Competitor Tore Apart a Rented Tesla to Learn Its Secrets

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1980 240d ,

chain elongation, cam marks reference:
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/10414-help-i-need-check-stretch.html

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/305365-9-degrees-chain-stretch.html

evap fin cleaning:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/156207-photo-step-step-post-showing-w123-evaporator-removal-1983-240d-1982-300td.html?highlight=evaporator

A/C thread

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/297462-c-recommendations-mb-vehicles.html

Hell of a scandal , and no Russians involved !!!!!

Easier to hire Tesla engineers. I hear many don’t get along with Musk.

Sixto
98 E320s sedan and wagon

Nasty unethical trick to take a rental car and butcher it essentially. Reasonable non destructive testing of rentals is probably common at the same time by many companies. .

Also they seriously broke the conditions in the rental contract. Some lack of fundamental ethics are involved here. It almost sounds like they physically took the car apart. To examine everything. What is also troublesome is obviously they thought they could get away with it.

Mercedes is also very wealthy company to put it mildly. Their income stream percentagewise from car manufacturing is very small potatoes to them overall.

I ran across that web article too. The car owners had rented their car thru a website, kind of like AirBnB for cars, but in Europe. I sure wouldn't do that with a newish car. It might come back with your good parts swapped, especially a Tesla where the battery pack is 80% of the car's value and designed for easy swap-out (Tesla offers a quick battery swap, automated at their charging stations, though an expensive service).

Not sure what secrets M-B hoped to learn by tearing into a Tesla. Musk' secret is that, yes you can make an electric car by stringing together a gazillion Li flashlight batteries (BTW, same Panasonic PN used in my bicycle lamp). You can also make a info-system by super-gluing an iPad into the dash. The unsecret is that it isn't economical or very practical. Musk other secret is that making outrageous claims can attract fan-boys (void left by Jobs' passing) who see you as visionary and will work long hours for low pay, with others are in line to replace them when you unfairly fire them (many times). The market anticipates a fall, which is why Tesla is the most shorted stock currently.

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1984 & 1985 CA 300D's
1964 & 65 Mopar's - Valiant, Dart, Newport
1996 & 2002 Chrysler minivans

I don't see anything wrong with buying your competitors cars to see what's up. Manufacturers have been doing it forever.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

True, but renting one from an innocent person trying to make a living and then damaging it in the process while trying to cover it up and breaking the rental policy is pretty shameful. They should have just bought a Tesla instead of messing with someone's personal property and livelihood.

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Stop paying for animal enslavement, cruelty, and slaughter. Save your health and the planet. Go vegan! I did 18 years ago. https://challenge22.com/

DON'T MESS WITH MY MERCEDES!


1967 W110 Universal Wagon, Euro, Turbo Diesel, Tail Fins, 4 Speed Manual Column Shift, A/C
1980 W116 300SD Turbo Diesel, DB479 Walnut Brown, Sunroof, Highly Optioned, 350,000+ Miles

That's dumb on multiple levels.

MBZ was using Tesla for their drivetrain components for awhile.

https://jalopnik.com/the-tesla-powered-mercedes-b-class-is-coming-to-the-u-s-1569161110

MBZ could easily afford to just go buy a Tesla through a private party or the used market, no need for all that mess.

In addition, Tesla doesn't patent their stuff, they have publicly stated that their tech is open market for use by others to further the EV movement.

https://www.tesla.com/blog/all-our-patent-are-belong-you

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617 swapped Toyota Pickup, 22-24 MPG, 50k miles on swap

Well, all we have is an article to go by. I suspect if all facts are known it will turn out to be fake news put out by VW to embarrass MB. (Just kidding).

But still there may be a compelling other side to the story.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

^that's what I was thinking. These car companies buy competitors cars all the time to dissect them. I don't think we are hearing the whole story. Now with that said if it was done this way it is wrong in my opinion.

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Jim

Something seem way off here. A billion dollar company would buy the car. They have no reason to rent one. Unless they've really sacrificed that much quality for the sake of cost cutting. If that is the case run for the hills when it comes to buying cars made by them, the might stop putting brakes on the cars in an effort to save a penny.

A penny wise and a pound foolish.

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Nosce Te Ipsum "Know thyself"