Repairing Teslas is already a challenging endeavor, but restoring a unit that has been deemed a total loss is a task that’s on a completely different level. Despite this, a Tesla enthusiast opted to take on such a challenge, and the results were definitely worth it.
Electric vehicle advocate Winston, 18, wanted to build the cheapest Tesla in the United States. To accomplish this, he needed a vehicle that he could acquire for an affordable price. Fortunately, he found just one — a red Tesla Model 3 that was deemed a total loss. The EV fan was able to acquire the damaged vehicle from Geico Insurance at an auction for $15,000.
At $15,000, the totaled Model 3 was definitely cheap. The Tesla tinkerer was even able to retrieve old footage from the vehicle, which showed how the all-electric sedan met its end with its previous owner. The rebuilding process, however, was harder than the 18-year-old expected, as he needed to acquire parts that were rather expensive.
Ultimately, Winston was not successful in building the cheapest Tesla in the United States, as the Model 3’s restoration cost $25,000 in total. But he learned a ton. Thanks to his experience and photographic memory, the 18-year-old informed YouTube channel Wham Baam Teslacam that he could probably rebuild the Model 3 from memory at this point. Needless to say, the Tesla tinkerer’s next projects would likely be even more affordable.
Overall, the Tesla enthusiast was successful. Being a fan of the longtime YouTube channel Rich Rebuilds, the 18-year-old was able to restore a totaled Tesla at a price far below the vehicle’s brand-new cost. For now, the Tesla tinkerer is hoping to apply for an internship in the electric vehicle maker’s service department. Considering his accomplishment, Tesla could likely have a pretty stellar service team member in the 18-year-old.
Watch a video about the Model 3 restoration project in the video below.
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