Delivered: Fremont express pickup experience & overall MY build quality

[dandrewk]

This is basically what I see on every piece attached to the car. Not a big deal, but haven’t seen stuff like this on $20K cars.

I do. I've seen worse on cars twice the price of the Model Y. I've seen it on $20k cars too. Go to any dealer's lot. Take a walk in any residential neighborhood with cars parked along the street.

Do you often open up the trunk/hatch and examine the paint behind the lid?

 

[theganjaguru]

TL;DR; I will never buy a Toyota again due to past issues.

No, they just have other issues. Back when they first came out I special ordered a Scion tC. I specified all the options I wanted including color, no cd changer, and no dealer crap stuck to the car. When I got to the dealer for pickup it was 1) the wrong color, 2) had a 6-CD changer installed, and 3) had dealer crap adhered to the rear. They outright refused to make it right stating that they could reorder my car. They claimed that Toyota had installed the CD changer at the dock and that I had to pay for it or refuse delivery.

The car had other serious issues. The first time I had to hit the brakes hard the ABS almost sent the car sideways during a straight stop. The ABS was applying the brakes unevenly between the two sides. It remained an issue throughout the time I had the car. There were also panel gap issues (which I don't really care about) among other minor issues like Teslas seem to have.

Sorry to hear about your issues. That blows. I think you have also look at the factory a car comes from and the regional issues that may be occurring at the time of production. I don’t know where scions were made.

My Taco was the first year they came out with the redesign. That truck came out of Fremont when it was NUMI. Solid.

I agree that every single manufacturer has a defect rate. I propose Tesla has a higher than average defect rate than established OEM’s by the rumblings on this forum and YouTube.

Where Tesla shines is battery tech, drivetrain and software. While stories of build quality disappointing, my reservation remains in the queue due to the fact that a panel gap won’t affect the ability to have an EV with minimal battery degradation over the life of the vehicle or resale value being hopefully a class leader like the 3.

Improving the process and lowering the defect rate will only help make Tesla even better.

I agree that the panel gaps and what not are kind of trivial. Busted headliner and some other build issues are definitely more than trivial. First world problems are so sad

 

[MSM_Y_Bruh]

I've been following this forum for a while as we all went through anticipation for our MY deliveries. I thought I'd do my part and do a write up for those to read or who may be waiting still.

Location: Bay area (15 miles from fremont)
Order date: June 2019 (RWD, White ext, Black Int, upgraded wheels, no FSD)
Changed order: May 5, 2020 (AWD, White ext, Black int, Upgraded wheels, no FSD)
Completed profile: I completed everything roughly May 10th ish. I forget exectly
Changed profile: I accepted a new lower financing rate from Tesla on 5/20/20 (at one point I thought this is what delayed me, because my profile "changed" again

I never got a text message or email from Tesla telling me to get excited or expect delivery in 4-8 weeks or some people got the 10 day version.

Timeline

• Saturday, June 6th 2020 I checked the source code in the morning (I hadn't checked in a few days because i lost hope) and then I saw the vin.
• Saturday June 6th, 2020 evening, I got a long email from Tesla with very contradicting information on delivery.
  • Email indicated things like, make sure you upload your insurance, accept your loan agreement and pay your deposit
  • Also indicated some information on where the pick up is going to be
  • Indicated if I don't complete things "in time" the car would be given to somebody else and I wouldn't get a new one by august 1, 2020. But it also said September, 2020 (very contradicting)
  • Indicated that I would get a text message by Tuesday, June 9th that my car is ready to be picked up
  • I needed to reply to the email saying "confirmed" once everything is done, or i'll lose my car
• I got a text message on Sunday telling me to respond to the email they sent from saturday. The number is a dead number, cannot call or text back
• I paid for everything on Monday morning via transfer through Tesla account. They have an option where you sign into your bank and transfer right there. No fees were charged by my bank. (I didn't see any info on how others paid on this forum)
• Loan agreement didn't show up in my account until Monday night, in which i simply clicked "Agreed"
• Tuesday, June 9th (delivery day) I waited all morning and heard nothing. Finally at around 1pm I got the text that the car is ready and the parking spot number it's at.

