We Own a Tesla Model 3 and Model Y, We Love Our Cars But Are Becoming Increasingly Concerned About Our Safety, We Will Probably Ditch Our Teslas

Not all Tesla owners are standing strong in the face of adversity.

Imagine driving a Toyota RAV4, Highlander, Tacoma, or Tundra; you love your car or truck; you've owned your vehicle for years and love the brand. However, the CEO of Toyota, Koji Sato, is such a controversial figure that people harass you because they don't like him. You don't feel safe driving your car because it might get keyed, egged, spat on, and you constantly get the middle finger from other drivers on the It's. It's getting so bad that you want to get rid of your favorite car.

The hate is not against you. It's because of the Toyota CEO's political views. You are ready to get rid of your Toyota. What would you do?

While browsing the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y Owners Club Facebook page, researching the Model 3, I ran across Karen Grimmett's post. She says it's gotten so bad that she and her husband will have to sell their Tesla Model 3 and Tesla Model Y, which they love, because they are now targets of hate against Elon Musk.

Karen and her husband disagree with Elon Musk, yet they pay the price for his political views.

Here is Karen's story

She says, "My husband and I own two Teslas. A Model 3 and a Model Y. We love our cars. Still, we are increasingly concerned about our safety when driving them and with the company, given that Elon remains involved. He is a lightning rod, and when we drive our Tesla cars, we are becoming targets for hate, even if we individually think his politics are "crap." 

"Who thinks the board needs to take a serious look at removing Elon so they don't suffer even more than they are right now?"

"We will ditch our Teslas if Elon stays involved with politics and the Tesla car company. What are others thinking?"

Those Are Great Questions

What are other Tesla Model 3 owners saying? Surprisingly, most Tesla owners are keeping their cars. 

Michael - I think the world around me isn't nearly as bad as the internet makes it be, so I'll keep driving the car I love.

Mitchell Lancas - I don't worry about it. I stopped following the news, and my life has been less stressful.

Ivan Gould - We are on our 4th Tesla. No worries.

On Reddit, these were the comments, 

"We love our 2024 LR Model Y. I planned on getting the new Model Y to refresh next year, but if the rumor is true about people dumping their vehicles because of politics, I'll buy used ones if the price is right?"

"I am not dumping the 2024 Model Y. I want another one because we will need to add a vehicle to our family now that kid #2 is driving. I was going to get myself the new Juniper in 2025, but if there is a glut in the market from people dumping their Teslas for political stances, I will buy used and take advantage.

Anothercynic2112 - I'm sure some are making statements by doing that; most people live their lives and don't have the luxury of losing thousands for political stances.

SRRWD - I won't be selling either of my Teslas, But I won't buy another either, so...I suspect this has longer-term consequences for Tesla. Still, his political behavior is only a tiny part of my reasoning; it's how Tesla is run; their after-sale support and service are horrible, and as a car enthusiast, the build quality and materials choices are poor, too. 

The good news is these have plenty of years left; when the time to replace them comes, the market will have many excellent alternatives. It won't miss me. I'm thankful for what the company Tesla did for the EV market and all the people who made that happen.

A report from the New York Post says that only one in three Tesla owners plan to sell their cars because of Elon Musk—70% plan on keeping their Tesla models.

The report says, "For Tesla's innovation far outweighed his questionable behavior. However, the survey revealed a loyal fan base despite the flood of used Teslas and negative sentiment. Over half of Musk's actions have little impact on their feelings toward the automaker."

"There are composers who made beautiful music but did terrible things. It doesn't make their music any less beautiful," LightningJC said.

Conclusion:

I agree with the comment on Facebook that his life got much less stressful when he stopped watching the news. When was the last time you saw any positive news? The media knows that negative news sells and positive news doesn't. 

Ray Williams wrote an excellent piece on Linkedin that says,

"Bad news can evoke emotions such as fear, anger, rage, sadness, grief, and despair. Yet we continue to watch."

"Local newspapers and television stations have understood our addiction to the bad, and as long as there has been news, it's a truth we don't talk about nearly enough. In the media, this fact is so well known you've probably heard the industry adage, "If it bleeds, it leads."

It's Your Turn

What's your take on this? Are you a proud Tesla Model or Model Y owner, and are you considering selling or keeping it? We're eager to hear your thoughts. Click the red Add New Comment link below and share your experience.

Check out my Tesla Model 3 story: “I’ve Seen Tesla Owners Trying To Disguise Their Model 3 and Cybertruck With Another Car Brand’s Logo, Why? They Don’t Want To Be Associated With Tesla”

I am Denis Flierl, a Senior Torque News Reporter since 2012. My 30+ year tenure in the automotive industry, initially in a consulting role with every major car brand and later as a freelance journalist test-driving new vehicles, has equipped me with a wealth of knowledge. I specialize in reporting the latest automotive news and providing expert analysis on Subaru, which you'll find here, ensuring that you, as a reader, are always well-informed and up-to-date. Follow me on my X SubaruReport, All Subaru, WRXSTI, @DenisFlierl, Facebook, and Instagram.

Photo credit: Denis Flierl