Payment method: Plaid vs direct draft

[SucreTease]

For the second time, my vehicle has been matched to a VIN (Tesla damaged the first one).

When payment was due for the first match, I pressed on the ADD BANK ACCOUNT AND PAY button and it popped up a window which read, "Tesla uses Plaid to link to your bank account". I read the terms and conditions and refused to agree to them. In its place, I was planning to bring a cashiers check. However, after the vehicle arrived at the SC, the payment option had changed to direct entering of account and routing information for direct draft method, with no reference to Plaid. However, Tesla damaged the vehicle and I refused it.

Now, my new vehicle will soon arrive and the payment is now due again. Pressing the above-mentioned button again brings up a dialog for the Plaid payment service again instead of the direct draft method.

Does anyone know why sometimes it directs the payment through Plaid, and sometimes as a direct draft without Plaid?

 

[bryan995]

I just paid via plaid, what was the issue?

 

[tonyb99]

Just write a check AFTER checking the vehicle and accepting it

 

[NeverGoingBack]

In the Plaid dialog, when you get to the “Select Your Bank” screen, hit the “x” in the top right. You will get this:

Tap “Enter Details Manually” and you will be able to put in your routing and account numbers.

I’m sort of at the same stage as you are ....

 

[SucreTease]

I just paid via plaid, what was the issue?

Example1
Example2
Example3
Example4

Using Plaid allows the service to access every detail of your account and its history (including your password), without limit, for its own purposes.

 

[SucreTease]

In the Plaid dialog, when you get to the “Select Your Bank” screen, hit the “x” in the top right. You will get this:

View attachment 656699
Tap “Enter Details Manually” and you will be able to put in your routing and account numbers.

I’m sort of at the same stage as you are ....

I do not get that dialog. Instead, I get one with the left-hand button reading, "PAY WITH OTHER OPTIONS", which, once pressed, provides a description of paying via a wire transfer or certified check.

 

[SucreTease]

Just write a check AFTER checking the vehicle and accepting it

This is not an option, because Tesla does not accept personal checks for a full payment. It only accepts certified checks (such as cashiers check) which is made out by the bank.

 

[NeverGoingBack]

I do not get that dialog

Now I understand your original post. Wonder why it behaves differently for different people. Weird.

 

[schnabel45]

In the Plaid dialog, when you get to the “Select Your Bank” screen, hit the “x” in the top right. You will get this:

View attachment 656699
Tap “Enter Details Manually” and you will be able to put in your routing and account numbers.

I’m sort of at the same stage as you are ....

OMG I think you just solved my issue! I have been unable to pay so far because Plaid can't link with PNC accounts currently. I hit the X but that didn't work. So I instead searched for "manual" and got the message below.

When I hit Exit I got the dialog you listed above.

 

[schnabel45]

@ps83v18 you just made my life easier!

 

[dailo]

Can you do the direct deposit after you look at the car? What happens if you reject the car? I assume they hold onto the funds until you get your next car.

 

[Crumbgrabber]

I'm also finding that the work-arounds to Plaid aren't working...

Wire transfer is probably the next best option? It sounds like acceptance of personal checks is a service-center decision.

 

[tonyb99]

This is not an option, because Tesla does not accept personal checks for a full payment. It only accepts certified checks (such as cashiers check) which is made out by the bank.

Maybe true in your state, but I paid with a personal check after inspecting the car - highly recommend that approach. So it is an option.

 

[DanDi58]

Example1
Example2
Example3
Example4

Using Plaid allows the service to access every detail of your account and its history (including your password), without limit, for its own purposes.

So do that. Why anyone would pay for the car in full before seeing it, as well as opening their banking kimono to a third party app, is beyond me.

 

[SucreTease]

Maybe true in your state, but I paid with a personal check after inspecting the car - highly recommend that approach. So it is an option.

Was that a personal check for the full purchase price, or a down payment of a financed purchase? The payment section of the reservation states that Tesla accepts only "certified checks", so I am wondering why they would accept it.

 

[Mr. Wonderful]

My S/A told me if I don't pay in advance, I can give them a cashier's check after examining the car.
That is what I plan to do. Why would someone give them the $$ before checking the car?
If it does not meet my standards, I will reject delivery and take the check back to the bank.

 

[tonyb99]

Was that a personal check for the full purchase price, or a down payment of a financed purchase? The payment section of the reservation states that Tesla accepts only "certified checks", so I am wondering why they would accept it.

All they had from me was the $100 deposit. I wrote a personal check for the full balance after checking the car. No problem. Perhaps Arizona has different rules than Alabama. I did not clear this ahead, nor did Tesla ask how I would be paying, other than cash.

 

[otfb]

Texas buyers must also pay for the car in full before they schedule a delivery date as Tesla does not have a license to sell directly in Texas which is also why there is a $1250 delivery fee on top of all other fees and taxes.

 

[TravelFree]

I never heard of Plaid before so I checked them out and found my bank Wells Fargo backs them as they use Plaid as a back end funds transfer service. So I used the service and the transaction seemed a bit slow but I was warned not to click on the send payment now button more than once or it might trigger a double transfer. Anyway, once complete in about 3 minutes, the Tesla page stated I had paid in full. However my bank didn't show the funds moved to Tesla until this morning about 24 hours later.

As for inspection- I can still do the inspection and document the needed service and set up an appointment for repair. Here they want you to take delivery and depending on the severity of work they will send a mobile service truck to your home and do the work there. If it requires a lift and garage then they make that decision after you accept ownership of the car. If you refuse the car then you may have to wait for your refund less the transport fee and other costs. Believing you can chisel the price down on a high demand product is not likely to happen by holding up payment. They will probably just put the car in inventory and it will be sold in an hour. If I didn't like doing business with Tesla, I would not be buying a Tesla much less two of them and I wouldn't have so much stock in the company either.

I understand not everyone's Tesla employees are like my experience so everyone needs to do what works best and by all means reference check Plaid with your bank. See what they say.

 

[SucreTease]

Another lawsuit against Plaid by a bank for deceiving the bank's customers.