I Bought a Banned Chinese Car From a Rental Company for $2,000

Product reviewed

The Polestar 2 is a China-built, dual-motor electric car bought from Hertz at auction as a non-running vehicle. The presenter cites two different purchase prices—$2,900 initially and $3,125 later—despite the video’s $2,000 framing.

Main features and impressions

• Performance: All-wheel drive and roughly 500 hp, with a claimed 0–60 mph time under four seconds. In testing, it reached 0–60 in 4.1 seconds, then 3.9 seconds on another run at 47% battery charge.
• Charging: It charged on a Tesla fast charger, reaching just over 100 kW. Home charging was initially slow, adding around three miles of range per hour.
• Interior and build: The cabin, doors, controls, and materials felt solid, with no obvious cheapness or rattles despite the car’s rental history. The presenter preferred it to a Tesla Model 3 in some respects.
• Practical details: It has fast charging, a conventional OBD port, a front instrument display, steering-wheel controls, memory seats, and a small trunk.
• Construction: The car and many components were marked as made in China. The presenter describes Polestar as connected to Volvo and notes that Geely owns Volvo. He also says Polestar could no longer sell cars in the United States, framing this as a dispute over the car being “too Chinese.”

Repairs and ownership experience

The car initially appeared dead because its 12-volt battery was depleted. Charging it helped bring the car’s systems to life, although the presenter’s general claim that EV problems often stem from the 12-volt battery did not account for all of this car’s faults.

A coolant leak was traced to a cracked hose near a coolant pump. The hose was shortened and clamped, which stopped the leak. A diagnostic scan found 14 fault codes; after they were cleared, three remained, including hybrid-battery and coolant-system faults. The presenter suspected the coolant-control valve and replaced a small valve component.

The car was also missing a piece of its high-voltage disconnect loop. The proper replacement reportedly cost about $200, so the presenter made a 3D-printed substitute. A broken or disconnected rear shock absorber caused a loud noise on the first drive. It was replaced with a used unit; the original was an adjustable Öhlins shock made in Japan.

The car eventually became driveable and charged successfully. The underside showed limited visible damage, mainly to a plastic piece and bracket, with no obvious damage to the battery pack. The presenter cautions that hidden internal damage could not be ruled out.

Battery observations

The presenter visited a CATL battery factory and saw a taxi battery with about 700,000 km that was reportedly still at 90% capacity, with no previous repair or opening. CATL also described vibration, shock, aging, and other tests.

These observations do not prove that this particular Polestar’s battery was healthy; the presenter acknowledges that it could have sustained an impact. The video also says CATL batteries are used in China-built Teslas and by many other automakers.

Pros

• Strong acceleration and engaging performance; the 3.9-second test was close to the claimed sub-four-second figure.
• Solid-feeling interior and good overall durability for an 80,000-mile rental car.
• Fast-charging capability and a standard OBD port, which the presenter found easier to work with than systems in some Teslas and Lucids.
• The car proved repairable, and the battery appeared undamaged in the exterior inspection.

Cons and cautions

• The auction car had several problems, including a dead 12-volt battery, coolant leaks and faults, a missing disconnect-loop component, and a failed shock absorber.
• Repairs involved improvisation and diagnosis; the presenter warns that Polestars are not necessarily easy to work on.
• The battery’s actual condition was not conclusively established.
• The trunk was described as small, and the car arrived with only a low charge.
• The low auction price came with substantial risk. The presenter explicitly advises against copying his purchase unless prepared for a non-running project.

Comparisons and verdict

The presenter found the Polestar much simpler than a Lucid to inspect and diagnose, partly because it has a standard OBD port. On the road, he estimated its feel and performance at around 80% of a Model 3’s, while praising its handling and acceleration.

He called it an overlooked EV and recommended buying a normal, functioning example if available—but not blindly buying a damaged auction car. His repaired car earned a place in his collection.

Speaker contributions

• Rich, the presenter: Led the repair and praised the car’s performance, build quality, and value, while warning against buying a non-running auction example.
• Joey and other workshop voices: Helped inspect and repair the car, questioned improvised fixes, and pointed out risks such as the coolant fault, missing disconnect component, and damaged shock absorber.