Tesla lease deal issues

Coupiee

I placed an order for a Tesla Model 3 through a lease direct from Tesla on the 18th and was given the estimated collection dates of 26th-31st March. When I got to pick a day, the only day I could pick was the 31st. I thought this was a bit strange/glitch in the app so I contacted customer service and they booked me in on April 3rd.

Fast forward a week, I’ve purchased gap insurance, updated my insurance policy and listed my current car for sale, I get a call from Tesla saying they aren’t doing any collections in the first week of April - they didn’t really give me a reason, I assume to get the vehicles gone in the current tax year?

I say I can’t pick up on the 31st due to work commitments and is there any other solution. I was told that if I don’t pick up before April the price might go up (not sure how this is possible as if I ordered on March 31st the price surely won’t increase, and if people’s collection dates were after April surely they won’t increase?) but they will try sort it out and find a solution, such as home delivery. Later that evening, I check my Tesla app and I’ve been unassigned the vehicle.

I rang again today and apparently they’ve given that vehicle to someone else - I even said I’ve sorted it out and can now do the 31st (albeit I’m taking a day off work unpaid).

It’s a very frustrating situation and I’m far from impressed - has anyone else had a similar issue? No idea what to do as I’ll soon be carless paying for insurance for a car that’s been given to someone else!

P.S. I spoke to the leasing company and they have all my details down as collecting on April 3rd as well, so any help/advice would be greatly appreciated!

flaneurs_lobster

Sounds like Elon has you by the balls.

Any other dealership/manufacturer who messed you around like this would just be given the heave-ho.

But the Tesla faithful just can't accept just how unacceptable this is and are just grateful that eventually Musk will grant them the privilege of making him (a tiny bit) richer.

Woodstok2000

Not much help, but it definitely doesn't seem to be an isolated case:

https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/www.teslamotors.com

Grumpy_chap

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6661145/tesla-lease-deal-issues

There were some price incentive offers in the middle of the month with the conditions to order and take delivery of stock vehicles before 31st March.

Was your order on those terms?

Coupiee

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81935959#Comment_81935959

Not that I know of, I just purchased the Tesla as normal through a lease hire through the website.

Surely that doesn’t change the price if ordering on 31st March?

Coupiee

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81935951#Comment_81935951

sadly, I have to agree.

as much as I dislike the man, the car is great and is very affordable in comparison to other brand new electric cars

Grumpy_chap

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81935981#Comment_81935981

Well, if I look at the Tesla website ( https://www.tesla.com/en_gb/ )right now, the landing page has a large offer right across reading "Available with 0% interest rate (1) and £3,750 trade-in bonus (2)"

Lower down, the terms state:

(1) …applies to new vehicles ordered and delivered by 31st March 2026.

(2) Trade-in Bonus offer applies to new and new inventory Model 3 and Model Y vehicles ordered between 1st January 2026 and 31st March 2026, with delivery completed by 31st March 2026

If you have those offers in your agreed contract, then you need to take delivery of the car by 31st March - 3rd April is not before 31st March.

It is not uncommon in new car sales for offers to have similar "order by and take delivery by" offers. As an example, this is from the Citroen website today "Offer applies to qualifying retail new vehicles ordered and delivered between 01/01/2026 to 31/03/2026 and registered by 31/03/2026"

https://store.citroen.co.uk/configurable?channel=b2c

Those trying to make this an "anti-Musk" thing are being rather disingenuous.

Mildly_Miffed

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81935981#Comment_81935981

Then you aren't buying it - you're leasing it, hiring it off them for a fixed period.

That may well make a big tax-year difference, because the financial structures are completely different. You'll never own the car, for a start.

Your choice is simple - lease a different Tesla directly which can be delivered at a mutually acceptable time but might be on a slightly different finance package; or get a car from a different financier, perhaps a different manufacturer.

This is one of the perils of doing things impersonally, through an app. If you'd been dealing with an actual person, issues can still happen, but at least you know that most things are nailed down and sealed before incurring additional cost.

Herzlos

Just think if this is how badly Tesla are treating you before they've got your money, how bad it'll be later!

Grumpy_chap

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81937120#Comment_81937120

In what way are Tesla treating the OP poorly (or at least differently to how any other automotive retailer would treat them)?

In what way will Tesla treat the OP (well or poorly) later?

Herzlos

Giving the OP's car to another customer whilst OP is still trying to arrange collection is pretty poor form.

Tesla doesn't really have a good reputation for customer service.