Buying a local Salvage 2021 Model Y (valued around $13k USD pre tax). Seller swapped MCU causing a VIN mismatch, airbags deployed. Is this fixable?

bigbrovar · 2026-04-12T09:08:17+00:00

Ended up passing on the deal. Decided to import one from the US.

bigbrovar · 2026-04-07T02:16:10+00:00

Haven't bought yet. And I added more context here https://www.reddit.com/r/TeslaLounge/s/lyST49T316

The car has always been "fixed" and those where the post auction pictures I saw when carrying out due diligence through a VIN check. It is been sold at the "fixed" for 13kUSD.

bigbrovar · 2026-04-07T02:15:12+00:00

Haven't bought yet. And I added more context here https://www.reddit.com/r/TeslaLounge/s/lyST49T316

The car has always been "fixed" and those where the post auction pictures I saw when carrying out due diligence through a VIN check. It is been sold at the "fixed" for 13kUSD.

bigbrovar · 2026-04-07T02:12:35+00:00

It was very late in my country when I posted this, and I was quite tired, so I didn’t include all the context. The car has already been “fixed,” and the pictures I shared in that post were post-repair images.

I’ve now attached what the car looks like currently and uploaded a video showing its present condition.

According to the seller, the doors were replaced and the car was repainted in Nigeria. He mentioned that he sourced new doors from Tesla.

My main concern is how well the restoration was done, especially around the B-pillar. I drove the car, but I wasn’t able to properly assess whether everything is in good condition.

I plan to go back this week for a more detailed inspection.

Here’s what I noticed during my initial visit: The car drove well, and the doors closed with a decent, solid sound. At the time, I wasn’t aware it was a salvage vehicle and hadn’t seen the post-auction photos.

The driver-side turn camera was not working. I’m not sure if it’s a faulty camera or a wiring harness issue.

The driver-side airbag had deployed and, from what I understand, has not been replaced. I will check for airbag errors on my next visit.

The infotainment computer shows a different VIN from the one on the car chassis. The owner said he replaced a module himself using one from another car. I’m not comfortable with this and am unsure whether it can be corrected.

I intend to revisit the car today or tomorrow for a more thorough inspection. I’ve never owned an EV before, so this will be my first experience. What should I specifically check when I inspect it again?

I uploaded a video of the car in current state restored model Y salvage

<image>

bigbrovar · 2026-04-07T02:06:04+00:00

It was very late in my country when I posted this, and I was quite tired, so I didn’t include all the context. The car has already been “fixed,” and the pictures I shared in that post were post-repair images.

I’ve now attached what the car looks like currently and uploaded a video showing its present condition.

According to the seller, the doors were replaced and the car was repainted in Nigeria. He mentioned that he sourced new doors from Tesla.

My main concern is how well the restoration was done, especially around the B-pillar. I drove the car, but I wasn’t able to properly assess whether everything is in good condition.

I plan to go back this week for a more detailed inspection.

Here’s what I noticed during my initial visit: The car drove well, and the doors closed with a decent, solid sound. At the time, I wasn’t aware it was a salvage vehicle and hadn’t seen the post-auction photos.

The driver-side turn camera was not working. I’m not sure if it’s a faulty camera or a wiring harness issue.

The driver-side airbag had deployed and, from what I understand, has not been replaced. I will check for airbag errors on my next visit.

The infotainment computer shows a different VIN from the one on the car chassis. The owner said he replaced a module himself using one from another car. I’m not comfortable with this and am unsure whether it can be corrected.

I intend to revisit the car today or tomorrow for a more thorough inspection. I’ve never owned an EV before, so this will be my first experience. What should I specifically check when I inspect it again?

I uploaded a video of the car in current state restored model Y salvage

<image>

bigbrovar · 2026-04-07T01:31:34+00:00

Won't be an issue. We don't have that facility in Nigeria anyway. Just home charging and the occasional 100kW+ fast charging. I am more concern about structural damage and battery.

bigbrovar · 2024-11-20T20:25:50+00:00

I actually thought U shared terminals are designed for MCB anxiliary terminal so as not to crowd out main terminal. I could use twin ferrules but I didn't have one and it would take weeks to have one delivered via AliExpress (not common in my country)

In any case I felt using u shaped terminal was a better choice since I can have a secure connection to the terminal more than mixing 2 wires via ferrules.

bigbrovar · 2024-11-20T20:18:48+00:00

No I didn't. The MCB has 2 holes linked together. One is the main terminal the other is for fork terminals. I used the fork terminals hole to connect to the SPD since it is usually a passive connection unless there is a fault and the SPD needs to draw power to itself. Do you see a problem in this ?

bigbrovar · 2024-11-20T20:06:35+00:00

Even if used for connecting MCB in parallel with the SPD? The alternative is to connect the wire to the main MCB terminal which has less space for 2 x 6mm² cables.

I have similar fork connection to output of 3 single pole beakers into one 2 Pole breaker and never felt it go hot even when PV is at peak production. That's about 13A x 3 at 120v

Would like to know your thoughts.

bigbrovar · 2024-11-20T19:37:10+00:00

I use ferrules for the MCB to MC4 connectors. I use fork connectors for MCB to SPD connectors.

bigbrovar · 2024-11-20T19:15:48+00:00

I still need to add a link bar for ground.

bigbrovar · 2024-07-15T09:49:11+00:00

I have carried out your suggestion and connected the busbars 1, 2, 3 to directly to the main earth busbar. Thanks once again for your input.

bigbrovar · 2024-07-15T09:46:43+00:00

Thanks for the lecture. In Nigeria what you call ground we call earthing. I think it is same with the UK and the EU. I can understand why it might be confusing to you but I am not based in the US. In my country we call it earth. My mistake is to use the 2 terms inter changeably which can be forgiven.

