Getting a Tesla, or one for a parent? SideGuy is the go-between: PJ, a real person in Cardiff, helps you shop for free, then gets the car set up for the way you live: the phone key, the cheapest charging hours, the right SDG&E plan, and a parent who feels at home in it.
Who's reading?
- You just bought a used Tesla
"Who helps set up a used Tesla in Encinitas or Solana Beach?" The first week, then day-one setup at home, $59 the first hour. - You're still shopping
Free, on purpose: PJ takes nothing from any seller. - Delivery day is coming
The delivery day checklist. - It's for a parent
A driveway walkthrough from Tesla's own manual, from $25 a month.
Pick the line that sounds like you. Not sure? Text PJ and say who you are.
Shopping: free, on purpose
- What PJ does: finds where the low end of the market is this week, walks through what to check, and answers questions. Start with used Tesla prices this week, the savings calculator and the charging ladder.
- Why it's free: in California, being paid to help arrange a car purchase takes a dealer license with an autobroker endorsement (Vehicle Code 11735). PJ charges nothing for shopping help and takes nothing from any seller.
- Before you buy: run the VIN through the federal recall check, ask which computer the car has (HW3 or the newer AI4), and ask whether Full Self-Driving comes with it or would be a subscription. Tesla's rule: FSD the last owner bought outright stays with the car; a subscription doesn't, and transfers ended March 31, 2026 (Tesla support).
Delivery day checklist
- Every key card, and the car showing up in your Tesla app.
- The VIN on the paperwork matches the car, and the recall check is clean or the fix is scheduled.
- A test charge: at home if you have a plug, or a Supercharger on the way home (Cardiff's, on Birmingham Dr).
- The charging schedule set for after midnight before the first night at home (how).
After it's yours: what PJ does, and what it costs
| Help | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Day one setup | $59 first hour at home | Phone key and a backup key card, the app on the family's phones, and the charging schedule set for after midnight (the steps). |
| SDG&E plan check | $30 an hour | PJ runs your real bill on TOU-DR1 and EV-TOU-5 and switches the one that wins (the charging ladder). |
| Home charger, done right | $79 per job | PJ checks the electrician's license and the quotes before you sign (how to check a contractor). |
| For a parent | from $25 a month | A driveway walkthrough of the car's driver-assist features from Tesla's own manual, the "driver still watches the road" rule, and a person to call. The options ladder. |
| No-driver days | $29 flat | Waymo set up on the parent's phone and yours, with a practice booking (Waymo in San Diego). |
Prices from SideGuy's price list. PJ never drives anyone; Waymo and the ride programs cover the no-driver days.
Rather just ask? Text your question to PJ, a real person in Cardiff, and he answers it. Asking is free. PJ answers any Tesla or EV question, buying, charging or setting one up for a parent, in plain English. Text PJ
Bought a used Tesla? The first week
- Recalls: put the VIN into NHTSA's recall lookup. Most Tesla recalls are fixed by a software update the car downloads; the rest usually need a service appointment. The count by year is below.
- Self-driving: check Controls, then Software, for Full Self-Driving Capability. It stays with the car only if the last owner bought it outright and didn't transfer it; Tesla's transfer program ended March 31, 2026. What FSD does and costs.
- Charging: a schedule after midnight on the right SDG&E plan, and the nearest Superchargers: the charging ladder · Solana Beach · Del Mar.
- Tires: set them to the pressure on the sticker in the driver's door jamb, check the tread, and book tires before a long trip.
- Maintenance: your model's Owner's Manual lists what Tesla schedules and when; service appointments are booked in the Tesla app.
| Used Tesla | Recalls on file at NHTSA | Fixed by a software update | Other fix (usually a service visit) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Model 3 | 19 | 14 | 5 |
| 2019 Model 3 | 22 | 14 | 8 |
| 2020 Model 3 | 21 | 14 | 7 |
| 2021 Model 3 | 22 | 16 | 6 |
| 2022 Model 3 | 18 | 16 | 2 |
| 2023 Model 3 | 12 | 9 | 3 |
| 2024 Model 3 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| 2025 Model 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| 2020 Model Y | 24 | 17 | 7 |
| 2021 Model Y | 23 | 16 | 7 |
| 2022 Model Y | 20 | 16 | 4 |
| 2023 Model Y | 17 | 11 | 6 |
| 2024 Model Y | 5 | 4 | 1 |
| 2025 Model Y | 3 | 2 | 1 |
From NHTSA's recall database (api.nhtsa.gov), pulled Oct 19, 2026. "Fixed by a software update" counts the recalls whose remedy NHTSA describes as over-the-air. A recall can be done already on a given car, so check the VIN: NHTSA recall lookup.
PJ does the first week with you: the app and phone keys, the VIN recall check, the FSD check, the charging plan, $59 the first hour. Upkeep after that (a service or tire appointment booked, a recall followed up) from $25 an errand. Shopping for one is free (the live used price list).
Rather just ask? Text your question to PJ, a real person in Cardiff, and he answers it. Asking is free. Bought a used Tesla and not sure what to check first? Text PJ
Send this to your family. The message is already written; you just pick who.
"Getting a Tesla, or one for mom or dad? Free shopping help, a delivery checklist, and a real person for the setup:"
Need a human?
This page is built every morning from public data by SideGuy, run by PJ, a local in Solana Beach. If something looks off, or you want a hand with your plans, text PJ at 858-461-8054. A real person answers.
Local help, free to read: make your fix plan · senior benefits checkup · lower your SDG&E bill · Medicare Extra Help · every 2027 Medicare plan · is my medication recalled? · the next 90 days. Plans start as low as $25. Your parent lives here and you don't? The Parent Check-In Plan, $25 a month.
Questions people ask
What should I do after buying a used Tesla?
Check the VIN for open recalls at NHTSA, check Controls then Software for Full Self-Driving Capability (it stays only if the last owner bought it outright and didn't transfer it), set up the app and phone keys, a charging schedule after midnight, and tire pressure from the driver's door sticker. PJ does that first week with you.
Does PJ charge to help me buy a used Tesla?
No. Shopping help is free: in California, being paid to help arrange a car purchase takes a dealer license with an autobroker endorsement (Vehicle Code 11735), and PJ takes nothing from any seller. Paid help starts after the car is yours.
What should a new Tesla owner set up first?
The phone key and a backup key card, the Tesla app on the family's phones, and a charging schedule that waits until after midnight, when SDG&E's prices are lowest.
Is a Tesla a good car for a senior?
It can be, with the right setup: Full Self-Driving (Supervised) still needs the driver watching the road. If driving no longer feels right, Waymo and the senior ride programs are the other options, and PJ helps set those up too.
Who helps set up a used Tesla in Encinitas or Solana Beach?
PJ, a local in Cardiff: the app and phone keys, a charging schedule after midnight, the recall check and tire pressures, from $59 the first hour. Shopping help before you buy is free (California Vehicle Code 11735); paid help starts once the car is yours.
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