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Tesla Never Registered My Car (California)
- Thread starter WillyTheG
- Start date
Someday, I hope Customer Service is as important to Elon as the farting app. Until then, dealing with Tesla post-sales is an exercise in frustration.
When I took delivery of my car, I was waiting in the lounge while my Delivery guy went to check out my trade. An elderly man came in grumbling about never getting his tags -- for months. He'd grab any person wearing a Tesla shirt and complain and they'd say, "You need to speak with someone in Delivery, but I don't see anyone. Why don't you call and leave message?" Over and over. I began thinking, what kind of service is this? They knew Delivery was on the premises (my guy), but they were blowing him off.
Right now, I'm struggling to get them to make me whole on my deal. They didn't pay off my trade for two months, so I had to make two additional payments. Instead of paying my bank (who held the note) what Tesla agreed at the time of sale, they had the nerve to get a new payoff number, which is pretty sleazy. I raised hell with my delivery guy and he said, "They are aware of the issue and they'll fix it". Weeks later, it became "I don't have an answer, but I'll check." Now my calls and emails go unanswered.
My advice is to just start showing up and be disgruntled in the showroom. Yes, be THAT guy. That's what I plan to do.
When I took delivery of my car, I was waiting in the lounge while my Delivery guy went to check out my trade. An elderly man came in grumbling about never getting his tags -- for months. He'd grab any person wearing a Tesla shirt and complain and they'd say, "You need to speak with someone in Delivery, but I don't see anyone. Why don't you call and leave message?" Over and over. I began thinking, what kind of service is this? They knew Delivery was on the premises (my guy), but they were blowing him off.
Right now, I'm struggling to get them to make me whole on my deal. They didn't pay off my trade for two months, so I had to make two additional payments. Instead of paying my bank (who held the note) what Tesla agreed at the time of sale, they had the nerve to get a new payoff number, which is pretty sleazy. I raised hell with my delivery guy and he said, "They are aware of the issue and they'll fix it". Weeks later, it became "I don't have an answer, but I'll check." Now my calls and emails go unanswered.
My advice is to just start showing up and be disgruntled in the showroom. Yes, be THAT guy. That's what I plan to do.
I don’t think this is a Tesla issue, but a CA DMV issue - the DMV is really messed up right now and operating at an even lower efficiency level than their previously non-existent efficiency level due to COVID.
I have yet to receive the registration renewal notice for my last car which expired on Dec 8. Usually, I receive those way ahead of the expiration date.
When I sold it to a car dealer, he told me that it’ll likely take a few months to get the title transferred from the leasing company. Doesn’t affect me, but he can’t transfer ownership / sell it until then.
On the upside, the police are not supposed to be giving out tickets right now due to expired plates as a result of the DMV issues.
I have yet to receive the registration renewal notice for my last car which expired on Dec 8. Usually, I receive those way ahead of the expiration date.
When I sold it to a car dealer, he told me that it’ll likely take a few months to get the title transferred from the leasing company. Doesn’t affect me, but he can’t transfer ownership / sell it until then.
On the upside, the police are not supposed to be giving out tickets right now due to expired plates as a result of the DMV issues.
Cleo-n-Company
Member
I'd go a step further...
Pull a Walter White
Plan some form of chemical reaction in the SC
You may still need a step additional to get the SC "general manager" to come out of their hutch
I feel for your situation - so frustrating indeed...
Cleo-n-Company
Member
It's entirely a Tesla issue.
My niece got a Leaf a couple of months ago after Tesla screwed her over her Model 3 order and trade-in.
She got her CA registration in the typical 3 to 4 weeks.
It took a few additional weeks to get her carpool stickers - but she's now buzzing around with her orange carpool stickers and not a care in the world.
Once Elon has your money... he... just.... doesn't... care...
Accept reality and you'll be free.
Enjoy your Tesla for what it is, and don't make excuses for its shortcomings.
I understand that you're unhappy about this, but blindly lashing out at people is hardly mature. Just trying to help; I have no interest in making excuses for Tesla and I think my post history validates that.
Has it occurred to you that maybe your sister's experience is atypical? Or are you saying that my not having received a renewal registration for my Porsche is somehow Tesla/Elon's fault? And the car dealer having to wait forever for a title transfer... also Tesla/Elon's fault?
If logic would prevail, you'd think that the fact that the CA DMV has publicly asked the police not to ticket people for expired registrations and licenses is indicative of them admitting that they have a problem... or is that a Tesla issue too?
Cleo-n-Company
Member
Eisen - I do try and ensure my complaints and observations are directed at the entity - and not at you as an individual. So I am sorry for that.
My niece's experience pretty much echoes the status quo in my 30 years or so of buying and registering cars in California. Meaning the state gets too much of my money, and I get my registration sticker and carpool sticker in the mail in a matter of weeks.
If Porsche dealers are having the same issue too... I personally don't have experience and can't comment on that. I still salivate for a Cayman some day, but I suppose that's besides the point.
