So, the “fruit” of all this effort? A Tesla Model S, of course! We’d been dreaming about owning one for ages, and finally decided to take the plunge. We knew it wouldn’t be easy bringing a car like this from the USA to Belarus, but the challenge was part of the appeal.
Our plan was to have a daily driver, a reliable electric car that could handle Belarusian roads and winters. We weren’t looking for a pristine, showroom-condition vehicle. Something with a bit of character was perfectly fine, as long as the mechanics were sound. When it finally arrived at customs, it was… well, let’s just say it had seen better days. There were a few dents and scratches, some minor paint damage, and the interior needed a little TLC. Nothing major, but definitely enough to warrant a good restoration.
Now, let’s talk about the cost. Just buying the car in the USA, before shipping, before any restoration work, set us back by approximately SEVENTEEN THOUSAND US DOLLARS. That included the purchase price itself, the export fees, and the cost of getting it transported to the port. It wasn’t cheap, but we felt it was a fair price for the year and model we were targeting. We spent a considerable amount of time researching different models and negotiating prices to get the best deal possible. We even considered different states to find the best deals, factoring in sales tax and other regional differences. It was a lot of work, but it paid off in the end.
The restoration was a whole other adventure. First, we had to address the bodywork. That involved a significant amount of sanding, filling, and repainting. We didn’t go for a full respray, opting instead for a more targeted approach to fix the specific areas that needed attention. This saved us a considerable amount of money, and we were happy with the results. The total cost for the bodywork, including materials and labor, came to around THREE THOUSAND US DOLLARS. Then there was the interior. We cleaned and conditioned the leather seats, replaced a few worn-out parts, and gave the whole cabin a thorough detail. This cost us approximately ONE THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED US DOLLARS. We also had to replace a few minor mechanical parts, which added another FIVE HUNDRED US DOLLARS to the bill. We did a lot of the work ourselves, which helped keep costs down. However, some tasks, like the bodywork, required professional expertise, so we had to outsource those. We carefully documented the entire process, so you’ll see all the details in the video.
All in all, including the purchase price, shipping, and restoration, bringing our Tesla Model S from the USA to Belarus cost us approximately TWENTY-TWO THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED US DOLLARS. It was a significant investment, but we believe it was worth it. We now have a reliable, efficient, and stylish electric car that we can enjoy for years to come. And the whole experience, from sourcing the car to completing the restoration, was an incredible learning journey.
So, let’s dive straight into the battery. Finding a suitable Model S battery in the US was the first hurdle. We weren’t looking for a brand-new car, obviously, bringing a brand new Tesla from the US to Belarus would be astronomically expensive. We were looking for a car with a decent battery health percentage, something that would still give us a good range after the long journey and any necessary repairs. We spent WEEKS scouring online listings, checking reports, and comparing prices. We eventually settled on a SEVEN-YEAR-OLD Model S with a battery health report showing around SEVENTY-FIVE percent capacity. It wasn’t perfect, but it was a good starting point, and the price reflected that. The initial battery testing back in the US showed some minor inconsistencies, nothing major, but we knew we’d likely need some preventative maintenance once we got it to Belarus. The cost of the battery, factoring in the purchase price of the car itself, was around TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND US DOLLARS. That’s a significant chunk of change, but we felt it was a worthwhile investment considering the overall project. We also factored in the cost of shipping, which I’ll touch on later.
Next up, the electrics. This is where things got a little hairy. Once the car arrived in Belarus, we had a thorough inspection done by a specialist Tesla mechanic. He found a few minor issues – some loose wiring, a slightly faulty sensor, and a couple of other small problems that were easily fixable. However, the biggest challenge was adapting the car’s charging system to the Belarusian electrical grid. The voltage and frequency differ slightly from the US standard, so we needed a specialized converter and some rewiring to ensure safe and efficient charging. This part of the process took a considerable amount of time and money. The parts alone cost around THREE THOUSAND US DOLLARS, and the labor was another TWO THOUSAND. It was a necessary expense, though, to ensure the car could be used reliably in Belarus. We also had to address some minor issues with the onboard computer system, which required some specialized software and expertise. This added another FIVE HUNDRED US DOLLARS to the overall electrics bill.
Then came the bodywork and interior. The car wasn’t in pristine condition when we bought it. It had a few minor scratches and dents, nothing major, but enough to warrant some attention. We decided to tackle the bodywork ourselves, to save some money. We spent several weekends sanding, priming, and painting, and the cost of materials was surprisingly low – around FIVE HUNDRED US DOLLARS. The interior was in relatively good shape, but we did replace a few worn-out parts, like the seat covers and some interior trim. This cost another ONE THOUSAND US DOLLARS. While we could have paid a professional body shop, doing it ourselves saved us a considerable amount of money and gave us a sense of accomplishment.
Finally, the bottom line. Let’s add up all the costs. We had the initial purchase price of the car, which was TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND US DOLLARS. Then there were the electrics, totaling FIVE THOUSAND US DOLLARS. The bodywork and interior repairs came to SIXTEEN HUNDRED US DOLLARS. And finally, we have to factor in the shipping costs, which were a hefty EIGHT THOUSAND US DOLLARS. This brings the grand total to FORTY-SIX THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED US DOLLARS. It was a significant investment, but we believe it was worth it. Owning a Tesla Model S in Belarus is a unique experience, and the satisfaction of overcoming all the challenges involved in getting it here is immeasurable.
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And lastly, some related news. Since importing a Tesla to Belarus isn’t exactly commonplace, we faced some bureaucratic hurdles. We had to navigate various import regulations and customs procedures, which added extra time and some unexpected expenses. We also encountered some skepticism from mechanics who weren’t familiar with Tesla’s technology. However, we managed to overcome these challenges, and we’re happy to share our experiences and any tips we learned along the way to help others who might be considering a similar project. We’ll be posting more updates and details in the comments section below.
