Recently, a mysterious study from Guardian Service Company in Raleigh, North Carolina, claimed to uncover shocking truths about Tesla ownership—including an outrageous claim of a 44% vandalism rate.Guardian Service Company published a study on April 21, 2025, claiming to have asked 508 Tesla owners about vandalism, surveillance, and ownership sentiments.

44% Vandalism? Pure Fiction

The claim—that two out of five, or a full 44%, of Tesla owners have experienced intentional damage like keying or tire slashing—is outrageous. Vandalism against Teslas is real, with incidents like arson and graffiti tied to political controversies, but these are sporadic, not epidemic. A 44% rate is absurd without verified insurance data, and Guardian’s failure to share the exact question asked (was it “any damage” or “confirmed vandalism”?) makes this a manipulative scare tactic, likely to push insurance sales.

Sentry Mode

Guardian’s study claims 54% of Tesla owners “enabled video surveillance specifically due to fears of vandalism,” while 25% said no, leaving 21% unaccounted for. This is utterly ridiculous when you consider Tesla vehicles come with Sentry Mode, a built-in surveillance system that records threats automatically. Owners don’t install cameras; they toggle a pre-installed feature. Framing this as owners adding surveillance due to “vandalism anxiety” is a gross misrepresentation, exploiting Tesla’s standard technology to inflate fear. If 25% said no, were they even Tesla owners, or did Guardian botch the question? This sloppy data screams non-scientific nonsense.

Guardian’s Motive: Insurance Sales, Not Truth

Guardian Service Company isn’t a research firm—it’s an insurance agency in Raleigh, NC, where Tesla Insurance isn’t available, forcing owners to use third-party providers like them. A study hyping vandalism fears could drive customers to their auto insurance quotes, but fabricating data to scare Tesla owners is shameful. The lack of transparency—no sample details, no peer review—confirms this isn’t a valid study but a marketing stunt at best, or outright misinformation at worst.

Kelley Blue Book’s Blunder

Guardian’s most egregious claims are that 34% (one in three) Tesla owners plan to sell or trade in their vehicle within a year, one in five (19%) regret their purchase, and 30% wouldn’t choose Tesla again. They frame this as owners second-guessing their purchase, but it’s a blatant distortion. Tesla routinely asks owners about trade-ins to encourage upgrades to newer models, like the refreshed Model 3 or Cybertruck. I experienced this myself during a recent test drive, where Tesla reps asked if I’d consider trading in my car—not because I regret it, but because it’s standard practice. A 19% regret rate and 30% non-repeat purchase claim are dubious without reasons (cost? politics?) and clash with Tesla’s 97% customer satisfaction (Consumer Reports, 2023).It’s not uncommon for a company like Guardian to produce a blog post to promote their business, but the fact that Kelley Blue Book published a full article on these bogus claims is a disgrace. KBB, a once-trusted name in car pricing, should’ve sniffed out the study’s flaws—no primary source, no methodology, and claims that don’t pass the smell test. Scientific studies require random sampling and clear questions, but Guardian provides no evidence of either, rendering their claims unreliable.By amplifying this unverified nonsense, KBB risks its reputation, fueling anti-Tesla narratives at a time when vandalism stories are already exaggerated. KBB must retract this article or issue a correction to restore its credibility as a once-trusted name.

This Guardian study is a textbook case of misinformation, with outrageous claims that crumble under scrutiny. Tesla owners in Texas, where I live, can use Tesla Insurance to counter vandalism fears, but in North Carolina, where Guardian operates, owners deserve better than fearmongering. We should disregard this study and call out KBB for lending it credence.

 What will it take for trusted sources to stop amplifying fake studies and start verifying facts?

Addendum (April 28, 2025): After publishing this critique of Guardian Service Company’s mysterious study—claiming 44% of Tesla owners faced vandalism, 19% regretted their purchase, and 30% wouldn’t buy a Tesla again—I’ve taken action to uncover the truth. I reached out to Guardian Service at info@guardianservice.com and (844) 448-2734, demanding the full study, its methodology, and data verification. Given the study’s absence from their website and its reliance on unverified X posts, I’m not optimistic about a response, but I’ll keep you updated if they reply. Stay tuned as we continue to call out these bogus claims and demand better from trusted sources!