Questions about Supercharging and selling privately

[brazenbear]

As I am looking to sell my 2016 Model S, I have two questions regarding Supercharging. Asking here because I have received mixed responses from Tesla, depending on who I speak to on which day.

1. I purchased my 2016 Model S 70D used from Tesla (I am the second owner). The vehicle came with unlimited Supercharging. Will that unlimited plan follow the vehicle to the next owner?
2. When I do sell the vehicle - how quickly does the vehicle transfer from my Tesla account to purchaser Tesla account? The concern is, if they need to Supercharge in order to drive the distance back to their residence, will they be able to access the Supercharging network same day?

Any first hand experience around these two questions would be great. Please let me know if I can clarify any points. And if anyone is interested in my vehicle, happy to provide more detail. Appreciation in advance!
Thanks,

 

[sorka]

1) It depends on HOW you got your unlimited supercharging. If it's a 2016 and you are the original owner then it should transfer to the new owner. If you're not the original owner then it depends how you got your free supercharging. If you bought it from a third party dealer or it was ever sold at auction, it could be terminated at any moment even if you don't sell your S. If you bought it from tesla as a used car then it probably won't transfer to the new owner. To make matters worse, there are other convoluted scenarios that are less likely that can change the answer.
2) It'll take a least a few months for Tesla to notice unless the new buyer adds their S to their Tesla account first thing.

 

[brazenbear]

1) It depends on HOW you got your unlimited supercharging. If it's a 2016 and you are the original owner then it should transfer to the new owner. If you're not the original owner then it depends how you got your free supercharging. If you bought it from a third party dealer or it was ever sold at auction, it could be terminated at any moment even if you don't sell your S. If you bought it from tesla as a used car then it probably won't transfer to the new owner. To make matters worse, there are other convoluted scenarios that are less likely that can change the answer.
2) It'll take a least a few months for Tesla to notice unless the new buyer adds their S to their Tesla account first thing.

Car was purchased used FROM Tesla. Unlimited Supercharging was listed as one of the features on their site when I was looking at used vehicles.

I'm not sure what you mean on your second answer. A few months for Tesla to notice what? Let's day the day that I sign the title over to the new owner, I remove the vehicle from my account and they add it to their's - would they be able to Sueprcharge on their drive home?

 

[ucmndd]

When did you buy the car from Tesla? If it was after Jan 2017 your free supercharging is not transferrable.

 

[brazenbear]

When did you buy the car from Tesla? If it was after Jan 2017 your free supercharging is not transferrable.

Vehicle was purchased mid 2019. So sounds like it would not transfer.

 

[ucmndd]

Vehicle was purchased mid 2019. So sounds like it would not transfer.

Definitely not.

 

[SDSD]

Does anyone know whether Enhanced Autopilot (navigation, summons, etc, but not full self driving) would transfer in private sale?

 

[ucmndd]

Does anyone know whether Enhanced Autopilot (navigation, summons, etc, but not full self driving) would transfer in private sale?

Yes, EAP/FSD sticks with the car UNLESS Tesla takes a trade or receives a lease return and strips it.

 

[kingkong5]

Since purchased mid 2019 then a formal transfer where you change your email address and credit card on file will likely trigger the Free Unlimited Supercharging to be removed. I don't think Tesla checks the state car registration database, so technically if you were to just update the credit card and changed your login password, the new owner could conceivably keep the FUSC by continuing to use your login credentials, with their credit card on file, if you didn't mind that and it was worth it $$$ wise to you to allow them to do so. It seems like that would work, I'm not suggesting that should be done though.

This would be impossible if you have another Tesla on your account though.

 

[Ostrichsak]

When did you buy the car from Tesla? If it was after Jan 2017 your free supercharging is not transferrable.

If the car was originally purchased as new prior to January 2017 it would have unlimited free Supercharging for life aka FUSC. If he then bought it directly from Tesla as used over a year ago before they started stripping it from trade-ins there still exists a scenario by which that car still has FUSC that will transfer. If he bought it from Tesla AFTER they started stripping it from the trade-ins that had it but it was added back to his particular car as a promotion to sell it then it would be for him only and would not transfer. That's one of the big differences between the original FUSC and used cars that are sold with "Unlimited Supercharging" today because it's for the owner only and doesn't transfer upon ownership change.

So, to properly answer his question we would need to know when he bought his 2016 70D used from Tesla and if it was before the period when they started stripping FUSC from all of the trade-ins.

Either way, hopefully he kept records showing what it was he was buying because Tesla has been known to strip features they sold you and w/o proof of what you actually bought... good luck.

 

[SSedan]

Nothing will happen fast enough to threaten someone's ability to drive home.
In my experience Tesla wont honor your transfer request till you have the ownership paperwork from the buyer's state updated.

