■ 27 years in the car business — now on your side of the desk
I'm Eli. I've been in the auto industry for 27 years. I owned a VW ID.4, I drive a Tesla Model Y, and I've watched thousands of people sign paperwork they didn't understand. This is where I keep the honest version — the gear I actually use and the answers I actually give.
■ The Garage
Some of this I bought. Some was sent to me to review. Every item says which — and either way, it only makes this page if it's still in my car. If it didn't last or wasn't worth the money, it's not here, no matter who sent it. Some links earn me a commission; your price doesn't change, and the discount code is the real one.
Floating design, so it doesn't block any part of the screen — that was the dealbreaker on every other mount I tried. Magnet holds through a case, and the phone doesn't move over bumps. If you've got a Model 3 or Model Y, this is the first thing I'd buy.
Model 3 / Model Y Sent to me — still in my carTheir full Tesla accessory lineup — power frunk and trunk kits, screens, trim, storage. My code works across the whole store, so if you're outfitting a new Model 3 or Y, start here and use it on the whole cart.
Full storefrontReplace this block with the next thing you actually use — floor mats, a charging cable, a tire inflator, a dash cam. Keep the same four parts: what it is, why it earned a spot in your car, who it's for, and whether you bought it or it was sent to you.
Open slot Bought it myself / Sent to meAim for six to eight items total. Fewer looks thin; more looks like you'll recommend anything. The short, picky list is what makes people trust the recommendations.
Open slot■ Straight Answers
Short versions here. The long versions are on the channel.
If you can charge at home, an EV is cheaper to run than almost anything with a gas tank. If you're relying on public charging, the math gets a lot tighter and the daily hassle is real. That one question decides it more than range, brand, or price.
Battery tech is moving fast and used EV values have been unpredictable. A lease hands that risk to the bank instead of you. If you drive big miles or plan to keep a car eight years, buying still makes more sense.
Quote a trade too early and it becomes a lever. Pick your car, settle the price of that car, and then handle the trade as its own conversation. Get one outside offer in writing first so you know what the floor is.
Monthly payment is the easiest number in the building to manipulate. Ask for the total out-the-door price in writing. If that question makes the conversation uncomfortable, you've learned everything you need to know.
■ Free
Every number to ask for, in order, plus the four lines on a contract that cost people the most money. Free, and I'll send the occasional honest note about a car worth knowing about.
■ Watch