Critique this salvage Model 3

[Inframan]

I've been looking for a used Model 3, and I have no plans to purchase a salvage car, but I am genuinely curious about this one:

Rebuilt 2018 Tesla Model 3 Long Range w/ Autopilot

I have read several of the salvage threads on TMC, but didn't find the answer to a couple of questions.

The owner of this car states the battery is out of balance from "sitting." I can see why a wrecked car would sit, but would that result in the car charging to only 70 miles of range. Owner goes on to state that with use, the pack will balance itself. Or he could speed it up by getting under car and doing something. What would that be?

It seems to me to be far more likely that the pack was damaged in the crash. Thoughts?

 

[Whitehawk]

This whole thing is BS....run the opposite direction and don’t look back! The seller would be an idiot not to invest the effort to rebalance the pack if that was the problem. The car was totaled for a reason....and who wants a salvage title car not supported by Tesla....

 

[Tam]

...damaged in the crash. Thoughts?

Not likely for a 15MPH collision.

...70 miles of range...

I wouldn't buy a Tesla that can only charge 70 miles no matter what the explanation is.

If the battery is sitting out for so long without a charge, it can be permanently damaged and a 70-mile full charge might be all you can get!

 

[Wennfred]

Too high of cost to take any risks, pay a little more and buy something without issues or new.

2011 Nissan Leaf SL solid with a 72 mile range around $4000.00


Fred

 

[derotam]

I definitely would run for the various reasons stated above.

If you even want to think about entertaining the idea, I would ask for pictures from before the repair, as well as a list of everything that was fixed. The car was totaled out for a reason.

 

[640k]

Title: Critique this salvage Model 3

Answer: It's a salvage.

/thread

 

[whatthe2]

The seller says,
“If I had a car lift, I would probably manually balance the battery myself, but as is, I need to move on to other projects. I am not interested in low ball offers, as I can always part the car out.”

Seems fishy. Contradictory statements. They are willing to take the time to part out the car, but not balance the battery? If there are other projects to move onto you would think they would balance the battery to get rid of it more quickly, unless they are just trying to unload it on some sucker.

 

[tacetman]

Does anyone with technical knowledge of how the battery works know if "manual balancing" is even a thing? Is he talking about shifting electric potential between cells of a battery? I for one would not suggest anyone "manually" do anything with a high voltage DC battery without a lot of knowledge and whatever special tooling the design engineers built for the purpose (if it's even possible to "manually balance" a battery). And I think you'd have trouble finding those things from anywhere other than Tesla.

 

[quikshifter]

that hood gap

 

[640k]

whats the currently quoted replacement cost of a new battery + labor? somewhere between $13k-16k?? $26k for a salvaged title, with lots of unknowns and a bad battery and another possible $!6k in "repairs"?

 

[Inframan]

Does anyone with technical knowledge of how the battery works know if "manual balancing" is even a thing? Is he talking about shifting electric potential between cells of a battery? I for one would not suggest anyone "manually" do anything with a high voltage DC battery without a lot of knowledge and whatever special tooling the design engineers built for the purpose (if it's even possible to "manually balance" a battery). And I think you'd have trouble finding those things from anywhere other than Tesla.

This is my question, too, and why are started the thread. I definitely don’t want this car. Thanks to all who have replied.

 

[Tam]

...“If I had a car lift, I would probably manually balance the battery myself...

I agree that this is a big flag.

 

[Tam]

..."manual balancing" is even a thing?...

...my question, too...

BatteryUniversity.com for "balancing".

If you have mismatched cells, the longevity is reduced. The red line in the figure below has highest longevity due to only 5% mismatched. The purple line below has lowest longevity due to 12% mismatched:

It also describes 2 kinds of balancing "Passive" and "Active" which Tesla has.

Both are built-in systems that you should not manually open up the battery pack to do it.

 

[user212_nr]

This is my question, too, and why are started the thread. I definitely don’t want this car. Thanks to all who have replied.

Its 100% not a thing that people do. The battery pack once removed is screwed down with about 500 screws and it still does not allow removal of the lid (look at 4:29 in attached video). The words "no user-servicable parts" is fairly accurate. Sure, there is a possibility that the battery could be "rebalanced", but even the diagnosis sound absurd, given that he has not removed the cover to examine each cell.

In fact, Tesla's onboard charger has its own balancing software, so that makes the claim more absurd.

The post is full of absurd and contradictory statements, as others have pointed out. I'll add one more, as he is "not interested in low ball offers" because he "could part the car out". Besides that he doesn't have a lift and can't borrow one, he ought well to part it out if it were worth his time.

Definitely it would be an excellent deal at 10k considering that it runs and the battery pack could be replaced, but given that he is seeking to fool some dumb Tesla hopeful you will probably not get a good price.

 

[Inframan]

Good info, Elijah. Thanks.

 

[NOLADriver]

Damm, is that screaming scam....

 

[DJVoorhees]

I wouldn't pay 25k for a perfect model 3 with a Salvage title, never mind one with a salvage title with all kinds of outstanding issues.
Telsa probably has the VIN blacklisted.

 

[qdeathstar]

It’s obviously bs. He would rebalance it himself if that’s all it needed.

 

[fr100]

The "software update required" means it has some major problem that CAN'T be fixed by a software upgrade or the software won't upgrade at all. Otherwise, they would have done it.

 

[DJVoorhees]

The "software update required" means it has some major problem that CAN'T be fixed by a software upgrade or the software won't upgrade at all. Otherwise, they would have done it.

It’s probably blacklisted.