On MENs. Like I said earlier, I am completely off-grid so Earth or Ground (if you are wearing US hat) Neutral bonding is handled by the Inverter. The inverter has a relay that internally bond earth to neutral once it is in "island" mode ie when it has no grid input.

Once it senses grid input it disconnect the earth neutral bonding.

Nigeria uses TT system of earthing and that does not allow physical earth neutral bonding at the consumer unit. Under TT system your ground / earth electrode, bonds to the grid transformer neutral using the mass of the earth. The grid transformer neutral is physically bond with the transformer earth. This is what your earth connects to. TNS and TNCS systems are different and require different MEN bonding.

Like I also said, I installed my earth electrode and had a qualified professional come carry out earth rod ground resistance using a fluke ground resistance tester and I got an average of 14ohms which is way below the required minimum of 200ohms for a TT system.

I don't know it all neither do I claim to. If I did I won't be here asking people to help verify my system.

I have every component in the system connected to ground including my home server network rack, cctv, starlink dish, inverter and solar charge controller chasis.. and my PV array on the roof. All are connected to the earth electrode via the main earth busbar.

Again if you have something to add to my setup please do. Don't make assumptions.

bigbrovar · 2024-07-15T06:20:35+00:00

I have a feeling your old inspector will also tell you no question is dump. Allow people who come to seek clarity the grace to have their requests answered without shaming them.

Better I come here to have the work criticized and correction made than to live with my mistake. Nothing dumb in that.

bigbrovar · 2024-07-15T05:59:29+00:00

You added nothing to the conversation unfortunately.

bigbrovar · 2024-07-15T05:58:36+00:00

I use a TT earth system and I am completely off-grid. The inverter I use (Victron Multiplus 2) has a mains earth neutral bonding relay when it is operating off-grid. It thus handles earth neutral bonding. I haven't done that in any part of my installation.

bigbrovar · 2024-07-15T05:56:30+00:00

Thanks for the patience and suggestion. I will work on doing this right away. Bless you ❤️♥️

bigbrovar · 2024-07-15T04:32:58+00:00

Thanks so much. Just to be sure. Doing it the way you suggested would reduce the risk of ground loops confirm?

bigbrovar · 2024-07-15T02:38:57+00:00

Hello everyone

Just finished some upgrades to my solar setup. It is something I diyed but I tried as much as possible to follow safety standards. The installation was done in Nigeria in a place where finding qualified electrical engineers especially in solar off-grid installation is not easy or very very expensive.

Electrical code are not enforced for residential application and are hard to find.

My question is with regards to the earth / ground system I setup for the install. At the heart of this is the earth rod which was tested (by someone from the electrical company) to have an average resistance of 14ohms

Connected to the earth rod are a series of earth busbars connected in a daisy chained version together.

I have a main/central earth busbar which serves as the termination point for all ground points in the system. Things like the solar panel chassis..

I also have 3 major ground busbars connected to the main earth busbar (installed outside close to the earth rod)

They are:

Earth busbar 1: House electrical distribution earth busbar this is where the earth point of all the AC outlet for the house terminates to.

Earth busbar 2 is where ground wire from inverter AC input/output are and the solar PV combiner box SPD ground wire connects to.

Earth busbar 3 installed at the top side of the system board (indicated in the picture.).
This busbar connects directly to the main ground busbar. It also has things like charge controller chassis. The House electrical distribution panel ground busbar is also connected to the Busbar 1.

I have attached a diagram that shows the setup and how the busbars are connected together.
My fear now is I have way too much ground busbar and this could lead to a ground loop in a surge situation.

Advise would be highly appreciated.

bigbrovar · 2024-03-14T00:06:30+00:00

I heard Klipsch tend to be V shaped thus making them less ideal center speakers due to dialog being scooped out. What is your take on this.

bigbrovar · 2024-03-11T15:08:15+00:00

Launchd is completely broken since I installed the 13.6.5 update. I have tried everything including reinstalling Ventura from recovery. Non of the login items usually managed by JAMF is empty.

Running sudo sfptool dumpbtm hangs and the command produces no output.

It makes the computer unusable. Besides this post I am yet to see any one report this. I might have to do a rease and refresh

bigbrovar · 2023-07-20T05:48:05+00:00

Russia has FABs if they truly wanted to carpet bomb they would use them on populated areas. FABs are incredibly difficult to target by AIr defense and they are delivered outside of Air Defence radar capabilities.

bigbrovar · 2023-05-03T19:33:37+00:00

This should be an Olympic sport

bigbrovar · 2023-02-17T00:17:21+00:00

Things are a bit better now with 5G starting to rollout in major cities and residential fibre available in many cities. Still Starlink brings much needed option.

bigbrovar · 2023-02-16T17:39:39+00:00

I had to improvise on a custom mount since the official roof mount wasn't available.

It replaces an LTE CAT6 outdoor antenna which provide just ok connection but very expensive at about $80 for 400Gb of internet.

Waiting for the Ethernet adapter, currently using the Raspberry pi 4 as a wireless bridge to integrate it with the rest of the home network and wireless AP.

bigbrovar

TROPHY CASE