The 2024 Tesla Model S is a high-tech electric car, so when one ended up as a trade-in on a Chevrolet dealer’s lot in San Jose, California, it caught the eye of a salesman. In turn, he quickly made sure the internet knew all about it. SilveradoSam (@sfuster58), a self-described "Buffalo Native selling Chevys in the Bay Area," works the lot at Stevens Creek Chevrolet in San Jose, California, and documents dealership life on his TikTok channel. He recently posted a video about the trade-in captioned, "This Tesla is Gnarly." A Tesla Lands At A Chevy Lot The video opens with Sam speaking to the camera, saying, "This car just got traded in for a Corvette," he says, adding, "Let’s go check it out." The camera then reveals a fully loaded 2024 Tesla Model S standing out in a row of Silverados. Sam then walks viewers through what the previous owner traded in. "So this is a 2024 Tesla Model S," he says, adding, "It’s all-wheel drive. It’s got ventilated seats in the front, heated seats in both two rows. You got a heated steering wheel, it’s got drag strip mode, Grok, autopilot. You name it, it’s got it." The tour concludes with an invitation from Sam. "This is a very beautiful car, so pay me a visit at Stevens Creek Chevrolet," he says. Can You Trade a Tesla Into A Chevrolet Dealership? For those wondering if a Chevy dealer will accept a Tesla on trade, the short answer is yes. Franchised dealerships generally accept trade-ins of any make or model, regardless of whether the car is the same brand as the cars they sell new. If they’re happy with the deal, Chevy dealers can take in Teslas, BMWs, or Fords just as readily as they accept a used Silverado. The dealer will either retail the vehicle on their used lot or wholesale it through auction if it doesn’t fit their inventory mix. EVs have become a more common sight on used lots at traditional dealerships. Cox Automotive data from late 2024 showed used EV sales up more than 60% year over year for multiple consecutive months, with used EVs turning over at about the same pace as internal combustion engine cars. A trade-in is a trade-in, and dealers know they can sell Teslas. What The Previous Owner Traded In The 2024 Model S was Tesla’s flagship sedan, with its starting price of around $77,000 putting it at the top of the company’s lineup. (Last month, in an earnings call, Tesla CEO Elon Musk announced that the model will be discontinued, along with the Model X.) Autopilot, Tesla’s driver-assistance tech, was a standard feature on the 2024 Model S. According to Tesla’s own documentation, however, Drag Strip mode was exclusive to the Plaid performance variant, which tripled the motor count and achieved 1,020 horsepower. That means the car Sam was showing off is the higher-trim 2024 Model S Plaid, which starts at roughly $90,000. Grok, the AI assistant developed by Elon Musk’s xAI company, was being rolled out to Tesla vehicles via over-the-air software updates in 2025, though it was not a factory-installed standard feature at the time of the 2024 model year launch. We don’t know which Corvette the customer drove away with, but the price ranges of the different models might overlap more than you think. The 2026 Corvette Stingray starts at roughly $73,000, which is less than even the base Model S, and well below the Plaid. But higher Corvette variants like the Z06 start at more than $119,000, so the value of the swap depends on which Corvette the previous owner drove off the lot. Chevy Vs. Tesla Viewers were happy to offer their takes on the trade. Braxton led the response with the top-liked comment, writing, "Buddy grew his balls back, congrats!" Waterman416 was more blunt about their EV politics: "It got traded in for a Corvette cause electric cars are junk!!!!" Chomommabgaming took a different angle, jabbing at the Corvette buyer directly: "Wasn’t secure enough to drive the Tesla, had to get a 4 wheel compensator." That prompted g42blue to step in with a one-line defense: "A Corvette is not junk." The thread captured a debate that plays out constantly online between EV evangelists and internal combustion engine purists. What Happens To The Tesla? Sam is now looking for a new home for the Tesla Model S. Used luxury EVs can be attractive to buyers looking to get into the segment without paying new-car prices, though buyers should factor in battery health and the cost of software updates when shopping for a pre-owned Tesla. Motor1 reached out to Sam via TikTok direct message for comment. We’ll be sure to update this if he responds. We want your opinion! What would you like to see on Motor1.com? Take our 3 minute survey. - The Motor1.com Team