After a weekend's ownership...

[planehazza]

I say ownership, it's a lease, but you know what I mean

I'll summarise thoughts in lists/sections. Heads up, it's a long post.

Collection - this was spot on. Appointment was at 15:30 but we decided to get an early train down just in case. Rather than aimlessly wandering around Leeds for 2 hours, my Dad and I decided just to pop along and try out luck. Car was on the forecourt already, so spent a good 30 mins giving it a stress free once over. A few issues were apparent (listed in next section) but we got most of them sorted there and then. I then proceeded into the store and simply asked if there was any chance of being seen early (still 2 hours early at this point) but explained I was more than happy to wait. They had no problem and instead of asking me to wait for the next group session, he just did a one to one demo of the car with me. Car was at ~95% as requested. Overall very happy.

Issues with car - nothing serious, but a few that I logged with them:

• Chrome trim. None of them were perfect, but the trim gap between the the front and rear doors on the passenger side was a good 1.2cm. It was huge. He fixed it there and then, no problem
• Glass roof panels. One of the panels wasn't perfectly centered, and was off to one side by about 2mm. I asked about it and they said it would have be logged with service. A guy from service came out within a few moments and after a quick chat and some reassurance, we left it as is. All of the cars on the forecourt had the same 'imperfection'.
• App Access. I'd been told all along that transferring the car from leaseplan's account to mine could not be done until collection and that it would be a simple, quick job on the day. I was told that it would have to be handled by another team, so I was advised to email the sales department (CCing in the lad I was speaking with). Heard back on Sunday night that leaseplan had fabricated some completely fictional email address so I've set that straight and now I'm just waiting. I hope for it to be sorted today.
• Steering wheel alignment. Noticed halfway home that the steering wheel is about 5* off centre. When I'm driving along in a straight line, the wheel is noticeably pointing left. I rang Tesla from Scotch Corner SuC, conscious that I was approaching this 100 mile 'limit'. I was told I would have to book an appointment to have it sorted but it would require my returning to Leeds. I said I can't give a date yet, but that I would like to log it on file that I have reported this before the 100 miles. They were completely happy with this. I need to call Tesla to see if it can be done locally (Newcastle), otherwise it's another day off work in the near future...
• Rattles. I've noticed over the weekend a few squeaks and rattles. I don't know where I stand on reporting these now, but the worst sound like it's coming from the passenger door area. I'm worried that it's the glass window, but I'm hoping it's just the front reg plate/holder as it's really loose and clunky.

Good points

• The tech is awesome. TACC and base autopilot work very well but I can't wait for the UK/EU to lighten up on the self drive. Not that I want to sit there with my hands in my lap the whole journey, but having to nudge the wheel every 15s is really irritating.
• Power is insane - can't imagine what the performance model is like, let alone a ludicrous mode P100D. I'm going to have to be very careful with this car ha
• Handles well and doesn't have much problem getting the power down, presumably thanks to the AWD system.
• Sound system is great, but I have to admit it's not as good as I thought. It doesn't sound like a stereo/surround environment; instead, everything sounds like it's coming from the dash.
• Did I mention that the power was insane?

Bad/Not as good points

• Heavy steering. It's not heavy heavy, but it's going to take some getting used to compared to the BMW it has replaced.
• Wind noise. This thing is LOUD about 50mph. It's not just the lack of engine sound; the BMW was a PHEV and I did most of my commute in electric mode and that was blissfully silent. I will be buying some sealing kits to deaden this.
• Headlights. I don't know if they need adjusting up, but I'm finding that without high beam it's hard to see very far ahead. On a positive note, the high beam assist works well

Misc

• Car was running 2019.xx.xx. I can't remember the exact version, but it updated to 2020.4.1 once I got home and changed the update channel to advanced from standard.
• Games etc. are fun but can't see me using them very often
• It's weird driving it in the dark not seeing lights etc coming from behind the steering wheel. On a similar note, is there a way to adjust the dash light/dark mode timings? You'd have thought it would work based on ambient light, but it seems it's done based on twilight times? Driving through a tunnel in other cars would switch to the dark/night mode, but not the case here.

