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Alex Kersten, creator of the Autoalex Cars channel, has got his hands on a Tesla Model S at a price that defies logic: $11,500. This is less than the price of the Full Self-Driving option currently offered by Tesla, which costs $12,000. But what’s even more incredible is that, despite its dubious history and astronomical mileage, the car works and is still under warranty.
An ex-taxi driver in trouble… but covered by Tesla
At this price, you couldn’t expect a rare gem. The advert stated that it was an ex-taxi, a word that is usually enough to scare off second-hand car buyers. And with good reason: the on-board computer showed 450,000 miles, or more than 720,000 kilometres – that’s more than the distance from the Earth to the Moon. The youtuber knew what he was doing when he signed the cheque. He expected to have to replace at least the battery or the engine – two of the most critical and expensive components in a Tesla. Another Model S owner, who has exceeded 1.2 million miles, reported having changed his engine 13 times.
But that’s where the stroke of genius comes in: against all odds, this Tesla, worn out by years of service, was still covered by the manufacturer’s warranty. In other words, any major breakdowns would be covered, an unexpected luxury for a car with such a long history.
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A risky operation… brilliantly managed
Buying a second-hand electric car with so many kilometres is often a case of double or nothing. Batteries can lose their range, engines get tired and repairs are expensive. But the content creator has played his cards right. He took a measured risk on a car at a very low price, carefully read the warranty conditions and benefited from a model that is still going strong despite its wear and tear.
As a result, he now drives a Model S for less than the price of a simple software option. And unlike the latter – Full Self-Driving, which is still a long way from delivering on its promises – his car actually works. To this day, Tesla continues to increase the price of this famous FSD option, which sometimes exceeds $15,000 depending on the market.
