Ordered a used Tesla MY from Tesla and communication stopped

[caiobelmonte]

Hi

I bought a used Tesla MY from their website (to be shipped from CA to TX), everything was going great, I submitted the deposit, filled the paperwork they sent through app and finish paying the car.
They scheduled a delivery for Monday June 17th but then, 40 minutes before the car pick up, I received a text saying "Your car hasn't arrived in Austin yet, our team will be reaching out shortly".

Now it's Friday the 21st and I still couldn't talk to anyone... I've been sending text messages three times a day, sent message via the app, the customer support email (and found out it doesn't work anymore), called a bunch of times and when it tries to ring to a representative it ends up saying "We couldn't answer you, call again later".
On Wednesday 19th I went to the Tesla service center that my car is supposed to arrive, but they didn't help at all and kept saying "we are not a used department, we can't help you, please contact them directly" even after I stated no one answered me. They simply said "there is nothing we can do".

Does anyone know how to get information for used cars? I'm afraid the car has issues and they are trying to cover up before the delivery.
As I said, I tried the phone number (888 ‍518-3752), email, text, app, service center visit...

It's really frustrating! If they didn't have schedule the car pickup and cancelled in the last minute I wouldn't be so anxious thinking the worst case scenario.

Regards,
Caio

 

[TheLastDon]

That sucks. NEVER pay for a car before you take delivery of it. You need to inspect it first.

 

[ewoodrick]

Hi

I bought a used Tesla MY from their website (to be shipped from CA to TX), everything was going great, I submitted the deposit, filled the paperwork they sent through app and finish paying the car.
They scheduled a delivery for Monday June 17th but then, 40 minutes before the car pick up, I received a text saying "Your car hasn't arrived in Austin yet, our team will be reaching out shortly".

Now it's Friday the 21st and I still couldn't talk to anyone... I've been sending text messages three times a day, sent message via the app, the customer support email (and found out it doesn't work anymore), called a bunch of times and when it tries to ring to a representative it ends up saying "We couldn't answer you, call again later".
On Wednesday 19th I went to the Tesla service center that my car is supposed to arrive, but they didn't help at all and kept saying "we are not a used department, we can't help you, please contact them directly" even after I stated no one answered me. They simply said "there is nothing we can do".

Does anyone know how to get information for used cars? I'm afraid the car has issues and they are trying to cover up before the delivery.
As I said, I tried the phone number (888 ‍518-3752), email, text, app, service center visit...

It's really frustrating! If they didn't have schedule the car pickup and cancelled in the last minute I wouldn't be so anxious thinking the worst case scenario.

Regards,
Caio

Calm down. It seems as if the car may be stuck in shipping somewhere and they aren't sure where. Sending text messages to them 3 times a day isn't going to help, they are people also and when they don't have anything to add, they don't have anything to add.
And what/how are you texting them? Through the app or what?
Has the vehicle appeared in your app? What does it say?

 

[caiobelmonte]

That sucks. NEVER pay for a car before you take delivery of it. You need to inspect it first.

Yup, didn't like doing that either, but as everything was being smoother I messed up...

 

[caiobelmonte]

Calm down. It seems as if the car may be stuck in shipping somewhere and they aren't sure where. Sending text messages to them 3 times a day isn't going to help, they are people also and when they don't have anything to add, they don't have anything to add.
And what/how are you texting them? Through the app or what?
Has the vehicle appeared in your app? What does it say?

I think you didn't understand the problem I had the pick up date set, so it was in the app... they cancelled by text message 40 minutes before the car pick up time. Then they sent me a message "Your car hasn't arrived in Austin yet, our team will be reaching out shortly", and never reached out to me. The schedule disappeared from the app, but the car and other tasks are there yet (no issue with it).

Also, of course I know they are people, I never disrespected anyone.. I know the problem is not because of them / under their control. But if the company cancels it out of the blue, at least an explanation I think it's doable.

So, if you just want to defend the company, feel free to do it...
My post in the forum is just because I need to know if there is a way to better communicate to them.

 

[ewoodrick]

That sucks. NEVER pay for a car before you take delivery of it. You need to inspect it first.

Notice that the OP bought a car that was a few thousand miles away. If I'm in the used car business, I'm not going to ship a car that far unless I *KNOW* that I have a sale.

 

[karkrazy]

Unfortunately, there is no better way to be in touch with Tesla the app is it…

 

[TheLastDon]

Notice that the OP bought a car that was a few thousand miles away. If I'm in the used car business, I'm not going to ship a car that far unless I *KNOW* that I have a sale.

That's a good point, but I still would never advise someone to pay for a used car they haven't even seen yet. It would be reasonable to pay a bigger deposit for the reason you suggested though.

 

[GOVA]

Tesla has ALWAYS answered several of my phone calls. They have always resolved and answered my questions. Have you called them?

