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Tesla owners warned tires and rims are high-value theft targets: LAPD

(Image: LAPD Pacific/Twitter)

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5 years ago

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Tesla owners in the Los Angeles area are being warned by local police of an uptick in theft targeting the all-electric vehicles’ tires and rims. The Pacific Division of LAPD recently posted a photo on their official Twitter account displaying a Model 3 on blocks with those specific parts removed. As a precaution, Tesla owners have been advised to activate Sentry Mode, use a flash drive to record the resulting video, and only park in well lit areas.

“Tesla owners in Palms and Mar Vista Area, be aware #Tesla Rims and Tires are a hot commodity in the black market,” the department tweeted. “** DO ** Activate the #sentrymode and plug a flash drive to record events…** Whenever possible, park in well lit public areas.”

Tesla owners have had their fair share of concern for their vehicles’ safety over the years as a result of the brand being specifically targeted. In early 2019, the cars were the subjects of dozens of break-ins seemingly concentrated in the San Francisco Bay Area, although similar reports came in from other regions as well. The Model 3, in particular, was vulnerable to attacks in its back quarter window by lacking any sensors, and the placement was also convenient for thieves to pull down the backseat and access any valuables in the trunk. Owners came together over social media to strategize a response themselves, but the events eventually played a significant role in Tesla’s introduction of Sentry Mode a bit later that year.

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Aside from break-ins and theft, Tesla owners have also had to contend with targeted vandalism of their vehicles. A number of keying incidents have been captured by Sentry Mode, and tire slashing has even made an appearance on the video footage. The motive behind such events isn’t always clear. In the case of thefts, at least, the higher price of Tesla cars seems to lead thieves to assume high priced items like iPads and similar electronics will be inside.

The success of Sentry Mode is easiest to see by the number of crimes it has managed to capture and solve. A quick search on YouTube or Google will reveal numerous stories ranging from confusing, such as a random grocery cart attack on a Model 3, ridiculous, like the instance a local politician attempting to flee a hit and run in a parking lot, to downright frightening, as in the case of an attempted murder of a mayor in Norway. While Teslas are notoriously hard to steal, perhaps Sentry Mode will help deter thieves from their latest spree reported by LAPD.

A news report on the LAPD warning can be seen below:

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Tesla pushes crazy ‘Luxe’ incentive package on flagship Model S and X

Tesla is pushing more customers to the Model S and Model X with a new incentive package.

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1 hour ago

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August 16, 2025

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla has pushed a crazy new incentive package, known as the “Luxe Package,” on the flagship Model S and Model X, along with a $10,000 price increase on each trim level.

The move aims to likely bolster margins for the company on the two cars while also giving those who choose to buy the Tesla lineup mainstays a variety of awesome advantages, including Free Supercharging, Full Self-Driving, and other add-ons.

Tesla is offering a crazy Supercharging incentive on its two ‘sentimental’ vehicles

Last night, Tesla launched the “Luxe Package” for the Model S and Model X, which includes the following four add-ons:

  • Full Self-Driving (Supervised) – Your car will be able to drive itself almost anywhere with minimal driver intervention
  • Four-Year Premium Service – Wheel and Tire Protection, Windshield Protection, and Recommended Maintenance
  • Supercharging – Charge for free at 70,000+ Superchargers worldwide
  • Premium Connectivity – Listen to music, stream movies, monitor live traffic, and more – no Wi-Fi needed

Full Self-Driving is priced at $8,000. Free Supercharging for the life of the car is between $10,000 and $15,000 over the life of the vehicle, although Tesla has valued it at $5,000 in recent promotions.

Free Premium Connectivity is roughly $1,000, and the four-year tire, wheel, windshield, and maintenance plan is about $3,200.

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In all, the value is over $25,000, but this is loosely based on usage.

The Model S and Model X are low contributors to Tesla’s overall sales figures, as they make up less than five percent of sales from a quarterly perspective and have for some time.

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As they are certainly the luxury choices in Tesla’s lineup, the Model 3 and Model Y are the bigger focus for the company, as a significantly larger portion of the company’s sales is made up of those vehicles.

