Tesla

Washington teen bought totaled Tesla Model 3 for $15k to restore and got huge surprise when retrieving data stored on built-in computer

Published on Nov 17, 2025 at 3:05 AM (UTC+4)
by Ben Thompson

Last updated on Nov 14, 2025 at 9:06 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by Emma Matthews

This Washington teenager bought a totaled Tesla Model 3 to restore and met a huge surprise when he went to retrieve data from the car’s built-in computer.

Winston paid $15,000 to get this car from Geico.

He didn’t know much about the car’s previous life, but he was happy to have a car to work on.

But when he plugged a USB drive into the car’s built-in computer, he was shocked at what he found.

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This teenager wanted to fix up a Tesla Model 3

Winston has long had a passion for Teslas, ever since he began watching videos by Rich Rebuilds.

You may recall that he’s done a fair few videos about cars, whether it was fixing a flooded Model S or test-driving Chinese cars and realizing why they’re illegal in the US.

Washington teen bought totaled Tesla Model 3 for $15k to restore and got huge surprise when retrieving data stored on built-in computer
Wham Bam Teslacam

Winston’s newfound interest led to his parents encouraging him to restore a Tesla.

He found a Model 3 at a wrecking yard and took it home for $15,000.

This car had been declared a loss after an accident.

But deciding to make lemonade out of lemons, Winston set about fixing the vehicle.

He plugged a USB drive into the car’s built-in computer, and what he saw shocked him.

What did he find on the computer?

Well, it was footage showing the moment the car was struck in a T-bone collision.

The camera showed another car driving out in front, and the Model 3 subsequently smashing into its side.

Washington teen bought totaled Tesla Model 3 for $15k to restore and got huge surprise when retrieving data stored on built-in computer
Wham Bam Teslacam

It’s no wonder the car ended up looking the way it did and being deemed a total loss.

However, the bigger question remained – could this car be brought back from the brink?

It wasn’t as big a challenge as restoring this Dodge Challenger Hellcat Redeye, but it was still no small feat.

All in all, about $25,000 was spent on the restoration, with $9,000 spent on parts and $1,000 on taxes.

Washington teen bought totaled Tesla Model 3 for $15k to restore and got huge surprise when retrieving data stored on built-in computer
Wham Bam Teslacam

But Winston ended up with a car for his family and a sense of accomplishment you can’t beat.

To see the shocking footage for yourself, head over to Wham Bam Teslacam‘s YouTube channel.

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Ben Thompson is a Senior Content Writer at supercarblondie.com. Ben has more than four years experience as a qualified journalist, having graduated with a Multimedia Journalism degree from News Associates. Ben specializes in writing about Teslas, tech and celebrity car collections.