Original owner of 2011 Roadster 2.5 #1303. 55K miles, used as a daily driver for 8.5 years, I got to work with a smile on my face every day.
I got the email in mid-november. I asked for a quote. Tesla offered $48.4K cash or credit. I bit the bullet and accepted the cash offer. The model 3 is awesome but I don't want a touchscreen. I like my knobs and buttons.
The buyback process has been bumpy. Communication was somewhat inconsistent. Written terms were not provided until the second time I asked, and then only via email from the ownership loyalty associate.
They had me return the car using their existing lease-end process. I had to turn in the car, sign over the title and then sign a "tesla credit" form because, as the associate explained, Tesla does not have a buyback policy. They told me the check should come in 2-4 weeks, which would be 1-3 weeks from now. Communication remains inconsistent.
It was difficult to turn in a car and sign over its title without receiving a check in hand. I don't think they want to screw anyone over, but large corporations tend to be bad at rare transactions. It will be a hassle if they don't send me a check, or if they mistakenly process a credit instead of cash.
I'll update this thread after receiving the check (or not!), to better inform other owners who might be considering taking the buyback.
I'm updating this in case the information is helpful to other Roadster owners.
I received the check from Tesla 4.5 weeks after signing over the title and giving them possession of the vehicle. Tesla sent it by fedex.
In hopes of being helpful, I could briefly explain why I decided to sell back to Tesla. I'm not an engineer or even a car guy, but I have some experience with business and quantitative decisionmaking.
The car was still on the original battery, with an ideal range that had fallen to about 105 miles. If I did not sell, I would probably need to upgrade the battery in the next 1-3 years. So it was a sell-or-replace decision, with the investment likely requiring a 6-12 month delay for battery construction and installation.
I have noticed a severe degradation in service availability and quality over the past few years. Appointments were hard to get and wait times got much longer. For example, Tesla used to recommend replacing the tires every 2 years or so, but it has now been five years since the last time they recommended that. I don't know how to account for the difference. As another example, simple questions about expected service times would receive non-answers, for example, "these cars are so rare." It seemed that service center employees were repeating company talking points.
In San Diego we still have one original roadster tech at the local service branch. But, branch personnel said they may stop servicing roadsters locally, in which case I would have to start taking the car to LA for service. So, I have to forecast substantially higher service costs in the future.
I separately listed the car on cars.com at a price similar to what tesla quoted me. I did not receive any credible inquiries.
Factoring in time and nuisance cost, the decision to sell became easy math. The offer seemed to approximate market value, and keeping the car would have required significant expense, hassle, uncertainty and downside risk.
In retrospect, I paid a premium of about $25 per workday from 2011-2019 to drive to work in a Tesla Roadster rather than Generic Car X. It was a great car to drive, I had a smile at work every morning. I wish that Tesla was willing to maintain the car as it did in the beginning, but all good things come to an end. I'm grateful for the experience.
