Tesla "Used" buying nightmare

[ZachBreck]

I continually have absolutely 0 luck with this process. First off, I live in Ohio so there are limited cars around me, I understand that. I watch the sites continually looking for the model/color I want. When I find them, so far 90% of the time they don't have a location associated with them. I get pictures, ask for a call back, wait 5 days for no call back, then the car sells and it was in Michigan.

Is there really no number or anyone I can talk to to help me track down a car? I just want to give Tesla my money. All I want is a contact I can reach out to and say hey, where is this car located so I don't put down a $2500 non-refundable deposit on a car in Hawaii. I did weeks ago get an email from a guy saying here are the pics of one of the cars, and he wanted to set up a call. I immediately responded with my number and said lets please talk asap as I want this and need a location with 0 response.

I hate complain but I am really at a loss here and hoping someone in the community can help me. I've literally missed out on 5 vehicles waiting for Tesla, and currently waiting for a response on a 6th.

 

[Zishan]

I've experienced exactly what you have. And I've missed out on a few. Therefore, based on the lack of customer service, I have yet to purchase a Tesla.

Having said that, I'm still in the market. I will say this, once you request a call back, try getting the sales reps phone number. Then you have a contact to communicate with directly. Although, from my limited experience, the rep hasn't been any help what so ever.

Good luck,

 

[Jkaufm32]

I continually have absolutely 0 luck with this process. First off, I live in Ohio so there are limited cars around me, I understand that. I watch the sites continually looking for the model/color I want. When I find them, so far 90% of the time they don't have a location associated with them. I get pictures, ask for a call back, wait 5 days for no call back, then the car sells and it was in Michigan.

Is there really no number or anyone I can talk to to help me track down a car? I just want to give Tesla my money. All I want is a contact I can reach out to and say hey, where is this car located so I don't put down a $2500 non-refundable deposit on a car in Hawaii. I did weeks ago get an email from a guy saying here are the pics of one of the cars, and he wanted to set up a call. I immediately responded with my number and said lets please talk asap as I want this and need a location with 0 response.

I hate complain but I am really at a loss here and hoping someone in the community can help me. I've literally missed out on 5 vehicles waiting for Tesla, and currently waiting for a response on a 6th.

I had luck with Kyle Desmond, he was always pretty responsive to me when I asked questions about used vehicles. His contact information is...

(510) 458-0404
[email protected]

 

[zer0cool]

Nothing wrong with you. Tesla has shitty sales and they will fail if they don't improve it. It's stupid and ridiculous that Tesla doesn't make sales experience its first priority.

 

[whitex]

Are the CPO sales people on commission? If not, maybe they should be.

 

[AustinP]

I continually have absolutely 0 luck with this process. First off, I live in Ohio so there are limited cars around me, I understand that. I watch the sites continually looking for the model/color I want. When I find them, so far 90% of the time they don't have a location associated with them. I get pictures, ask for a call back, wait 5 days for no call back, then the car sells and it was in Michigan.

Is there really no number or anyone I can talk to to help me track down a car? I just want to give Tesla my money. All I want is a contact I can reach out to and say hey, where is this car located so I don't put down a $2500 non-refundable deposit on a car in Hawaii. I did weeks ago get an email from a guy saying here are the pics of one of the cars, and he wanted to set up a call. I immediately responded with my number and said lets please talk asap as I want this and need a location with 0 response.

I hate complain but I am really at a loss here and hoping someone in the community can help me. I've literally missed out on 5 vehicles waiting for Tesla, and currently waiting for a response on a 6th.

Have you tried this site:
https://ev-cpo.com/hunter/

After it returns a list of the cars fitting your requirements, clicking on the VIN brings you to the tesla site of that car which shows the location.
Or easier is to go in the column selection and add the location to the table.

Hope it helps

 

[ZachBreck]

Thanks buddy, that is the sight I use religiously. The problem I am running into is when they don't list a location. There have been a few I would put an immediate down payment on but I have absolutely no idea if they are even in the US. If they'd simply list a contact number, or if someone legitimately called me back ever, I'd be happy. I sincerely have requested a "call back" on their form 5 times with 0 responses over the last month. It's not like I am buying and old civic on craigslist and the guy doesn't want to call me back because he's busy. I want to give them $60K plus for a car. They are in the business of selling, but suck at it.

