‘I’m tired of Elon Musk’: This Tesla owner is trading in his Model Y because he’s ‘embarrassed to drive it’ — here’s how to effectively manage disputes with your dealership

Even though Romer admits that his Tesla was nice to drive, his frustration with Musk pushed him to test drive a different EV, which he fell in love with.

Romer is not alone in breaking up with Tesla because of Musk. Reuters reports that, according to Edmunds, Tesla trade-ins are on pace to hit a record high in March 2025 compared to the year before.

Why this Tesla owner is switching to another EV brand

Romer, who spoke to CNN as he was driving past the picket line at a Tesla protest in California, says after putting over 80,000 miles on the Model Y, he was in the process of getting it repaired so he could sell it.

“I [test drove] one of the Lucid cars, and they’re very nice,” he shared with CNN reporter Julia Vargas Jones. “They are like driving a Mercedes compared to this [Model Y].”

The mid-March protest Romer found himself in was part of the “Tesla Takedown” movement, which has seen protestors gather around the world at Tesla showrooms — including 90 in the state of California the same weekend CNN caught up with Romer — to protest Musk and his efforts with the Department of Government Efficiency.

About a week later, Jones followed up with Romer to see if he’d sold his vehicle. He told her he did, and it felt like someone had lifted a huge weight off of his shoulders. Although he only got about a third of what he originally paid for his car four years ago, he told Jones it made him feel like he was “doing something.”

How to manage a dispute with a car dealership

Romer’s dispute wasn’t necessarily with his Tesla dealership specifically. But U.S. drivers often experience issues with their cars, ranging from falling victim to deceptive ads or dealers to issues with car warranties or safety features.

It’s important to know what actions are available to you should you ever have a dispute with a car dealer.