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Teen purchased totaled Tesla for $15,000 and uncovered huge surprise after he retrieved data from built-in computer

Home> Technology> News

Updated 16:42 22 Oct 2024 GMT+1Published 19:51 21 Oct 2024 GMT+1

Teen purchased totaled Tesla for $15,000 and uncovered huge surprise after he retrieved data from built-in computer

The teen saved thousands of dollars in restoring it to its former glory - but it didn't come without a huge shock

Joe Yates

Joe Yates

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Featured Image Credit: YouTube/Wham Baam Teslacam/WinstonsGarage

Topics: Tesla, Technology, Electric Cars, YouTube

Joe Yates
Joe Yates

Joe is a journalist for UNILAD, who particularly enjoys writing about crime. He has worked in journalism for five years, and has covered everything from murder trials to celeb news.

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Stories like this make me question why I didn't spend my childhood specializing in anything, instead of just playing video games.

Well, those years are behind me and what do I have to show? Nothing, or at least not until my son grows up and I can spank him on Call of Duty.

Well, a genius teenager, named only as Winston, had the right idea as he used his adolescent years studying cars and became somewhat of mechanic, with him appearing to have specialized in electric vehicles.

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The story of how the 18-year-old came about rebuilding a 2018 Tesla Model 3 was shared on YouTube channel Wham Baam Teslacam.

Speaking about the teen's situation, its host said: "Winston purchased this totaled Model 3 from a wrecking yard and rebuilt it himself in his garage.

"Once the car was completely rebuilt he plugged in his USB drive and retrieved the footage stored locally on the Tesla's computer finally revealing how the car had been totaled.

The 2018 Tesla Model 3 was restored to its former glory by an 18-year-old (YouTube/WinstonsGarage)
The 2018 Tesla Model 3 was restored to its former glory by an 18-year-old (YouTube/WinstonsGarage)

"The footage shows the former owner driving along when another car suddenly appeared from the right with no opportunity to stop."

Adding: "The Tesla driver T-boned the other driver on the driver's side, the Tesla was a total loss and was sold to Winston by Geico Insurance - Winston won the auction for $15,000 before setting out to build the cheapest Tesla in the US."

That's not technically all true, because the owner of the Tesla was actually Winston's parents - and he decided to rebuild it for them.

He explained it further on his own YouTube channel, WinstonsGarage.

Winston can be seen driving the electric motor in recent videos (YouTube/WinstonsGarage)
Winston can be seen driving the electric motor in recent videos (YouTube/WinstonsGarage)

His bio read: "I rebuilt a Tesla Model 3 for my parents and we have been driving it for a couple months now! I hope to one day bring another Tesla onto the channel and rebuild it but we will see."

Having the no how to bring a Tesla back to life has got to put him on the radar if Elon Musk is ever looking for an intern surely? Well, he has applied so we'll see!

Anyway, the footage certainly shocked the young man - who was able to bring the car back to life.

He explained how he spent roughly $25,000 on the entire project - which included the $15,000 to buy it and the additional $9,000 for spare parts, with $1,000 going to the taxman.

It meant that he saved his mom and dad a whole lot of money - as it turned out to be $27,000 cheaper than the new Model 3, costing about $52,000.

UNILAD has contacted Tesla for comment as to whether it would be willing to offer the teen a job.

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