Stuff happens in shipping. Stuff happens to goods delivered. Stuff gets lost/damaged. They have a rail shipping hub in Hutto, Tx.
Call them and report back.

 

[caiobelmonte]

Tesla has ALWAYS answered several of my phone calls. They have always resolved and answered my questions. Have you called them?

Stuff happens in shipping. Stuff happens to goods delivered. Stuff gets lost/damaged. They have a rail shipping hub in Hutto, Tx.
Call them and report back.

Yup, called them at the number: 888 ‍518-3752, then I can eventually find a way to choose "talk to a Tesla advisor", but it rings and nothing...
If you have another number, let me know, please.
The first time they talked to me they said the car would be shipped via truck from CA, I don't think they would use the rail shipping for this used car.

Thanks!

 

[GOVA]

How far are you from a Tesla Store? If doable, it might be worth a trip so you could talk in person.

This is what I have: 877-798-3752

 

[caiobelmonte]

Thanks I'll try the number you gave.
I'm pretty close to the store, and went there on Wednesday, they said they couldn't help because it's a used car and asked me to go through the app / text to reach out to the used team

 

[ucmndd]

The whole company is going to be busy for the next 9 days delivering every new car they can before the end of the quarter. Used deliveries are going to be extra-low priority right now.

 

[caiobelmonte]

How far are you from a Tesla Store? If doable, it might be worth a trip so you could talk in person.

This is what I have: 877-798-3752

Thanks man! I called this number and could talk to a guy from Service Center, he couldn't help me to track the car, but pointed me to a store that actually has sale people (the other one I went he said they are short on staff and might not be able to help), I'll give it a try... he said it's weird as well they scheduled an appointment and canceled 40min before and went silent haha let's see.

 

[caiobelmonte]

The whole company is going to be busy for the next 9 days delivering every new car they can before the end of the quarter. Used deliveries are going to be extra-low priority right now.

And that's fine by me, if someone says to me "hey your car will arrive in 3 weeks, sorry about that", I would say "fine, it is what it is..."

 

[ucmndd]

And that's fine by me, if someone says to me "hey your car will arrive in 3 weeks, sorry about that", I would say "fine, it is what it is..."

I hear ya. Unfortunately this company communicates about as poorly as I’ve ever seen. It’s by design - they don’t want to talk to you and have built their entire organizational structure to avoid it.

 

[Watts_Up]

It is always more easy to comment after the fact, but I wonder if buying locally or flying to the location would have been a better solution?

 

[ReversePolarity]

They will talk to you when they want to talk to you, so its best to just forget that something is on order and the fact its late, and be pleasantly surprised when its there. Its basically a result of cost cutting and overworking the front line staff due to quarter end

 

[wwu123]

They will talk to you when they want to talk to you, so its best to just forget that something is on order and the fact its late, and be pleasantly surprised when its there. Its basically a result of cost cutting and overworking the front line staff due to quarter end

I think this is good advice for a new car that's on order, esp since the new car can be refused whether one currently has a VIN assigned or not yet. Basically all potential issues still fall on Tesla's burden.

But in this case, the OP has purchased a used vehicle that comes in "as-is" condition, already paid for the vehicle and would probably end up responsible for any minor damage that occurs to the vehicle, as it would probably be hard to prove that whatever happened in transit. The longer it is delayed, esp unexpectedly, the greater chance that it is sitting somewhere exposed and possible prone to accidental damage. It might already be "forgotten" by Tesla's or third-party logistics system, and not going to keep moving until someone manually prods the delivery forward.

I purchased a showroom demo Model S from Tesla several years ago, to be delivered from LA to SF Bay area, so not quite as long a distance. But I had to pay upfront, delivery to my driveway was included (but not even a choice vs delivery to a sales center) but they didn't know exactly when over the next 2 weeks, with no updates. Then suddenly when we were then away on a two-day weekend trip, a delivery driver calls to say he's coming the next day. Since I told him we weren't home, it went to Lathrop, which seems to be a staging area for Tesla inventory, rather than my nearest sales/service center.

And there it sat, and probably would have sat forever, until I got back and kept prodding them to resume the delivery. It took another week before they finally lined up another truck to bring it the last hundred miles. Fortunately mine had no apparent damage from the transit, but if there had been, I'm sure that Tesla and their third-party drivers would have pointed fingers at each other saying the other caused it, leaving me holding the bag....

 

[Watts_Up]

I purchased a showroom demo Model S from Tesla several years ago, to be delivered from LA to SF Bay area, so not quite as long a distance.
But I had to pay upfront, delivery to my driveway was included (but not even a choice vs delivery to a sales center)
but they didn't know exactly when over the next 2 weeks, with no updates.

Would you had the option to pick the car in LA?
And even, could you have seen the car before paying for it?