# Drive a Tesla, get Sieg Heils? Apparently it ain’t easy being green any more **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 11, 2025, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drive-a-tesla-get-sieg-heils-apparently-it-ain-t-easy-being-green-any-more/1015416 "2025-03-11T03:52:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2025, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drive-a-tesla-get-sieg-heils-apparently-it-ain-t-easy-being-green-any-more/1015416/141 "2025-03-13T18:20:39Z")
LOL! I’m losing it. ---
**Author:** ![Capn\_Carl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/838e76/32.png) [@Capn\_Carl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capn_Carl)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2025, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drive-a-tesla-get-sieg-heils-apparently-it-ain-t-easy-being-green-any-more/1015416/142 "2025-03-13T18:54:52Z")
I’ve seen driving behavior like that for over 40 years. ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2025, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drive-a-tesla-get-sieg-heils-apparently-it-ain-t-easy-being-green-any-more/1015416/143 "2025-03-13T21:29:20Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > The European brands are represented as well, but its turning into a mostly Chinese fleet. just a tangent: Chile is the country with the most car brands in the world (testmarket for LatAm) - so it is a **highly** competitive car market with brands you never heard of … (Gamut from sub 10k cars to 400k bentleys) Chinese makers today (after having entered only 15 years ago) hold 1/3 of the market. The reputation has vastly improved (in 2015 the avg. opinion was “decent, cheap car, but 20 years behind a japanes/corean car” … in 2025 the avg. opinion is " good, cars - quite ahead in appointments compared to euro/jap cars, and ride quite as nice as a compact Toy/honda/Mazda" anectode: Wifey “upgraded” (against my advice) from a Volvo to a chinese MG - and it is a clear step up in ride-quality and overall usability experience … plus we just had to do planned maintainance (unlike the Volvo, which was quite a drama queen). The price for the Volvo was twice the price of the MG. Rides nicer than my civid, too. MG=SAIC group (Volkswagen joint venture in china) So yeah …a select group of chinese will be very dominant in the worldwide car market in the near future (Saic, Geely, BYD, Chery, GWM,…), especially facilitated by the fact that the world converted into a one-size-fits-all type of car - _ **the SUV** _ ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2025, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drive-a-tesla-get-sieg-heils-apparently-it-ain-t-easy-being-green-any-more/1015416/144 "2025-03-13T21:55:21Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > Was it obvious two years ago that Musk was personally unpleasant? Sure. Was it obvious that he would lead an effort to dismantle our government? No, it really wasn’t. If you never bought anything from a large publicly owned company with unpleasant people in the board room, you would find your commercial options very limited. 1st thought: APPL > [@wolfpup](#): > > I still want an EV but I wouldn’t touch a Tesla with a ten-foot pole. I might sometimes be tempted to compromise some principles for some of my modest needs, but not with Tesla in the present circumstances. Musk has made the brand just too toxic. Q: what would you do if Teslas on the used market come down to just half of what is being asked now … and they just became too good a deal to pass … IOW: what is your price ??? there is a point where I would jump (w/ lots of bumper stickers) ---
**Author:** ![Tride](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tride/32/13907_2.png) [@Tride](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tride)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2025, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drive-a-tesla-get-sieg-heils-apparently-it-ain-t-easy-being-green-any-more/1015416/145 "2025-03-13T22:46:12Z")
That point is coming. Used prices are cratering, which makes it painful for people wanting out of the image to sell. But… with tariffs new car prices are going to climb and although _I_ wouldn’t buy a Tesla for love or money, it may be a good option for people. I see people buying other logos on Ebay and putting them on Model 3s. As has been pointed out, buying used doesn’t put money in Elmo’s pocket. ---
**Author:** ![Ponderoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponderoid/32/19221_2.png) [@Ponderoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponderoid)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2025, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drive-a-tesla-get-sieg-heils-apparently-it-ain-t-easy-being-green-any-more/1015416/146 "2025-03-13T23:14:20Z")
Is Tesla still remotely removing features from cars that get resold? ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2025, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drive-a-tesla-get-sieg-heils-apparently-it-ain-t-easy-being-green-any-more/1015416/147 "2025-03-13T23:19:01Z")