This 100 mile collection issue reporting rule; what exactly is it? What happens at 101 miles and you discover a rattle etc?

 

[Lupe]

Surely anything mechanical is just covered under warranty?

performance power has blown my socks off

 

[kevuwk]

This 100 mile collection issue reporting rule; what exactly is it? What happens at 101 miles and you discover a rattle etc?

Pretty sure the 100 mile rule is for paint issues

 

[Durzel]

Great post, thanks for that.

I'm not entirely sure what you meant by the chrome trim having a 1.2cm gap. That's huge if accurate. I don't suppose you got a photo of this did you?

Glass roof - like the chrome trim generally - when I popped down to Bristol store and had a look around all the cars waiting to be collected, and other ones in the car park nearby, they were all "unique" in terms of alignment. I've bought one of those seal kits from Abstract Ocean in anticipation of mine being equally "custom". The bad thing about this misalignment I think is that it's a pretty substantial part of the car and if it's not properly sealed I can see it being a source of a lot of noise. I'm speculating though.

I've heard conflicting info about the 100 mile thing. When I was originally looking to pick my car up from Heathrow (which is about 120 miles from my house) I asked about this and was told that it was a loose rule, but the guy I spoke to I suspect wouldn't have put anything in writing to that effect.

I think the only consolation you can take away from these Tesla fit and finish foibles is that everyone is in the same boat. You can rest assured that you haven't got a lemon or anything

Will be interested to hear how you get on with rattles, etc.

Also - did you get a frunk mat in yours?

 

[davidmc]

This 100 mile collection issue reporting rule; what exactly is it? What happens at 101 miles and you discover a rattle etc?

Not mine: (Your rights if something is wrong with your car)

If you buy a new or used car from a dealer and experience problems with it, you have some statutory rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015.

The Act states the car must be “of a satisfactory quality”, “fit for purpose” and “as described”. (For a used car, “satisfactory quality” takes into account the car’s age and mileage.)

You have a right to reject something faulty and you are entitled to a full refund within 30 days of purchase in most cases.

After 30 days you lose the short-term right to reject the goods.

You’ll also have fewer rights, such as only being able to ask for a repair or replacement, or a partial refund.

In fact, you’re legally allowed to return it up to six years after you bought it (in Scotland, it’s five years after you first realised there was a problem).

But it gets more difficult to prove a fault and not normal wear and tear is the cause of any problem.

Also: (Sale of Goods Act 1979)

A right to have faults in what you buy put right – clearer tiered remedies in the event that a consumer’s rights are breached, including a mandatory 30-day period (from the date of purchase) in which to reject a faulty good and get a full refund. (However, this right doesn’t apply to faulty digital content.)


Mine:

The 100miles thing is from USA and not really applicable here. (Get any imperfections noted as quick as possible)

 

[Durzel]

"Satisfactory quality" is a broad and subjective term though. If Tesla can say that all of their cars are like that, and the OP's is within tolerance, would it be easy to refute that? Same with rattles and creaks.

I'm sure the OP's problems will get fixed, but I think we all have to accept that these aren't precision built German cars. Not defending Tesla in any way because as competition grows they will really have to buck their ideas up, but at the moment it is what it is.

 

[TheManofMead]

I say ownership, it's a lease, but you know what I mean

I'll summarise thoughts in lists/sections. Heads up, it's a long post.

Collection - this was spot on. Appointment was at 15:30 but we decided to get an early train down just in case. Rather than aimlessly wandering around Leeds for 2 hours, my Dad and I decided just to pop along and try out luck. Car was on the forecourt already, so spent a good 30 mins giving it a stress free once over. A few issues were apparent (listed in next section) but we got most of them sorted there and then. I then proceeded into the store and simply asked if there was any chance of being seen early (still 2 hours early at this point) but explained I was more than happy to wait. They had no problem and instead of asking me to wait for the next group session, he just did a one to one demo of the car with me. Car was at ~95% as requested. Overall very happy.