No worries. I agree with your general sentiment - this state has been very effective at taking my money... until recently. We are living in very interesting times and CA appears to be a total mess due to COVID. My Porsche was about to hit its 3rd year, so it's already registered. The delay in receiving my renewal bill is 100% on the DMV. It's not just the DMV... it took CA a little over a year to hit me with the supplemental property tax bill for my new house. My last supplemental tax bill (last house) took months after the purchase to arrive and registration was like clockwork... so I take it that CA is in a bad state when the professionals at taking my money... aren't taking my money!
Test drove a Cayman, awesome car! Ended up doing the Carrera twice though due to it having some semblance of a back seat.
Cleo-n-Company
Member
No worries. I agree with your general sentiment - this state has been very effective at taking my money... until recently. We are living in very interesting times and CA appears to be a total mess due to COVID. My Porsche was about to hit its 3rd year, so it's already registered. The delay in receiving my renewal bill is 100% on the DMV. It's not just the DMV... it took CA a little over a year to hit me with the supplemental property tax bill for my new house. My last supplemental tax bill (last house) took months after the purchase to arrive and registration was like clockwork... so I take it that CA is in a bad state when the professionals at taking my money... aren't taking my money!
Test drove a Cayman, awesome car! Ended up doing the Carrera twice though due to it having some semblance of a back seat.
I can only imagine. I saw Porsche was testing a "leasing club" some time back, where you can mix and match your Porsche over the term of the lease. I'll take it as an Xmas present from my friends down south...
I can't because Tesla never transferred ownership to me. I've definitely tried, because there was a thread from 2 years ago someone in Michigan (i think) was allowed to claim ownership as long and register their car as long as they receive a letter authorizing the transfer bypassing Tesla.
DMV told me they can't do anything, it's a problem between me and Tesla.
I mean I would assume that DMV is a mess because of COVID, but I also bought another car on 11/21/20, and I received my plates the day I made the original post. It's one of the reasons why I decided to post about it. Because as much as DMV is a pain in the ass, I have first hand experience with a different car from a different dealership, and that the process was completed in a reasonable timeframe.No worries. I agree with your general sentiment - this state has been very effective at taking my money... until recently. We are living in very interesting times and CA appears to be a total mess due to COVID. My Porsche was about to hit its 3rd year, so it's already registered. The delay in receiving my renewal bill is 100% on the DMV. It's not just the DMV... it took CA a little over a year to hit me with the supplemental property tax bill for my new house. My last supplemental tax bill (last house) took months after the purchase to arrive and registration was like clockwork... so I take it that CA is in a bad state when the professionals at taking my money... aren't taking my money!
Test drove a Cayman, awesome car! Ended up doing the Carrera twice though due to it having some semblance of a back seat.
While I would've assume DMV shares some of the blame, it's pretty clear to me Tesla is 100% at fault right now
Transformer
Do the math. Save the world. — Mark Leon
@WillyTheG besides showing up at the right place in person (wherever that is), this sounds like a case to get a lawyer involved.
I got delivery Sept 29, 2020 and had the ownership papers via FedEx on Oct 18. The person I talked to, who told me that delivery of the paperwork was imminent, was a Tesla guy who is in Las Vegas. The Tesla store in MA where I test drove it couldn't get to any paperwork that my town in ME would accept in order to register the car. It all had to come from CA, which it did. Mine was paid in cash, so that may make a difference, but you should still get the correct papers. The guy in Las Vegas who updated me on the process is Shaun. His contact is 702-680-6532.
Willy the G, good luck. I hope you haven't pulled all your hair out over this frustrating mess!
Willy the G, good luck. I hope you haven't pulled all your hair out over this frustrating mess!
I got delivery Sept 29, 2020 and had the ownership papers via FedEx on Oct 18. The person I talked to, who told me that delivery of the paperwork was imminent, was a Tesla guy who is in Las Vegas. The Tesla store in MA where I test drove it couldn't get to any paperwork that my town in ME would accept in order to register the car. It all had to come from CA, which it did. Mine was paid in cash, so that may make a difference, but you should still get the correct papers. The guy in Las Vegas who updated me on the process is Shaun. His contact is 702-680-6532.
Willy the G, good luck. I hope you haven't pulled all your hair out over this frustrating mess!
If the above doesn’t work, I suggest you notify your Congressional Representative, and several tech journalists about your problem. Then tweet Elon exactly who you’ve contacted and why.
So thanks to this forum, I had a member reach out to me to help follow up. I got an text shortly afterwards too confirming the same thing. According to them DMV paperwork was filed a couple weeks ago. So I guess it's a matter of waiting for DMV at this point. So if the timeline is similar to my other recent purchase, I should get something next week...hopefully.
Certainly a big step in the right direction. Now if DMV drags their feet you can contact your state rep and complain to them to get some traction. But I feel that you’ll be all good in a reasonable amount of time.
@WillyTheG - Did you end up getting your plates? I know it's the same as yours, but I'm coming up on 2 months since purchase and I haven't received anything yet.
There are news media outlets that will investigate these things and Musk hates bad press
