While you can’t control what life throws your way, you can control how you react to it. And Alex (@evautoalex), a car dealer who specializes in used electric vehicle sales, is being praised for his reactions.
In a viral TikTok, he documents how he assisted a customer who purchased a used Tesla from him. What was supposed to be a routine 12-volt battery replacement ended up becoming a massive quagmire.
The customer, upon bringing it into Tesla for the simple service, was told their car was actually a salvage title.
Alex, shocked by the news, couldn’t believe it. That’s because the car’s physical title indicated it was clean. Not to mention there was no report of the accident on CarFax.
In the clip, the EV car salesman shares his troubleshooting of the issue, and he’s receiving serious props for how he handled it.
Tesla’s 12-volt battery issue
Alex’s clip begins with him breaking down the story of James, the customer who purchased a Tesla.
According to the TikToker, this customer experienced an issue that was not uncommon — he was having issues with his 12-volt battery. Now this battery is much different than the massive battery in the car that helps to propel the vehicle forward. The 12-volt unit helps to regulate a lot of the functions in the car not directly related to driving.
The Driven explains its functions pretty well in this piece. “This battery essentially powers all of the electrical components except the drive motors, including lights, wipers, door mechanisms,” it states.
Alex says the customer waited about 4 or 5 days until he eventually brought the car into Tesla. Although the battery replacement should’ve ultimately been a quick and easy operation, Alex soon found this wasn’t the case.
That’s because when the customer brought the car into Tesla, they discovered it was a “salvage title.”
An unexpected “salvage” Tesla
He then hopped on the phone with the customer to get to the bottom of the salvage drama.
The car salesman explained to the new Tesla owner that he has the CarFax report in front of him. The analysis indicates the car hasn’t been in any accidents and that it only had one other owner in California.
Alex says it’s almost impossible to hide if a car is a salvage title on its vehicle history report. If there’s a slight fender bender that didn’t involve the police that was taken care of with cash, maybe. But to hide a whole salvage title? That just doesn’t happen.
James explains that he isn’t “irritated” by the situation because he trusts Alex’s business’ reputation. However, the situation was a pretty bleak one for someone who just purchased a new car.
According to what the Tesla dealer told Alex, none of the car’s warranties apply to the vehicle. This includes the minimum 100,000 mile battery warranty. The massive lithium ion unit is easily the most expensive single component replacement for a Tesla, so losing that warranty is a big deal. Of course, other powertrain and component coverages are lost as well.
But that’s only if the car is indeed a salvage title, which Alex tells the customer is not the case.
Why was this Tesla a “salvage” vehicle?
Alex then explains his call with Tesla to clear up why it’s been deemed a salvaged whip.
The Tesla techs the customer brought his car to didn’t “deem” the car to be salvaged, Alex says. When they checked the car out, the information in their system indicated it was salvaged.
This is a key distinction. Because instead of trying to get to the bottom of whether or not the car’s a salvage vehicle, they instead tapped out. As Alex says, they threw their hands up in the air and said they couldn’t work on it.
“I’m still pretty dang optimistic it’s a mistake,” he goes on to tell the customer on the phone. Alex then gives the buyer his cell phone number, making it easier to update the salesman on the issue.
After the call with James, Alex reiterates to viewers that the Tesla’s CarFax was “completely clean.” He also stresses again that his company wouldn’t have purchased it otherwise. The situation also indicates how seemingly minor problems can snowball. What began as a quick 12-volt battery replacement that his company would’ve paid for turned into the salvage debacle.
@evautoalex Helping one of our customers with a 12 volt battery problem and figuring out how it happened! #cardealership #cardealership #evauto #tesla ♬ original sound – EV Auto Alex
Tesla techs confirm the car’s structural damage
While Alex remained optimistic about the vehicle’s history, the Tesla tech on the phone didn’t provide much comfort. She informed Alex that their assessment of the vehicle indicates it sustained structural damage. This means that the car most probably was involved in a severe accident.
