A YouTuber has claimed Tesla 'stole' from him as he tries to get his money back 8 years after ordering his Roadster.
There's an apparent 'dark truth' lurking beneath the bonnet of Tesla, as one car fanatic claims the car company stole nearly $5,000 from him while he’s had to wait eight years to get behind the wheel of his new car.
Tesla has been in the news a lot recently, and whether it be controversial CEO Elon Musk being accused of pulling off a 'Nazi gesture' or worries that President Donald Trump could jeopardize its profits, it's a strange time to be a Tesla owner. Don't worry, some are taking their frustration out with bumper stickers.
Now, car collector Mark McCann has taken to YouTube in an attempt to recover his missing $4,975 from Tesla. McCann is known for having one of the most diverse car collections in the United Kingdom, but unfortunately, one is missing.
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After the original Tesla Roadster went out of production in 2012, there was much surprise when the EV giant announced the second generation Roadster in 2017. This four-seat version was expected to take the Roadster name into the future, but eight years later, there's still no sign of the second-generation Roadster. This is clearly a point of contention for McCann, who put down a $5,000 deposit as soon as it was revealed.
As the Roadster still isn't in production, McCann says he's requested his money back multiple times.
He says that when Tesla or any other car manufacturer announces a limited edition vehicle with low numbers, it's best to get in early to place your deposit. Whereas Lamborghini requires you to go into a dealership and build a rapport before placing an order, Tesla makes it as easy as clicking a button. Also, Lamborghini and the like give a firm release date and make it easy for you to request your deposit back if you change your mind.
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McCann explains that while he originally hoped to get his new Roadster in 2020, months went by following his 2017 deposit without a word from Tesla. When Tesla asked for another £34,000 reservation payment (around $42,000 in 2025), he decided to withdraw from the sale and ask for his initial deposit back.
Despite being told he'd get his money back, there was radio silence until he was asked for the full payment for the Roadster Founders Edition in 2021. This was a whopping £185,000/$230,000.
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The problem is, McCann says that the Bank of England rates suggest that £185,000 from 2017 is now worth just £141,000 in 2025.
Hoping to resolve the matter, he headed to a dealership in 2025 and asked when the Roadster was coming. The salesman behind the counter said he didn't know, and although McCann got a call from head office, he still hasn't got his money back.
He says he's not the only one in this situation, with many others asking where their second-generation Roadsters are and if they'll ever get them.
Musk himself has addressed the 'long-suffering' Roadster community and asked them to wait just a little longer. In an October 2024 investors call, he blamed a push toward a sustainable energy future for the Roadster's delay, referring to it as a 'desert'. Still, he remains hopeful that the car will be on your driveways in 2025, concluding: "Thank you to all our long-suffering Tesla Roadster deposit holders, we are actually finally making progress on that, and we’re close to finalizing the design. It’s really going to be something spectacular."
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There are rumors of Roadsters being able to fly, but for those left in the dark, they think it's more likely that pigs will fly before second-gen Roadsters.