Buying a used Tesla
Why buy your used Tesla from El Cajon Mitsubishi?
We are a franchised Mitsubishi dealer in El Cajon that specialises in pre-owned Teslas. That combination is unusual, and it is the whole point: the buying protections and lending access of a franchise store, run by people who know these cars well enough to tell you what is actually on the one you are looking at.
We do not sell Teslas with declared frame or structural damage
Structural damage declared at the auction does not always appear on CARFAX or AutoCheck. A car can show a clean history report and still have been sold at auction with frame damage on its announcement. In the used Tesla market this is genuinely buyer beware, and a number of independent lots are playing that game.
We see those announcements when we buy, and we pass on those cars. It is the single most important thing we do for a used Tesla buyer, and it is invisible on a window sticker - which is exactly why we are telling you about it here.
Before it reaches the lot
A specialist buys every car
Our Tesla buyer targets cars carrying valuable options and buys them at the same price as base units, which is how a well-equipped car ends up priced like a plain one.
Then it is reconditioned cosmetically and mechanically, photographed, filmed, and written up with the options it actually has and the range it shows at a full charge.
What is different about buying a Tesla here
We read the car's own app
We have the Tesla app on our phones, so we can tell you what is actually enabled on a specific car rather than what a trim badge implies - and we set you up on the app at delivery.
Reconditioned, cosmetically and mechanically
Most independent lots do minimal reconditioning, if any. We put every car through both before it is listed, and the lot is cleaned weekly with vehicles kept at a reasonable charge.
One price, below market
We publish our best price up front and price below average market value. No haggling, and no mandatory add-ons attached at the desk.
Nobody works on commission
No closers, no manager to go and speak to about the deal. Tenured, trained staff who are not steering you toward a particular car because of what it pays them.
A franchised dealer's lending desk
As a franchise store we have a full suite of banks and credit unions to source funding, and a large selection of Teslas that work well for challenged credit.
A buyer who shops for options
Our Tesla buyer targets cars carrying valuable options - and buys them at the same price as base units, which is how a well-equipped car ends up priced like a plain one.
A real video on every car
Not a stock spin. An actual walkaround of the actual vehicle, with detail on what it has.
A full write-up on every listing
Each description answers the questions Tesla buyers actually ask: the options on the car, its current range at a full charge, and whether it carries free Supercharging for life.
We understand battery lifespan
Including the repair options that now exist. A battery is no longer the all-or-nothing replacement it is assumed to be - in many cases it is cheaper to repair than a gas engine.
A person answers the phone
Someone who can actually talk you through a car, and help you secure a high-demand Tesla before it has even reached the lot.
Staffed to give you time
We are staffed properly, so we can dedicate real time to you - particularly if you book an appointment first.
Local, family-owned franchise
A spacious lot with room to actually see the cars, chargers on site, and owners whose name is on the building.
Buying here compared with buying direct from Tesla
Tesla's own used inventory is bought sight-unseen and delivered as it comes. Ours is on a lot you can walk.
| Tesla direct | El Cajon Mitsubishi | |
|---|---|---|
| See the car before you buy | Bought online, delivered as-is | On our lot in El Cajon, walk it and drive it |
| Reconditioning | Minimal | Cosmetic and mechanical before listing |
| Frame-damage screening | Not disclosed to you | We pass on cars with declared structural damage |
| Price | Fixed, at market | One price, below average market value |
| Financing | Limited lender panel | Full suite of banks and credit unions, all credit types |
| Someone to talk to | Support queue | A person here who knows the car |
Used Tesla questions
Common questions from Tesla shoppers in El Cajon, answered by the people who buy and recondition these cars.