The Luxe Package is an especially good idea for those who drive high-mileage and plan to use the Model S or Model X for commuting or long drives. The free Supercharging makes the deal worth it on its own.

As for the price bumps, each of the vehicles are now priced as follows:

  • Model S All-Wheel-Drive: $94,990
  • Model S Plaid: $109,990
  • Model X All-Wheel-Drive: $99,990
  • Model X Plaid: $114,990
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Tesla Roadster could have a formidable competitor with BYD’s 3000-HP supercar

The Roadster is one of the most anticipated vehicles of all time, especially because we’ve all had to wait so long for it. On its own, it will have a 1.9-second 0-60 MPH acceleration rate, which is projected to be better than the 2.3 seconds the U9 Track Edition will offer.

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3 hours ago

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August 16, 2025

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The Tesla Roadster is on the way, and yes, we know we’ve heard that for quite a few years. But when it comes, it might have a formidable competitor, and it might come from no one other than Chinese rival BYD.

BYD’s Yangwang U9 Track Edition is a new configuration of the U9 supercar that hit the Chinese Ministry of Information Technology (MIIT) database recently.

The vehicle was first spotted on the MIIT database by CarNewsChina. It will have a quad-motor powertrain, each dedicated to one wheel. Instead of the 1,287 horsepower that comes with the standard U9 configuration, the Track Edition will have 2,977.

There are only two cars that even come close in terms of horsepower: the Lotus Evija with 1,972 and the Rimac Nevera at 1,914 horsepower. The Tesla Roadster is expected to have somewhere around 1,000 horsepower.

The Roadster is one of the most anticipated vehicles of all time, especially because we’ve all had to wait so long for it. On its own, it will have a 1.9-second 0-60 MPH acceleration rate (without the SpaceX package, which brings the projection to 1.1 seconds), which is projected to be better than the 2.3 seconds the U9 Track Edition will offer.

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The Roadster also beats the U9 Track Edition in projected top speed and range. The Roadster could top out at over 250 MPH, compared to the 217 conservative projection for the U9 Track Edition.

Range on the Roadster is 620 miles, beating 280 miles for the BYD.

The U9 Track Edition will also have some additional features compared to its base model. These include some aerodynamic additions, like a carbon fiber rear wing, diffuser, and an adjustable front splitter and adjustable rear wing.

The latter two are optional, but if you have enough scratch to drop on this car, you’re probably adding those two features as well.

We hope that both the Roadster and U9 Track Edition will hit a drag strip, road course, or even a superspeedway for some racing. It would truly be something for EV fans to drool over.

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Tesla is breaking even its own rules to cap off an intense Q3

Tesla is pulling out all the stops to have a strong Q3 as the EV tax credit will phase out.

Published

6 hours ago

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August 16, 2025

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Credit: MarcoRP | X

Tesla is breaking its own rules by advertising on various platforms in an effort to sell as many cars as possible before the end of the $7,500 electric vehicle tax credit.

Tesla has had a very polarizing perspective on advertising. Over the years, it has taken on different attitudes toward spending any money on marketing. It has instead put those dollars into research and development to make its vehicles more advanced.

Back in 2019, Tesla CEO Elon Musk talked about the company advertising its vehicles and energy products:

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In 2021, in response to analyst Gary Black, who has pushed for Tesla to have a PR or marketing department, Musk said:

However, this did not hold as Tesla’s strategy for the long haul. While Musk did resist advertising for a long time, Tesla started placing ads on platforms like X, Google, and YouTube several years back. It’s pretty rare that Tesla pushes these ads, however.

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Tesla launches advertising on X in the U.S., expanding ‘small scale’ strategy outlined by Musk

The company’s stance on setting aside capital for advertising seems to be circumstantial. Right now, it is working to sell as many vehicles as it can before the tax credit comes to a close.

As a result, it is pushing some ads on YouTube:

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It’s a move that makes sense considering the timing. With just six weeks roughly left in the quarter, Tesla is going to work tirelessly to push as many cars into customer hands as possible. It will use every ounce of effort to get its products on people’s screens.

Tesla counters jab at lack of advertising with perfect response

Throw in one of the many incentives it is offering currently, and there will surely be some takers.

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