Tesla model 3 totaled

[@leonardo]

My car hit two parked cars due to me falling asleep in the road. All certified Tesla body shops said they would not put one dime on the car. And that it’s no good, to throw it away. The battery is in good condition and everything else is fine. They said it’s about 30,000 to fix because the frames are one piece on one side that they have to remove and change. My car is a model 3 with only 9,500 miles. It’s bran new. Honeslty I don’t think it’s right to just throw away a car that still is in working condition. We don’t have money like that. Also my insurance paid my loan off which was 31,000 dollars and wanted to give me 9,000. But that would be going to my lawyer to because I’m also fighting a case of DUI. So I won’t have any money left. Other shops say that honestly it still works it just won’t have as much integrity. You can fix it and it should be good to go. I already put 20,000 thousand down and that’s such a waste to just let this go. It still drives

 

[jjrandorin]

Very little about this post makes much sense, but, from your story:

1. You fell asleep at the wheel / are being sued for DUI
2. The car has already been totaled and insurance has paid out already on it
3. No certified Tesla body shop would touch it

So, what are you trying to ask here?

 

[fholbert]

So, what are you trying to ask here?

I think he's asking if he should stop drinking and staying out late?

 

[karkrazy]

I’ll be brief - let it go. With a salvage title, even Tesla won’t touch it again, much less any future buyer.

 

[ucmndd]

We don’t have money like that.

Then you won’t be able to afford to keep the car post-DUI conviction in any case - even if you do find someone that wants to fix it. SR-22 insurance alone on a Tesla in Los Angeles will easily be pushing $8,000 a year and you’ll be paying rates like that for at LEAST 3 years, likely a good deal longer.

 

[@leonardo]

Then you won’t be able to afford to keep the car post-DUI conviction in any case - even if you do find someone that wants to fix it. SR-22 insurance alone on a Tesla in Los Angeles will easily be pushing $8,000 a year and you’ll be paying rates like that for at LEAST 3 years, likely a good deal longer.

Yes but I have a high chance of beating the DUI. A lot of reason on why I win.

 

[@leonardo]

Very little about this post makes much sense, but, from your story:

1. You fell asleep at the wheel / are being sued for DUI
2. The car has already been totaled and insurance has paid out already on it
3. No certified Tesla body shop would touch it

So, what are you trying to ask here?

So pretty much I can probably win my DUI. I’m asking on your opinion. Like my car is in working condition. I’m thinking I should just fix the body. And fix the frame as best as I could. And keep driving it like normal

 

[@leonardo]

I’ll be brief - let it go. With a salvage title, even Tesla won’t touch it again, much less any future buyer.

Then I should just keep it for as long as possible. 20 years the battery should last. Frame doesn’t look like it would be affecting the rest of the car. And beat my DUI. Car is paid off. Fix the body and hood to go. I don’t need to go to Tesla for car checks. I already lost my warranty

 

[@leonardo]

I’ll be brief - let it go. With a salvage title, even Tesla won’t touch it again, much less any future buyer.

Might as well just do my own thing with it. I’ll still be receiving updates. They even said that it still works so why throw it away.

 

[jjrandorin]

I’m asking on your opinion.

Since you are asking our opinion, and you also said:

We don’t have money like that. Also my insurance paid my loan off which was 31,000 dollars and wanted to give me 9,000.

I think it would be sheer, utter fallacy for you to try to fix this car, and drive it. That is definitely 100% not for people "who dont have money like that" unless you are going to fix it yourself (as in do most of the labor yourself), and if you were the type to do that, you would be doing it already and not asking about it.

 

[@leonardo]

We

Since you are asking our opinion, and you also said:



I think it would be sheer, utter fallacy for you to try to fix this car, and drive it. That is definitely 100% not for people "who dont have money like that" unless you are going to fix it yourself (as in do most of the labor yourself), and if you were the type to do that, you would be doing it already and not asking about it.

