Tesla Hacker: The Rogue Mechanic Taking On Tesla

Summary

The video follows Rich, a DIY Tesla enthusiast and YouTuber behind the channel 'Rich Rebuilds,' as he refurbishes and rebuilds damaged Tesla vehicles. Rich emphasizes the right-to-repair movement, advocating for consumers' ability to fix their own vehicles despite Tesla's restrictive policies. He highlights the environmental and economic benefits of repairing rather than discarding cars, while also discussing the potential legal challenges he faces. Rich's passion for sustainable car repair shines as he navigates the complexities of rebuilding Teslas from salvaged parts and advocates for consumer empowerment.

Takeaways

• 🔧 Tesla vehicles are exotic and highly engineered, but they are difficult for independent individuals to repair.
• 🚗 Rich, also known as 'Rich Rebuilds' or 'Uncle Rich,' is a DIY Tesla repair enthusiast who has revived multiple dead Teslas.
• 🔩 Rich believes strongly in the right to repair, advocating that if you own something, you should be able to fix it yourself.
• ⚡ Tesla tightly controls access to parts and repairs, making it challenging for independent repairers to maintain Teslas without relying on the manufacturer.
• 🛠️ Rich rebuilds Teslas by salvaging parts from wrecked cars, often storing large inventories of spare parts.
• ⚖️ Massachusetts' Right to Repair Act partially protects independent repairers, but Tesla’s lack of traditional dealerships presents a loophole.
• ♻️ Rich emphasizes sustainability, arguing that fixing Teslas is better for the environment than allowing them to sit abandoned in lots.
• 👨‍🔧 Rich’s passion for fixing Teslas borders on obsession, as he refuses to throw away parts and continues working on complex projects.
• 🧪 Repairing and working with Tesla's high-voltage batteries is extremely dangerous, but Rich has become more comfortable with the risks over time.
• 🚫 Despite legal risks and Tesla’s reluctance to support third-party repairs, Rich is determined to continue his work and possibly open a Tesla repair shop in the future.

Q & A

Who is the person featured in the transcript?

The person featured is Rich, who runs a YouTube channel called 'Rich Rebuilds' and also goes by the name 'Uncle Rich' or 'car guru.'

What is Rich's primary activity or passion as described in the transcript?

Rich is a DIY enthusiast and Tesla 'vigilante' who focuses on rebuilding and repairing Tesla vehicles, often combining parts from multiple cars to create one working vehicle.

Why does Rich compare himself to Dr. Frankenstein in the transcript?

Rich compares himself to Dr. Frankenstein because he resurrects 'dead' Teslas, bringing them back to life by fixing them with parts from other damaged vehicles, often against Tesla’s practices.

What are some challenges Rich faces in his efforts to rebuild Teslas?

Rich faces challenges like Tesla’s control over vehicle repairs and parts, the difficulty of sourcing parts since Tesla doesn’t easily sell them to third parties, and the potential for legal issues.

What does Rich believe about consumer rights in relation to the vehicles they own?

Rich believes that consumers should have the right to repair their own vehicles if they fully own them. He argues that Tesla's restrictive control over repairs and parts violates this right.

How does Rich source the parts for his Tesla rebuilds?

Rich sources parts from other wrecked Tesla vehicles, buying them, harvesting usable components, and using those parts to fix other cars in need of repairs.

What does Rich say about the environmental benefits of repairing cars rather than discarding them?

Rich highlights that repairing cars rather than discarding them reduces waste, is eco-friendly, creates jobs, and alleviates pressure on manufacturers.

Why does Rich feel that Tesla's mission of sustainability is contradicted by their repair policies?

Rich believes Tesla’s control over repairs and refusal to sell parts to third parties causes damaged vehicles to sit unused for long periods, contradicting Tesla's stated mission of sustainability.

What safety concerns does Rich face when working with Tesla's high-voltage battery packs?

Rich acknowledges the danger of working with high-voltage Tesla battery packs, which have enough power to kill someone instantly, but over time, he has become more comfortable handling them.

What is Rich's long-term goal, and what does he believe might prevent him from achieving it?

Rich’s long-term goal is to open his own Tesla repair shop to help people fix their cars. However, he believes Tesla will likely prevent this by restricting access to parts and repairs.

