So you dropped a smooth $1000 to reserve your new Model 3, but decide that Tesla’s latest mass market car isn’t in your future anymore. What are your options?
The company’s website says deposit holders can cancel at their own will, with the company’s Model 3 Reservation FAQ saying that “refunds can take up to three weeks depending on your country of delivery.”
A recent piece by Wired did a deep dive into the topic, and found that some people have been waiting longer than those 3 weeks to receive their refund.
Shashank Chitti, a former Model 3 reservation holder, told the outlet that he was done waiting and frustrated by Tesla’s lack of transparency. He canceled his reservation more than two months ago, but still hasn’t received his refund.
“Every time I reach out I get the same explanation: They have a lot of cancellations to process, they’ll prioritize my request, and that my refund should go out in the next batch,” Chitti said.
Users on Reddit have echoed those sentiments and told stories of waiting even longer.
“It has been three months,” wrote Reddit user UnDosTresPescao on July 3. “I have called/emailed them several times over the last month and a half asking about status. Every time they ask for my address and say that a check will be promptly on its way. The check never comes.”
Other holders, such as Jeff Maggard of Ithaca, New York, had less trouble.
“I did it all online without talking to anyone,” Maggard told Wired. “There was no number to call so I could be talked out of it by a representative. No dumb tricks to make me stay. It was great.”
Of the 23 people interviewed for the Wired piece, six received refunds to their credit cards within three weeks, and two others were reimbursed within 21 business days. Of the remaining 15, 14 canceled their reservations after more than a year. Seven received their refunds after 6 weeks or more, while the remaining people are in Tesla limbo, still waiting after two months or longer.
It is apparent that the sooner you canceled your reservation after first making it, the sooner you get your refund, so it’s not surprising that those who made their reservations a year ago are having trouble getting their refund now with Tesla’s systems likely being overloaded after Friday’s delivery event.
Do you have a story about canceling your Model 3 reservation? Share it with us below!
