Sponsored

Thinking of buying pre-owned CT

JohnS511

New member
First Name
John
Joined
Nov 9, 2025
Threads
1
Messages
2
Reaction score
1
Location
Atlanta, GA
Vehicles
Cybertruck
Country flag
I'm thinking of buying a pre-owned cybertruck.
Any recommendations on what to check before I buy?

Any advice is appreciated.
Thank you
Sponsored

 
  • Like
Reactions: TAD

Cbirkmeyer

Member
First Name
Chris
Joined
Jul 17, 2025
Threads
3
Messages
12
Reaction score
10
Location
St Augustine, FL
Vehicles
2024 cybertruck fs awd, 2017 mercedes gle
Occupation
Healthcare data analyst
Country flag
I'd figure out your wrap preference. If you want a wrap and specific color, it is far cheaper to find the wrap you want vs. paying for this afterwards (since pricing does not properly value the wrap cost).
In July, I bought AWD FS with 12K miles, my desired wrap color and 21K vin for $68K from private party sale. I couldn't be happier with my purchase 10K miles later.
 

Art138

Well-known member
First Name
Art
Joined
May 25, 2023
Threads
14
Messages
1,183
Reaction score
1,088
Location
Weston,Florida
Vehicles
MYP,Ford GT & FS CYBERBEAST
Country flag
I would check history; some owners sold CTs because they could not resolve problems to their satisfaction-albeit few. Carfax check although not always throughout is a a good secondary source. A test ride is a must before you commit to check for unusual sounds ect. There is a good check list somewhere on this site.
 

cyberrr1

Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2025
Threads
1
Messages
19
Reaction score
23
Location
United States
Vehicles
Cybertruck
Country flag
Make sure it has FSD and the lowest miles and price possible, don't forget to negotiate. I bought a FS AWD with 5k miles on it for $70k this past summer, I haven't had any issues with it ~6k miles later.
 
OP
OP

JohnS511

New member
First Name
John
Joined
Nov 9, 2025
Threads
1
Messages
2
Reaction score
1
Location
Atlanta, GA
Vehicles
Cybertruck
Country flag
Does FSD transfer with the car?
I've always been confused about that.
 


CyberGus

Well-known member
First Name
Gus
Joined
May 22, 2021
Threads
91
Messages
10,236
Reaction score
33,888
Location
Austin, TX
Vehicles
1981 DeLorean, 2024 Cybertruck
Occupation
IT Specialist
Country flag
Does FSD transfer with the car?
I've always been confused about that.
There were some stories about people buying from 3rd-parties and losing FSD later, but those were anomalies. It transfers with the vehicle.

Speaking of which, make sure a used Tesla is transferred to your account by the previous owner. It’s easier than trying to have Tesla do it for you after the fact.
 

hemiarch

Well-known member
First Name
Ace
Joined
Jan 22, 2025
Threads
115
Messages
8,355
Reaction score
9,583
Location
Arizona
Vehicles
2024 foundation AWD, 2024 model x
Occupation
Trauma Surgeon
Country flag
There were some stories about people buying from 3rd-parties and losing FSD later, but those were anomalies. It transfers with the vehicle.

Speaking of which, make sure a used Tesla is transferred to your account by the previous owner. It’s easier than trying to have Tesla do it for you after the fact.
Definitely
 

HaulingAss

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 3, 2020
Threads
28
Messages
10,298
Reaction score
20,703
Location
Western Washington, USA
Vehicles
Cybertruck DM, 2010 F-150, 2018 Performance Model 3, 2024 Performance Model 3
Country flag
I'm thinking of buying a pre-owned cybertruck.
Any recommendations on what to check before I buy?

Any advice is appreciated.
Thank you
I wouldn't worry about # of miles as much as the general condition and care the previous owner took. These trucks have really tough drivetrains and can go many miles without significant issues. 35" tires are expensive so look for one with appropriate tires and good tread. Look for one without a bunch of mods (beyond factory options), these are often done incorrectly which lowers the value of the vehicle. Personally, I would look for one without wrap, so you don't end up having to take it off. The metal is so tough, there's really nothing to protect there that a simple polish won't bring it back to like new.

Even though I beat the hell out of mind off-road on a regular basis, and have not had a single issue, I would favor ones that hadn't been off-roaded (beyond normal driving on gravel roads). Look underneath for undercarriage damage. Cybertrucks have considerable ground clearance, even in regular on-road driving modes, so they are pretty hard to do under-carriage damage to. If they have undercarriage damage, you never know how hard they were off-roaded.