 

[Wes3]

Not sure if he still works there, or wants his info given out, but he was awesome to work with a few months ago on my CPO purchase.

Ashton May
[email protected]
+16508856092

 

[Zishan]

Forgot to add previously, I got my rep to call me back because I visited the local Tesla store and spoke to a rep there. I was hoping to find someone local to help me, but they said it's all handled out of Las Vegas (or maybe it was Los Angeles). Anyways, I forget.

Once the local Tesla personnel reached out, I got a call from the Tesla used sales person the next day. It's sad that you request a call, only to not get a call. The business model doesn't make sense. I mean, like you, I want to buy a Tesla, I like the car. But I'm don't feel like I should have to beg for them to sell me one.

 

[AustinP]

Mmmh Frustrating indeed.
You live in a much larger county than I do, so the following could also not be possible.
If there is a Tesla service center or shop not too far, going there you could sit with an advisor and he/she has also access to their entire database. Friend of mine did so and they found a car is the neighboring country that they sent over here.

It’s probably an obvious option that you already thought about.

Anyway hang on, you’ll have a blast driving it.

 

[StevenSD]

It's not just CPO sales. I haven't been able to get a call back on a new P100D.

 

[maximizese]

I had an easy experience when I was shopping just before the holidays in 2018. I spoke with both my local sales rep and a rep from Fremont about a specific out of state vehicle and put down a deposit within the hour on 12/22/18. The car was ready on 12/28, but I requested a 1/3/19 pickup. I spoke to a total of 4 different Tesla reps over that time. I don't think it's necessarily a personnel issue, but a process and procedure issue. It seems rather redundant to talk to 4 people, many of whom are limited in knowledge about the car, answers to your questions, and personal knowledge of the specific car itself...it's kinda of a crapshoot. Fortunately for me, I really lucked out because the car was in great shape and the only issue I had was the rear defroster need repair.

Rumors over the last few months was that Tesla has trimmed it's delivery staff, and perhaps I was car shopping during a slow period. I'd recommend 2 of the reps who helped me from the start:

Lance Xie (Fremont) - Inside Delivery Advisor, (510)602-3814

Sean Singh (Costa Mesa) - Used Vehicles Sales, (714)215-2798

Hopefully they are still working for Tesla and can help you.

 

[tccartier]

Thanks buddy, that is the sight I use religiously. The problem I am running into is when they don't list a location. There have been a few I would put an immediate down payment on but I have absolutely no idea if they are even in the US. If they'd simply list a contact number, or if someone legitimately called me back ever, I'd be happy. I sincerely have requested a "call back" on their form 5 times with 0 responses over the last month. It's not like I am buying and old civic on craigslist and the guy doesn't want to call me back because he's busy. I want to give them $60K plus for a car. They are in the business of selling, but suck at it.

I'm pretty sure if you click the partial VIN number on the left side of the screen I think maybe the second column it will take you to the Tesla site which has the listing for the car and the location.

 

[ZachBreck]

You are correct, but the site just doesn’t list it the location. Some cars do, some cars are blank. Looking at one right now that I’m waiting to hear where it is. Tried to look everywhere I could (even past registrations) to get a hint where it is.

 

[EV-CPO]

You are correct, but the site just doesn’t list it the location. Some cars do, some cars are blank. Looking at one right now that I’m waiting to hear where it is. Tried to look everywhere I could (even past registrations) to get a hint where it is.

Tesla has removed the location on many of the cars listed which is reflected on EV-CPO as "no location". But if you're on the "USA" tab, all those cars are at least in the country and not elsewhere. There are a few cars currently located in Texas that are not yet reflected in EV-CPO, but I'll fix those as soon as I get back this weekend.

If you have any other questions about the site, please let me know how I can help.

 

[whitex]

It's not just CPO sales. I haven't been able to get a call back on a new P100D.

Elon doesn't want any of his staff to be calling you back - that costs money. That's why he announced he wanted to close all the stores. Elon's intended sales model is exclusively online, so if you require someone to call you back, Elon doesn't want you as a customer.