> [@Al128](#): > > Q: what would you do if Teslas on the used market come down to just half of what is being asked now … and they just became too good a deal to pass … > > IOW: what is your price ??? If Musk sold out and had no role in the company, and Tesla new car prices went WAY down, and appropriate bumper stickers were available… I’d still buy another brand. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2025, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drive-a-tesla-get-sieg-heils-apparently-it-ain-t-easy-being-green-any-more/1015416/148 "2025-03-13T23:41:26Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > Was it obvious two years ago that Musk was personally unpleasant? Sure. Was it obvious that he would lead an effort to dismantle our government? No, it really wasn’t. If you never bought anything from a large publicly owned company with unpleasant people in the board room, you would find your commercial options very limited. This was my opinion of Musk in 2022, in [this thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hate-for-elon-musk/961053): > [@Why the hate for Elon Musk?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-the-hate-for-elon-musk/961053/132): > > I’m largely indifferent to Musk who does seem to be a bit of an asshole, but not someone I care enough about to hate. I generally don’t think of him at all. Fair to say my opinion of him has dropped further since then. By great, great leaps and bounds. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2025, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drive-a-tesla-get-sieg-heils-apparently-it-ain-t-easy-being-green-any-more/1015416/149 "2025-03-14T00:55:51Z")
> [@Tride](#): > > As has been pointed out, buying used doesn’t put money in Elmo’s pocket. As has been pointed out, yes it does. If there is demand for used Teslas, that keeps their price up, which also helps maintain the price and sales volume of new Teslas. Everyone gets to make their own decision about who and what they want to support. But don’t pretend you aren’t supporting Tesla and Musk by buying used. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2025, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drive-a-tesla-get-sieg-heils-apparently-it-ain-t-easy-being-green-any-more/1015416/150 "2025-03-14T01:15:48Z")
> [@Al128](#): > > Q: what would you do if Teslas on the used market come down to just half of what is being asked now … and they just became too good a deal to pass … I wouldn’t buy one, unless i couldn’t find any other car. Even ignoring Musk, Teslas have a lot of features i actively dislike. Like, all the controls are via that giant touch screen, and where they are and how they work _changes_ with updates. I don’t like the learning curve if driving a new car. I don’t want to randomly experience that whenever Tesla management thinks they have something nifty and new. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2025, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drive-a-tesla-get-sieg-heils-apparently-it-ain-t-easy-being-green-any-more/1015416/151 "2025-03-14T01:33:48Z")
I mentioned in the AWD EV thread that I loathed the stench of Musk, and, at the time I was shopping that the high prices (for the features I wanted) made the Tesla a sub-optimal choice for me and my wife. Nor did I personally care for their interiors and instrument cluster/infotainment choices. But budget and other needs meant I at least looked at them when they started getting major sales (due to their internal and external competition around a year ago). Then and now, I’ll admit to a streak of practicality as while we’re fully comfortable, we’re not as wealthy as some. If, (note the huge IF) it were the best option (in terms of features) for someone needing an EV at the lowest cost, and price _was_ an issue, I wouldn’t scream at them for buying a used Tesla. BUT. As pointed out in this thread and others, these days there are plenty of comparable EVs out there in the same range new (not as many used, granted) - and often at comparable or lower prices unless Trump continues to provide cushy Tesla boosting assistance. So I won’t absolutely judge someone buying a used Tesla, and while it contributes in a sense to their continued presence, it certainly does so _less_ than buying a new one. Not everyone has the same financial choices that many on the SDMB do. ---
**Author:** ![Capn\_Carl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/838e76/32.png) [@Capn\_Carl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capn_Carl)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2025, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drive-a-tesla-get-sieg-heils-apparently-it-ain-t-easy-being-green-any-more/1015416/152 "2025-03-14T02:00:06Z")
Still? Has that happened? ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2025, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drive-a-tesla-get-sieg-heils-apparently-it-ain-t-easy-being-green-any-more/1015416/153 "2025-03-14T03:05:33Z")
> [@Al128](#): > > Q: what would you do if Teslas on the used market come down to just half of what is being asked now … and they just became too good a deal to pass … > > IOW: what is your price ??? Realistically, if prices on the used market continue to fall, demand for used Teslas will increase to the point of providing a floor below which they won’t fall further. In stock market terms this is called a “support level”. Realistically, this will still be way more than I’d be willing to pay for a Tesla. And I say this as someone who doesn’t give a shit about “status” or what anyone thinks of the car I’m driving. The two times that I’ve owned what would be considered upscale luxury cars, I bought them because they were beautiful and comfortable, not to show off to anyone. Yet despite generally not caring what anybody thinks about the car I drive, I still wouldn’t own a Tesla, for three reasons. One is that the brand is just so toxic now that I guess it actually would bother me that anybody thought I supported Elmo. Another reason is that, knowing how Elmo loves to meddle with details of design minutiae, every time I got into it I’d be surrounded by unconventional design elements that were only there because Elmo thought they were great ideas. Like the complete lack of any conventional instrumentation on the Model 3 in favour of having absolutely everything on that ridiculous oversized iPad glued to the center of the console, or the recessed door handles that pop out to greet you as you approach the car, except when they don’t because they’re frozen under a layer of ice. Or doors that you can’t open from the inside, either, if the battery fails in an emergency (there’s a secret mechanical release, but most people don’t know about it). The third reason is the amount of control that the company has over the software and the updates to it, which is such a central element of the car’s functionality. I simply don’t trust them, especially not with a lunatic like Elmo in charge. