The adjuster initially said the Ocean would cost $910 to repair, but acknowledged it could actually end up costing far more
- A Fisker Ocean owner’s electric SUV was deemed a total loss by the insurance company after suffering minor door damage.
- The insurance company issued a check for $53,303 because it could not find the parts needed to repair the vehicle.
- Now the owners hope to alert others to the potential pitfalls of owning a startup vehicle.
During daily driving, door dents and minor damage to the bodywork often occur. As a rule, insurance companies carry out the repairs without much effort. However, when the vehicle in question is a Fisker Ocean, things can get very bad very quickly, and that’s exactly what happened in this case.
After someone hit Joy Wanner’s Ocean with the door open, the damage appeared to be minor. But lo and behold: Less than a month later, the insurance company classified the electric SUV from the struggling start-up, which was on the verge of bankruptcy, as a total loss.
More: Facing bankruptcy after missing $8.4 million payment, Fisker hires restructuring agent
Warner really believed in Fisker. She immediately decided to purchase the Ocean, her second electric vehicle. However, her excitement wore off almost immediately. “It was an emotional roller coaster,” she told Carscoops. “One day it was working fine and the next a new warning light was flashing or ringing. “It was so frustrating to spend so much money on a car and then get annoyed every time you used it,” she says.
When the door accident occurred on March 15, there was no telling what would happen when the adjuster arrived four days later. During the inspection, they found two main problems. First, a fold in the door itself suffered superficial damage. Secondly, a hinge was also broken.
The initial damage estimate was only $910
Photos Joy Wanner
The adjuster initially estimated that the repair would cost $910, but also admitted that the actual cost would be much higher since he was unfamiliar with the vehicle. He had no idea how right he would end up being.
According to Wanner, these two damaged components proved insurmountable due to the lack of available parts. She also notes that Fisker himself wasn’t particularly helpful in this process. “[I] I still haven’t even received a title from Fisker. It’s impossible to get answers or help from them,” she says.
A little more than 30 days after the accident, the insurance company wrote her a check for $53,303. Still, this payout hasn’t cured Wanner.
“We lost over $20,000 investing in this startup electric vehicle and I can’t say goodbye fast enough,” Joe told a group of Fisker Ocean fans on Facebook. “Delivery delays, mismanagement of paperwork, reporting problems and case numbers that vanish into thin air, the mysterious warning lights and annoying beeps, being trapped in the vehicle, an unreliable, outdated navigation system, a cheaply made, barely functional key fob.”…This vehicle remained very, very much below our expectations and far below my high standards. I hope Henrik Fisker loses every penny he has and wish the rest of you the best of luck.”
Aside from the financial impact, this experience has clouded her view of other startup brands. Looking for a replacement for the Ocean, she looked at various options, including a Rivian, but ultimately decided against purchasing one.
“There is no way we are investing in another electric vehicle startup…we have learned our lesson,” she told us. In the end, she chose a Tesla Model Y for a variety of reasons, including range, performance, charging network and overall value. Your final message to other potential buyers is clear.
“We are not out for revenge. We really believed in this company, ordered the vehicle, waited over two years to receive it and invested in the inventory. When we ordered it, it was the most powerful electric vehicle on the market. That has changed fast. Overall the machine is great. Driven/handled really well. The software was a nightmare and the company was a joke. Just sad all around.”
