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2018 vs 2020 quality?
- Thread starter theothertom
- Start date
RedModel3
Member
It really depends on the car. I have a June, 2018 build and I haven't had any problems. But then, I didn't go over the whole car with a magnifying glass.
XLR82XS
D M C
I would suggest the 2020MY due to improvements over initial release vehicles. There are steering rack and control arm issues with early vehicles. My 2020 has stiffer window seals than the 2019 and is quieter at highway speeds.
Tesla incrementally improves its cars at least seasonally. The 2020 will last longer and probably has better batteries.
It depends on how long you keep cars, the 2018 will be lovely for two or three years, the 2020 will likely last six to eight years of joy.
It depends on how long you keep cars, the 2018 will be lovely for two or three years, the 2020 will likely last six to eight years of joy.
As a brand new December 2016 MS owner I don't think car's battery last more than 3 years. I forgot exact timeline but sometime in mid 2019 since that Hong Kong fire video Tesla dropped the range by ~20 miles and also nerfed supercharging speed. So I don't think there is any guarantee that new car will last six to eight years.
You cannot compare a 2016 Model S (especially a 75) with a 2018 Tesla Model 3. The batteries are completely different and expectations of battery life should be different. The Model S and Model X in the earlier years were more like practice cars for Tesla. The core of the Model 3 is greatly superior and greatly different to earlier Model S cars in many ways.
I think with the 2018 Tesla Model 3, it depends which batch it was produced in and what difficulties they were having at the time. While I was waiting on my 2018 Tesla Model 3, I waited until after July 2018 which is when I perceived the quality improved. Do some research on the VIN number to determine when it was produced. A VIN with a number greater than 70,000 in 2018 should be of better quality. But, again, just like 2020 it sometimes depends on the batch. For instance, when Tesla recently restarted the production lines after the Covid shutdown, I bet there were a lot of quality control issues. I installed a noise reduction kit that includes seals for the front and read trunk, an easy DIY, on my Tesla Model 3 and it is very quiet inside. You can still hear very loud noises and tire noise from cars around you, but very little road noise even with the truck exposed by the rear seats being down.
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This kit has the front trunk and rear trunk seals for the Model 3. I cannot vouch that this will fit the Model S especially the trunk. I didn't see a Tesla Model S noise reduction kit from the same vendor:
https://www.amazon.com/Motrobe-Soun...t=&hvlocphy=9008123&hvtargid=pla-824619398850
I have a Jan 18 build Model 3 and after initialing whining about some fit and finish issues, the car has been superb. While I imagine quality control has improved, customer service was much better when I purchased my 3 as the Service Centers weren’t very busy and they were really hustling to get the bugs out fast.
I hope quality has actually improved. However Tesla has very smartly altered the battery/drivetrain warranty now: The Battery and Drive Unit in your vehicle are covered for a period of: Model S and Model X – 8 years or 150,000 miles, whichever comes first, with minimum 70% retention of Battery capacity over the warranty period.
Remember before it used to be unlimited miles and no minimum retention clause. So either the quality has improved or they themselves can't back up their own warranty and altered it to limit the warranty claims.
There's kind of a third option in there.... people were using the cars for fleet vehicles and racking up 400k miles in like two years (which some did need battery replacements, but very few) and supercharging CONSTANTLY, like more than once a day. If you use the battery like a normal person would, mainly charge at home at 32 or 48 amps and keep it around 70 to 80% max change accept for a dozen or two times a year when you are on a road trip or something than the battery should last a long time. 150k miles is more than 15k miles a year and 8 years is a pretty good amount of time. Most issues will show up way before then, and Tesla will fix those... but Tesla doesn't want a 15 year old car that has a battery issue coming back to drag them into court... and Tesla doesn't want to put two or three batteries in a car over 8 years that does 100k a year because it's used as a taxi, or uber or rental. Just like everything, I think a few that pushed the limits probably ruined it for everyone else... and more then anything, I think it's the lawyers that said "hey, we have to get more strict with this language before we're selling 300k+ cars a year... especially with Turo and Uber and stuff out there..."
My December 2016 MS is not even 4 years old (less than half of 8 years warranty period) and my battery is already capped and supercharging nerfed. Based on your theory Tesla should fix or replace my battery? Well short answer is no because according to Tesla it is within normal specification. If you are not aware please read the batterygate/chargegate thread in MS - Battery section of this forum.
Tesla is not associated with the Watergate building in any way...
But yes, Tesla has had a couple packs that haven’t been amazing. That said, if your pack stopped supercharging, or charging in general, or dropped below 70% original capacity, Tesla has and will replace it free of charge.
I would say 2020. There have been changes that fixed issues over these last two years.
pdx_m3s
Active Member
Model 3 quality seems to have leveled off starting in Mid-2019 through now. From what I've seen, 2020 cars are no better than 2019 cars.
When it comes to the SR+, I would say the mid-2019 is far more desirable than a 2020. Battery degradation seems to be much lower, plus you got fog lights standard. And for all cars, you got auto-dimming mirrors.
When it comes to the SR+, I would say the mid-2019 is far more desirable than a 2020. Battery degradation seems to be much lower, plus you got fog lights standard. And for all cars, you got auto-dimming mirrors.
FielderJones
Member
My April 2019 SR+ still charges to 216 miles indicated at the top of the Daily battery range limit, exactly 90% of 240 miles. As far as I know the 2019s never got a boost to 250 miles.
pdx_m3s
Active Member
Correct. However, from what I’ve seen here, many of the 2020s never seem to have actually charged to 250 and they’re sitting around 220-230 miles of range, at less than a year old.
My May-2019 SR+ has a 231 mile range... although I’ve never charged it to 100% so who knows.
One big difference is my 2018 has a slight decline in the battery capacity as reflected by miles available after a charge. A 2020 has more battery life.
How can I get that silencing kit? That is one issue with my July 2018 model. I would love to quiet down road noise! Otherwise, I have not had any problems other than every once in awhile nuisanse with connectivity, or losing settings when I get an update, but that is probably an inherent problem with all models and years.
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