Tesla gave my car away to someone else

[Luso7]

Tesla also recently “accidentally” sold the car I was supposed to be picking up this weekend to someone else. Not sure how this happens, or how they are so bad at managing their inventory. What makes things even worse is that I had to figure this out on my own. Noticed the VIN magically disappeared from my account, called to check that my delivery date was still good to go. Was put on 10 mins hold only be told that they no longer had a vehicle for me because it was sold by mistake. Pickup date scheduled for a few days later without there actually being a vehicle available for me and no one reaches out???

The delivery and sales teams apologized to me profusely, but someone else had already taken possession of the vehicle so there was nothing they could do. So far they haven’t offered me any recourse, just apologies, which is great but unfortunately does absolutely nothing for me at this point. I’ve already sold my old vehicle in preparation for receiving my Tesla, and wait times are now 5-9 weeks.

Was super excited about this whole thing, now am having second thoughts.

you need to make a much bigger scene. List all the things you moved to make that day happen. Hammer that they didn’t contact you. You would have driven up there and no one would have told you there was no car to pick up. You sold your car and now have no vehicle. all that costs you money and pain. I got $500 in value out of it for free. You need to push

I know the feeling - it really sucks. Sorry that happened and I’m annoyed this is becoming a common occurrence. Where was your pickup center and what was your original wait time and configuration?

 

[Luso7]

Did your local contact confirm the 11/5 delivery date ?

I did text my rep and asked if this is legit or just another tease. No response yet

 

[Luso7]

One more thing, they didn’t “accidentally” sell it to someone else. Did you claim a vin from another location? Or did you have an organic factory vin? With me, it was a claimed vin and they admitted it was cheaper to sell the car locally when someone matched the same configuration. It’s a dollars and cents thing - clearly they know a vin is yours and didn’t just stumble upon it on the lot and say “gee whilikers why don’t I just sell this car to someone in my center today!” That’s not how it works

there is no stock Tesla’s anywhere nationwide - barring the occasional red one no one wants to buy in Hawaii - you can see the active stock online. So it’s not a matter of people are walking into centers and the staff are just wantonly selling cars off the lot

 

[theeskimo]

Sorry this is happening to you.. Did you tell them you already sold your old car ?

Yea. Their response was quite literally, “hmmm yea, sorry that sucks...”

I plan on calling again today to see if there is anything else they can do for me until they have more inventory.

 

[theeskimo]

One more thing, they didn’t “accidentally” sell it to someone else. Did you claim a vin from another location? Or did you have an organic factory vin? With me, it was a claimed vin and they admitted it was cheaper to sell the car locally when someone matched the same configuration. It’s a dollars and cents thing - clearly they know a vin is yours and didn’t just stumble upon it on the lot and say “gee whilikers why don’t I just sell this car to someone in my center today!” That’s not how it works

there is no stock Tesla’s anywhere nationwide - barring the occasional red one no one wants to buy in Hawaii - you can see the active stock online. So it’s not a matter of people are walking into centers and the staff are just wantonly selling cars off the lot

I agree, I need to make a bigger deal out of it.

This was not a factory VIN, it was an inventory VIN which I claimed. I was going to fly out to pick up the car on my scheduled pickup date. I agree with you that they knew the vehicle was assigned to me and that I was coming from out of town which probably contributed to their decision to make the quick sale. This doesn’t change the fact that it’s a terrible way to treat a potential customer. Now I have a useless flight to PA and no car.

 

[PowerBankT]

Now I have a useless flight to PA and no car.

This is a relatively unacceptable outcome from Tesla. Push for that free Performance upgrade

 

[Luso7]

I agree, I need to make a bigger deal out of it.

This was not a factory VIN, it was an inventory VIN which I claimed. I was going to fly out to pick up the car on my scheduled pickup date. I agree with you that they knew the vehicle was assigned to me and that I was coming from out of town which probably contributed to their decision to make the quick sale. This doesn’t change the fact that it’s a terrible way to treat a potential customer. Now I have a useless flight to PA and no car.

you need to go up the managerial chain. I had the exact same situation. Get some value out of it

it’s total dog**** customer service to save a few bucks. They should just tell people they refuse to match vin’s at other locations and all sales must be from factory, because they are ready to screw you over the second they can save a few bucks

Make sure you get some kind of compensation for that mess. A no means you move up the chain. Someone will give you something if you word it correctly

 

[alloverx]

You need to ask them to refund any fees associated with cancelling your flight. O rat least 50% of it.