Outlines

00:00

⚡️ The DIY Tesla Rebuilder's Journey

Rich, a Tesla enthusiast, talks about his efforts to rebuild Tesla vehicles despite Tesla's opposition to third-party repairs. He describes himself as the 'Dr. Frankenstein' of Tesla, highlighting the importance of individuals knowing how to fix their own cars. Rich advocates for the right to repair and emphasizes the message that consumers have a voice, and they shouldn't feel small against major corporations. He shares his frustrations with Tesla's monopolization over repairs and parts, portraying himself as a vigilante standing up for consumer rights.

05:01

🔧 A Treasure Trove of Tesla Parts

Rich showcases his collection of Tesla parts, including battery modules, media control units, and coolant pumps. He explains how he sources parts from wrecked Tesla vehicles and harvests them for repairs, stressing the challenge of finding specific parts since Tesla doesn't sell them to individuals. He acknowledges the legal risks he faces in performing repairs without Tesla’s authorization but expresses his dedication to keeping Tesla cars on the road. He underscores the eco-friendly benefits of recycling parts rather than discarding them, advocating for a sustainable approach to car repairs.

10:01

🚘 The Flooded Tesla Rebuild and Obsession with Parts

Rich talks about his first purchase of a Tesla Model S that had been in a flood. Despite the car being non-functional and the high costs involved, he bought another wrecked Tesla to cannibalize for parts, eventually getting the car to run. His persistence led people to reconsider their doubts about rebuilding Teslas. He later describes his obsession with collecting spare parts, explaining that he cannot throw anything away until his projects are completed, even though they never feel finished. This passion goes against Tesla’s mission of control, as Rich believes in finding new life for abandoned cars.

15:01

🔥 Salvaging a Burnt Tesla for Parts

Rich recounts purchasing a Tesla Model S that had been burned in a crash, seeing potential value in its remaining undamaged parts. Despite the car’s condition, Rich believes the salvaged parts can be used to repair other Teslas, avoiding long waits for Tesla’s supply chain. He describes the emotional connection to abandoned technology, likening it to a personal hurt when seeing such sophisticated engineering go to waste. Rich plans to recycle the vehicle's usable parts, underscoring his belief in sustainability and repurposing parts rather than discarding valuable resources.

Keywords

💡Tesla

Tesla refers to the electric vehicle company known for its cutting-edge cars. In the video, Tesla plays a central role as the company controls much of the repair and maintenance process, which the video's protagonist, Rich, challenges by independently repairing Tesla vehicles. This highlights the conflict between Tesla's control over its products and the right of consumers to repair what they own.

💡Right to Repair

The Right to Repair is a consumer advocacy movement that argues people should be able to fix products they own without being restricted by manufacturers. Rich discusses how Tesla limits access to parts and repair services, which goes against the idea that car owners should have the freedom to repair their own vehicles. This concept drives much of the video's narrative as Rich fights for consumer rights.

💡DIY (Do It Yourself)

DIY refers to the process of building or repairing things independently without professional help. Rich is described as a 'DIY enthusiast' who works on Tesla cars without the support of the manufacturer. His actions demonstrate the DIY culture in car repairs, especially in the face of limitations set by Tesla.

💡Vigilante

A vigilante is someone who takes action into their own hands, often operating outside formal authority. In the video, Rich is described as a 'Tesla vigilante' because he bypasses Tesla's official repair systems and independently fixes Tesla cars. This label emphasizes his unconventional approach to addressing the monopolistic control Tesla has over repairs.

💡Sustainability

Sustainability in the video refers to the idea of reducing waste by repairing and reusing parts, rather than discarding entire cars. Rich advocates for this concept by salvaging parts from damaged Tesla vehicles, arguing that doing so aligns with Tesla’s own mission of sustainability, despite the company's policies that make it difficult for third parties to repair cars.

💡Parts Shortage

Parts shortage is a recurring issue in the video, where Rich explains the difficulties of acquiring Tesla parts to fix vehicles. Since Tesla restricts access to parts and does not operate traditional dealerships, Rich must salvage parts from wrecked vehicles. This shortage is a major obstacle for independent repairs and is central to the challenges highlighted in the video.

💡Flooded Tesla

A flooded Tesla refers to a Tesla vehicle that has been damaged by water, typically making it inoperable. In the video, Rich purchased a Model S that had been in a flood, which he repaired by transferring electronics from another damaged vehicle. This serves as an example of his resourcefulness and determination to revive vehicles that Tesla would likely consider beyond repair.

💡Repair Shop

A repair shop is a place where vehicles are serviced or repaired. Rich expresses his ambition to open his own Tesla repair shop, though he acknowledges the legal challenges that may arise due to Tesla's restrictions on independent repair work. His desire to help others fix their Tesla cars reflects the broader right-to-repair movement.