I also believe Tesla will extend some credit on supercharging and you pay first time you go in for service. So again not a concern for the day or week of sale.

Hell if I were selling a car with paid supercharging I wouldn't stress over what it cost me personally for the person to drive home.

 

[seclinton]

Here’s my take and it’s not worth anything.

Who tells Tesla ownership changed hands. Let’s assume I gift my car as planned to my son when he turns 17. He gets his own insurance and I change the login to his email address. I’ll even title the car over to him as well. Again is Tesla somehow monitoring this?

I’ve changed my email address for my account before. I suppose the only issue would be if you seek warranty or out of warranty service with Tesla and they bill another name? I doubt that though. As long as repair is covered under warranty I r out of pocket repair what does Tesla know?

so by giving my car to my son, Tesla is allowed to remove a feature from my car? Umm hell no

 

[AMPd]

Here’s my take and it’s not worth anything.

Who tells Tesla ownership changed hands. Let’s assume I gift my car as planned to my son when he turns 17. He gets his own insurance and I change the login to his email address. I’ll even title the car over to him as well. Again is Tesla somehow monitoring this?

I’ve changed my email address for my account before. I suppose the only issue would be if you seek warranty or out of warranty service with Tesla and they bill another name? I doubt that though. As long as repair is covered under warranty I r out of pocket repair what does Tesla know?

so by giving my car to my son, Tesla is allowed to remove a feature from my car? Umm hell no

Basically yes.

 

[David_Cary]

Technically a gift is a transfer. Also, technically, you would have to report this gift to the IRS
Just because you say "hell no" doesn't mean that Tesla and the court system would agree. The wording says original owner. When you transfer the car to someone by whatever means, it is still a transfer.
You can certainly not tell anyone but that might be seen as tax fraud and might be an insurance issue - or a huge potential liability for you.
Lots of things suck - in the grand scheme of things, this is minor. A few bucks on supercharging.

 

[uspearls]

Here's another data point. I recently purchased my used MS from a Ford dealership. It was traded in (for a Mustang!) by the original owner who purchased it from Tesla in late 2017, so it never had FUSC. The dealership, bless them, didn't pay much attention to their one lonely Level 2 charger that was on the fritz, so I took delivery with 12 miles of range and about a 130 mile trip home ahead of me. They thought nothing of it since the closest supercharger was a mile away and I was too green to be worried, until I arrived and learned there was no option to use a credit card (go easy on me, I'm one of the early Nissan Leaf owners and had a lot to learn about Tesla world!). After frantically trying to set up my Tesla account while waiting in line and uploading pics of my temporary registration and license, it was my turn to take a stall. I thought what the heck, I'm here and I'll try it....and imagine my relief and surprise when it started to charge! I'll never forget that first time and my sense of wonder watching the charging screen after being used to watching the Leaf's flashing blue light! The punchline is I thought I'd gotten something for free or that the previous owner was unwittingly paying....until about a week later and after I set up my Tesla account I saw a balance due when I set up my credit card! I was more than happy to pay the few bucks.

 

[Cal1]

Boy am I uninformed. I bought a 2017 90D in Sept of 2017. Unlimited supercharging no question. Of course I had heard of Tesla stripping cars they received in trade in but this is the first time I heard they can strip it from my car when I sell it to another individual. This sure as hell sounds illegal. I'm not saying everyone is wrong here, clearly it's happened. Just amazed we let them do it. No class action lawsuit???

I will receive less $ when I sell!

 

[ucmndd]

Boy am I uninformed. I bought a 2017 90D in Sept of 2017. Unlimited supercharging no question. Of course I had heard of Tesla stripping cars they received in trade in but this is the first time I heard they can strip it from my car when I sell it to another individual. This sure as hell sounds illegal. I'm not saying everyone is wrong here, clearly it's happened. Just amazed we let them do it. No class action lawsuit???

I will receive less $ when I sell!

All Supercharging after January 2017 is “free and unlimited” for the original owner only. That distinction was made pretty clear at the time.

Not being informed about what you bought isn’t generally solid ground for a class action.

 

[Cal1]

Oh so this was announced in Jan of 2017. Guess I got nothin!

Thanks for the clarification.

 

[drklain]

When did you buy the car from Tesla? If it was after Jan 2017 your free supercharging is not transferrable.

All Supercharging after January 2017 is “free and unlimited” for the original owner only. That distinction was made pretty clear at the time.

Just to be clear...car's had to be purchased in January 2017 or before, but it gets confusing, because many of those cars were delivered months later due to all the changes with 90D/100D coming on line. In my case, I ordered my car in December 2016 and it came with free unlimited, transferable supercharging for life. It was delivered in March 2017 so technically the purchase date (date I took delivery) is March 2017....