The amount of people who have responded and gave feedback on this so quickly is pretty incredible open in order for him to our communities in the past and never seen answers/help/engagement to a question so fast.
I actually just watched a video yesterday where someone purchased the 2021 three and they noticed no improvement in sound for the double paint window vs the 2020 they had. He mentioned later that there may be a panel gap problem in his driver‘s door because it seemed like a lot of the noise was coming from there
.
Which is also something that seemed a little surprising as well because I just read something the other day about that Sandy Munro (I don’t really know him but apparently he’s in with very well respected in big name in the car and electric car world) kind of eviscerated the original model three and when he drove the “refreshed” 2021 he was blown away how well put together the car was and how it seemed there were no panel gal issues whatsoever.
@Around04 On average, the Model 3's being built today are better put together and more refined than early ones. Of course you will be buying a
specific Model 3, and unfortunately I think there is still risk of assembly issues that lead to excessive wind noise. I believe the risk is pretty low these days but still exists.
The 2021 that Sandy reviewed was presumably average or above, for a newer one. The 2021 from that other video you mentioned with loud wind noise from the driver's door was below average, it had an issue that not all of them have.
My October 2021 Fremont built M3P has perfectly acceptable wind noise level. So did the October 2021 M3P and M3LR I tested - all three about the same, so I believe all three were assembled well enough to avoid any specific wind noise issues. Even these newer Model 3's are NOT the quietest highway cars out there by any means, I've certainly been in quieter cars including some competing EVs, but the 2021 Model 3's I've driven are totally fine in my book, nothing to complain about. Tire noise is usually louder than wind noise anyways in this car with performance tires.
However a Q2 2021 MYLR I tested had terrible wind noise on the highway. Sounded like it was coming from the top of the car. At the time I assumed that's how all Model Y were, but after reading more here I think
that specific car I tested was poorly assembled, not all Y from that era are that loud, and even Model 3 sometimes have a similar/same issue apparently (though I didn't experience it in any 3).
This of course begs the question...if you get unlucky with a poorly assembled Model 3, can and will Tesla fix it under warranty?
If it's used, I'm going to say they probably won't. As long as you tested the exact used car you're going to buy, and it sounds good, then you're good!
(For a new Model 3 Tesla should fix any such issue if pointed out immediately like first 24 hours, but you might have to push very hard to get them to acknowledge it's a real problem that needs fixing, from what I've read.)