Man purchased bargain used Tesla Model S for $11K at auction but was spending thousands on repair bills after just a few months
- A man bought a Tesla Model S for $11K at auction
- He faced costly repair bills after just a few months
- Repairs include battery issues, window regulators, and more
Published on Dec 18, 2024 at 12:16 PM (UTC+4)
by Daksh Chaudhary
Last updated on Dec 18, 2024 at 5:00 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
How does getting a Tesla Model S for just $11,000 sound?
A man named Sam snagged a similar deal at an auction, a steal compared to its high original price tag.
But within a few months, repair bills started piling up, turning his dream car into a costly lesson.
What seemed like a great deal at first quickly became a frustrating journey filled with repairs and costly bills.
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Buying the worst Tesla Model S at an auction
The Tesla Model S he bought had been labeled ‘dead’ because it was locked by the previous owner and hadn’t been charged in a while.
After sorting out a few basic issues, the car sprang to life and provided a fantastic driving experience – at least for a short time.
Sam’s journey with this Tesla is covered on his YouTube channel named Samcrac.
But soon the troubles began, starting with a $300 battery fuse replacement. Then came a $100 DIY fix for worn-out front control arms, a common Tesla problem.
Later, the driver-side window regulator failed, costing $80 to replace.
This caused a fuse problem that disabled all the doors, making it an even bigger headache.
This is not the first time a car purchase has seriously backfired – a similar case was seen with the 69 Camaro bought on Facebook Marketplace.
The issues didn’t stop there. The trunk actuator failed, meaning the trunk wouldn’t latch properly, which also disabled several key features.
Many of these problems, like the window regulators and control arms, are well-known among Tesla owners, just like the issues with Cybertruck rusting.
Things keep getting worse
Sam tried some DIY repairs for some mechanical fixes, but sourcing Tesla’s electronic parts was a nightmare.
To worsen the situation, Tesla’s proprietary systems made it hard to find parts, and service centers were unresponsive.
Poor Sam also tried upgrading to a newer Tesla Model S Plaid, but it arrived broken, proving that even newer models aren’t free from these issues.
