SAN DIEGO -- A San Diego man bought a high-end Tesla at auction for nearly half price, but now he can't get the company to activate the car.
Peter Rutman purchased the 2012 Model S Signature at auction in March for $50,000 then spent another $8,000 fixing it.
He says repairing the car has been easy; dealing with Tesla has been the challenge.
"I'm blacklisted all across the country," he said. "Nobody's allowed to help us. They're not allowed to sell us parts. They're not allowed to service the car. Nothing."
Rutman's Model S is a salvage title car, meaning an insurance company determined the vehicle was a total loss. Salvage titles are a notoriously risky proposition, but Rutman's case appears to illustrate something unusual: no alternatives.
"Tesla has created a situation where there is nowhere to go. They've blocked every avenue," he said.
Unlike other automakers, Tesla has a direct-sales model. That means car buyers must deal directly with the company, not independent dealers.
And in the case of a dispute, the buyer has virtually no alternatives, according to industry experts.
Rutman says he needs a Tesla-certified mechanic to switch on the car's brain so it will accept a charge. But Tesla won't do it unless he signs a liability release form. The form also gives Tesla the final say on whether the car is roadworthy.
"The document they wanted me to sign didn't indicate they were going to do any repairs to the car, or get it up and running," he said. "They can take the car. They can keep it. They can do whatever they want with it."
http://www.sandiego6.com/news/local...nightmare-with-a-Tesla-Model-S-277017201.html
Peter Rutman purchased the 2012 Model S Signature at auction in March for $50,000 then spent another $8,000 fixing it.
He says repairing the car has been easy; dealing with Tesla has been the challenge.
"I'm blacklisted all across the country," he said. "Nobody's allowed to help us. They're not allowed to sell us parts. They're not allowed to service the car. Nothing."
Rutman's Model S is a salvage title car, meaning an insurance company determined the vehicle was a total loss. Salvage titles are a notoriously risky proposition, but Rutman's case appears to illustrate something unusual: no alternatives.
"Tesla has created a situation where there is nowhere to go. They've blocked every avenue," he said.
Unlike other automakers, Tesla has a direct-sales model. That means car buyers must deal directly with the company, not independent dealers.
And in the case of a dispute, the buyer has virtually no alternatives, according to industry experts.
Rutman says he needs a Tesla-certified mechanic to switch on the car's brain so it will accept a charge. But Tesla won't do it unless he signs a liability release form. The form also gives Tesla the final say on whether the car is roadworthy.
"The document they wanted me to sign didn't indicate they were going to do any repairs to the car, or get it up and running," he said. "They can take the car. They can keep it. They can do whatever they want with it."
http://www.sandiego6.com/news/local...nightmare-with-a-Tesla-Model-S-277017201.html