Tonight's TMC Podcast #7 with Roadster Expert Carl Medlock

[danny]

Just wanted to make sure our Roadster forum readers are aware that tonight's TMC Podcast will focus heavily on the original Roadster, as we will be joined by former Tesla employee and Roadster expert Carl Medlock.

For the official thread, see this link:

The Tesla Roadster Whisperer (feat. Carl Medlock) | TMC Podcast #7

Special Guest- Carl Medlock @CM_007 Medlock and Sons Description- We start out TMC Podcast #7 by introducing our special guest, Carl Medlock, AKA "The Tesla Roadster Whisperer". Carl is a former employee of Tesla, and now is known as the preeminent Roadster expert. Carl runs a shop with his...

teslamotorsclub.com

 

[carrotted]

Lots of fun anecdotes in this, but the lede was a *bit* buried:

MEDLOCK AND SONS OPENING A SECOND LOCATION IN SF BAY AREA!

Excited for Carl and his family! (also, selfishly!)

(Carl, I’m sure you’ve had a fair bit of this already, but if there’s anything I can do to help you get open - having just opened a 5000 sqft repair shop myself! - let me know!)

 

[bolosky]

Earlier today I was driving 1165, the really cool-looking sparkly blue-purple Roadster with the racing stripes behind Carl. He let me have it as a loaner while he fixed the wiring harness in my door.

 

[MCroadster]

Any hints as to where the shop might be in the bay?

This is very exciting!

 

[Medlock&Sons]

Any hints as to where the shop might be in the bay?

This is very exciting!

Hayward = cheap rent

 

[Mark77a]

Great podcast - I would love to know who the 'bad boss' was who fired all threats (including Carl)

 

[Bunnak]

When will Hayward shop be open for business?

 

[Roadster]

 

[phirephoto]

Just wanted to share my experience with Medlock & Sons. I ordered a Open VMS device for my car. Their website asked what vehicle I have. They shipped and sold me the device. It won't fully work with my car without hacking into the electronics. I asked them, they said they don't know ,they just sell it. I politely asked for a refund MULTIPLE times. They replied back "No refunds." I politely explained that their website asked my vehicle, and they shouldn't have sold me something that won't work. They said again no refunds. I posted a factual negative review on Yelp, they claimed that I was rude and right off the bat threatened to leave negative reviews if they didn't refund me, which is a total lie. I attached screenshots to my yelp review. Is this the kind of company you want to trust with your business? Medlock & Sons - Seattle, WA

 

[Medlock&Sons]

The website is very clear your vehicle was not compatible; you ordered anyway and then stomped your feet like a child; demanding a refund.
You have contacted Yelp, BBB, and others over your inability to read that your 2018 Leaf is incompatible with the OVMS. I don't make the product; we only sell it for the manufacturer.

"I was rude and right off the bat threatened to leave negative reviews if they didn't refund me, which is a total lie"


But yet it's all right here. Funny actually you deny this but you are all over the internet whining. Have a nice day.

 

[phirephoto]

Wow. You're a habitual liar.
First of all, your website DID list the Leaf as being compatible. As a matter of fact, your website prompted me to enter my specific Leaf to ensure the correct device was sent. I entered 2018 Nissan Leaf. You have since changed the website to not list the Nissan Leaf.
When I received the unit, it didn't work. So I e-mailed you asking why, and you said "I don't know, we just sell it."
So if it's compatible, and you now act like you knew that, why would you sell me something that doesn't work?
Wouldn't a honest, reputable company say "Hey, by the way, you put 2018 Nissan Leaf. This product won't work with your vehicle. Are you SURE you want it?" No. Because you're acting like you knew all along, when it was obvious you didn't at the time.
But let's ignore that aspect.
The next aspect is you state I was rude and demanded a refund or threatened to leave a negative review.
That's an absolute lie. I very politely - using the words please - multiple times - asked for a refund and to return the unit. You stated no.
I then stated I'd initiate a chargeback with my credit card company.
That chargeback is stil pending.
You then stated that I was refunded and 'refused to return the. unit."
You contradict yourself. Which is it? If I asked to return the unit, why wouldn't I return it?
If you refused to allow me to return the unit, how could I refuse to send it back?
I would have happily sent you the unit back if you allowed a refund.
As of now, I will wait for my bank to let me know what the final decision is on the chargeback. If they tell me to return the unit to you, I will happily do so.