Issues with car - nothing serious, but a few that I logged with them:

• Chrome trim. None of them were perfect, but the trim gap between the the front and rear doors on the passenger side was a good 1.2cm. It was huge. He fixed it there and then, no problem
• Glass roof panels. One of the panels wasn't perfectly centered, and was off to one side by about 2mm. I asked about it and they said it would have be logged with service. A guy from service came out within a few moments and after a quick chat and some reassurance, we left it as is. All of the cars on the forecourt had the same 'imperfection'.
• App Access. I'd been told all along that transferring the car from leaseplan's account to mine could not be done until collection and that it would be a simple, quick job on the day. I was told that it would have to be handled by another team, so I was advised to email the sales department (CCing in the lad I was speaking with). Heard back on Sunday night that leaseplan had fabricated some completely fictional email address so I've set that straight and now I'm just waiting. I hope for it to be sorted today.
• Steering wheel alignment. Noticed halfway home that the steering wheel is about 5* off centre. When I'm driving along in a straight line, the wheel is noticeably pointing left. I rang Tesla from Scotch Corner SuC, conscious that I was approaching this 100 mile 'limit'. I was told I would have to book an appointment to have it sorted but it would require my returning to Leeds. I said I can't give a date yet, but that I would like to log it on file that I have reported this before the 100 miles. They were completely happy with this. I need to call Tesla to see if it can be done locally (Newcastle), otherwise it's another day off work in the near future...
• Rattles. I've noticed over the weekend a few squeaks and rattles. I don't know where I stand on reporting these now, but the worst sound like it's coming from the passenger door area. I'm worried that it's the glass window, but I'm hoping it's just the front reg plate/holder as it's really loose and clunky.

Good points

• The tech is awesome. TACC and base autopilot work very well but I can't wait for the UK/EU to lighten up on the self drive. Not that I want to sit there with my hands in my lap the whole journey, but having to nudge the wheel every 15s is really irritating.
• Power is insane - can't imagine what the performance model is like, let alone a ludicrous mode P100D. I'm going to have to be very careful with this car ha
• Handles well and doesn't have much problem getting the power down, presumably thanks to the AWD system.
• Sound system is great, but I have to admit it's not as good as I thought. It doesn't sound like a stereo/surround environment; instead, everything sounds like it's coming from the dash.
• Did I mention that the power was insane?

Bad/Not as good points

• Heavy steering. It's not heavy heavy, but it's going to take some getting used to compared to the BMW it has replaced.
• Wind noise. This thing is LOUD about 50mph. It's not just the lack of engine sound; the BMW was a PHEV and I did most of my commute in electric mode and that was blissfully silent. I will be buying some sealing kits to deaden this.
• Headlights. I don't know if they need adjusting up, but I'm finding that without high beam it's hard to see very far ahead. On a positive note, the high beam assist works well

Misc

• Car was running 2019.xx.xx. I can't remember the exact version, but it updated to 2020.4.1 once I got home and changed the update channel to advanced from standard.
• Games etc. are fun but can't see me using them very often
• It's weird driving it in the dark not seeing lights etc coming from behind the steering wheel. On a similar note, is there a way to adjust the dash light/dark mode timings? You'd have thought it would work based on ambient light, but it seems it's done based on twilight times? Driving through a tunnel in other cars would switch to the dark/night mode, but not the case here.

This 100 mile collection issue reporting rule; what exactly is it? What happens at 101 miles and you discover a rattle etc?

In relation to the "Heavy Steering" you mention, this may be because you have it set to "Sport" which tends to be the 'tightest' or 'heaviest'. Try changing it and you should be pleasantly surprised.

 

[RichieC]

Congratulations on getting the car!

When i collected my M3 Performance about 6 months ago, I had some of the same issues as you (but love the car)...

• Chrome trim. None of them were perfect, but the trim gap between the the front and rear doors on the passenger side was a good 1.2cm. It was huge. He fixed it there and then, no problem

The chrome trim on my rear passenger door has a gap like this - I logged this in the app and had a mobile ranger come out to my house to fix it - great service - highly recommend the mobile ranger service if they can fix your issues!