So why is this such a big deal? The tech details that vehicles that are in this condition cannot supercharge safely. Because the damage was deemed to be disastrous, a fail safe in the car’s system will prevent high voltage charging.
Then she went on to speculate that the customer got in a bad accident but had the car repaired under the radar. After getting it fixed, they then sold it and while a buyer could be hoodwinked, Tesla’s system can’t.
Her next step, she says, was to perform further tests. If the Tesla passed these tests, then it could be eligible for repair. However, if the vehicle fails these tests, it will be marked as a severely damaged car. This precludes it from warranty and other type of Tesla service work.
Which means that the cost of repairs aren’t covered by the auto manufacturer. And since Alex just sold the car to the customer, he would have to foot the bill for it. She informs him that with the high voltage battery replacement and a slew of other issues, he’s looking at a $12,000 tab.
Alex counters the Tesla rep’s theory
The salesman is in possession of the Tesla’s physical title, which states the vehicle is clean. He then informs the rep that it’s impossible for a customer to pay cash for a repair and not have the title impacted. “Also if it was in a severe accident there would be a police report,” he says. “And there’s no police report on the CarFax.”
Upon relaying this information to the woman, he asks her for the date Tesla’s system says the accident occurred. However, she’s not willing to share that information. “No, that’s internal knowledge,” she said.
Alex informs the woman that there’s a big difference between structural damage and a “salvage title” on a car. The two argue back and forth, before the Tesla rep shares that if he wants access to detailed damage reports, he’ll have to contact legal.
Battery trouble?
He then pivots the conversation, bringing up the low-voltage alert. The rep informs him that this doesn’t necessarily mean that only the 12-volt battery needs to be replaced.
“I would love if it was just a 12-volt battery. That’s a 20 minute job on a Tesla,” she tells him. However, the warning the car’s receiving, she states, could be related to the car’s main battery. And if that’s the case, then the car could be a total loss.
The tech says she wishes she could just help the customer out and send him on his way and not void his warranty. Alex replies that she just can’t take the warranty away. However, she’s quick to inform him that she very well can. “Tesla can. Tesla is welcome to take those warranties away if the vehicle is salvaged. And it is.”
Alex rebuts this assertion, stating that it isn’t and he has “proof” it isn’t. However, their conversation doesn’t seem to be going anywhere different as the video closes out.
What really happened to the Tesla?
As it turns out, Alex says, Tesla was correct. The car was involved in a “really bad accident” and the customer got it fixed on the down low. As a part of his company’s policy, Alex told him that he’s already started the process of issuing a “full refund.”
@evautoalex Replying to @lnikkita420 Part 2 of the craziness with Tesla and the battery issue! #tesla #evauto #evauto #cardealership #car ♬ original sound – EV Auto Alex
He then offers the customer the option of a loaner Tesla that’s either as nice or nicer than the one he sold to him. However, he mentions that getting him the car the customer traded in wasn’t possible because he had sold it already. Alex concedes that he understands if James doesn’t want to buy another vehicle through his company.
James states that he’s 100% on board with doing so, seeing as how professional and courteous Alex was. He added that the “loved” working with their business and would 100% get another vehicle with them.
Commenters are impressed
Users were floored by the lengths Alex went through to ensure James was taken care of. One person replied: “If my dealer treated me like that, I’d be a life long customer.”
Another person who works in the automotive industry was also impressed by Alex’s commitment to his job. “I’ve been in the car business for 10 years, this is how you take care of your customers! Well done sir!”
“Dealers are not like this anymore. This is a good dealership,” someone else remarked.
“Bro much respect. I am not a EV guy, but would 100% buy a car from you,” another TikToker replied.
Then, there were others who were shocked that the Tesla’s accident slid past the CarFax. “If it was bought from tesla at auction, how didn’t their checks on the car flag this prior to sale? How did they only discover it when looking at the battery issue?”
The Daily Dot has reached out to Alex via Instagram and Tesla via email for further comment.
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