The Scoop on Hertz’s Pre-Owned Teslas
Hertz made a bold move by betting on electric vehicles with Tesla, but unfortunately, it didn’t pay off. The car rental company had the chance to shake up the industry by adding Teslas to their fleet, but they got cold feet and now want to get rid of them. Turns out, buying a high-mileage electric vehicle that was previously a rental isn’t such a great idea after all.
## The Hertz Tesla Debacle
Initially, Hertz had big plans to make a significant portion of their rental fleet electric, starting with a deal to purchase over 30,000 Tesla cars. However, the unexpected high maintenance costs scared them off, leading them to sell off the fleet. Buyers were lured in by the tempting deals, taking advantage of the $4,000 tax credit for used electric vehicles. One dealership in Smithtown, New York, was reportedly selling up to 30 Teslas per week.
## Tales of Tesla Troubles
One buyer, Bijay Pandey from Irving, Texas, snagged a 2022 Long Range Model 3 for his wife at a bargain price of $25,000. Yet, problems quickly surfaced post-purchase. Issues with voltage readings, a hole in the undercarriage, and warnings about safety hazards from a Tesla technician left Pandey with a hefty repair bill of over $13,000. Despite Hertz’s offer to exchange the car, the wait time and continued payments made it less than ideal. It became clear why Hertz was eager to offload these electric vehicles, given the potentially sky-high repair costs associated with Teslas.
Buyers are now proceeding with caution when considering used Teslas from Hertz, advising others to opt for purchasing directly from Tesla to avoid any potential battery abuse from the vehicles’ rental history.