• Glass roof panels. One of the panels wasn't perfectly centered, and was off to one side by about 2mm. I asked about it and they said it would have be logged with service. A guy from service came out within a few moments and after a quick chat and some reassurance, we left it as is. All of the cars on the forecourt had the same 'imperfection'.

I think my car might have a similar issue with the roof panel being off centre slightly - I had quite a lot of wind noise coming from the drivers side of the roof at above about 50Mph - I fitted the additional rubber roof seal gasket thingy that you can get, at it completely fixed the noise - the roof is silent now at all speeds..

• Steering wheel alignment. Noticed halfway home that the steering wheel is about 5* off centre. When I'm driving along in a straight line, the wheel is noticeably pointing left. I rang Tesla from Scotch Corner SuC, conscious that I was approaching this 100 mile 'limit'. I was told I would have to book an appointment to have it sorted but it would require my returning to Leeds. I said I can't give a date yet, but that I would like to log it on file that I have reported this before the 100 miles. They were completely happy with this. I need to call Tesla to see if it can be done locally (Newcastle), otherwise it's another day off work in the near future...

I think my steering wheel is slightly out of alignment too, but not by much and it doesn't really bother me too much - maybe when i change tyres and get the alignment checked i might get this adjusted.

• Rattles. I've noticed over the weekend a few squeaks and rattles. I don't know where I stand on reporting these now, but the worst sound like it's coming from the passenger door area. I'm worried that it's the glass window, but I'm hoping it's just the front reg plate/holder as it's really loose and clunky.

The one thing that i really hated was the rear number plate holder - it just looks cheap and it rattles and sounds horrible when you close the boot lid! - I removed it and just stuck the existing number plate directly to the boot lid with some foam pads that i got from halfords - looks and sounds so much better now. I plan i replacing the front number plate with a stick on one too, but havn't done this yet.

• The tech is awesome. TACC and base autopilot work very well but I can't wait for the UK/EU to lighten up on the self drive. Not that I want to sit there with my hands in my lap the whole journey, but having to nudge the wheel every 15s is really irritating.

Love autopilot - use it all the time - the 15s nag is not too bad once you realise that there's a way you can rest a hand on the wheel at about the 5o'clock point and it stops it happening ;-) - I would prefer it diddn't do it though!

• Power is insane - can't imagine what the performance model is like, let alone a ludicrous mode P100D. I'm going to have to be very careful with this car ha

Oh yes .. makes me smile every time i press that pedal - i have the performance model and it never gets old ;-)

• Sound system is great, but I have to admit it's not as good as I thought. It doesn't sound like a stereo/surround environment; instead, everything sounds like it's coming from the dash.

I thought this too - it sounds like everything is coming from the front speakers - but if you adjust the fader towards the rear just slightly, it improves it alot - sounds alot more "balanced", and im quite happy with it now.

Bad/Not as good points

• Heavy steering. It's not heavy heavy, but it's going to take some getting used to compared to the BMW it has replaced.

I thought this too - Set the steering to "Comfort Mode" in settings - fixed ;-)

• Wind noise. This thing is LOUD about 50mph. It's not just the lack of engine sound; the BMW was a PHEV and I did most of my commute in electric mode and that was blissfully silent. I will be buying some sealing kits to deaden this.

I have fitted some sealing kits to fix these issues - the roof seal worked well for me and got rid of most of the noise. Have also fitted the additional door seals and although they don't eliminate the noise completely they do change it for the better (although its not a massive difference), but i do like them - they look good and keeps the door sills cleaner as an added bonus!

Misc

• It's weird driving it in the dark not seeing lights etc coming from behind the steering wheel.

You get used to that very quickly - I don't even notice it anymore!

If you have any questions, let me know!
Enjoy the car!

 

[Yev000]

the roof seal worked well for me and got rid of most of the noise.

Hmm, really?

Noise only bothers me when I have to turn the audio up after about 50mph. I'll try the roof seal also.

 

[RichieC]

Hmm, really?

