If you rate the level of your boredom during the ongoing lockdown at the highest possible, here’s a project for you: a completely wrecked Tesla Model 3 that, against all odds, is still very much driveable.
Better yet, this Tesla is for sale and, given its condition, could end up being a real bargain. Call this the most convenient way of getting into the whole EV craze, while also picking up a project bound to do away with all those idle times you’ve been experiencing while self-isolating to flatten the curve.
Oleg K. posted about the car on his YouTube channel, writing in the caption of the video: “Look what I have for sale, good basement for project. Runs and drives. Charging with no issues.”
Drive Tesla Canada picked up the ad and posted about it on Twitter, with an even more tongue-in-cheek description. “For sale: used 2020 #Tesla Model 3. Custom red paint and body work. Low mileage. Aftermarket 20” rims with almost new tires. Some minor curb rash. 15” screen still factory fresh. Open to offers,” it reads
Before you get ahead of yourself, know that “runs and drives” is a fairly accurate description, though it says nothing for the car’s road-worthiness. Because road-worthy it is not. To be more specific, even if a future owner does manage to get it back to a condition similar to the original one, chances are it might never be road-legal again.
The video below confirms that the Model 3 still runs like a normal car – at least, on a very short stretch of road. You can see the Tesla touchscreen inside the wreck and check out the almost new tires in action, as well.
But the video also shows that everything else about the car is smashed beyond recognition. At some point, parts are falling out the back at the slightest acceleration, and that alone should give you a fair idea of the kind of work the future owner would have to undertake.
Then, there’s this consideration: Tesla discourages purchases of vehicles that have been written-off, even disabling Supercharging and after-factory upgrades on them – and there are many of them out there, as insurers used to declare Teslas write-offs even after minor accidents due to the high costs fixing them would have entailed. That is to say, whoever buys and fixes this still-driveable Tesla won’t really be getting a Tesla at all.
For sale: used 2020 #Tesla Model 3. Custom red paint and body work. Low mileage. Aftermarket 20” rims with almost new tires. Some minor curb rash. 15” screen still factory fresh. Open to offers pic.twitter.com/klo6ZCBSz4
Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends. Full profile
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