やった (I Did it)

The Tesla is officially repaired to good condition. All sensors are replaced. All airbags are replaced. The frunk is in place. Some things were upgraded (the skid plate is aluminum, the headlights are matrix/global headlights). Most things were left stock.

We’re very excited to be able to drive our POS Tessie.

Cost analysis

As I do, I made a spreadsheet of all the costs that went in to this project. 

You can tell for about 24k I was able to get a salvage tesla up and running.

For anyone wanting to do similarly here is the process. 

Get a car

  • Copart auction was good enough for me
    • I recommend their transporter, you’ll save on storage costs and I bet they won’t break your windshield like mine did. Then ghost you
  • Be aware of the fees/taxes and ensure you have the money to wire to them right away.
  • I would highly recommend a tesla without airbags deployed
    • Especially not the dashboard passenger one

Repair the Car

This will vary based on the problems that your car has. Be aware it was in an accident and it likely has more damage than they are showing online. I thought I was getting a steal. I wasn’t. But now I know how to take care of my car (more or less)

Get it registered

This is a 2 parter

Part 1:

Go to the DMV and pay some money to get a day registration so you can drive your car to the inspection place. I didn’t end up using mine, but brought it with me in case I was pulled over. I ended up using my day pass twice. Once for my windshield and another time for the brakes and lamp inspection.

Part 2:

Take your car to the DMV to be inspected. They walk around the car, check the vin in multiple places, document the mileage, and some other things. Then you go inside and you get plates. 

I lucked out and due to a power outage was in and out of the DMV in about 30 minutes.

Be prepared for other issues

Tesla’s have a pyrofuse in them that blows when there is an accident. I knew about this, read about it all over the internet. But since this one “ran and drove” I figured someone had fixed it properly. Don’t assume the best in people at junkyards. This is how the fuse was fixed “properly”

It had a resistor plugged into the connector to tell the car that it was connected properly.

However, at one point the voltage was too near this connector (laying on it) and it jumped the contacts. Which told the pyrofuse to blow. Even though there was no accident. It left my wife and daughter stranded 3 miles from my home. After 3 hour wait for a tow truck, the 12v battery on the Tesla could not power the car long enough to put it in tow mode. Which means I had to pay more money for a tow truck with skids. And drag the beast back home. A mere 3 miles, and blown fuse cost me around $600 bucks.

Lesson learned, and now I have an extra pyrofuse to go into the Tesla just in case I ever need it.

Drive the Car

Other than that one hiccup, everything is great! We are now driving it! And enjoying driving for “mostly” free. I say mostly free because I have in-ground solar. It’s a wonderful world where the power of the sun can allow me to go over 100 MPH. Seems science fictiony.

Could I buy a salvage tesla for the cost of mine+parts. Yes I could. But could I buy the experience and knowledge gained? Or spend time with my helper? Thankfully no.

Now that I am driving on the power of the sun, I’m not harvesting enough. So I will be expanding my solar. Stay tuned for how that is done.

Lastly, if it’s considered Green to drive an electric Vehicle, how green is it to save an EV from the dump and fix it up?