 

[Luso7]

exactly. They cost you money by setting an expectation for you to come and get the car, and then pulled it from you. This isn’t just a harmless “oopsies” - for you to uphold your end of the deal you had to engage in many steps to fulfill your part - and them pulling the rug from under you is unacceptable. They need to make it right somehow.

 

[TehBRD]

This happened to me today as well. Ordered from existing inventory, delivery date was set for tomorrow. I emailed today to ensure everything was on track and then got the email back stating they had a replacement to switch to - a VIN that was 33k less than my original. Mind you, we already had MVPA done, loan docs complete, insurance set, everything.

Spoke to the manager of my delivery location to discuss; I let him know how disappointing and unacceptable this is as a business practice. I mentioned that they generally aren't selling to Joe off the street, but rather enthusiasts that are doing their research and have been excited to own a Tesla for months or years. That it's not a good look for Tesla to be selling cars out from under people. He agreed and was apologetic and empathetic.

They have one that was on the sales floor for about a month, with 6 miles on it. I was not happy to hear this, but was assured it would be pristine. They pulled it off the floor this morning for me. He also called my bank to work out the loan issues and assured me that my delivery date should only be delayed by maybe a few days.

We'll see how this goes - I was very upset and ready to cancel my order, but it sounds like they are legitimately trying as hard as they can to rectify this really awful situation that Tesla has forced on its employees and customers.

 

[dryland]

Hearing these issues with people buying from inventory I feel blessed. Got mines in 11 days. Only complaint; still on V9. They didn’t update it.

 

[Luso7]

This happened to me today as well. Ordered from existing inventory, delivery date was set for tomorrow. I emailed today to ensure everything was on track and then got the email back stating they had a replacement to switch to - a VIN that was 33k less than my original. Mind you, we already had MVPA done, loan docs complete, insurance set, everything.

Spoke to the manager of my delivery location to discuss; I let him know how disappointing and unacceptable this is as a business practice. I mentioned that they generally aren't selling to Joe off the street, but rather enthusiasts that are doing their research and have been excited to own a Tesla for months or years. That it's not a good look for Tesla to be selling cars out from under people. He agreed and was apologetic and empathetic.

They have one that was on the sales floor for about a month, with 6 miles on it. I was not happy to hear this, but was assured it would be pristine. They pulled it off the floor this morning for me. He also called my bank to work out the loan issues and assured me that my delivery date should only be delayed by maybe a few days.

We'll see how this goes - I was very upset and ready to cancel my order, but it sounds like they are legitimately trying as hard as they can to rectify this really awful situation that Tesla has forced on its employees and customers.

make sure you get something for your trouble

 

[TehBRD]

This was all successfully resolved with very little effort on my part, super happy with how Eric and Anthony at the Plano store dealt with this frustrating issue. I only waited an extra 28 hours or so for my brand new blue LR AWD Model 3!

 

[Luso7]

Just got a call that they are changing my delivery date A SECOND TIME. I keep getting cancelled. It’s driving me absolutely nuts. I keep getting coverage for work. I keep getting updated insurance docs, and they keep moving my delivery date.

this car better be amazing. Tesla customer service and logistics is 100% ****. And worst of all they are completely remorseless and inflexible at making good on their mistakes. I told them this is the second time you’ve moved a delivery date on me. I said, “I don’t want you to even call me again, until the damn car is sitting in your parking lot. Don’t even contact me period unless the car is in your hands, THEN you can call me and set a delivery date. I’m tired of doing backflips to make myself available and you F it up”

they will not budge. They said if I don’t get it within a week of arrival it will go to someone else. And Therein is my problem: don’t force me into delivery dates, make me align my life and schedule , and then cancel it and expect me to jump through the next hoop. They absolutely don’t give a crap and just expect you to keep jumping. If they just held the damn car on the lot for me, I wouldn’t care. I don’t have a single weekend available for anything. We have a young family. My wife and I both work full time. It’s not easy to juggle our lives and child care to drive an hour and a half during a business day to get this stupid car


I really hate their customer service. So much

 

[PowerBankT]

This is going to sound silly, but have you taken this to twitter? Complaints in the public eye are powerful.

I received a free flight (that was on average over $1k), by taking my complaints with proof to Delta's twitter.
Customer service refused to do a single thing for me.

