21-07-2025
Tesla Owner Thinks They'll Be 'Upgraded for Life'—Quickly Realizes Something
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A Tesla owner who believed their Model 3 Performance would be "upgraded for life" has vented their frustration online after discovering key software and hardware features will never reach their vehicle.
In a now-viral Reddit post on r/RealTesla, user mr4sh explained he was persuaded by the manufacturer's long-standing promise that vehicle software updates would continue long after purchase.
But four years into ownership, he says the promise is unraveling.
Image of a Tesla facility.
Image of a Tesla facility.
Photo by Chris Allan / Getty Images
"A huge selling point for me when I bought my Performance Model 3 about 4 years ago was that everyone talked about how you get upgraded for life," the original poster (OP) wrote in the post.
"Since then, we've upgraded to version 13, which my car will never get."
The OP cited multiple examples of missed upgrades, including Tesla's decision to restrict the upcoming 'Grok' chatbot to vehicles equipped with newer AMD processors.
Their car, which runs on Intel-based hardware, will be excluded.
The OP also expressed disappointment over Tesla's Full Self-Driving (FSD) software.
"I won't be getting the FSD I paid for, that's for HW4 or maybe even HW5 or 6, so that's obsolete," he wrote, adding that the current version makes unnecessary lane changes and emits frequent alerts, making it "almost unusable".
On top of software setbacks, the OP said the vehicle's battery had to be replaced, but with a degraded unit that reduced range by 30 miles overnight.
"COOL UPGRADED FOR LIFE VEHICLE!" he wrote. "Also, huge cherry on top that the CEO became an absolute f***ing Nazi idiot."
Reddit Reacts
Nearly 300 Reddit users took to the comments to weigh in, with one writing, "Your first Musking?", referring to Tesla's embattled CEO, Elon Musk.
"I always wonder why 'getting upgrades' should be a sales pitch?" another user wondered. "Why not just sell a car that's finished when shipped rather than fixing stuff afterwards?"
One Redditor pointed out that Tesla vehicles aren't known for their longevity, pointing out, "You want a car for life, you get a mid-level ICE Honda Civic or [Toyota] Corolla," they wrote.
'The most exciting purchase'
In a message to Newsweek, the OP pointed out that his Tesla is "still the most exciting purchase I've ever made".
"I loved Tesla," he noted. "I still love my car, I just hate what's become of both the company and the CEO."
He also explained that he had been "one of [Musk's] biggest fans" but that his fandom waned when Musk called a British man who saved a Thai youth soccer team a "pedo."
"That seemed to be the beginning of the end of his sanity," the OP wrote, adding that Tesla "deserves to be sued".
Criticism Over Tesla's Customer Service
"I think people should be aware of the way that Tesla tries to gaslight people into not getting helped," he continued.
"They delayed their response to me in answering why the battery range was so low compared to the one that I brought in to be replaced, then they closed the ticket.
"If I try to open a new ticket, it just takes me to a phone number to call to reach Tesla customer service, which they don't answer.
"There are people who have posted screenshots of their calls to Customer Service OVER 24 HOURS LONG still waiting to be answered. So that's how they deal with this."
Tesla Making Headlines For All the Wrong Reasons
The OP certainly isn't the first Tesla user who has run into issues with their vehicle.
More than 46,000 Cybertrucks were recalled earlier this year due to a defective cosmetic panel that could fall off as users drove.
In June, Cybertrucks again came under fire when one ignited despite being switched off for nearly an hour, with officials in Colorado claiming it nearly started a wildfire.
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