No I do have money just not money to be throwing away that I put in this car already 20,000 dollars that I put already ya feel me? But I do have money like 7,000, just not 30,000 to fix the whole frame. I’ll fix the body but I don’t think the frame damage on that area of that magnitude won’t affect the car. I’ll probably fix it a lil so it’s good and safe to drive but yea that’s crazy for me just to just throw it away

What’s your reasons on not fixing it

 

[jjrandorin]

What’s your reasons on not fixing it

Because there is absolutely, positively zero way a totaled car costs 7k or 9k to fix. None. If that was the cost to fix it, then it wouldnt have been totaled. The things you are saying dont make sense. "Frame damage of that magnitude wont affect the car", as if you are an engineer who is able to make that type of determination.

In any case, this is the last time I will be responding to this thread. You do you.

 

[zoomer0056]

Jeeze, what a mess. It sounds like you are pushing the limits and loosing. Do what you need to do to keep the rest of us safe when you are behind the wheel. You don't want to hurt anyone do you.

 

[Tronguy]

What’s your reasons on not fixing it

In no particular order:

• Since the insurance company paid it off, it's officially a Salvage car and will be marked as such in various databases, including those sent to Tesla. Tesla will cut off Supercharging for this vehicle until it can be proved that the car is totally functional.
• No offense, but this isn't a jalopy: It's a BEV. Yep, BEVs can be repaired - but the people who are doing it aren't Ye Random Auto Mechanic, they're people with specific training. If one wants to do it, more power that person - but one's going to need specialized tools, mainly computers, and the software to do diagnostics. That still won't stop one from Getting There but it's going to take a certain amount of training and education. It's going to be slow going.
• I've had cause to overhaul a VW Beetle. Admittedly, a VW of a certain age has a certain resemblance to a lawnmower, but that is a 4-cycle engine in there. It's possible to get the engine and transmission out of that car without a lift, especially if one has a couple of friends to lift the body off the engine. And, from there, to disassemble the engine, get the piece parts bored and run through a machine shop and all. But a BEV.. is heavy. Yeah, some folks have a lift installed in a garage or some such, but one'll need that lift to drop the battery and fix it. If it can be fixed. There are third parties who revamp Tesla batteries, but the usual assumption that the only thing wrong with said batteries is that they're old and worn out. That's not your case.
• Body work is always fun. My understanding is that there's worse things than Teslas to do body work upon, so, again, it's possible and there's lots of third parties who'll do it for one, for $$$.

So, if you're planning to have at it yourself and you've got the basic automotive tools and training, sure. But it's going to be more like a labor of love and less like saving money. Really, it'll totally depend upon your skill set. Look at Munroe and Associates: They break various cars down to the original parts and have the skill and training to put them back together again - but those guys and girls have the training.

Once you've got the car back to its pristine original condition, there are rumors that a paid-for inspection by Tesla can get Supercharging back into its future. If you don't care about Supercharging, than that's not an issue. If you do.. it's time to make Really Good Friends with a Tesla Service Advisor and find out what's required.

 

[@leonardo]

Jeeze, what a mess. It sounds like you are pushing the limits and loosing. Do what you need to do to keep the rest of us safe when you are behind the wheel. You don't want to hurt anyone do you.

Absolutely!, sober for 2 weeks, and now the only issue is that the third parties said I would be the one more in danger if the frame is not fixed “correctly” though I will go through a process to to make sure I’m safe as well

 

[@leonardo]

In no particular order:

• Since the insurance company paid it off, it's officially a Salvage car and will be marked as such in various databases, including those sent to Tesla. Tesla will cut off Supercharging for this vehicle until it can be proved that the car is totally functional.
• No offense, but this isn't a jalopy: It's a BEV. Yep, BEVs can be repaired - but the people who are doing it aren't Ye Random Auto Mechanic, they're people with specific training. If one wants to do it, more power that person - but one's going to need specialized tools, mainly computers, and the software to do diagnostics. That still won't stop one from Getting There but it's going to take a certain amount of training and education. It's going to be slow going.
• I've had cause to overhaul a VW Beetle. Admittedly, a VW of a certain age has a certain resemblance to a lawnmower, but that is a 4-cycle engine in there. It's possible to get the engine and transmission out of that car without a lift, especially if one has a couple of friends to lift the body off the engine. And, from there, to disassemble the engine, get the piece parts bored and run through a machine shop and all. But a BEV.. is heavy. Yeah, some folks have a lift installed in a garage or some such, but one'll need that lift to drop the battery and fix it. If it can be fixed. There are third parties who revamp Tesla batteries, but the usual assumption that the only thing wrong with said batteries is that they're old and worn out. That's not your case.
• Body work is always fun. My understanding is that there's worse things than Teslas to do body work upon, so, again, it's possible and there's lots of third parties who'll do it for one, for $$$.

