Blaine Raddon lives out in salt lake city and, like a lot of folks, he was pretty pumped about the tesla cybertruck. The second Elon Musk showed it off online, Blaine was in—hit that reservation button right away. But, as it goes sometimes, real life had other plans.
By the time the truck arrived, Raddon’s life looked different. He had separated from his wife and moved out of their house into an apartment. No garage, no driveway—just a regular, tight parking space.
When the Cybertruck showed up, reality hit. The thing is huge—over 18 feet long, nearly 8 feet wide, and shaped like a refrigerator on wheels. It didn’t fit in his new space. Not even close.
So he contacted Tesla to figure out his options. Could he return it? Sell it? Trade it in?
That’s when he got a reminder about something buried in the fine print: the Tesla Vehicle Order Agreement. If he sells the truck within the first year, Tesla can fine him $50,000—and ban him from buying another Tesla again. That’s part of what they call their buyback agreement. The idea is to prevent flipping. But in this case? It’s just making his life harder.
“I’m stuck with a truck that doesn’t fit my life anymore,” he told Business Insider, “and Tesla won’t even respond to me.”
Oh—and even though the apartment complex is letting him park it, they’ve made it clear: if it gets hit while sticking out of the space, that’s his problem.
Blaine’s life changed, Tesla didn’t
This isn’t a story about someone trying to flip a truck for profit. It’s about someone whose life changed between order and delivery. When Raddon put his name down for the Cybertruck, he was living in a home that could handle it. But by the time it arrived, he wasn’t.
Tesla didn’t care.
To try to return it, he wrote them a long email. He explained the situation. He quoted the contract and pointed out that this was clearly not a case of someone breaking the rules—just someone who ended up in a tight spot.
A week later? Still no response. Just silence.
Meanwhile, he’s not planning to hire a lawyer. He’s not trying to bend the rules. He just wants to figure out what to do with a truck that doesn’t fit his life—or his parking space.
Is the Cybertruck not built for the real world?
The Tesla Cybertruck looks wild. It turns heads. It’s futuristic. It’s bold. But more and more, it’s starting to feel like it wasn’t built for the real world.
Especially not for people who live in cities — or even moderately sized apartment complexes. It’s not just that it’s long or wide. It’s that it’s too much. Too long, too heavy, too awkward for anything but a giant driveway or rural road.
This isn’t just about Raddon. Other electric pickup buyers are also realizing that the hype doesn’t always match up with day-to-day life. And with more and more people making the jump to electric cars, it’s a reminder that practicality matters.
Tesla’s $50,000 fine is a wake-up call
Tesla has every right to protect itself from people trying to flip its vehicles. But hitting regular buyers with the threat of a $50,000 fine—and refusing to engage when their life circumstances change? That’s not great.
This story makes one thing clear: Tesla still holds the power even after you’ve paid. Between resale restrictions, contract clauses, and a no-reply customer service culture, it’s starting to feel less like owning a car—and more like leasing a brand.
And Tesla didn’t respond to Business Insider’s request for comment either.