💡High Voltage Batteries

High voltage batteries are critical components of electric vehicles, like Tesla’s, that store and supply power. The video explains the dangers of working with these batteries, as they contain enough energy to either power a home for days or potentially be fatal. Rich's ability to handle these complex and dangerous components underscores his technical skill and the risks associated with DIY electric vehicle repairs.

💡Consumer Rights

Consumer rights refer to the protections and entitlements consumers have when purchasing goods. In the video, Rich advocates for the right of consumers to repair the vehicles they own. He argues that Tesla's control over repairs undermines these rights, especially when car owners are left with no choice but to rely on the manufacturer for even minor repairs.

Highlights

Rich is an independent Tesla rebuilder, repairing vehicles that Tesla considers unrepairable.

He is the first person to restore a completely dead Tesla back to nearly showroom quality.

Rich emphasizes the 'Right to Repair' movement, arguing that owners should be able to fix their own cars.

Tesla restricts access to repair parts and information, creating challenges for independent mechanics and owners.

Massachusetts’ Right to Repair Act provides some legal protection for his work, but Tesla's lack of dealerships creates loopholes.

Rich’s workshop contains a large collection of salvaged Tesla parts, sourced from wrecked vehicles.

He buys wrecked Teslas to harvest parts, making the process of fixing other vehicles possible.

Rich highlights the sustainability benefits of reusing parts, which aligns with Tesla’s stated mission, yet Tesla’s practices don’t support it.

He has rebuilt over 100 Teslas, helping other owners get their cars back on the road.

One of his projects involved restoring a Tesla that had been burnt in a front-end collision.

He faced challenges convincing Tesla to sell even basic parts, like lug nut covers.

Tesla has a history of refusing to repair vehicles involved in serious accidents, raising concerns about their commitment to safety and sustainability.

He navigates legal and logistical risks, including potential cease-and-desist orders from Tesla.

Rich’s story showcases the broader issue of manufacturer control versus consumer rights in the automotive and tech industries.

His goal is to open an independent Tesla repair shop, despite anticipated resistance from the company.

Transcripts

they're exotic it is surreal they're

just like nothing else in the road so

much engineering time effort and hours

went into creating these masterpieces

but there's also a flipside

Tesla stands are rebuilding vehicles is

only they should be able to do it

I would say I'm the first person to

bring a Tesla that's completely dead to

running and driving almost showroom

floor quality independently by

themselves at this point I would

consider myself to dr. Frankenstein or

Tesla's people need to know more about

the products they own if you own

something if you purchase something free

and clear then you should be able to fix

it yourself I don't want people to think

that they're too small to have a major

company make changes don't feel that

you're not being heard you do have a

voice

[Applause]

