Tesla Kept My Deposit After I Canceled the Order Within 24 Hours
Tesla gave me the worst customer experience I’ve ever had—and kept my ₺50,000 for absolutely nothing. On Sunday, January 5th, I visited the Tesla Experience Center in Ümraniye for a test drive. I was excited and paid a ₺50,000 deposit to reserve a car. But the problems started immediately. Despite repeatedly asking Tesla sales reps about the battery capacity, I never received a clear answer.
The next day, I found out I wouldn’t qualify for a car loan due to unemployment and realized the vehicle wasn’t a good fit for me financially. So I asked to cancel the order and get my deposit back—less than 24 hours after placing it. That’s when this nightmare really began.
I wasn’t given any contract, order document, or even verbal information that the deposit would be non-refundable. The rep filled everything out casually and never mentioned any cancellation policy. Had I known, I would’ve never paid that money on the spot.
Tesla is now refusing to return my ₺50,000, claiming it’s a “processing fee,” even though the car wasn’t custom-ordered and I received zero services. No production started. Other brands in Turkey, like BYD, return the full deposit even after several days. But Tesla? They treat customers like they’re disposable.
I've written to the country manager multiple times, and still no written response. I feel scammed by a company I once trusted. If Tesla wants to charge a penalty, a small cut (3-5%) would be understandable—not withholding the entire amount.
