Nowadays, the launch of a new electric vehicle is invariably met with a chorus of “this car is too expensive”, and rightly so. But for used electric vehicles, particularly used Teslas, it’s a different story, thanks to the glut of old fleet and rental cars They are now ready for their second owner.
“Due to various reasons, Tesla resale values have plummeted, making many Tesla models now very affordable. Additionally, for some consumers, an additional $4,000 federal tax credit may apply on used electric vehicles, further sweetening the deal. Buying a used Tesla can be a great deal for the savvy buyer, but there are important things to pay attention to,” says Ed Kim, president and chief analyst at AutoPacific.
In fact, a quick search on the topic easily reveals Some horror stories from old rental TeslasSo here are some things to consider if you’re looking for a cheap Model 3 or Model Y.
For more than a year, Tesla has been involved in an electric vehicle price war, driven primarily by its attempt to maintain sales in China. Considerably reducing the price of your new cars is a good way to devalue used onesand Hertz’s decision to sell at least 20,000 of its Teslas was partly a response to the lower residual values.
What to take into account
“The prices are very attractive, but buyers should be aware that rental cars can and are abused, and that some of these older rental units may have unpleasant surprises stemming from their hard lives. . Make sure you have yours thoroughly checked by a mechanic before you buy it,” says Kim.
Mismatched tires and minor dents, scratches, and chips are fairly common minor problems. Many of the Teslas that Hertz sells They have been used like Ubers; You can tell it’s one of these if the odometer approaches 100,000 miles. Battery degradation could be an issue, although most cars won’t have lost more than 4 to 5 percent of their capacity, and long-range Teslas should have a powertrain warranty of up to 120,000 miles (or eight years).
“A side effect of Tesla’s extensive and reliable DC fast charging network is that many owners end up relying on it to keep their cars charged rather than dealing with the often considerable expense of installing a home charger and upgrades.” associated power plants,” Kim said. Ars. As such, you should be sure to check the battery status (which can be done on the touch screen or as part of the inspection) before purchasing.
Rental cars can suffer from too many slamming doors and slamming trunks; Slamming the latter can damage the motorized strut. Inside, heavy signs of wear should be expected on some contact points, especially the steering wheel and rear door cards, which may bubble or peel, especially if the Tesla was used as a private transportation vehicle.
Other possible headaches
Teslas are highly connected cars, and many of their convenience features are accessed through smartphone apps. But that requires Tesla’s database to show you as the owner of the car, and there are many reports online that transferring ownership from Hertz can take time.
Unfortunately, this also leaves the car stuck in Chill driving mode (which restricts power, acceleration and top speed) and puts some car settings out of the new owner’s access level. You also won’t be able to use Tesla Superchargers while the car is still listed as belonging to Hertz. According to forum reports, contacting Tesla directly is the way to resolve this issue, but processing may take several days, or longer if there is a documentation discrepancy.
Once you’ve transferred ownership to Tesla’s satisfaction, it’s time to reset the car’s software to remove the fleet version.