Noise only bothers me when I have to turn the audio up after about 50mph. I'll try the roof seal also.

I have spoken to other Model 3 owners who have said the roof seal diddn't make much difference for them, but for me it made a huge difference! I guess it depends if you have wind noise from the roof to start with, which i did!

It's a pretty cheap item regardless, so worth a shot i guess even if it doesn't make much difference..

 

[Durzel]

Putting my music purist hat on, you should not be listening to music coming from behind you. At most you should have a very small amount of fade to the rear, but music coming out of the front/dash is "correct" from an audiophile standpoint. Non-movie music is not 5.1.

Regarding the roof seal - I can definitely recommend Abstract Ocean. Fast shipping, very reasonable shipping rates considering it's coming from America.

Model 3 Noise Reduction Kit

As said above it's probably worth doing regardless, as it's only $19.99. Plus they have a load of other great stuff that you can combine with the order.

 

[Plagued]

The 100 mile "rule" is just for damage. As the cars aren't properly QA'd you've got a bit of leeway to report delivery damage, so scratches, paint chips and any damage to the car. Otherwise you're in a "your word against theirs" situation if you find a scratch or a bit of snapped trim etc. Any other issue like panel/trim fitment, steering wheel alignment, water in lights etc is just standard warranty issues and you can log them whenever you like.
I fitted both the roof glass rubber seal (on my slightly off-centered glass ... I've not seen a model 3 with the glass centered, there must be a reason?) and the double door seals, but in all honesty I can't hear much difference, there was more of a reduction in noise as the tyres bedded in than from the extra seals.

 

[planehazza]

Thanks for the info, all, very helpful.

I've got my steering on comfort and getting used to it

I'm definitely going to look at getting some seal kits.

Regarding trim gaps, here's a photo I took on collection of the offending side:


I may have overestimated at 1.2cm; it's probably 9-10mm, but that's still unacceptable to me, especially when the same gap on the other side is spot on in relation to the panels. Also, ignore the scratches in the photo; they've buffed out.

Regarding the front glass panel, this photo makes it look worse than it is:



And the opposite side:



As said, I had a quick snoop around the others and they were all similar. A £20 roof seal will hide it.

Great post, thanks for that.

Also - did you get a frunk mat in yours?

Nope, and I forgot to ask about it. Interiour mats where though, the driver side one is a poor fit around the foot rest. It wasn't lined up right and I've adjust it but it still doesn't quite want to line up on the rest properly.

Putting my music purist hat on, you should not be listening to music coming from behind you. At most you should have a very small amount of fade to the rear, but music coming out of the front/dash is "correct" from an audiophile standpoint. Non-movie music is not 5.1.

Regarding the roof seal - I can definitely recommend Abstract Ocean. Fast shipping, very reasonable shipping rates considering it's coming from America.

Model 3 Noise Reduction Kit

As said above it's probably worth doing regardless, as it's only $19.99. Plus they have a load of other great stuff that you can combine with the order.

No no, you're completely correct about the music. I have mixed feelings about the 'immersive audio' option. Music is stereo and so I'm not sure why you want to use hardware/software processors to virtualise it to surround. However, the M3's audio, whilst sounding very good, doesn't seem to have a wide stereo stage. It almost sounds like it's all been mixed to mono, regardless of the immersive audio option. Like you say, I've moved the fader rearward very slightly, but I'd like to make it sound wider if possible. I really wish, with all the tech, I had more control of the sound stage.

 

[Durzel]

If it's any consolation a few of the M3s I saw had similar rear door chrome trim gaps. Not quite as big as that I don't think, but similar. Certainly big enough for it to stand out to me and to think "that looks bad".

How did the SC actually fix that, do you know?

Regards the roof glass - from what I've been able to tell the glass panel is not actually manufactured to be big enough to fit the recess where it's installed. You seem to end up with a gap on both sides, relative to the windscreens. The problem is in some cases - as with yours - the gap is more pronounced on one side than the other. I don't think it's fixable without unsealing the roof, but hopefully a sealing kit will resolve.