Familiarize yourself with the normal operational noises as reported by owners so you don't think something is wrong when it's actually perfectly normal. Things like motor whine and the hum of the suspension pressurization pump are normal (when the suspension has adjusted higher). Clunks, squeaks and rattles are not.

Good luck! I think you're going to love it!
 

hemiarch

Well-known member
First Name
Ace
Joined
Jan 22, 2025
Threads
115
Messages
8,355
Reaction score
9,583
Location
Arizona
Vehicles
2024 foundation AWD, 2024 model x
Occupation
Trauma Surgeon
Country flag
If it's a Foundation Series you can assume it has FSD, but always check the software section of the settings to make sure or asking Telsa by providing the VIN.
So when Tesla resells foundations now which they must because I traded mine to them, they don’t wipe them of FSD and free SC and premium connectivity like the other cars they buy?
 


hemiarch

Well-known member
First Name
Ace
Joined
Jan 22, 2025
Threads
115
Messages
8,355
Reaction score
9,583
Location
Arizona
Vehicles
2024 foundation AWD, 2024 model x
Occupation
Trauma Surgeon
Country flag
If the truck was driven UNWRAPPED in snowy roads treated with magnesium chloride the trucks body might have tiny etches. A wrap covers the tiny imperfections like they were never there.

Overall not a big deal but if you are buying a wrapped truck and want RAW stainless it might be heavily blemished.
and there are many threads on here from obsessive “buffers” which could potentially allow you to reverse that too
 

cyberrr1

Member
Joined
Jan 6, 2025
Threads
1
Messages
19
Reaction score
23
Location
United States
Vehicles
Cybertruck
Country flag
So when Tesla resells foundations now which they must because I traded mine to them, they don’t wipe them of FSD and free SC and premium connectivity like the other cars they buy?
Free SC is no longer transferrable. FSD and premium connectivity stay with the vehicle.
 

hemiarch

Well-known member
First Name
Ace
Joined
Jan 22, 2025
Threads
115
Messages
8,355
Reaction score
9,583
Location
Arizona
Vehicles
2024 foundation AWD, 2024 model x
Occupation
Trauma Surgeon
Country flag
Free SC is no longer transferrable. FSD and premium connectivity stay with the vehicle.
So Tesla resells the em after trade “with” FSD?
 

HaulingAss

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 3, 2020
Threads
28
Messages
10,298
Reaction score
20,703
Location
Western Washington, USA
Vehicles
Cybertruck DM, 2010 F-150, 2018 Performance Model 3, 2024 Performance Model 3
Country flag
If the truck was driven UNWRAPPED in snowy roads treated with magnesium chloride the trucks body might have tiny etches. A wrap covers the tiny imperfections like they were never there.

Overall not a big deal but if you are buying a wrapped truck and want RAW stainless it might be heavily blemished.
I've never seen a Cybertruck so heavily blemished that it would be difficult to polish it back to like new. Probably easier than removing a failing wrap job.
 

HaulingAss

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 3, 2020
Threads
28
Messages
10,298
Reaction score
20,703
Location
Western Washington, USA
Vehicles
Cybertruck DM, 2010 F-150, 2018 Performance Model 3, 2024 Performance Model 3
Country flag
So when Tesla resells foundations now which they must because I traded mine to them, they don’t wipe them of FSD and free SC and premium connectivity like the other cars they buy?
Tesla certainly has the right to remove FSD once they own it (and also premium connectivity), but this would need to be clearly disclosed to every buyer (that it was a Foundation Series without FSD/premium connectivity). I think they have just been leaving the features on there, in the relatively short time they have been accepting used Cybertrucks (probably just to avoid buyer confusion and keep it simple).

Free Supercharging on Cybertrucks was always a promotional offer that was associated with the buyer, not the vehicle. therefore it is not transferable.

What I find hilarious are the people trying to drum up dissatisfaction that Tesla would remove a feature after the original owner traded it in. And why wouldn't they? As long as Tesla owns the car outright, and it costs them nothing to remove a feature, it's theirs to do with it what they want. That these narratives gain any traction with anybody is a sad commentary on those peoples discrimination between right and wrong.
Sponsored

 
 








Top