Couple get refund for Tesla that couldn't drive itself
Jiahui Wang and Yuxuan Li purchased the 2020 Tesla Model 3 for $44,000 earlier this year from Bosplus Ltd in Auckland on the assurance that it had Full Self Driving (FSD) capability.
This feature, contrary to its name, does not allow the car to drive itself but identifies stop signs and traffic lights and automatically slows the vehicle.
Regardless, Wang and Li's Tesla didn't have this program installed, despite the salesman, Bojia Liu, assuring them it did.
Liu assured them that during a trip he did from Auckland to Tauranga in a similar car, it could "drive like a robot" and he barely had needed to touch the steering wheel at all.
"In other words, by spending an extra $6000, you get an additional 100km of range, 100 more horsepower, all-wheel drive, and the Full Self-Driving feature," he told them by text message when they asked why the model they were looking at was more expensive than other Tesla vehicles.
When Wang and Li discovered that the car they had purchased didn't have this function, and couldn't be charged at many charging stations in New Zealand, they took Bosplus to the Motor Vehicle Disputes Tribunal to get a full refund.
At a hearing held earlier this year Bosplus, represented by Liu, admitted he'd copied the information about FSD capability from Tesla's official website onto the advertisement for the vehicle and wasn't aware it didn't have it.
Instead, the Tesla had autopilot, which matches speed to surrounding traffic and assists with lane steering, and advanced autopilot, which helps with parallel parking, lane changes and navigating interchanges.
Tesla confirmed with the couple that their model could not be fitted with FSD. Tesla also confirmed that the car was a Japanese import and had a different charging port, which could be changed but would result in slower charging of its battery.
Tribunal adjudicator Crystal Euden said in a recently released ruling that Bosplus had been misleading in selling the vehicle.
"Bosplus clearly represented that the vehicle had FSD capabilities, specifically Tesla's Traffic Light and Stop Sign Control functions," she said.
"Although a third party may be able to configure the vehicle to enable those features, they are not currently available on the vehicle."
Euden said she was confident the buyers wouldn't have purchased the vehicle if they'd known it didn't have the advertised features.
"Liu specifically told the purchasers that the vehicle was more expensive because it had these features, but that was not the case," she said.
Euden ordered that Bosplus refund the couple entirely.
- By Jeremy Wilkinson, Open Justice reporter from New Zealand Herald
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NZ Herald
2 days ago
- NZ Herald
$130m luxury resort Noctis by Kamana with 10-bedroom penthouse, set for Queenstown opening in 2027
The new build has been designed to preserve the Lakehouse's signature views. The resort aims to become New Zealand's most luxury destination, with 37 bedrooms across 10 villas. Kamana Lakehouse executive managers and Noctis project leaders David Wang and Tracey Higgins said it was aiming to create a resort that would become New Zealand's most coveted luxury destination. 'The success we've enjoyed with Kamana Lakehouse has given us the platform to push creative boundaries and deliver something that will become Queenstown's defining luxury experience and compete with the world's finest resorts,' Wang said. 'We're now expanding our senior leadership team with entrepreneurial, visionary talent to help us create and drive the Kamana and Noctis brands forward.' The elevated site will have uninterrupted views of Lake Wakatipu and the Southern Alps, and features 37 bedrooms across the 10 villas. The villas will come in three different sizes, junior, executive, and an expansive presidential suite. The junior suites span will 289sq m and feature three bedrooms, three ensuite bathrooms, two terraces, two spa pools and dual living areas. The executive suites will span a larger 670sq m and boast an extra bedroom and their own private wine-tasting cellar, plunge pool, gym, sauna, massage therapy room and home theatre. The largest option is a 10-bedroom presidential penthouse that spans 1200sq m. It features all of the aforementioned amenities and an additional pool, pool deck, pond and a three-car garage. The $130 million resort will feature views of Lake Wakatipu and the Southern Alps, as seen in this render of one of the suite's dining rooms. The resort will also have central amenities including an infinity pool with lake and mountain views, a day spa and wellness facilities, a yoga studio and a restaurant to showcase local cuisine. For larger gatherings, expansive conference and event facilities will be available to accommodate up to 120 guests, with a pre-function lawn and a lake-facing terrace with panoramic views. While Wang couldn't confirm how much it will cost to stay in the villas, he said that Noctis draws inspiration from globally celebrated resorts like St Regis, Ritz-Carlton, Bvlgari and Banyan Tree, and aims to exist in a similar price range. 'Our ambition is to build a homegrown New Zealand brand that belongs in that same conversation, carrying the spirit of Aotearoa on to the global stage.' Developers Coherent Hotel reported total revenue of $14.1m in 2024, with a net profit of $3.7m according to the New Zealand Companies Register. The site is located five minutes from the centre of Queenstown, offering accessibility for travellers wanting to make the most of the tourist hotspot. The Kamana Lakehouse team will soon begin recruiting key staff positions for the resort, although once Noctis has opened, it will operate independently from the Kamana Lakehouse. 'At this stage, our focus isn't on headcount at Noctis, but rather on building from the incredible talent already at the heart of Kamana Lakehouse and Nest.' 'The success we've seen so far comes down to the passion, creativity, and care of our people, and we're excited to give them a new canvas to work with.' Tom Raynel is a multimedia business journalist for the Herald, covering small business, retail and tourism.