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2025, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drive-a-tesla-get-sieg-heils-apparently-it-ain-t-easy-being-green-any-more/1015416/154 "2025-03-14T04:29:54Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > Or doors that you can’t open from the inside, either, if the battery fails in an emergency (there’s a secret mechanical release, but most people don’t know about it). “Open the door, Tesla!” “I’m afraid I can’t do that, Wolfpup.” ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2025, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drive-a-tesla-get-sieg-heils-apparently-it-ain-t-easy-being-green-any-more/1015416/155 "2025-03-14T04:39:35Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > I know at least one is buying an anti-Musk bumper sticker. Apparently, some Tesla owners are changing the badges on their cars to make them seem something else. This might be the best course for a Tesla owner. > **[https://i.redd.it/d2f1mdb3tboe1.jpg](https://i.redd.it/d2f1mdb3tboe1.jpg)** > **[https://i.redd.it/ahqgdjs4tboe1.jpg](https://i.redd.it/ahqgdjs4tboe1.jpg)** > **[https://i.redd.it/ym3zjebwsboe1.jpg](https://i.redd.it/ym3zjebwsboe1.jpg)** ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2025, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drive-a-tesla-get-sieg-heils-apparently-it-ain-t-easy-being-green-any-more/1015416/156 "2025-03-14T04:45:41Z")
The first two are nicely done (I especially like the upscale Audi badge). The Cybertruck one is idiotic – you can put whatever nameplate you want on it, it’s still an embarrassing piece of shit and there’s no hiding it. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2025, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drive-a-tesla-get-sieg-heils-apparently-it-ain-t-easy-being-green-any-more/1015416/157 "2025-03-14T04:47:13Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > The Cybertruck one is idiotic – you can put whatever nameplate you want on it, it’s still an embarrassing piece of shit and there’s no hiding it. I’m pretty sure the owner is aware of that. But I appreciate his or her wonderful sense of humor, all the same. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2025, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drive-a-tesla-get-sieg-heils-apparently-it-ain-t-easy-being-green-any-more/1015416/158 "2025-03-14T06:22:30Z")
> [@Aspenglow](#): > > pretty sure the owner is aware of that. It reminds me of VW bugs back in 1970-ish that covered the front with a RollsRoyce style hood. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2025, 10:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drive-a-tesla-get-sieg-heils-apparently-it-ain-t-easy-being-green-any-more/1015416/159 "2025-03-14T10:20:09Z")
To add to the collection, here’s a couple more rebranded Teslas – a “Subuwu”, and the world’s ugliest Rivian! If I was doing the Cybertruck rebranding, I would have very small print just above the “Rivian” logo that says “I shoulda bought a”. The bottom image is from a mock ad on Jimmy Kimmel showing Teslas being vandalized. The “Tesler” name comes from the Orange Genius’s pronunciation when he was trying to promote the brand on behalf of Elmo in what must have been the first ever infomercial done from the White House, in keeping with the quiet dignity that has been the hallmark of the Trump administration. [![](https://i.imgur.com/BXhXbCX.jpeg) ](https://i.imgur.com/BXhXbCX.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2025, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drive-a-tesla-get-sieg-heils-apparently-it-ain-t-easy-being-green-any-more/1015416/160 "2025-03-14T12:17:10Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > The third reason is the amount of control that the company has over the software and the updates to it, which is such a central element of the car’s functionality. I simply don’t trust them, especially not with a lunatic like Elmo in charge. that is a valid concern, especially if we project EMs mental decline a couple of years into the future … I am pretty sure he has the technical means to disable a couple of million Teslas worldwide at the drop of an (idiot)hat. Once, 'merica slides deeper into autocracy (x fingers that it will not happen) … with all checks and controls under his fingers (DOT, SEC, NHTSA) … just to own the liberals… Don’t like it? … well then sue me!!! ps: I assume one can take a Tesla off-line (after all, it needs a celphone-chip/radio/antenna to be online), right? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drive-a-tesla-get-sieg-heils-apparently-it-ain-t-easy-being-green-any-more/1015416.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/drive-a-tesla-get-sieg-heils-apparently-it-ain-t-easy-being-green-any-more/1015416.md?page=9)