I realize this isn't a classifieds message but I wanted those to understand the pain I went through during a recent transfer.
TL;DR - took over 10 months.
I'm in California. California for some reason needs a paper title to perform a transfer. Started the process in January.
Owner started process, which sent me an email to fill out a credit app.
Credit app was approved in minutes.
Process then started.
Months 1-8 - The response from Tesla finance (email only) was always "we're waiting on the DMV to send us the paper title". I asked the owner to call the DMV to see if and when the title request was sent, and it didn't seem to be until month 7 that it was requested.
When the title finally showed up, had to start the process all over again since it was so long ago. I moved as well since.
I re-did the app, and gave my new address. Was approved again almost instantly. Of course these are hits on the credit report.
Now tesla finance has the title in hand, and are giving me a target date to "swap the car" with the owner. I gave them a date. On that date, I swapped the car with the owner.
The car shows in my app and website (I own another tesla fwiw). I now have the car in my possession, and able to get insurance on it.
However - car is not registered in my name yet. That requires a trip to DMV / AAA. I've done this before with a BMW, which took a while (due to California title process) but certainly not 10 months.
Then, after asking 4 times I was finally given a tracking # for the registration paperwork which includes the actual title, so it's important.
Ends up, tesla finance sent the paperwork via UPS 2 day to my OLD address, even though they had my new address for a few months. Luckily I have a UPS.com account so it notifies me of incoming shipments as soon as a label is made to my name. I opt to pay UPS $15 to redirect. This process was bumpy and delayed the paperwork by almost a week.
BMW, for example, wouldn't allow me to exchange the car with the owner until the paperwork was sitting on my doorstep.
So, another 3 weeks it took to get the registration paperwork. So i'm driving a car that I have insurance on, and a lease contract on, but not registered in my name. The owner didn't really like that. I did fill out a release of liability for him at least.
Tesla Finance refused to actually call me. They only apologized in an e-mail but never tried to "make it right". Guess business is amazing? Also - I had to pay a transfer fee of ~$600. I thought the original owner had to do that. But it ended up on my account.
Hope this helps those that may do a lease swap, in California from California. I won't do that again.
TL;DR - took over 10 months.
I'm in California. California for some reason needs a paper title to perform a transfer. Started the process in January.
Owner started process, which sent me an email to fill out a credit app.
Credit app was approved in minutes.
Process then started.
Months 1-8 - The response from Tesla finance (email only) was always "we're waiting on the DMV to send us the paper title". I asked the owner to call the DMV to see if and when the title request was sent, and it didn't seem to be until month 7 that it was requested.
When the title finally showed up, had to start the process all over again since it was so long ago. I moved as well since.
I re-did the app, and gave my new address. Was approved again almost instantly. Of course these are hits on the credit report.
Now tesla finance has the title in hand, and are giving me a target date to "swap the car" with the owner. I gave them a date. On that date, I swapped the car with the owner.
The car shows in my app and website (I own another tesla fwiw). I now have the car in my possession, and able to get insurance on it.
However - car is not registered in my name yet. That requires a trip to DMV / AAA. I've done this before with a BMW, which took a while (due to California title process) but certainly not 10 months.
Then, after asking 4 times I was finally given a tracking # for the registration paperwork which includes the actual title, so it's important.
Ends up, tesla finance sent the paperwork via UPS 2 day to my OLD address, even though they had my new address for a few months. Luckily I have a UPS.com account so it notifies me of incoming shipments as soon as a label is made to my name. I opt to pay UPS $15 to redirect. This process was bumpy and delayed the paperwork by almost a week.
BMW, for example, wouldn't allow me to exchange the car with the owner until the paperwork was sitting on my doorstep.
So, another 3 weeks it took to get the registration paperwork. So i'm driving a car that I have insurance on, and a lease contract on, but not registered in my name. The owner didn't really like that. I did fill out a release of liability for him at least.
Tesla Finance refused to actually call me. They only apologized in an e-mail but never tried to "make it right". Guess business is amazing? Also - I had to pay a transfer fee of ~$600. I thought the original owner had to do that. But it ended up on my account.
Hope this helps those that may do a lease swap, in California from California. I won't do that again.