my name's rich and I run a YouTube

channel called rich rebuilds I also go

by uncle rich car guru you're probably

asking yourself car guru what are you

doing in that sweet sweet racecar bed

well you think my life is all fun and

games here's some of the things you have

to deal with when you hobble together

two broken Tesla's to make one working

Tesla this cars been sitting for so long

you just don't know what's gonna happen

I think if it's more it'll wash the

channel they probably describe me as a

DIY enthusiast to the extreme slash

Tesla vigilante honestly they probably

say you may hear some clicks you may

hear some buzzing the car may explode I

don't know what's gonna happen

no freakin way the door handles just

extended oh Jesus

oh my god this cars been sitting for

over a year I want people to have their

cars work I want people to enjoy them

I'm just trying to help I may not come

across that way sometimes but you know

there's a reason why I've only ten

myself personally there's a reason why I

physically touched and help people build

over a hundred cars array Oh first time

it's ever happened that's all right

Tesla is the gatekeeper to us repairing

our own goods because they want control

over Tesla fixing the cars they want

control over Tesla send you the parts

they just want everything under their

control how am I help you hey how you

doing today I have a p85 I need those

little lug nut covers oh sorry hold hold

on one second hold on one of the things

I enjoy is calling about their mistakes

he comes out here playing games Tessa

wants answers oh hello sorry sorry about

that you still there I think a

fundamental consumer right is your

ability to fix whatever you rightfully

own the fact that people don't have

another alternative but they're going to

manufacture that's a huge huge issue

there's a lot of gray area as to what

you actually own with with these cars

because in order for the major functions

of the car to work they have to talk to

Tesla

out of in Massachusetts and in

Massachusetts that have a right to

repair act it does protect what I do it

makes it easier I mean to get the tools

that I need but the language is very

interesting your language states that

you have to have the same tools

available that the dealers do to fix

their cars well guess what tested of

them have dealerships that's a loophole

right there all right so this is my

basement full of Tesla parts these are

the all of the parts that are required

to put a Tesla back together effectively

these right here I have all the battery

modules that go on the battery pack I

have the other coolant pumps that are

here I have a few MC use which is the

media control units the main master

screen of the car but these are the

things that you have to do to keep a

Tesla on the road you know to have a an

inventory of spare parts so that you

don't run out of stuff when you need it

the most I mean it really is a goldmine

because you can't find a lot of these a

lot of these parts back at Tesla I get

my parts from other cars so what I have

to do is I have to purchase other

wrecked vehicles take the parts I need

from those and then harvest those parts

for the cars that I need parts for in

terms of being tricky it's extremely

tricky because if you need a specific

part you have to hope and pray that the

car that you're taking the parts from

has it what I'm doing right now fixing

these cars you know under the radar from

Tesla is setting myself up for some big

legal problems in the future potentially

but because I think the cars are so

great and I want to help people in that

sense I just think it's just something

that I have to do

I have this part right here and this is

the visor that was in a Model S that

actually was severely burned you see the

burn marks on top of this and you know

to the untrained eye you could probably

just throw this part away that's what's

the point it's burned but if someone

needs the spring that actuates the the

hinge for the visor or if someone even

needs this part right here this could be

recycled you know you shouldn't just

throw it away as is a lot of these

things are still useable like these

hooks right here this could probably be

cleaned up really nice and putting

another visor piece we live in a day and

age where people just throw things away

there's plenty of benefits to fixing

your own cars you know it's less waste

eco friendly creates jobs eases pressure

off the manufacturer it just it just

makes sense all in so I figure if I

could you know do something to

contribute helping him back on the road

give him new life I think it's a win-win

for everyone

so a while back a friend of mine said

that he got a job at Tesla and he was

gonna bring one by and we took a ride in

it I said to myself I could see myself

owning one of these things for sure

about a year after that I purchased my

first Model S that was in the flood and

I started working on it

I spent $14,000 in a car that didn't run

or drive and showed no signs of light I

had no support from the manufacturer I

was getting the water so I thought about

it I said to myself I'm already in

14,000 let's just go all-in so I

actually ended up purchasing another car

that wasn't in a flood I brought it home

I had two Tesla's side by side and in

each garage bay and over the course of

you know several months I slowly

transplanted electronics from one car to

the other and it was just but I couldn't

believe it slowly people started saying

maybe he's onto something here maybe

he's not that crazy after all

maybe this can be done

so today we're gonna check this burnt

Tesla Model S out this Tesla Model S was

I hit in the front by another car the

other car caught fire and as a result

the front of this car burned as well I

saw this car online for the first time I

I just lit up I mean the front end was

completely toast

everything was everywhere the wheel was

actually in the back and it was

completely undriveable but there were a

couple pictures that I saw the interior

the back seats were still good so I knew

the second I saw this one I had to buy

it even though it seems like you know

it's not much to look at and there's

literally trees growing inside of it

this is still worth a lot because for

some of that's been rear-ended instead

of waiting you know four to six months

for parts from Tesla you know they could

just have the back half of this car

bring it to a body shop and have up and

running in a couple weeks so many

engineering hours have gone into making

these why throw it away when I could

just take parts from this one and help

someone in need

seeing an abandoned car like that having

it sit in the field abandon being

covered by snow and ice and dirt and

rocks and it almost hurts in a way it's

