Are my concerns legitimate ?

[Ipshai]

Hi everyone,

Bought a p3d- in August '19 and couldn't be more happy about my purchase. The driving experience is unique and very satisfying. Driving my kids around went from a chore to a pleasure. Unfortunately I'm slowly developing a love/hate relationship with this vehicule.

Had some wind noise driver side at highway speeds. First service didn't correct the problem. Second time around they replaced the windshield that wasn't sealed properly and problem was fixed. Customer service was great and problem solved. Happy customer.

A day later my 14-year old gets in passenger seat, hits the seat control knob with his shoe and it goes flying. One of the plastic holders is broken. Not what you'd expect from a car this price.

The following morning, I pull on the sun visor with my left hand while driving. The plastic holder breaks clean...

I am getting really concerned that this car is falling apart way too soon. And winter season with its -30 Celsius hasn't arrived yet.

 

[BOBEDIGITL]

Hi everyone,

Bought a p3d- in August '19 and couldn't be more happy about my purchase. The driving experience is unique and very satisfying. Driving my kids around went from a chore to a pleasure. Unfortunately I'm slowly developing a love/hate relationship with this vehicule.

Had some wind noise driver side at highway speeds. First service didn't correct the problem. Second time around they replaced the windshield that wasn't sealed properly and problem was fixed. Customer service was great and problem solved. Happy customer.

A day later my 14-year old gets in passenger seat, hits the seat control knob with his shoe and it goes flying. One of the plastic holders is broken. Not what you'd expect from a car this price.

The following morning, I pull on the sun visor with my left hand while driving. The plastic holder breaks clean...

I am getting really concerned that this car is falling apart way too soon. And winter season with its -30 Celsius hasn't arrived yet.

I wouldn't be too worried about it. A lot of plastic pieces in any car can be dislodged when being kicked with a shoe (I'd probably omit that part to Tesla as the reason for it coming loose) and the visor should definitely not be breaking clean that easily. I'd schedule a service appt and explain your concerns to them Seems like simple enough fixes that hopefully they can send a service ranger to your area.

 

[PhantmMenace]

Hi everyone,

Bought a p3d- in August '19 and couldn't be more happy about my purchase. The driving experience is unique and very satisfying. Driving my kids around went from a chore to a pleasure. Unfortunately I'm slowly developing a love/hate relationship with this vehicule.

Had some wind noise driver side at highway speeds. First service didn't correct the problem. Second time around they replaced the windshield that wasn't sealed properly and problem was fixed. Customer service was great and problem solved. Happy customer.

A day later my 14-year old gets in passenger seat, hits the seat control knob with his shoe and it goes flying. One of the plastic holders is broken. Not what you'd expect from a car this price.

The following morning, I pull on the sun visor with my left hand while driving. The plastic holder breaks clean...

I am getting really concerned that this car is falling apart way too soon. And winter season with its -30 Celsius hasn't arrived yet.

What car are you driving ? My 2019 Model 3 seat controls are tight and appear to be of high quality but the seat controls look completely different to the photos you posted. Having said that, after 6 months, I feel the quality of the switch gear and general interior finishing has been very good and certainly no worse compared to my previous BMW's.

 

[richyrich]

I got mine last May, drove all through last winter (Ottawa) with plenty of cold; I have kids/teenagers in and out of it every day - currently at 58,000km so not lightly used either. Nothing has fallen off or broken so I think you are over-reacting, you just got unlucky.

 

[Ipshai]

I' m driving a 2019 model 3 performance - brand new with 2600 kms on it.

A 140 lbs pound kid hitting by mistake the sliding knob and destroying it is probably just bad luck.
So is a windshield not being sealed properly.
And so is managing to destroy the sun visor clip single-handedly with my left hand while driving in the same week,

I love the car so I'm willing to put this on lots of bad luck happening really fast...but still wondering if anyone else has been experiencing problems of this nature.

( 7th new car and never had any issues of this type so early in a car's life )

 

[VT_EE]

No problems here after a year of driving.

 

[Ipshai]

What car are you driving ? My 2019 Model 3 seat controls are tight and appear to be of high quality but the seat controls look completely different to the photos you posted. Having said that, after 6 months, I feel the quality of the switch gear and general interior finishing has been very good and certainly no worse compared to my previous BMW's.

What you see on the picture is what holds in place the actual " slider button " . The slider clips on these three small plastic pieces. Thought I could snap it back on but then saw that one of the pieces was broken.

 

[SMAlset]

Haven’t had any issues with my car or parts on it and use it daily. Glad to hear they resolved your windshield noise issue.

Trying to picture hitting the side seat control with a shoe though. We had our Avalon visor clip break and same thing happened on our Camry before we got rid of them. I suspect they’re all made of cheap plastic.

 

[afadeev]

A day later my 14-year old gets in passenger seat, hits the seat control knob with his shoe and it goes flying. One of the plastic holders is broken. Not what you'd expect from a car this price.

Welcome to the plastic "seat adjuster broke" club.
In my case, it fell off the first time I touched it. The tabs that clip the exterior button to those joystick controls were broken from the factory.

I had ordered a replacement through Tesla, but the part is on the back-order. No ETA.

If were you, I would buy some plastic model glue from Hobby Lobby, and try to glue it back together.
That will be the quickest, the cheapest, and most definitive solution. Anything else will take months, at best.

The following morning, I pull on the sun visor with my left hand while driving. The plastic holder breaks clean...

I haven't had that one.
Yet.

Good luck!
a

 

[Zcd1]

FWIW, the visor clip on my $84,000 "best interior quality and design in the business" Audi S6 snapped clean off the first time I tried moving it with my left hand, as you described. When I took it in for a replacement, they basically said "Well, don't move it that way!".

I started to protest, but bit my tongue and I was more careful after that and never had a problem with it again in 4+ years...

 

[KenC]

My dad pulled down the visor on my $46k 2001 BMW 330xi sport, and the thingamabob broke. The dealer replaced it, and said it was common.

 

[tvad]

Worry about what you can control and let the rest go.

You can control taking the M3 to service to have the items fixed or replaced.

To some extent you can control being gentle with knobs, controls and other moving parts on the M3, and you can teach your kids and passengers to do the same.

Other than that, there’s not much you can do.

If the worry of potentially breaking items occupies an inordinate amount of your time, you might consider selling the car. That’s the last thing you can control with it.

 

[ibGeek]

It's a good car, let Tesla make things right for you and just enjoy it. Things break sometimes. I wouldn't worry too much.

 

[Knightshade]

The plastic tabs holding the sport dead pedal on my best-quality-in-industry Lexus IS350 broke a week after new car delivery. Dealer replaced under warranty obviously.

Broke again after 3 years of ownership, replaced again for free.

Other than that, and needing a new battery every ~4 years, car was entirely problem free for 11 years of ownership till it was replaced by my Model 3.

 

[adamtc4]

If it makes your feel any better I broke off both sunvisors on my 14 Audi S4 and that car was built like a tank.