A woman is going viral on TikTok after warning against buying Teslas—but not for the reason you might think.
Priscilla (@priii.priii) revealed that she purchased a Tesla several years ago, before CEO Elon Musk “dropped the prices” of the cars. Now, she says she’s stuck with an expensive vehicle and spends hours each week charging it.
“Let this be a reason to never buy a Tesla,” Priscilla cautioned viewers. By Sunday, one of her videos explaining why others should “NEVER” buy a Tesla had gathered 41,200 views.
Driver says she spends hours per week getting Tesla charged
In her initial clip, Priscilla explains that her main issue with the car is that it takes a long time to charge. The content creator says she waits in her Tesla while it regains battery, sitting in the driver’s seat “being a big back” until it’s done.
It’s hinted that she’s allowing it to charge while she recorded her clip, as she’s seen eating fries from Wingstop.
Priscilla mentioned she spent “hundreds of dollars” to install a charger at her house, but after moving, she had to leave the charger behind. Now, she says she’s temporarily living in an apartment and needs to get her car charged every two days.
“So don’t get a Tesla,” she reiterated.
Teslas require frequent charging
According to Opiwatt, there are benefits to charging your Tesla daily. They state that doing so increases your available range at the start of any trip, but noted that it’s unnecessary to replenish your battery this often.
They claim that the average driver can go nearly a full week without completely emptying their battery. However, they emphasize that your Tesla battery should never drop below 20%.
Indeed, Tesla drivers differ in how often they choose to charge their vehicles. While some customers charge their cars every night, others do so every few days.
Priscilla, on the other hand, mentions in a follow-up video that she charges her vehicle more frequently because she keeps it in Sentry Mode. This security feature uses the car’s cameras and sensors to monitor activity, even when you’re not actively driving, and aims to detect suspicious behavior, such as theft or vandalism.
However, there are downsides to keeping your car in Sentry Mode. Not only do you risk being contacted by law enforcement, but this mode also drains your battery more quickly, as cars in this mode require at least a 20% charge.
“If the car is not plugged in [or] if you don’t have access to an overnight charger, you will lose charge,” Priscilla explains about her Tesla. While she admits that this issue exists with other electric cars as well, her frustration is directed at Tesla because she doesn’t have experience with other similar vehicles.
@priii.priii We bought it right before Mr. Elon dropped the prices too 😭 #teslatok #teslamodel3 #teslamodel3performance #tesla #teslacheck #donotrecommend #electriccarsucks ♬ original sound – Priscilla🧿
Viewers offer little sympathy
Many viewers in the comments section of Priscilla’s video offered little sympathy, suggesting she should never have bought a Tesla.
“Don’t get a car you can’t afford,” one viewer wrote.
“Well, you shouldn’t buy an EV car until you own a home,” another commented.
“It sounds like a problem you created for yourself,” a third viewer added.
“Welp, you didn’t do research before getting the car, no offense,” a fourth user said.
On the flip side, some viewers who say they own Teslas expressed understanding of Priscilla’s frustrations.
“I traded my Model 3 for a Rav4 and it was the best decision ever,” one commenter shared. “Tesla dies when parked, electricity isn’t cheaper anymore, and insurance is ridiculous.”
“I just finished my 3-year Tesla sentence,” another added. “Finally, I’m free and moved to BMW.”
“As a Tesla driver… I HATE my car lol,” a third viewer said.
To this, Priscilla responded, “THANK YOU. Like damn, I’m allowed to not like the car I drive.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to Priscilla via TikTok comment and to Tesla through email.
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