Washington teen bought totaled Tesla Model 3 for $15k to restore and uncovers shocking data on its built-in computer
Published on Feb 24, 2026 at 3:54 PM (UTC+4)
by Ben Thompson
Last updated on Feb 24, 2026 at 3:54 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
This Washington teen bought a totaled Tesla Model 3 for $15,000, planning to restore it – but what he found on its built-in computer shocked him.
When Winston of Winston’s Garage purchased this EV, he knew very little about its past life.
But for $15,000, he figured it was worth taking a chance on.
When he plugged a USB drive into the car’s built-in computer, he learned a whole lot about the car’s backstory.
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What happened when this teen looked at the computer of a Tesla Model 3
Winston’s interest in Teslas began when he started watching videos from YouTuber Rich Rebuilds.
He’s the guy who turned a dead Model 3 into a 450hp monster, and rebuilt a flooded Model S into the world’s first V8 Tesla.
This planted a seed in Winston’s mind, and he decided to try his hand at fixing up a Tesla.
His parents encouraged him in this pursuit, and he soon bought a Model 3 for $15,000 at a wrecking yard.
It’d been declared a loss after an accident, which would make anyone curious.
So he plugged a USB drive into the car’s built-in computer and got to see what happened.
Footage from the moment the car was caught in a crash came up on the screen.
And this wasn’t a regular crash – this was a T-bone collision.
The footage showed another car driving out in front, and the Model 3 subsequently smashed into its side.
When you look at what unfolded, it gives some context as to why this car had been deemed a loss.
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Bringing the car back from the brink
Fixing up a car is rarely a small undertaking – just look at Mat Armstrong’s various projects for proof of that.
All in all, around $25,000 was spent in total on the restoration, with $9,000 going towards parts and $1,000 being spent on taxes.
People have certainly spent more in the pursuit of a restoration; this Texas seller invested $34,000 into doing up his grandpa’s 1962 Buick Electra.
Tesla Model 3 timeline
2016: The Model 3 was unveiled at an event in Hawthorne, California, with reservations opening that same day. 180,000 were placed within 24 hours.
2016 – 2017: Development and production ramped up.
July 2017: The first Model 3 ‘production unit’ rolled off the line, and the first 30 customers received their cars.
Late 2017: Output remained low as supply chain issues were resolved.
2018: The Model 3 became more widely accessible as production accelerated.
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Following stints at LadBible, The Sun, The New York Post, and the Daily Mail, Ben joined the team full-time in February 2025. In his role as Senior Content Writer, his sparkling copy, the ability to sniff out a good story at 100 paces, and a GSOH quickly led to him becoming an integral and invaluable member of the writing staff.
