Insurance companies are now talking about canceling Tesla coverage because of the high risk of vandalism, so it’s making people (including dealerships) rethink their options.
Big thing is that people now know Telsa’s are not just sold by a loon, they’re a vandalism target. Which is two pretty big reasons no to buy a car from Musk.
Even if you like Musk, do you want to have high insurance rates and spend time at the body shop?
Fun fact: not only do Cybertrucks have bare stainless steel body panels, which are extremely difficult and expensive to repair because you have to bodywork them perfect since you can’t use body filler, they have a frame made out of aluminum, which for various metallurgical reasons (work-hardening, forming a passivation layer that makes it much harder to weld, etc.) is also very difficult and expensive to repair.
In that sense, you’re probably less likely to spend time at the body shop with a Cybertruck because it’s designed to be damn near disposable.
Although, since most people seem to be keying, spray painting, and putting stickers on these cars, the stainless is very easy to clean. Just rub some steel wool in the direction of the stainless grain. Apparently they don’t have any clear coat. You can clean them like an industrial stovetop.
They will have to pay here, yes. And then they will cancel the contract, because high risk and not worth it. The second act of vandalism will then hurt. And the question is: Will the insurance give them the “new” (catalog) price or the “market value” price?
Does Tesla use dealerships in Canada? In the U.S., they don’t. They have showrooms owned by the company itself and you order online. My state requires dealerships1 and just have service centers here.
1 It’s a wildly antiquated law. When cars first came out, states passed laws requiring dealerships to guarantee the car companies could service the vehicles. Those laws are still on the books basically because car dealership owners are generally rich people who buy state legislatures. (And there’s a shocking amount who are state legislators.)
The dealership has insurance and destroyed cars are like sold cars for Te… that company. Or am I missing something?
Insurance companies are now talking about canceling Tesla coverage because of the high risk of vandalism, so it’s making people (including dealerships) rethink their options.
So it’s working.
Yes.
Big thing is that people now know Telsa’s are not just sold by a loon, they’re a vandalism target. Which is two pretty big reasons no to buy a car from Musk.
Even if you like Musk, do you want to have high insurance rates and spend time at the body shop?
Fun fact: not only do Cybertrucks have bare stainless steel body panels, which are extremely difficult and expensive to repair because you have to bodywork them perfect since you can’t use body filler, they have a frame made out of aluminum, which for various metallurgical reasons (work-hardening, forming a passivation layer that makes it much harder to weld, etc.) is also very difficult and expensive to repair.
In that sense, you’re probably less likely to spend time at the body shop with a Cybertruck because it’s designed to be damn near disposable.
Although, since most people seem to be keying, spray painting, and putting stickers on these cars, the stainless is very easy to clean. Just rub some steel wool in the direction of the stainless grain. Apparently they don’t have any clear coat. You can clean them like an industrial stovetop.
Yeah, the damage would have to physically displace (i.e. dent) or chemically corrode the surface of the panel in order to be difficult to fix.
Does burning count as any of these, by any chance?
Yes. High heat can cause the metal to corrode faster or even melt. (And, ya know, completely destroy the rest of the car.)
Destroyed cars?
From the article. A quick polish and a time swap and they’re as good as new.
They will have to pay here, yes. And then they will cancel the contract, because high risk and not worth it. The second act of vandalism will then hurt. And the question is: Will the insurance give them the “new” (catalog) price or the “market value” price?
Couple of claims by a dealership and their insurance will get cancelled.
“So, you’re saying we get one free claim for as many cars as we can burn in one night without loosing our insurance?” - Them, probably.
Does Tesla use dealerships in Canada? In the U.S., they don’t. They have showrooms owned by the company itself and you order online. My state requires dealerships1 and just have service centers here.
1 It’s a wildly antiquated law. When cars first came out, states passed laws requiring dealerships to guarantee the car companies could service the vehicles. Those laws are still on the books basically because car dealership owners are generally rich people who buy state legislatures. (And there’s a shocking amount who are state legislators.)
Tesla does not have dealerships.
I doubt that insurance pays retail price to the dealers.