Technicians fix Tesla fault in Florida garage using professional tools for a fraction of Tesla's repair quote
- This guy bought a Tesla Model S for $25,000
- He later found out he needed $22,000 to fix it
- He figured out a way to save about $15,000 on his project
Published on Mar 18, 2025 at 8:54 PM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis
Last updated on Mar 19, 2025 at 12:37 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
This YouTuber had to travel to Florida to fix a 2013 Tesla Model S P85D he bought for $25,000.
The car was fine, apart from the fact the battery was dying.
Tesla told him it would cost him around $22,000 to fix it.
But this guy figured out a better solution.
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How this guy fixed his Tesla for just $5,000
Rich Benoit, aka Rich Rebuilds on YouTube, bought a 2013 Tesla Model S P85D, a very early iteration of the Model S, for about $25,000.
That sounds like a good deal… Apart from the fact the battery pack was ruined and the car needed a new one.
Buying an EV and learning you have to change the battery is a bit like buying a plane and learning everything is fine apart from the fact the plane can’t fly.
But anyway, Rich took a deep breath and started looking for a way to fix it.
After taking his Model S to Tesla, the quote he received made him gasp for air.
Tesla wanted $22,000 for a new battery, which was nearly as expensive as the car itself.
That’s why he decided to try his luck with an independent shop in Florida. Amazingly, he figured out a way to fix the car for $5,500.
He had to spend $700 on a minor coolant line issue, then $3,000 to replace two faulty modules as well as a few other minor fixes.
Not a bad deal.
This YouTuber knows what he’s doing
Rich’s YouTube channel mostly focuses on fixing, restoring and modifying Tesla, and he’s clearly very good at it.
A while back, he modified a Tesla by replacing the electric engine with a V8, and then he did the same thing with another Tesla, but this time with a diesel engine.
He once managed to hack his Model 3 by instructing its electric ‘brain’ to generate more power.
So maybe fixing a Tesla Model S for $5,000 instead of $22,000 isn’t even that big of a deal to him.
Alessandro is an automotive journalist with 10 years of experience covering supercars, automotive history, emerging vehicle technology, and luxury transportation. He wrote the first article published on SupercarBlondie.com when the website launched in 2022 and has since built a reputation for insightful reporting across the automotive and transportation industries. His expertise is grounded in hands-on experience. Alessandro has driven every Tesla model ever produced, from the original Roadster to the Cybertruck, and regularly covers the latest developments in electric vehicles and automotive innovation. His passion for transportation extends beyond cars, he has even flown a Boeing 787 Dreamliner simulator in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His reporting spans everything from classic American muscle cars and rare automotive discoveries to luxury yachts, private aircraft, high-end watches, and cutting-edge vehicle technology. Known for his deep knowledge of automotive history and ability to uncover the stories behind iconic vehicles, Alessandro brings readers a blend of historical context, technical expertise, and first-hand experience.
