk057 with my VIN to see what they have to say. I need to give Tesla an answer within the next 24 hours on whether they are repairing the battery and infotainment unit or I am picking it up. Will keep this group updated. Appreciate it.
 
Upvote 0
We buy cars from customers all the time, but we can also beat the replacement costs on batteries and other components generally (as long as you're not in a huge rush, we're a little backed up at the moment). We usually suggest getting the car to us (we can help arrange) and then letting us give you a list of options, which will usually include a buyout price based on the actual condition of components.

Just shoot us a note.
Thank you! I emailed my VIN over to you at [email protected]. Happy to chat today.
 
Upvote 0
We buy cars from customers all the time, but we can also beat the replacement costs on batteries and other components generally (as long as you're not in a huge rush, we're a little backed up at the moment). We usually suggest getting the car to us (we can help arrange) and then letting us give you a list of options, which will usually include a buyout price based on the actual condition of components.

Just shoot us a note.
the GOAT
 
Upvote 0