Tesla offers loaner cars when your vehicle is being repaired at the Kato Road, Fremont CA facility, the closest Service to the factory . I took advantage of that courtesy when my brand new Y (Fremont-made, 11 miles on the odometer) was repaired for severe cosmetic defects.
I found out the hard way that ALL the loaners in Fremont have the SAME dealer license plate. I walked around the Kato parking lot, and I can confirm that the same plate has been used on Model S, 3 and Y with various colors Black, Red and White. The only difference from one car to the other is a small green tag 45mm x 25mm (mounted on the top-right corner of the license plate) that is specific to each car because of its unique 5mm-high number.
Why does this matters ? You and a dozen other 'clone' cars with the same license plate are cruising the Bay Area, collecting toll/bridge FastTrak fees, getting Parking citations and speed tickets, etc. Because neither FasTrak nor the cops or parking maids note the small tags (and seldom the color and model) you might be on the hook for fees and tickets –or worse- collected by your fellow Tesla drivers.
My experience: FasTrak asks you to register your temporary license plate: DO NOT do it, you would be charged like myself for 2 weeks of tolls/crossing made by the other loaner ‘clone’ cars, for a total of several hundred dollars. FasTrak uses the license plate when the transponder is not present, and its cameras show indeed the large variety of models/colors but still charge the unfortunate –honest- driver that registered the License Plate.
So be aware !
I found out the hard way that ALL the loaners in Fremont have the SAME dealer license plate. I walked around the Kato parking lot, and I can confirm that the same plate has been used on Model S, 3 and Y with various colors Black, Red and White. The only difference from one car to the other is a small green tag 45mm x 25mm (mounted on the top-right corner of the license plate) that is specific to each car because of its unique 5mm-high number.
Why does this matters ? You and a dozen other 'clone' cars with the same license plate are cruising the Bay Area, collecting toll/bridge FastTrak fees, getting Parking citations and speed tickets, etc. Because neither FasTrak nor the cops or parking maids note the small tags (and seldom the color and model) you might be on the hook for fees and tickets –or worse- collected by your fellow Tesla drivers.
My experience: FasTrak asks you to register your temporary license plate: DO NOT do it, you would be charged like myself for 2 weeks of tolls/crossing made by the other loaner ‘clone’ cars, for a total of several hundred dollars. FasTrak uses the license plate when the transponder is not present, and its cameras show indeed the large variety of models/colors but still charge the unfortunate –honest- driver that registered the License Plate.
So be aware !