Just a quick update. I brought the car to my original pickup location (Springfield, NJ) and dropped it off with service. I was very appreciative to get a Model S 85 as a loaner rather than another ICE SUV. The S is about 4 years old, I think, and it is amazing how far Tesla has come! I can't believe I ever considered a used S over the 3, as the 3 is so far advanced.
Anyway, about the jack point damage, I got a call from a service lead. He walked me through a description of how rigorous the pre-delivery inspection is, how careful they are with the cars, etc., then indicated that his belief is that this was damaged caused by the shop that installed my lowering springs. He also stated that the damage is to the unibody and is "not repairable," and if I were to file an insurance claim that "the care would be totaled, they don't repair the unibody." While I saw red, I calmly explained how I, too, am stumped as to how this happened, as I had documented to Tesla that the damage existed about an hour after I picked up the car. I reminded them that I sent photos about 70 minutes after I left the showroom, and explained that the lowering springs were installed weeks later. I was asked to provide some documentation regarding when the springs were installed (which I emailed), and was told that they were "opening an engineering case" for this issue and I would get a call back. The gentleman was very polite and knowledgeable, but it is frustrating to have to keep explaining over and over that I could not have caused this damage in the amount of time I had the car. The lesson is: INSPECT YOUR MODEL 3 and DOCUMENT, DOCUMENT, DOCUMENT. If I didn't have the time stamps on the photos and my email to my delivery advisor on pickup day, it is 100% clear that Tesla would be telling me to pound sand.
Here's hoping that Tesla is able to come up with some proposal to make things right. It isn't helping my feelings to be told that this $50,000 car "would be totaled" due to irreparable damage that existed prior to delivery.