So, if you're planning to have at it yourself and you've got the basic automotive tools and training, sure. But it's going to be more like a labor of love and less like saving money. Really, it'll totally depend upon your skill set. Look at Munroe and Associates: They break various cars down to the original parts and have the skill and training to put them back together again - but those guys and girls have the training.

Once you've got the car back to its pristine original condition, there are rumors that a paid-for inspection by Tesla can get Supercharging back into its future. If you don't care about Supercharging, than that's not an issue. If you do.. it's time to make Really Good Friends with a Tesla Service Advisor and find out what's required.

Yes. I agree. Though I won’t be the one to work on the car I will have a shop who will that’s not Tesla certified that work on teslas. They said they can fix the body, im hoping they might be able to fix the frame somehow bending it out or making it look better than before so I can pass the test. Because its battery functions, and stability that are main focus or should be right? So saying that my battery is good and everything else is good. Should make me able to use supercharging I hope. Hopefully they can make sure that everything looks up to par in the least expensive way possible To pass the supercharging test.

 

[father_of_6]

I’m asking on your opinion.

My opinion is... thank God that this wasn't involuntary manslaughter. I'm not judging, I used to drink and drive in a past life and could tell you some stories you wouldn't believe. Hopefully this hits you deep in the heart and creates lifelong positive change.

Regarding the car - if they paid off your loan and gave you $9k, they own the car now, right? It would end up at an auction house.

You're having a hard time coming to terms with having put $20k into the car and lost it, but really you're only losing $11k on the car (because they're giving you $9k). You won't fix that car for $11k. You won't fix it for $20k. You won't fix it for $39k. It's not gonna happen.

 

[@leonardo]

My opinion is... thank God that this wasn't involuntary manslaughter. I'm not judging, I used to drink and drive in a past life and could tell you some stories you wouldn't believe. Hopefully this hits you deep in the heart and creates lifelong positive change.

Regarding the car - if they paid off your loan and gave you $9k, they own the car now, right? It would end up at an auction house.

You're having a hard time coming to terms with having put $20k into the car and lost it, but really you're only losing $11k on the car (because they're giving you $9k). You won't fix that car for $11k. You won't fix it for $20k. You won't fix it for $39k. It's not gonna happen.

No i kept the car and denied the 9,000. if I did, 6 thousand would go to the lawyer I have now to fight my case. I wouldn’t have no money. 3 thousand to my other card debts. I get you then I’ll just have to go about it as it is and fix what I can. But by the way you’re saying it. You’re saying this car is far from fixable. But it’s not. It feel like it’s not that dramatic.

 

[@leonardo]

Because there is absolutely, positively zero way a totaled car costs 7k or 9k to fix. None. If that was the cost to fix it, then it wouldnt have been totaled. The things you are saying dont make sense. "Frame damage of that magnitude wont affect the car", as if you are an engineer who is able to make that type of determination.

In any case, this is the last time I will be responding to this thread. You do you.

No they even said it themselves that the car is will be fine and drivable but it wont have as integrity and I wont be safe if it hits that same spot. It sounds like it’s more of a has to be up to their standards type of situation. He said I can take the risk and drive it again

what Im saying is i leave the frame alone and fix what I can afford

 

[zoomer0056]

might be able to fix the frame somehow bending

I only know half of everything. Tesla frames are the other half, but I believe a Tesla frame is not like any ICE ages car. That's gonna require specialized Tesla knowledge.