5 Reasons You Might Regret Buying a Tesla
Written by
Heather Altamirano
Edited by
Nicholas Morine
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Known for its cutting-edge technology and innovative features, Tesla has always been a buzzed-about brand for consumers who want luxury and a chic car design. Still, not everyone is convinced that a Tesla is worth the investment, especially if you’re concerned about ending up with a high-priced disappointment.
While electric vehicles are the future of the automotive industry, not everyone is happy with their Tesla purchase. In today’s uncertain economy and political turmoil, you don’t want to make an investment decision that could leave you financially stranded down the road. From quality control concerns to steep price tags, here are the top reasons some buyers regret choosing a Tesla.
Slow Roll Out of Supercharging Stations
Finding a supercharging station might be tough! With the low demand for EVs, Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla Motors, has cut another round of employees, including those behind the company’s Supercharger charging-station network.
“Tesla still plans to grow the Supercharger network, just at a slower pace for new locations and more focus on 100% uptime and expansion of existing locations,” Musk wrote in a post on X.
According to The Washington Post, as of May 1, “Shares of Tesla were down 1.2% in midday trading Wednesday. They have dropped in value by more than 27% so far this year, but had a bit of a rally in the past week after the company’s first-quarter earnings conference call.”
Poor Customer Service
Reviews on Consumer Affairs rate Tesla 1.7 out of five stars for many reasons, including bad customer service.
One recent reviewer, Erin from Lake Worth, Florida, wrote: “I have leased 3 Tesla Model S vehicles since 2015. I was going to order my 4th, but I hate to say that their customer service is the worst experience I’ve ever had with any company. Ever. The leasing company has no idea how to communicate.”
The reviewer added, “They send me daily text messages to pay for a lease I transferred through them in 2017. They have tried to bill me for tires on my lease return from 2021 that I bought at their service center.”
Exterior Issues
Tesla customer Eric Mina posted an honest review of his 2023 Model 3 with 20,000 miles in a detailed YouTube video explaining why he regrets his purchase. Besides the “easy curb rash” you can get on rims, Mina pointed out it’s challenging to use the flat door handles and stated there needs to be a light to see them better at night.
“It looks so slick in black, but at night I wish there was some type of lighting,” he explained.
Quality Issues
The cost of a new Tesla in 2025 can range anywhere from $46,630 to $102,235, depending on the model. Spending that much for your car should mean it won’t have quality issues, right? Unfortunately, this isn’t the case.
Tesla powertrains are now pretty solid for the most part, but Tesla owners report a lot of build quality issues, including irregular paint, broken trim, door handles that don’t work and trunks that don’t close. These problems only pull down the reliability score of the brand.
The Political Fallout of Elon Musk
To say Elon Musk had a casual beginning to 2025 would be a tad understated. As the former head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), Musk was tasked by President Trump to save the federal government money, which resulted in many drastic swings ranging from slashing jobs to gutting federal agencies.
Many Americans weren’t necessarily aligned with his approach, and as he is head of Tesla, they associated their dislike with Musk’s methods with a dislike of the company as a whole. Political and financial unrest led to protests of Tesla cars and even lighting the controversial Cybertruck on fire in many cases. These recent affairs have led to many Tesla owners adding a “I Bought This Before Elon Went Crazy” bumper sticker to their expensive rides.
Caitlyn Moorhead contributed to the reporting for this article.
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