technology is my thing so seeing

something like that is just it hurts

almost if the mission and the motto is

is sustainability then you know a car

like this could stick in this state of

the insurance lot for years before it

gets picked up my idea is to actually

cut the front half of the car remove

some plastics recycle the aluminum and

then I'll use the back half for a car

that was rear-ended that needs fixing

it's aluminum so it's not that hard to

cut so I probably get a sawzall and I

just thought about right here

I'd do it myself yeah I'd do it myself

this is the storage area I keep a lot of

my parts in I have a rare seat cushion

from a tough so that's been sitting here

kind of getting mold all over it

there's just parts is part two

everywhere I think I am obsessed I

didn't think about that I think I am

this is a lot of I can't throw

anything away

until the project is done and the

problem with me is the project's never

done it definitely goes against Tesla's

mission statement but if there's an

issue with one of their tests list and

if only they can fix it and no one else

can it sits in the field for years how

is that sustainable I'm doing very well

thanks I have a 2012 Model S and it's

giving me an issue charging I've

narrowed it down to one of the Chargers

under the rear seats how much of those

go for oh sorry about that sure my VIN

number is a five we actually can't sell

you any parts for that car either

thought I was 50 sinless okay

all right no parts at all

unfortunately not there I've expressed

my frustrations to Tesla mostly over the

phone but I've expressed a lot of my

views a lot of the things I've gone

through on my my personal Channel people

at Tesla they do notice the channel and

they do they do know hey guys your boy

rich here and a buddy of mine that's

also into tesla rebuild game he recently

got a letter in the mail from tesla

saying that there was an airbag recall

there was an issue a while back where

there was a recall for airbags and Tesla

just refused to replace airbags on cars

that they felt that they shouldn't

support so I made a video saying what do

you guys think this doesn't seem right

to me let me know what you guys think

about this one in the comment section

should toss to be allowed to determine

which cars it does and does not service

or should they abide by the nhtsa's

rules and make sure that all cars are

repaired free of charge and three weeks

later Tesla called my friend up and said

hey come back in for an appointment

it's gonna be great let's get that

airbag all set for you they won't make

it easy but eventually they're going to

have to make it so that they help people

or third-party repair shops build their

vehicles

the project that I'm working on right

now it wasn't a flood so that motor and

that battery they're just toast so I

have to get a trailer and pick up the

motor and battery from a car that was in

a rollover to transplant into the

flooded car looking at the front of this

battery it looks like in the crash the

top case may have popped off slightly it

looks like some water got into the

battery not feeling great right now I

probably have to pop that cover off and

see how much if any water is in there I

[Music]

think that that there's a quiet

revolution starting it's getting louder

and louder for sure now that people have

various platforms to state their cases

and native voice is known

this defi revolution coming so right now

we're at advanced technologies and

Gloucester mass with my buddy Lee shops

and he's been helping me out a lot with

a lot of the heavy lifting of the

battery packs and the motors themselves

he actually saw me in the channel and

he's like hey you know what like I like

what you're doing I think it's really

cool I don't want to help you out so

he's actually letting me keep my car

here as well as help me work on it you

know and give me access to all this

tools so it's a pretty cool I'm working

on these cars a lot of really

interesting things that could happen

sometimes things are just not ready for

I mean I was taking off the battery pack

I discovered an actual crack in the side

of the battery pack and we're gonna

check that crack out right now so we're

gonna see when it fell off the top cover

and we're gonna see if there's anything

we could do is save that what I do is

extremely dangerous it's very

intimidating working with you know a

high voltage battery pack has enough

power to to power a house for days or to

just kill you within seconds so I think

when I open my first battery pack I had

my linemen gloves on I had like a full

body suit it's like I'm gonna go in

there and the deep blue yonder and now

I'm just like now it is what it is you

know lick the terminals yeah

whatever doesn't matter it's coming up

so this is what a Tesla Model S battery

module looks like and there's 16 of

these each has its own individual

section it kind of lives in isolated in

firewall from the next one what I want

to do now is I want to actually test the

voltage that I'm seeing on these two

bricks to see if they're still good give

a voltmeter Lee all right so we're

getting 23 volts out of this one which

is good yeah

23 6 3 each battery brick is about 24

volts so the fact that it's that high is

that via a good sign it looks like those

bricks are good so I feel as if these

two modules are good that I feel safe

saying if the rest of them we're good as

well you know what Lee I'm going to put

the cover back on and then just kind of

light loosely tighten it and then maybe

we could start the motor itself

[Music]

an individual rich is a really steering

the the frontline for the backyard

mechanic kind of thing but really

learning every inch of Tesla other

companies can do it but individuals

taking on the task with a huge

undertaking Tesla has an image to keep

up as a cutting-edge auto manufacturer

and if you do fix your own car and

something happens and another Tesla gets

into an accident is gonna make national

news they don't want to see that I am

completely sympathetic with their

concerns it's their brand I totally get

it but it's not gonna stop me

that's not a reason why someone

shouldn't do it

worst-case scenario Tesla reaches out to

me and says you know sent me a cease and

desist they stop doing what you're doing

stop your YouTube channel stop doing

close-ups of the inside electronics and

motors and how they work but they could

say that I'll still do it even though

it's not the intention I see myself

opening up my own test a repair shop

they won't let that happen but I'd like

to do that I like to help people this is

unchartered territory this is cutting

edge this is the future

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