Used in Sept / Oct 2020

[joeypore]

Hello there. Been lurking on the forum for a while, and I'm curious about anyone's experience with ordering a car in September / October 2020.

I (very) recently put in an order for a late 2018 LR RWD, with a VIN around 054XXX, and I had some questions.

I've seen a lot of both positive and negative stories about buying used from Tesla, but I'm being told that since early / mid September, when Tesla removed photos from the site, that they implemented a new level of "cosmetic refurbishment" in accordance with the standards that are (now?) on the website.

I was even told by a sales rep that "while the new level of cosmetic refurbishment is not back to perfection, the standards list on the website is great to review for expectations" and that they go "over and above those standards they have the approval to rectify." Those are her words.

I'm buying a used car, so I get it, it's not going to be flawless. That kind of thing doesn't really bother me because of what I'm getting in return for the money. But that doesn't mean I'm going to let anything slide that's beyond their parameters.

Painted Panels - Scratches up to 1", Dents up to 0.5", Rock Chips
Unpainted panels or Exterior trim - Scratches up to 3"
Glass - Rock chips up to 1" / Scratches
Wheels - Rash up to 0.5"
Interior - Signs of usage on upholstery and interior panels such as markings, discoloration, small tears, or stains up to 1"
Signs of usage on entry and exit points
Rubber seals and trim - Damage of rubber not affecting function

I basically have the list memorized now, and I'll be sure to have a tape measure with me at delivery, but I'm curious about other very recent, specifically Model 3 used purchases, if anyone has any.

 

[joeypore]

Update: I did find photos of my VIN thanks to some digging around. They appear to be from about 1,200 miles before the current mileage which is interesting...

In any case, that did mostly put my mind at ease, but I’m still interested in hearing what y’all have to say.

 

[PNWLeccy]

Not sure how helpful this datapoint is but I ordered a 2018 LR RWD w/ 35XXX Vin from Tesla last year (8/19) and it was in really great condition. Yea there were some swirl marks in the paint here and there but no scratches, dings or anything egregious at all. The chrome trim was slightly misaligned and the trunk was a bit off to one side but they actually adjusted both when i made a service appointment following my pickup. All in all, felt like i got basically a new car.

 

[vegas888]

i see used m3 from tesla website cost more then new one.

also what if your car has like 20 dents but all in 0.5 spec?

can you refuse car at delivery like we can do with new ones?

 

[joeypore]

Not sure how helpful this datapoint is but I ordered a 2018 LR RWD w/ 35XXX Vin from Tesla last year (8/19) and it was in really great condition. Yea there were some swirl marks in the paint here and there but no scratches, dings or anything egregious at all. The chrome trim was slightly misaligned and the trunk was a bit off to one side but they actually adjusted both when i made a service appointment following my pickup. All in all, felt like i got basically a new car.

That’s great to hear. Yeah, that’s what I expected, little things here and there (and within their scope), but based on the photos I found, the car looks great. I guess I’ll find out soon enough.

 

[joeypore]

i see used m3 from tesla website cost more then new one.

also what if your car has like 20 dents but all in 0.5 spec?

can you refuse car at delivery like we can do with new ones?

You can refuse the car, but in theory would be out the delivery fee and order payment. However, I have heard a few stories thus far of people essentially asking firmly for a specific thing to be fixed and they did it.

Hoping that’s what the sales meant in saying they have the power to go “above and beyond.”