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Highland lease totaled

Capable-Dress8931 | 2026-01-06 14:08 | 60 views

My 24' highland awd was t-boned this week and was declared a total loss due to airbag deployment. I had 2 years left on my lease. I loved my Tesla and I absolutely want to get a new one but current offerings and significantly higher then what I had(think sub $300). I'm not looking for price advice and I know this can be a pit fall to leasing. I am looking to see if anybody has had this experience and if they were able to get any help from Tesla and how it worked out for them.

Comments (32)
Trip_Se7ens 2026-01-07 22:28

What happens with the lease? (Sorry I’m out of the loop)

Capable-Dress8931 2026-01-07 22:35

From my understanding,the contract basically just ends and the other insurance will pay the bank for the price of the car. My issue is my lease was only $280 monthly and this happened on December 31st and now lease prices are basically double unfortunately so I lose out through no fault of my own.

tweakerinc 2026-01-07 22:55

Been through a similar situation with a 0% APR car before. Can't get the deal back, especially with tax credits on EV's gone.

Weak_Moment6408 2026-01-08 01:16

I think I would try and buy it from the insurance company and rebuild it.

dollfaceashley 2026-01-08 01:17

This is insane. That damage is repairable and airbags can be replaced. No wonder why insurance is super expensive.

y0Mark 2026-01-08 01:54

Sorry about the car, but glad to hear you’re fine. If you can hold for a bit towards end of Q1 stronger lease incentives will usually appear.

DCar777 2026-01-08 04:09

So to get out of a lease, just total the car..... Noted and noted.

McMagneto 2026-01-08 04:30

Make sure you are not at fault though

melvladimir 2026-01-08 09:45

Nobody in US wants to work cheap. In Europe it can be easily repaired to the “like new” state for 5k (if there is no structural damage, only doors and fender)

Capable-Dress8931 2026-01-08 13:26

I did think of that, but I believe Tesla bans cars with salvaged titles from using supercharges so that would mean no road trips unfortunately

Capable-Dress8931 2026-01-08 13:29

I can’t say I disagree with you, the car only has 5k miles too. My insurer told me once airbags go off it’s like an automatic total basically.

Weak_Moment6408 2026-01-08 13:49

They do but I believe the fee to get it reinstated is pretty cheap. Edit, not cheap $1000-$2000. Could still be worth it. Your damage looks minimal for airbag deployment but pictures only say so much. As long as the battery isn’t damaged I personally would buy it back, but I’m more handy then most. Especially with only 5k miles!

AllCapNoBrake 2026-01-08 14:55

I had a lease when Hurricane Florence hit Wilmington, and I evacuated in such a hurry, I left my car at the beach parking parking lot.

nist7 2026-01-08 15:08

Lol, way easier and safer to just have someone else take over your lease. Tesla allows I think one lease transfer with at least 13mo left on the lease. I got a super nice deal on a 2022 model s plaid lease for a year when I took over the lease from a guy in Seattle, he paid me 10k to take it over and so it ended up being about $30/day to drive a 22 s plaid for a year.

DCar777 2026-01-08 15:35

Nice! We get hurricanes here all the time in Florida. There's a place called Apollo Beach near my home that floods if we have a heavy rain. Maybe my car will hang out there during the next hurricane 😂

AllCapNoBrake 2026-01-08 15:38

You were simply trying to see the manatees and you left as soon as you got the warning....forgetting your car. It happens.

rwhe83 2026-01-08 16:45

Tesla won’t “help” you at all. Sorry, this company doesn’t value loyalty, no matter what they say. Hell, I just got into a new lease and found out that my old vehicle premium connectivity that I paid for a year (and still had over 7 months left pre-paid) I just forfeited.

MC-CREC 2026-01-08 18:38

What about mine? [Sunset San Diego ](https://imgbox.com/04JLNz78)

dollfaceashley 2026-01-08 18:58

🤔 bruh, nothing a little Bondo can't fix

MC-CREC 2026-01-08 19:07

Right, I'm trying to buy the salvaged vehicle for the battery going to use it at a business my friend owns. Supermarket to keep their food prices down.

Howry 2026-01-08 20:11

totally driveable.

TAoie83 2026-01-08 20:12

Did some giant just sweep the floor with your car? Also interested in the battery part of your post can you elaborate

MC-CREC 2026-01-08 21:08

No some idiot did a 4 lane switch in front of me and I turned at the last second and took the hit at a 10 degree angle. As to the battery I am buying the salvaged car probaly worth 1-2k then I repurpose the battery I take it out and put an inverter for 480V the use it on the industrial building as backup battery or in this case tier shaving. It changed at night cheap and uses it's batter during the day when it's 3x price.

TAoie83 2026-01-08 22:03

Is there any diagram I can follow? How would you charge it ?

mcbergstedt 2026-01-08 22:13

Generally if the airbags were deployed, there could be frame damage, and with unibody vehicles like teslas that’s a death sentenced even if it’s minor.

MC-CREC 2026-01-08 22:57

Not all batteries are the same but similar idea. Do you have a battery from a Tesla to use or are you trying to use the Tesla like in one piece?

TAoie83 2026-01-08 23:00

Would probably want to use a whole pack

MC-CREC 2026-01-08 23:09

So basically you tear it out and once it's out you follow this. [Tesla guide](https://youtu.be/BJO63p9jFck?si=prk_d0T4LTO29T_z) Now if you want diagrams I think this video had diagrams but with a leaf battery. [battery recycling with diagrams ](https://youtu.be/XHZWGLzT7gg?si=iWrkRJHl9AILvoVK) I'll tell you that any electrician can figure this out, and I would highly recommend having one do this work unless your very comfortable. The whole process with two people can take about 6 hours if you have all the equipment ready.

Medium_Confusion_ 2026-01-09 00:12

Because not only is it expensive to repair (airbags are expensive af) insurance also has to pay for replacement rental vehicle while it is being repaired, and cover all the costs. It comes out to a lot of money so insurance loves to total vehicles. Also it's not just that the repair has to be below the value of the car, but also if it makes financial sense. If the insurance can cut you a 30k check and get 10-15k out of this car in an auction, they won't repair it if the bill is more than 15k. Insurance is out to make money, they'll take the path of cheapest

Dependent-Fortune839 2026-01-09 02:42

That’s because the premium connectivity was for the VIN number, not the user. Tesla does re-enable supercharging after an inspection

mrandr01d 2026-01-09 05:32

Drove home in such a hurry I forgot to actually bring my vehicle with me!

NoProfession9109 2026-01-11 00:35

Just wait outside of a bar.

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