 

[Mark77a]

Research, the profilactic to buyers remorse ... Open Vehicle Monitoring System | Open Vehicles

 

[phirephoto]

Order placed for _2018_ Nissan Leaf. Nowhere is it stated not compatible.

Me, asking politely, multiple times, for a return. Never once threatening BBB or to leave a negative Yelp review.

 

[phirephoto]

Research, the profilactic to buyers remorse ... Open Vehicle Monitoring System | Open Vehicles

I found their website by searching for OVMS. I selected the kit for a Nissan Leaf. It asked me to specify what year vehicle I had "to ensure compatibility." I specified 2018. They shipped me the product.

 

[Medlock&Sons]

You ordered the OVMS for a car that it did not work on, next you filed a CC dispute over the OVMS that you ordered, next you received a full refund, and you kept the product and the money, next you posted a negative Yelp review, and made every attempt you could to cause financial harm to us.
You are a thief, nothing more.

I found their website by searching for OVMS. I selected the kit for a Nissan Leaf. It asked me to specify what year vehicle I had "to ensure compatibility." I specified 2018. They shipped me the product.

 

[phirephoto]

Your website asked me to select what vehicle I have. I selected 2018 Nissan Leaf. My order confirmation proves this. You shipped me a device that you now act like you knew wouldn't work., and you even lied and stated 'we never advertised it would work' yet when I asked you in an e-mail, you said you don't know, you just sell it. And when I POLITELY multiple times asked for a refund, you refused. I then filed a chargeback on my credit card. I then submitted a yelp review stating the facts.
I sent those same facts, along with screenshots of my e-mail communications, to my bank, who sent it to the credit card company, who apparently also agreed with me. My bank has stated I do not need to return the device.
I will tell you what. Against my better judgment:
You admit that you lied: That I was polite, that I POLITELY requested multiple times to return the device, and you refused. And ADMIT that I did not 'right off the bat threaten to leave a negative yelp review" and apologize for calling me a thief, and I will return the OVMS to you. You provide a shipping label and I send it back.
This goes way against my better judgement, especially the way you've treated me.

 

[Medlock&Sons]

Your website asked me to select what vehicle I have. I selected 2018 Nissan Leaf. My order confirmation proves this. You shipped me a device that you now act like you knew wouldn't work., and you even lied and stated 'we never advertised it would work' yet when I asked you in an e-mail, you said you don't know, you just sell it. And when I POLITELY multiple times asked for a refund, you refused. I then filed a chargeback on my credit card. I then submitted a yelp review stating the facts.
I sent those same facts, along with screenshots of my e-mail communications, to my bank, who sent it to the credit card company, who apparently also agreed with me. My bank has stated I do not need to return the device.
I will tell you what. Against my better judgment:
You admit that you lied: That I was polite, that I POLITELY requested multiple times to return the device, and you refused. And ADMIT that I did not 'right off the bat threaten to leave a negative yelp review" and apologize for calling me a thief, and I will return the OVMS to you. You provide a shipping label and I send it back.
This goes way against my better judgement, especially the way you've treated me.

I treated you like a customer until the fraudulent claims you made to the bank. You said the device was defective. You know that is a lie. Do you want me to post your bank dispute where you lied and said it was defective? I have treated you like a lying thief ever since. Your bank refused to even look at my data; the email was never opened; they just sided with you. I will stop referring to you as a thief and a liar when you return the parts you didn't pay for. You will not get away with lying, cheating, and stealing and then try to extort me into paying to get my parts back. You can whine until you are blue in the face; you will not get anything from me but what you deserve. I filed a theft of goods complaint with the Fremont police. You are now on record for theft. See how this works Evan.

