Featured Mercedes Rents Then Tears Up Tesla X

Hey, cheaper than buying one...

 

Also here, Parent Company Daimler Dismantled A Rented Tesla Model X For Research

 

probably the smartest thing you can do, i'm surprised it took so long, but it is admitting defeat in a way, i wouldn't make it public.

tough to admit that after making cars for over a hundred years, the new kid on the block is smarter than you.

 

Fairly normal for companies to buy a vehicle for research.
What I find disturbing is they rented a vehicle that was owned by someone, then returned it damaged.

 

not for german automakers, it's expected. besides, if you buy the insurance, you can do whatever you want to it. if not, you have to pay.

 

All manufacturers size up their competition's products regularly. It's completely expected.

I'm sure Tesla dissected several autos when they started, and continue to do so as they deem it necessary.

 

One of the earliest threads was about GM having bought a Prius and taken it apart. At the time, I joked about them looking for the magic spirits. But on hindsight, probably looking to make sure they could avoid possible patent issues.

Bob Wilson

 

Sure, as I said, buying a competitor’s car is normal. Renting a car from a company that gets their cars from private individuals, trashing the car and then paying the fine is underhanded in my book.

 

Shame on Mercedes. But this will have little impact on the success of their new SUV. Mercedes will certainly be a strong contender in the EV market. This will directly impact Tesla.

 

I hope you are right, I fear you aren't.

 

Dissecting competitor's cars, or any product, is normal. there are even third party companies that do it with cars and sell to results to the car companies. These are done with cars bought for that purpose though.

Daimler also took this Model X onto several tracks to run performance and wear testing.

Expect the rental agreement, and likely most do, specified that use on a race track was prohibited. Part of what the owners says they were owed is fines for such contract violations.

Or to make sure Toyota didn't violate theirs.

 

Lol it's not damaged, X marks the spot

 

Yes but rental agreements like almost all contracts are only worth what both parties are willing to spend litigating them. If you sign a contract and flagrantly violate it like Mercedes did, it is basically a big middle finger to the owners because Mercedes has much deeper pockets. Want to fine us some small peanuts money, sure. Mercedes don't care.

You have to be very careful in a contract. When you say don't do things you expect the other party to not do that. But in reality they can be thinking, well we can do this, it will just cost us $x to do so, so lets do it.

 

That is so, but what is the cost in terms of reputation to them. They likely don't care, but this can be used by Tesla to improve theirs.

 

Reputation cost, nearly zero. Only people interested enough in cars will have even heard the story and frankly it wouldn't dissuade or persuade me on buying a car. They had a contract and they are honouring the contract. They'll have to pay the fines and insurance will pay the rest. That's what they both negotiated.

 

that was my thought too. Mercedes likely asked the rental car company for permission before the disassembly. It was the rental agencies' car, the rental company can do whatever they want. Of course Tesla doesn't care - because the rental company sends it to Tesla to put it back together properly. It's a shame though - Mercedes is in essence, inadvertently is acknowledging they didn't have the capability to put it back together right. Or maybe they did try, but had pieces left over.
I've done that. That's not a good thing ... especially when it's parts on 747 landing gear.

It's a good thing, it's an acknowledgement Mercedes is not getting enough business from there fuel burner X knockoff - similarly styled to the X;

- so they need to get into the game, & don't want to face patent lawsuits.

i was thinking lost trust vis a vis diesel gate
.

 

Daimler may not have paid anything yet. The rental agency paid the car's owners to repair the damages, almost 20k Euros worth, but that doesn't cover taking the car out of the agreed upon area, track use, depreciation from the torture testing, etc. The owners likely won't file a case because plaintiffs have to pay legal fees upfront in Germany.
The Jalopnik article has more details.

It wasn't the rental agency's car. They didn't have a Tesla, so subcontract out to private owners. The owner learned about the track use when they saw from the ap tracking that it was in Spain, outside the agreed upon use area. They know Daimler actually had the car because an improper parking notice from one of the company's test facilities was found in the glove box.

Perhaps Daimler did disclose what they were going to do with the car, and then the rental company didn't disclose that to the car's owners.