 

[ZachBreck]

Tesla has removed the location on many of the cars listed which is reflected on EV-CPO as "no location". But if you're on the "USA" tab, all those cars are at least in the country and not elsewhere. There are a few cars currently located in Texas that are not yet reflected in EV-CPO, but I'll fix those as soon as I get back this weekend.

If you have any other questions about the site, please let me know how I can help.

Oh don't get me wrong, this isn't a EV-CPO hunter issue. The site is awesome, I love it, it's how Tesla's site should be. It's the problem that the API I am sure you are hooked into has null data and there simply isn't anything to display. When I see the features and colors I want, I drill down into the Tesla site to look for the location. The problem is, Tesla has it blank. Here is a P85D for example that is just straight blank. I live in Ohio, but 9 times out of 10 these cars in in California. I really don't want to pay the $2K shipping fee as I'd like to go personally to pick it up and look at it. I was looking at Vin 5YJSA1H28EFP66651 which has since sold, requested a call back last week, no location listed ever, and it's gone. No idea if it was down the street or 2,000 miles away.

EV-CPO is amazing, and will be paying for premium once my trial expires for sure.

 

[OTARon]

You might want to be flexible in you purchase location, I am flying to Las Vegas to pick up my car after dropping off my trade in in Seattle. I was looking at cars in San Fran, San Diego and even Chicago. Tesla will ship a car to you for up to $2000.00 (I've heard of people only paying $1000.00 at the time of sale, but having said that you would be the guy who pays 2k to get your car shipped from Chicago) Find YOUR unicorn, get pictures, and put your deposit down, and wait a few days. You will be contacted shortly after that and then the real fun begins...will it be ready in time, should i go get it or ship it.. will it go off with out a hitch or will it be not ready.. remember for every 100 people who have great preowned Tesla experiences there is that 1 person who feels they are being screwed and they tell us ALL about IT!! IF my delivery goes great on Saturday, Order to pickup for me was 20 days. Is that normally how I have bought cars in the past? NO, but Teslas are not normal cars, and I have built on line a Tesla 3-4 times a year for over 6 years before I purchased this 2016 TMS 90D. I found my unicorn on EV-CPO.com before I looked at it on Tesla.com. We will get to learn about our car on a 1412 mile road trip!

 

[ZachBreck]

You might want to be flexible in you purchase location, I am flying to Las Vegas to pick up my car after dropping off my trade in in Seattle. I was looking at cars in San Fran, San Diego and even Chicago. Tesla will ship a car to you for up to $2000.00 (I've heard of people only paying $1000.00 at the time of sale, but having said that you would be the guy who pays 2k to get your car shipped from Chicago) Find YOUR unicorn, get pictures, and put your deposit down, and wait a few days. You will be contacted shortly after that and then the real fun begins...will it be ready in time, should i go get it or ship it.. will it go off with out a hitch or will it be not ready.. remember for every 100 people who have great preowned Tesla experiences there is that 1 person who feels they are being screwed and they tell us ALL about IT!! IF my delivery goes great on Saturday, Order to pickup for me was 20 days. Is that normally how I have bought cars in the past? NO, but Teslas are not normal cars, and I have built on line a Tesla 3-4 times a year for over 6 years before I purchased this 2016 TMS 90D. I found my unicorn on EV-CPO.com before I looked at it on Tesla.com. We will get to learn about our car on a 1412 mile road trip!

I am branching out as much as possible, I've even looked at Vegas and driving them back, but that's a big commitment for me off pictures. It's a 30 hour drive without knowing much. I have an X currently, I love it and I love Tesla, it just sucks there is no avenue to get information.

 

[Big Toys]

Your experience is not abnormal. Tesla has adopted the Apple model of "feature vs. bug". What you are experiencing is a "feature" and they bet that you *will* persist until you get to proverbially wear those white wire earbuds to show the world you are cool and part of something magical. Customer service will be Tesla's destruction once the general population who are not subject to Apple-like devotion figures this out, and the 500K vehicles sold last year need to be serviced. Once the competitors enter the market (and they will be here shortly), Tesla will adopt time-proven customer service dogma or they will perish as a car manufacturer, or they will sell to an established car maker with infrastructure already in place. SpaceX is where the money is. You'll have no fart sounds coming from any booster rocket.