I've Owned My Tesla Cybertruck for 378 Days, People Still Flip Me Off Daily, But I'd Buy Another One Tomorrow Without Hesitation

The Tesla Cybertruck was never supposed to blend in or even be traded in. It wasn’t meant to sidle quietly into suburbia or whisper up to valet stands at luxury hotels. No, this stainless steel origami slab was designed to shove its way into the American automotive psyche like a punk band at a country club wedding. It’s a truck that doesn’t just look like the future, it demands that it arrive early. 

Why Every Glare and Finger Point Makes Cybertruck Owners Unite

Unsurprisingly, it’s become a magnet: for admiration, for disgust, and for that universally understood hand signal from passing motorists. And in a strange twist, the hostility has only drawn Cybertruck owners closer together. That bond, the nods at red lights, the parking lot conversations, the online war stories, has made this machine more than a vehicle - one owner went to the Cybertruck Forums to express his thoughts about the truck. 

“Being one of the first to own the vehicle has been interesting. Hard to describe all of the phases, emotions, reactions, feelings, comments, and gestures, but I’ll do my best. What I can tell you 100% is that after more than a year, there is absolutely zero disappointment. 

What Tesla has created in the Cybertruck is a modern marvel, and I’m thankful to have one.

Utility

Let’s focus on the utility of this thing to start with. I mean, what other vehicle can casually tow, haul, camp with an embedded tent, do karaoke with custom made microphones, handle bumps better than most ultra luxury cars, go like a bat out of hell, conveniently be used for ski trips, kayaking, boating, biking, trips to the dump, as a home backup generator, steer and maneuver better than most cars, easily charge at home or on network, and drive itself on any regular road or highway? Oh, wait, there is nothing else that can do all of those things. If you want all of that, for the moment and probably a while, the Cybertruck is your only option.

Looks

I have an unwrapped Foundation Series AWD. With the original all-terrain tires and wheel covers, I’ve only added the bike mat and crossbars to the outside. Love it. Still find myself stopping and turning around to look at it when I walk away, even a year+ later.

Attention

Road attention. I covered this early on in another post. Back then, it was as if you were a celebrity with people recording every little move, waving, asking questions, and generally just curious. Today, much of that is gone, however, there has always been a crowd of folks flipping the finger here and there. In fact, just got one today on the way back from Skiing.

Birds

I’m convinced that anyone damaging, harassing people, or doing things like flipping folks off has never sat in, driven, or gone for a ride in a Cybertruck. I’ve seen a lot over the past year, but thankfully, most reactions have been the positive, mind-blowing type.

AWD vs Beast

I went with the AWD for three reasons. 1) It was less expensive, 2) it arrived earlier, and 3) it had a longer driving range. After recently driving a Beast that I was given as a loaner from service, I can say without a doubt that the AWD was the right choice for me. The Beast is almost too fast, and jerks you around a bit in a way that I never feel in the AWD. On trips even up to the mountains, I can make it 3.5 hours going straight up to my destination without stopping to charge. With the Beast, I would be just short of being able to make it, and that would mean stopping to charge for a few minutes. Not the end of the world since superchargers are all over now, but not ideal for me, especially if arriving around 1:30 am with three kids and a dog. If you own a 2nd home, definitely worth getting a Level 2 charger. So convenient and even easier not to have to stop at all. Ski racks (on top of cross bars) up top definitely impact the range, but in my experience, they only take away 8-9% of the battery on that 3.5-hour trip.

Dogs

I’ve found that the vault, when paired with the metal divider accessory, a soft blanket, and a chew toy, is perfect. My dog is 98 lbs, and with the tonneau cover cracked only slightly, it creates almost a little crate-type environment towards the back of the truck bed. As a bonus, our dog can see us through the rear window, and if we turn the bed lights on at night, we can see her too.