 

[Oscillator]

Your website asked me to select what vehicle I have. I selected 2018 Nissan Leaf. My order confirmation proves this. You shipped me a device that you now act like you knew wouldn't work., and you even lied and stated 'we never advertised it would work' yet when I asked you in an e-mail, you said you don't know, you just sell it. And when I POLITELY multiple times asked for a refund, you refused. I then filed a chargeback on my credit card. I then submitted a yelp review stating the facts.
I sent those same facts, along with screenshots of my e-mail communications, to my bank, who sent it to the credit card company, who apparently also agreed with me. My bank has stated I do not need to return the device.
I will tell you what. Against my better judgment:
You admit that you lied: That I was polite, that I POLITELY requested multiple times to return the device, and you refused. And ADMIT that I did not 'right off the bat threaten to leave a negative yelp review" and apologize for calling me a thief, and I will return the OVMS to you. You provide a shipping label and I send it back.
This goes way against my better judgement, especially the way you've treated me.

The OVMS supports just about 20 separate vehicles. Are you expecting them to know every function in every vehicle and specific wiring instructions for those vehicles, if any? By your admission above, you state that it will work:" It won't fully work with my car without hacking into the electronics," so it will work with your vehicle, but you're not willing to do the work required to access all its functions, correct? If so, it is compatible with your vehicle. In my attempt to order an OVMS, it just asks me to select a kit (of which the leaf kit is still available), but I can't find this section that asks you to "ensure compatibility." There's a notes section, though, so maybe that's what you're referring to; it seems like you missed something there...

 

[phirephoto]

I treated you like a customer until the fraudulent claims you made to the bank. You said the device was defective. You know that is a lie. Do you want me to post your bank dispute where you lied and said it was defective? I have treated you like a lying thief ever since. Your bank refused to even look at my data; the email was never opened; they just sided with you. I will stop referring to you as a thief and a liar when you return the parts you didn't pay for. You will not get away with lying, cheating, and stealing and then try to extort me into paying to get my parts back. You can whine until you are blue in the face; you will not get anything from me but what you deserve. I filed a theft of goods complaint with the Fremont police. You are now on record for theft. See how this works Evan.

"Treated me like a customer"? I posted the screenshots of the e-mails. I politely asked for a refund. You refused. You were rude from the get go.
I stated that the device does not work with my vehicle, and I asked for a refund, and was declined.
I'm not asking you to PAY me anything. I'm asking you to admit you lied, admit that I was polite from the start, and admit that you lied when you stated I 'right off the bat threatened a negative yelp review and a BBB complaint". Both of those statements are easily disproven with my screenshots of my e-mail history to you.
I offered to send you back the device if you apologize and admit you lied. You can't man up and do that.
And I anxiously await contact from the Fremont Police. If they ever reach out to me, which I doubt they will, I will show them the e-mails and the bank e-mail telling me I am not required to return the device. I will also show them my offer to return it to you which you declined.
And I hope they reach out to your local police department for filing a false police report.

 

[phirephoto]

The OVMS supports just about 20 separate vehicles. Are you expecting them to know every function in every vehicle and specific wiring instructions for those vehicles, if any? By your admission above, you state that it will work:" It won't fully work with my car without hacking into the electronics," so it will work with your vehicle, but you're not willing to do the work required to access all its functions, correct? If so, it is compatible with your vehicle. In my attempt to order an OVMS, it just asks me to select a kit (of which the leaf kit is still available), but I can't find this section that asks you to "ensure compatibility." There's a notes section, though, so maybe that's what you're referring to; it seems like you missed something there...

I guess I'm expecting a company that sells a product and asks what vehicle you have to "Send you the correct product and wiring for your vehicle" to know what vehicles it will work on. I stated what vehicle I have. They sent it to me. Upon asking in a forum, I was told I'd need to cut into my vehicles OBDI wiring. I reached out to three different mechanics and auto specialists. ALL of them said they wouldn't touch it - too easy to fry something.
I stated all of this in my chargeback request to my bank, along with the invoice from the mechanic saying they wouldn't do it because of that.
And I'm sure that notes section was added after I made my purchase, as they also modified their website to now no longer list the 2018 leaf as compatible.