 

[planehazza]

If it's any consolation a few of the M3s I saw had similar rear door chrome trim gaps. Not quite as big as that I don't think, but similar. Certainly big enough for it to stand out to me and to think "that looks bad".

How did the SC actually fix that, do you know?

Regards the roof glass - from what I've been able to tell the glass panel is not actually manufactured to be big enough to fit the recess where it's installed. You seem to end up with a gap on both sides, relative to the windscreens. The problem is in some cases - as with yours - the gap is more pronounced on one side than the other. I don't think it's fixable without unsealing the roof, but hopefully a sealing kit will resolve.

He made a joke about maybe not wanting to watch, as it was quite brutal. He just opened the door, wound the window down and pushed/tapped on it.

I said I wasn't personally too worried about the roof gap, as long as it wasn't at risk of leaking. He reassured me that the seal around the roof glass is a good 5cm or so wide, so a couple of mm wouldn't harm it. I just said I had to officially mention anything I wasn't sure about with it being a lease.

 

[seadog]

From those pictures where the glass meets the front glass piece seems narrower than the rear piece, if they had centered it, it would of looked OK but it's quite noticeable they way it is. Anyone know if these are these fitted by robots or humans?

 

[Durzel]

He made a joke about maybe not wanting to watch, as it was quite brutal. He just opened the door, wound the window down and pushed/tapped on it.

I said I wasn't personally too worried about the roof gap, as long as it wasn't at risk of leaking. He reassured me that the seal around the roof glass is a good 5cm or so wide, so a couple of mm wouldn't harm it. I just said I had to officially mention anything I wasn't sure about with it being a lease.

Thanks.

I assume Leeds SC is on the same site as the handover location? I'm picking up my car from the Tesla store in Bristol. The SC is ~1.7 miles away. If I have any issues similar to yours I'd want mine to be fixed before I drove away, but I don't know realistic that's going to be. Intuitively I would assume that onsite SCs would be more accepting of quick fixes.

I'm also paying cash so I'm presuming I'm going to have to transfer all of the money for the car before I've even seen it, vs finance where you could decide not to proceed and not do the final handover part, so I feel like my leverage is lessened.

My car is booked in for a full detail & PPF the weekend following the pickup, so I need to make sure that anything significant is resolved before then. Obviously with paint issues I'm pretty buggered.

Regards the glass section - as said above I think it is manufactured slightly smaller than the front and rear windscreen. No idea why, but the net effect is that it will be out significanty on one side, or both. In the OP's photos the right side is aligned perfectly which means the left side is out by more, if that makes sense. The only "correct" way these can be fitted is by them being misaligned on both sides, but by a smaller margin than on one.

 

[RichieC]

The door trim gap on your car looks pretty similar to how mine was. The mobile tech that came out said the trim pieces just pull off, which is what he did and just refitted it in the correct place - looks like it's a pretty tight fit though!

 

[MrBadger]

Regards the glass section - as said above I think it is manufactured slightly smaller than the front and rear windscreen. No idea why,

The fittings for the Tesla roof bars fit through the gap - too much off to one side and I can see fitting that may be a problem - if I was getting roof bars, I would be wanting Tesla to do first fit. Its not unknown for the glass to give on fitting, some times due to mis fitting, so I would want it clear where fault lies if that happened.

 

[Jason71]

You mentioned a rattle from the passenger door area. One of the things I like about my M3 is that there are no rattles.
Well not when I collected it. Over time one started in the drivers door and got worse and worse. turns out not a rattle at all but the door or window rubbing on the seals. It's a common problem and can be sorted out using a lubricant on the seals ( particularly all the bits the glass touches). I did that and also just for good measure. rainx'd the inside of the window and waxed the inner edges of the door and door fame so that basically all the points of contact were all as frictionless as possible from both sides and its solved the problem.
I know you should not need to do this sort of thing on a new car but at the end of the day it's probably easier than taking to a service centre. this may not be your issue but its a quick, cheap easy thing to do to at least rule it out.
there is a discussion of it here
Puffy rattle sound at driver side window