Kiwi Tesla Model Y owners are taking advantage of a loophole in the clean car programme by claiming the $8652 rebate and then immediately selling the vehicle for the official retail price.

First deliveries of the Model Y began last month with 581 landing in New Zealand and 745 Tesla Model 3 cars registered in August.

The rear-wheel drive Model Y is priced from $76,200 and with the clean car rebate, will cost approximately $67,575. If ordered today, the Model Y will arrive in November-December. 

But some buyers of the Model Y are claiming the rebate, then listing the vehicle on TradeMe – with a heated reaction to the sale.

One owner of a white Model Y is trying to take advantage of the popularity of the vehicle by listing their vehicle for $76,000, after receiving the rebate. Their reason for listing the new Model Y three weeks ago was due to “changes in personal circumstances”. 

But people aren’t impressed, accusing the seller of flipping the car (comments below).

And new vehicle dealers aren’t impressed either. A source told AutoMuse that when he registers a demo vehicle he has to sign an affidavit in front of a JP that he wouldn’t sell it for three months.

“If I tried to sell the demo car before three months I’d get into a lot of trouble … but people are taking advantage of the loophole in the clean car rebate and there’s nothing the Government can do about it,” the dealership manager told AutoMuse.

It’s not a rebate vehicle being popular that are making sellers flip their car, long wait times are also proving profitable, especially with the Toyota RAV4 hybrid.

The wait time for the popular RAV4 is mid-2023 with the hybrid eligible for a clean car rebate of $2387.24.

But one person on TradeMe is selling their 2022 RAV4 XSE with 30km on the clock for $58,000 while it retails for $54,290 on the Toyota website.

Again, people are angry at the seller for taking advantage and making a profit.

Comments under the listing include:  “Not a bad mark up, just picked up our new XSE for 52k, not sure where you get you price from, is your different to ours??”

And: “Current price as per Toyota website $53,990 TDH then you can claim back the clean car rebate $2387.34. So a brand new car from dealer $ 51,602.66. Are you able to advise why you asking $7197.34 above the normal RRP?”

With the seller replying: skip the waiting.

But nothing is covering people wanting to buy the vehicles from private sellers.

The Fair Trading Act (FTA) “protects you against being misled or treated unfairly by traders or shops. The Act prohibits misleading and deceptive conduct, unsubstantiated claims, false representations, unfair terms in standard consumer contracts and certain unfair practices. … The FTA does not generally apply to private sales”.