Let me share a cautionary tale: When is a 'new' car not quite new?
I came across a tempting deal – a 2023 Model 3 RWD in pearl white, with a pristine white interior, listed as a
demo car for a tempting price of approximately £38,600, with 1,100 miles on the odometer. Eager to seize the opportunity, I reserved it and applied for the 0% PCP financing deal that was on offer. To my delight, my application was approved, and I bid farewell to my trusty Hyundai IONIQ 28 kW EV, eagerly anticipating the arrival of my new Tesla on
25-Aug-23.
However, just
three days before the scheduled delivery, my phone rang, delivering unexpected news. I was informed that the Model 3 I had reserved no longer qualified for the 0% financing deal. The reason? It was now 7 months old, and the car must be 6 months old or younger. Strangely, when I initially checked the Tesla website, this 'Demo' car was listed in the 'new' section with no indication of its age, only its mileage.
I was presented with only two alternatives – a PCP option at 8.9% interest, which would cost me an additional £7,200, or another inventory car with a white interior, albeit at an additional cost of £4,750, primarily due to its red colour. What added to the frustration was Tesla's assertion that "The discrepancy has arisen because we classify the car as 'new,' and it is the finance company that classifies it as 'used.'" After several conversations with the finance company, it became evident that they had no issue proceeding with the original deal.
Now, I find myself in limbo without an electric vehicle for the first time in a decade, leaving our household dependent on a diesel-guzzling 4x4 Land Rover (used for towing), which has recently fallen victim to the stringent ULEZ restrictions.
I'm left wondering if anyone else has encountered a similar ordeal.
