Doug DeMuro Reviews Early Tesla Roadster That’s Up For Sale

This is one of the very first Teslas ever made, carrying VIN number 163.

Andrei Nedelea

By: Andrei Nedelea

May 10, 2021 at 2:26pm ET

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Tesla has come an incredibly long way compared to where it was before the year 2010, when its only offering was a reengineered and EV-converted Lotus Elise. The original Tesla Roadster looks quite crude compared to the company’s current offerings, yet it is undeniably still an important car, and if you’re in the market looking for one, this very early example reviewed by Doug DeMuro could be for you.

It’s a very early Roadster, built in 2008, one of the very first cars Tesla has ever built. According to Doug, this example is VIN number 163, making it quite collectible (around 2,450 were built). Values of used Roadsters have gone up considerably in recent months and this can only mean demand for the little two-seater EV is on the rise.

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The car in the video has done 14,600 miles, it has a clean history, service records, heated seats, factory 16-inch wheels and it looks to be in great shape. Its owner says the only major maintenance it underwent was when its coolant pump needed to be replaced, in 2018. There are a few scratches and some cracks in plastic trim reported, but these are just minor cosmetic imperfections.

Right now, the highest bid for the vehicle is $90,000, but there are still three days left, so if you’re interested, you might want to hurry and place your bid. It’s already pretty expensive, but it is considerably cheaper than this almost never driven example that went up for sale last year for $1.5-million.