Otago Daily Times
3 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
‘Defining luxury experience' hopes for new luxury hospitality development
An architect's impressions of Queenstown's new luxury resort Noctis by Kamana, including (from top to bottom): the view over Lake Wakatipu; the penthouse suite; and the pool. IMAGES: SUPPLIED The company behind Queenstown's Kamana Lakehouse has today announced details of a new $130 million luxury hospitality development. Noctis by Kamana will contain 37 keys across 10 ultra-luxury villas, including a 10-bedroom presidential penthouse covering 1200sqm. The property, developed by Coherent Hotel Ltd, is under construction and is due to open in late 2027. Kamana Lakehouse executive manager and Noctis project co-leader David Wang said the Lakehouse had given the company the platform to push creative boundaries and deliver something that would become Queenstown's "defining luxury experience" and "compete with the world's finest resorts". He said the word Noctis meant "of the night" in Latin. The luxury villas have been designed by Hallion Architects, Y-6 Design and 3Eyes Construction Group and have astronomical elements, such as constellation lighting. The elevated site has uninterrupted views of Lake Wakatipu and the mountains, and has 10 villas, including three-bedroom junior suites (289sqm), four-bedroom executive residences (670sqm) and a 10-bedroom presidential penthouse (1200sqm). Each junior suite comes with two terraces, two spa pools and dual living areas. The executive residences have their own private wine-tasting cellar, a plunge pool, gym, sauna, massage therapy room and home theatre. The penthouse has all of these things, plus an additional pool, pool deck, reflective pond and three-car garage. The Noctis will also have an infinity pool, a day spa and wellness facilities, yoga studio and a designer restaurant. Private chefs will also cater to guests from their in-villa kitchens. Mr Wang said Noctis by Kamana was 10 minutes from the Queenstown CBD.
Otago Daily Times
4 days ago
- Otago Daily Times
Couple get refund for Tesla that couldn't drive itself
A couple has won a refund after their new Tesla failed to "drive like a robot" as the slesman promised it would when he sold it to them. Jiahui Wang and Yuxuan Li purchased the 2020 Tesla Model 3 for $44,000 earlier this year from Bosplus Ltd in Auckland on the assurance that it had Full Self Driving (FSD) capability. This feature, contrary to its name, does not allow the car to drive itself but identifies stop signs and traffic lights and automatically slows the vehicle. Regardless, Wang and Li's Tesla didn't have this program installed, despite the salesman, Bojia Liu, assuring them it did. Liu assured them that during a trip he did from Auckland to Tauranga in a similar car, it could "drive like a robot" and he barely had needed to touch the steering wheel at all. "In other words, by spending an extra $6000, you get an additional 100km of range, 100 more horsepower, all-wheel drive, and the Full Self-Driving feature," he told them by text message when they asked why the model they were looking at was more expensive than other Tesla vehicles. When Wang and Li discovered that the car they had purchased didn't have this function, and couldn't be charged at many charging stations in New Zealand, they took Bosplus to the Motor Vehicle Disputes Tribunal to get a full refund. At a hearing held earlier this year Bosplus, represented by Liu, admitted he'd copied the information about FSD capability from Tesla's official website onto the advertisement for the vehicle and wasn't aware it didn't have it. Instead, the Tesla had autopilot, which matches speed to surrounding traffic and assists with lane steering, and advanced autopilot, which helps with parallel parking, lane changes and navigating interchanges. Tesla confirmed with the couple that their model could not be fitted with FSD. Tesla also confirmed that the car was a Japanese import and had a different charging port, which could be changed but would result in slower charging of its battery. Tribunal adjudicator Crystal Euden said in a recently released ruling that Bosplus had been misleading in selling the vehicle. "Bosplus clearly represented that the vehicle had FSD capabilities, specifically Tesla's Traffic Light and Stop Sign Control functions," she said. "Although a third party may be able to configure the vehicle to enable those features, they are not currently available on the vehicle." Euden said she was confident the buyers wouldn't have purchased the vehicle if they'd known it didn't have the advertised features. "Liu specifically told the purchasers that the vehicle was more expensive because it had these features, but that was not the case," she said. Euden ordered that Bosplus refund the couple entirely. - By Jeremy Wilkinson, Open Justice reporter from New Zealand Herald