 

[Luso7]

This is going to sound silly, but have you taken this to twitter? Complaints in the public eye are powerful.

I received a free flight (that was on average over $1k), by taking my complaints with proof to Delta's twitter.
Customer service refused to do a single thing for me.

just not my style nor do I have social networks. I just can’t stand that managers have no authority to do ANYTHING, and I mean ANYTHING

You keep screwing over the same customer over and over. As I complain about what they are doing, they just apologize and acknowledge that everything I’m saying is correct (in so far as they will give my car away if I don’t get it within a week of the delivery)

then, they make bullshit fake offers for things I’m not asking for, so as to APPEAR like they are being helpful (“if you’d like we can change the delivery to another service center if that is more convenient??”) You stupid twat, I’m clearly not having an issue with WHERE, it’s WHEN. You are the ones that keep cancelling it. I’m telling you my problem is I have to move many variables in my life to make the delivery appointment. How the F is changing the location going to help me at all if you just keep cancelling the damn appointments? Stop making f’ing appointments with your customers when you don’t have an f’ing car to sell me. I’m not buying an f’ing Ford Fiesta. This is an expensive car. I need people with above room temperature IQ and who have some semblance of authority to make decisions (like “sir, it’s terrible we’ve made you jump through hoops twice and failed at honoring these appointments. I will personally make sure we hold the car until you’re ready for an extra week if necessary)

THAT’s an F’ing SOLUTION. not telling me “hey we can change your delivery location!”

It’s like these people lack basic comprehension of the English language. Don’t you not get why I’m pissed? Don’t you get what it is you are doing to me that is causing me anger and frustration? It’s like they are robots and they go “customer ...angry.....shake ..magic 8 ball of ...random responses” and then they vomit a stupid solution/comment that has nothing to do with the problem

 

[PowerBankT]

Customer service reps can rarely take the initiative to actually help you, regardless of whether they would like to, and even if they sympathize with you. They're simply just not allowed to make executive decisions like that.

It takes 1 minutes to create a twitter, and it doesn't have to reveal any personal information (that sort of thing can be exchanged over DMs). I recommend going this route if you'd actually like to attempt a resolution. I sympathize with your situation, it sucks, but getting upset on third party forums isn't going to help solve any issues.

The folks at Delta literally just simply told me no, at the airport, while I was 20 hours delayed at the airport. They wouldn't lift a finger. In 30 minutes time, I had my flight comped and was booked on the next available flight thanks to Twitter, and the corporate office. It's actually a thing and works, as how companies handle bad situations in the public eye, is very different than a one on one conversation with your sales agent that no one is going to hear or see. Just a recommendation to actually help you get a resolution. Choose to go whatever route you like obviously.

 

[Luso7]

Just to be clear, this conversation previously did include the manager at this center. They didn’t care. I’m quite aware whining to the lowest level employee I make contact with is pointless. The conversation has gone beyond that already when they made the first mistake. And this current dialogue is with multiple employees

I don’t see what they could do- best case scenario they give me more time to hold my car. That doesn’t stop them from continuing to give me bad dates as to when my car will be ready. If it got to that point and they were about to give my car away I would do that.

mother wise, they already offered me a product for free with the first mistake. But they just keep making mistakes. What else can they do at this point? They aren’t going to discount the car. The only thing I want them to do is hold the car until I can get there on my own schedule.

I’m mostly just venting my frustration here and making other people aware of what can happen to them.

 

[alloverx]

But a well run company would not need Twitter moments.

 

[Az_Rael]

I told them this is the second time you’ve moved a delivery date on me. I said, “I don’t want you to even call me again, until the damn car is sitting in your parking lot. Don’t even contact me period unless the car is in your hands, THEN you can call me and set a delivery date. I’m tired of doing backflips to make myself available and you F it up”

I had this exact same conversation with our service center once. They kept telling us the car was ready, so we make arrangements to take off work early to make the 2 hour drive to pick up the car. They would call while we on the road and say “sorry, the car isn’t ready, try tomorrow”. They did that 3 times before we had a similar conversation as above to not even call us until the car was done and parked ready for pickup.

Guess what they did: called again saying car is done then cancelled again while we were driving down to the service center. That time we told them, nope, you had better finish the car because we are picking it up tonight, period. They did stay late and get it done, but man, we were so pissed.