Tesla owner in Canada blasts “piece of trash” car for $28K battery replacement (VIDEO)
A Tesla owner in Canada is not impressed with the company after he was quoted close to $28,000 to replace the battery – even though the issue began when his car was reportedly still under warranty.
TikTok user Mario Zelaya (@supermariozelaya) has more than 11 million views on his original video explaining his situation. “My piece of trash Tesla completely died,” he said. “Everything’s completely dead.”
According to Zelaya, the air conditioner condensing unit hose leaked water onto the battery, ruining it. He was locked out of the vehicle completely and the battery replacement cost was estimated at $28,000.
@supermariozelaya My opinion: Tesla shut down my car over the air because my videos after refusing to pay for a new battery. #tesla #car
In a longer video, Zelaya goes into detail on the background and explains how Tesla is failing its owners in his opinion.
Zelaya said that he bought the car in 2013 for $140,000 brand-new and has been its sole owner.
The issue with the condenser and the battery must have been going on for years, starting when the car was still under warranty, but Zelaya said that Tesla had no incentive to check that the battery was in good condition when the car was brought in for servicing.
@supermariozelaya Replying to @Mario Zelaya Here’s an update and some clarifications on my dead 💩 Tesla. Also, someone is buying it tomorrow for $19K and is taking on the responsibility of opening up the car. I got 85 messages on FB Marketplace on it 😅. Guess I’m selling it for cheap? #tesla #car
When a TikTok user who called themselves an owner of a Model S for six years said that Zelaya was “completely and utterly full of BS,” Mario came with receipts.
@supermariozelaya Replying to @Daddiebear “Full of BS”? You’re going to love this video. 😆 Denial is the first stage of grief. I understand your pain. The truth hurts. Next is anger; Embrace it when you find out I’ve been telling you all the truth about the cost of the car, price for a new battery and water that leaked in. Enjoy your Tesla while it lasts. 😫 #tesla #car
Zelaya maintained that he had spent over $142,000 for the Tesla, and a new battery would cost $28,000 with tax and provided a TD bank receipt and an estimate from Tesla as proof. The funds are in Canadian Dollars.
Zelaya, who expressly stated he didn’t want to give Tesla any more money, said he has sold the car to a new buyer.
@supermariozelaya Replying to @NoMoreBoobSweat I couldn’t agree more. People need to wake up. I got contacted by someone suing Tesla for an almost identical problem to mine. I’m going to see if I can help them in their court case. Looking back, I would have had an extra $3mm if I bought the stock instead of the car. 😂 #tesla #car
He’s warning people to not buy Teslas and hopes that his story can serve as a warning to others.
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