The buyer’s remorse is playing out at a volatile moment for Tesla, as stocks dropped by double digits in the last week, wiping out most of a post-election surge for Mr. Musk’s company. A recent report showed plummeting sales in Europe, and the company faces increased competition from other E.V. makers eating away at its market share. Recent protests outside Tesla showrooms in the United States and some notable cases of vehicle owners being harassed have also made headlines.

Ms. Trebb, 54, a family therapist and a Democrat, said she had decided to trade in her Tesla for a gas-powered Mercedes, accepting $32,000 of the Tesla’s original $55,880 value, despite having only 10,000 miles on it. Her decision, she said, was cemented during a recent trip to the supermarket.

“Two weeks ago, I was called a Nazi,” she said, “in the parking lot at Kroger,” adding an expletive. “I came home and told my husband, ‘That’s it. I’m done.’”

A number of defectors from the Tesla brand said that a deal-breaker was when Mr. Musk extended his arm diagonally upward, palm facing down while speaking at an inauguration event for Mr. Trump, a gesture that resembled a salute used in Nazi Germany and fascist Italy.

“I’m sort of embarrassed to be seen in that car now,” said Ms. Trebb, who got a bumper sticker that said, “I bought this before Elon went crazy,” one that has gained popularity.

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  • Tanis Nikana
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    7411 hours ago

    when Mr. Musk extended his arm diagonally upward, palm facing down while speaking at an inauguration event for Mr. Trump, a gesture that resembled a salute used in Nazi Germany and fascist Italy.

    That’s a lot of words for “did a nazi salute,” NYT. I’m thinking there’s a newspaper needs scalpin’.

    • d00phy
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      7 hours ago

      I’m going to get downvoted for this, but I understand where they’re coming from on this. They can’t come out and call it that because to do so would risk a lawsuit that could effectively kill the newspaper. Seriously, Musk could purchase it, shutter it, and recoup his losses in no-bid contracts next week. Instead, he could sue them for defamation. He would likely win, or at least get a large settlement. That would ripple through the paper in the form of reduced coverage and possibly reduced staff.

      Read what they wrote again. There’s a reason they described what he did so precisely. They know what they’re saying, and so do we. They have to be careful about how they say it, though.

      • @[email protected]
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        33 hours ago

        not exactly NYT has been shilling for the right for a number of years, because its owned by a right ringer.

      • @krashmo
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        26 hours ago

        If they’re worried about billionaires having too much power and trying to shut them down then perhaps the NYT should have done more to prevent that situation from being possible. I recall many instances in the past decade where they went out of their way to provide cover for both billionaires and fascists. You reap what you sow.

        • @stopdropandprole
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          5 hours ago

          the 2016 and 2020 coverage of Bernie Sanders and their pushing of centrist anti-progressive agendas in the editorials was enough for me to unsubscribe forever. after what they’ve done in recent years, there’s no way I’ll ever trust them to represent working class interests.

          here’s an example just a couple weeks ago of them laundering Republican party talking points into man on the street style “people are saying” interviews about how 'aktually I’m black and I’m glad DEI is being ended.’ receipts showing stealth edits made to cover their tracks in the linked article.

      • Tedesche
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        15 hours ago

        Was going to make this exact point. You’re spot on. Downvoters are simply in denial about the reality of slander laws.

      • @[email protected]
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        16 hours ago

        I think it would be kinda hard for Musk to buy the NY Times. I think like 90% of it’s shares are owned by the family that’s owned it for over a century.

        But yeah, they don’t want to be sued.

    • alaphic
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      3210 hours ago

      I know my 4 dollars a month is nothing to them, but at least you can rest comfortably tonight knowing that by bringing this sentence to my attention you just lost them a sub lol

      • @notsoshaihulud
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        2110 hours ago

        know my 4 dollars a month is nothing to them, but at least you can rest comfortably tonight knowing that by bringing this sentence to my attention you just lost them a sub lol

        you mean you held a rodent-like object in your hand palm down and applied pressure on its button to activate a trigger what appears to cancel your NYT subscription?