Cybertruck Outperforms Fisker Ocean as Edmunds' Largest Loss to Date, Sold for Merely $8K | Carscoops

      A crash, repair issues, and significant financial losses resulted in the outlet selling their $102,000 Cybertruck for a fraction of its value after it was written off.

      18 hours ago

      by Andreas Tsaousis

      Last July, Edmunds purchased a Cybertruck Foundation Series for a long-term evaluation.

      After five months of problems, the Cybertruck was struck by a compact sedan while it was parked.

      Tesla's service centers took two months to provide an estimate, ultimately declaring the electric vehicle a total loss.

      When testing high-profile vehicles, complications can arise, and in the case of Edmunds’ Tesla Cybertruck, complications occurred in abundance. In July 2024, the outlet invested $101,985 in a new Cybertruck Foundation Series to add to its One-Year Road Test fleet. By December 11, the truck was hit while parked by a compact sedan, pushing the 6,600-pound electric vehicle onto the curb. The damage was significant enough to result in it being written off completely.

      More: Tesla’s Cybertruck Rebranding Resembles Ford’s F-150

      On the exterior, the wheel, tire, stainless steel panel, and bumper sustained the brunt of the impact. However, underneath the surface, the situation was graver, as additional components like the suspension, rear drive motor, and rear-wheel steering setup were also severely damaged. Before the crash, the situation was not ideal either.

      Early Troubles: A Series of Red Flags

      Problems began shortly after the delivery of the Cybertruck, including critical steering failures, instances of the vehicle entering limp mode or completely shutting down, numerous error messages appearing on the display, malfunctioning air conditioning on warm days, and transmission issues with selecting Park. These issues certainly did not inspire confidence for a truck priced around $100,000, regardless of the hype. The extent of the problems was so pronounced that the team could not carry out their standard testing procedures or take the vehicle off-road.

      The Repair Challenge

      Ultimately, the vehicle's fate was sealed by the accident and the subsequent attempts to repair it. Body shops were reluctant to handle the Cybertruck, forcing dependence on Tesla’s own service network. The first major hurdle was that, despite Los Angeles being home to the highest number of Cybertrucks in the world, only two certified service centers within a 50-mile radius were authorized to repair the vehicle’s steel body panels.

      The first center, located in Huntington Beach, informed them they would need to wait a month just to receive an estimate for the repairs. This was only the beginning; they would then face an additional six-month waiting period for the repairs to be completed, requiring multiple tows to and from the shop. Understandably, Edmunds declined this option.

      More: Fisker Ocean Totaled After Minor Door Scratch Shattering EV Dream

      The second certified center in Ontario was somewhat more efficient, with only a one-month wait for an estimate. However, shortly before the scheduled appointment, Tesla notified them that the repair date had been pushed back another month due to scheduling conflicts at the shop.

      Cost of Cybertruck Repairs

      - Stripes and moldings: $619

      - Motors and components: $4,191 (including $3,000 for an EV drive unit)

      - Motor mounts: $77

      - Wheels and parts: $1,758

      - Steering: $2,040

      - Rear suspension: $9,149 (including $2,500 for a suspension crossmember)

      - Cab and components: $3,800 (including $3,240 for a high-strength steel frame)

      - Bed: $8,762.79 (including $1,595 for the outer panel, $4,280 for the aluminum rear section, and $1,055 for the bed floor)

      - Tailgate: $2,495

      - Rear bumper: $2,417.73

      - Rear body, lamps, and floor plan: $1,668.50 (including $800 for the inner taillamp assembly)

      - Miscellaneous parts: $357.22

      - Other parts: $5

      - Paint and materials: $610

      - Tax on parts and materials: $3,320.65

      - Labor: $16,584

      - Sublet repairs: $25

      - Grand total: $57,879.89

      They decided to wait and, two months post-accident, received an estimate indicating it would cost $1,128 to disassemble the truck and identify necessary repairs. However, the total quote was a shocking $57,879.89.

      The repair list was extensive, with the rear suspension being the priciest item at $9,149. Given that a similar undamaged model was valued at $86,160, it made financial sense to consider it a total loss.

      The Final Outcome

      Ultimately, the outlet sold their Cybertruck to Copart for just $8,000. One silver lining was the