Hi folks,
Is this normal?
TL
R: Tesla made multiple pricing/listing errors, attempted to deliver a damaged/dirty used car and won’t return my communications.
I found a 2016 P100D at Tesla.com that was exactly what I was looking for.
I originally placed an online reservation on Tuesday, March 24th. I was contacted that afternoon and was told the car would arrive within 7-10 days. Great! Three days later, a used car advisor contacted me to tell me there was a pricing mistake and the actual car price would be $5,000 more and I had until the following Monday to decide to take the car or get a refund for the $100 reservation.
I researched prices and confirmed that the price was very low. I agreed to take the car for $5000 more but with the $500 transfer fee waived. A couple of days later, I found “my” car for sale again (at a lower price) on the Tesla website. I paid the reservation fee again to secure the car and called my advisor.
My advisor admitted there was a mistake in relisting the car, honored the lower online price and waived the $500 transfer fee with a promise to refund the second reservation fee.
3 weeks after my initial reservation, my appointment arrived and I was very excited to finally get the car. At pickup, I expected to see some normal wear and tear found on a 35,000 mile car like swirl marks, light scratches, paint scuffs, light door dings and some interior wear. I was not prepared to find a rear bumper with multiple 18 inch long cracks, missing paint and deformed plastic. This car is rough and will need a new bumper at the minimum. Not to mention all the small scratches and scuffs, there is a significant ding and missing paint on the leading edge of the hood and a good sized ding in the center of it, most likely from a golf ball. The exterior had been washed and waxed, but the interior was a mess. It was vacuumed, but every surface was grimy and dirty. We looked in the console and found an old Tic-Tac. There is white paint on the steering wheel. It was clear that the car had been washed and vacuumed, but no attempt to present a clean car was made.
The delivery guys were great and understood my rejection of the car.
I called the used car center main number because my advisor did not respond to my calls, texts or voicemails that day. I took a vacation day to drive 1.5 hours to the delivery center and wanted to make the best of it. I made an offer that I would accept the car if they repaired the bumper or reduced the price by $1k so that I could have the repair made. I hung around town for 3 more hours hoping to hear a decision. No official response to my offer. I called and texted my advisor a dozen times over the next 3 days with no response. I still don’t have the refund from the duplicate reservation fee.
I work in the apartment business and occasionally deal with escalated resident issues. I have been 100% professional and understanding as I know that business issues can occur. I also understand that we are dealing with a crisis and they may be short staffed. They have no reason to avoid me.
Has anyone else experienced an ordeal like this?