Service visits

There have been a few, but most were either small cosmetic things or recalls/engineering study-type situations. Every single time I was handed another Tesla loaner (even got another Cybertruck once) and all issues were taken care of. I had one of the very early ones (like a VIN in the early 2000s), so I have had most everything you can think of replaced that needed to be. It hasn’t bothered me a bit, and in fact was kind of fun to drive all of the other Tesla models like the 3, Y, S, and X.

Cybertruck vs Model X

Every time I get into a Model X, I love it. The doors are super cool, and it just works well for around town. My favorite feature is the ability to open and close the driver and passenger doors + the wings just by tapping the screen. As much as I liked driving an X around, the fancy doors, etc, get old after a while, and it becomes a hassle pulling out so that kids can get in the back if you are parked in a carport. Each time after driving an X for a bit and then going back to the Cybertruck, I’m instantly flushed with the same thoughts and feelings. This typically consists of me saying to myself, Wow! The Cybertruck drives better and feels much more solid.

Cybertruck vs Model Y

To put it simply, the Cybertruck has way more space. If you have three kids and want to take a trip, it is much easier in the Cybertruck since each one can store their bags under their own seat. That doesn’t even account for being able to have a bag in the frunk and vault/truckbed area.

Daily driving

Yes, you can do this, and I have here and there for months at a time – even for commuting. You can park it anywhere, and it is super smooth on all roads. If you can swing it, I’ve found the best combo is to have a smaller car or sedan to drive to/from the local store and to commute, etc, and take the truck out when you need it. That’s how I love to use it. If I’m taking the kids to school, I’ll bring them in the Cybertruck once a week. I used to own an F-150, and that thing was massive – way bigger than the Cybertruck, but I only used it to move things around or tow stuff – maybe drove into the city with it once, and that it only because I had something I needed the truck for on my way home. The Cybertruck, in my opinion, is way more versatile, but it is still a truck, and I don’t really need to take a truck everywhere I go.

Self-driving – If you haven’t tried it at all or recently, you will not believe how advanced and simply incredible it is to have one of these cars drive you around. With the new vision-based monitoring system, you literally just need to look forward, and it will drive on the highway, turn blinkers on/off, change lanes, and maneuver out of the way of objects, people, and anything else it needs to. You really feel and get to sense the future in the Cybertruck. Last night, it took my entire family + dog 3.5 hours up a mountain on/off roads, through traffic lights, and all I had to do was type in the destination address. I literally just looked straight ahead at the road and did not have to touch the wheel or pedals for the entire time.

I still smile and break my neck to check out any other Cybertrucks that I see on the road. I’ll hopefully own this one for a long time to come. With all of the regular software updates that happen weekly/monthly that happen overnight, it just keeps getting better and better while I sleep.

If you’ve recently purchased one, have had one for a while, or are thinking about getting one, I wish you the best. Absolutely incredible machines and I hope you love it as much as I do.” - Cyberlove, CybertruckOwnerClub, March 8, 2025

That’s unfiltered enthusiasm from someone who’s clocked real miles and lived through the full range of ownership, from initial delivery quirks to daily commutes and family trips. And they’re not alone. 

There’s @GmP from Campbell, California, who traded in his EcoBoost Mustang for a Foundation Series AWD and now refers to his Cybertruck. “Every day, every drive still feels special,” he wrote. Even Nick from New Hampshire chimed in with, “My wife is the woman of my life. My Cybertruck is the vehicle of my life.” 

5 Game-Changing Features That Gives The Tesla Cybertruck’s An Edge

• The Cybertruck's angular, stainless-steel exoskeleton introduced a bold departure from traditional pickup designs. Its unique structure not only provides durability but also showcases Tesla's commitment to pushing design boundaries.
• Equipped with Tesla's Powershare technology, the Cybertruck offers bidirectional charging, allowing it to supply power to homes or other devices during outages—a feature that enhances its utility beyond transportation.
• Despite its polarizing appearance, the Cybertruck was awarded the "Coolest Car" at the 2024 Golden Steering Wheel Awards, highlighting its impact on automotive design and public interest. 
• In July 2024, the Cybertruck became the best-selling vehicle in the U.S. priced over $100,000, indicating strong demand in the luxury electric vehicle market segment.

Still, let’s not mistake passion for perfection. Tesla promised a bulletproof, 500-mile, sub-$40,000 stainless warrior. What arrived, eventually, was a $80,000+ compromise. Early builds had the kind of cosmetic issues that would make a Chrysler Sebring blush. One owner even noted water in the bed and glitches in the front camera. 

How the Cybertruck Outperforms Expectations

But where the Cybertruck has overdelivered, it has done so spectacularly. It tows like a freight train (14,000 lbs), hauls like a moving van, rides smoother than an Escalade, and maneuvers like something half its size. With steer-by-wire and rear-wheel steering, it makes tight U-turns like a Honda Civic in cosplay. Add the sci-fi karaoke, embedded camping features, and FSD that genuinely gets you across town with barely a twitch of your pinky, and you start to realize this truck may actually be the Swiss Army knife of EVs, absurd, yes, but astonishingly effective.

Cybertruck as Lifestyle Canvas… Dogs, Ski Trips, and Rolling Den Innovations

And that utility extends far beyond spreadsheets and spec charts. Cyberlove turned the truck’s “vault” into a rolling den for his 98-pound dog, complete with a soft blanket and ambient lighting. Meanwhile, others use it as a mobile command center for ski trips, bike hauls, dump runs, and late-night mountain drives, all made more surreal by the fact that the truck practically drives itself. “It just keeps getting better while I sleep,” Cyberlove wrote, referencing Tesla’s constant OTA updates. Somewhere between Black Mirror and Boy Scout handbook, the Cybertruck has become more experienced than a machine.

Then there’s the bird flipping, the symbolic gesture of a divided America. One owner was flipped off on the way back from skiing. But the strange thing is, the more hatred these trucks attract, the more owners seem to embrace them. It’s a kind of defiant glee, as if every finger only sharpens the edge of their shared identity. “Anyone damaging or harassing people,” Cyberlove writes, “has never sat in, driven, or gone for a ride in a Cybertruck.” To own one is to become part of something larger, a rolling symbol of disruption, ambition, and unapologetic weirdness.

4 Surprising Setbacks and Stats Behind Cybertruck’s Market Journey

• Originally aiming for 250,000 annual sales, Tesla managed to sell only about 46,000 Cybertrucks by early 2025, falling significantly short of expectations. 
• The Cybertruck has faced multiple recalls, including issues with accelerator pedals and exterior trim panels detaching, raising questions about its build quality and safety standards. 
• Several features announced during the Cybertruck's unveiling, such as a 500-mile range, a $39,900 base price, and a range extender, have not materialized, leading to customer disappointment. 
• Due to design and regulatory challenges, the Cybertruck is not available in markets outside North America, such as Europe and Australia, restricting its global reach.

That tribalism has evolved into something almost cultural. Owners greet each other like Jeep guys used to, before the Wranglers went mall-crawler. There's a pulse of genuine camaraderie. 

One driver, so smitten by the truck’s capability, confessed to being “almost addicted” to the Full Self-Driving. 

“The truck can do it better than me,” 

He admitted. It’s not just tech for the sake of tech, it’s changing the rhythm of daily life. Commutes become passive. Errands become events. Long drives become low-effort journeys.

Nearly two years in, the Cybertruck remains one of the most polarizing, compelling, and misunderstood vehicles on American roads. It’s neither the wheeled savior Elon promised nor the dystopian meme many predicted. 

It’s something uniquely American, brazen, overbuilt, impractical in places, yet impossible to ignore. 

Have you had the opportunity to drive the Tesla Cybertruck? Let us know in the comments below.

Image Sources: Tesla Newsroom, CybertruckOwnersForum, Pexels

Noah Washington is an automotive journalist based in Atlanta, Georgia. He enjoys covering the latest news in the automotive industry and conducting reviews on the latest cars. He has been in the automotive industry since 15 years old and has been featured in prominent automotive news sites. You can reach him on X and LinkedIn for tips and to follow his automotive coverage.