Fremont Express pickup

• Absolutely nobody there to help. There were a bunch of cars parked in the numbered spot to pick up.
• I waited to click accept delivery until I at least saw the car from the outside
• Once I clicked accept delivery from my profile, the Tesla app showed my car
• Bunch of other people picking their car up all confused and not knowing what to do

Build quality

• Vin: 11xxx
• I saw 2 little white out touchups that others have posted here. but very small.
• Rear passenger seat is not aligned just like everybody else's car
• Charge port protrudes out a little more than the rest of the body and trunk tail light
• The tailights attached to the car protrudes a little more than the tailight on the turnk hatch itself
• The passenger side top of the hatch doesn't seem to line up nicely with the roof rails
• For some reason, my driver door seems to protrude out a little from the rear door
• Front passenger bumper and fender doesn't line up nicely
• Front passenger door doesn't line up with the lines on the camera on the fender
• Panel gaps and alignment seems to be almost spot on except for those listed above

Final thoughts

• This is the worst car buying experience I've ever had to deal with. Tesla needs to really step up their game with communicating to their customers. I think transparency to a certain extent is key. I had absolutely NO communication from Tesla, even up until the end, it was a huge ? the whole way through
• Driving experience will still always be awesome with an EV and Tesla, thats what we mostly buy it for right?
• Even though I just listed a bunch of things, I personally don't think its TERRIBLE to what's been delivered prior to me. I do completely agree that we're spending 60k and the car shouldn't have to go back into the shop within a week to get these alignment fixed. If Tesla keeps working on fit and finish before delivery, I think they are on a good path. Pre-covid vs post covid is pretty dramatic difference already
• My feedback to Tesla is, they SERIOUSLY need to step up their game on customer service and communication. Like I said, this is the WORST car buying experience i've ever had.

Oh yeah, I was able to call and add a referal code Tuesday morning before I took delivery. It showed up in my Friends account, but we haven't seen an indicator of the 1000 free miles yet. Anybody know where it's supposed to show up? I've seen other posts that it should be in the lootbox area?

I got Express pickup scheduled for the 24th and it's asking me to pay the amount due to confirm. I would like to inspect at least the exterior of the car before giving them any money. Can I still reject after paying the amount due while at inspection?

 

[raggedy]

I do. I've seen worse on cars twice the price of the Model Y. I've seen it on $20k cars too. Go to any dealer's lot. Take a walk in any residential neighborhood with cars parked along the street.

Do you often open up the trunk/hatch and examine the paint behind the lid?

Walking a neighborhood to view cars with mismatched paint doesn't prove a thing. Most mismatched paint is due to resprays; cars that have had poor repairs are the majority of the mismatched paint jobs I see out on the streets.

I will agree that any car manufacturer can put out cars where the bumpers don't perfectly match the body panels. But these MYs being pictured with mismatched doors and fenders are a first for me.

 

[dandrewk]

Walking a neighborhood to view cars with mismatched paint doesn't prove a thing. Most mismatched paint is due to resprays; cars that have had poor repairs are the majority of the mismatched paint jobs I see out on the streets.

I will agree that any car manufacturer can put out cars where the bumpers don't perfectly match the body panels. But these MYs being pictured with mismatched doors and fenders are a first for me.

I never said anything about examining paint jobs on years-old cars parked on streets. Obviously, wear and tear and owner indifference have a greater effect on car bodies than a factory fresh paint job. I'm talking about panel misalignments, the kind you can easily spot while walking, and you don't even have to slow down or pause. They are everywhere, old cars and brand new.

 

[Piswat]

I do. I've seen worse on cars twice the price of the Model Y. I've seen it on $20k cars too. Go to any dealer's lot. Take a walk in any residential neighborhood with cars parked along the street.

Do you often open up the trunk/hatch and examine the paint behind the lid?

The point is that I’ve had various QC issues with my Model Y (like many on this board. This seems to be normal for Tesla). No other car that I own has these particular problems with dings and no paint in these areas. I personally think its a lack of QC from Tesla. Still enjoy the car (Model 3 is more fun to drive), but can’t make excuses for these types of QC issues.

 

[dandrewk]

The point is that I’ve had various QC issues with my Model Y (like many on this board. This seems to be normal for Tesla). No other car that I own has these particular problems with dings and no paint in these areas. I personally think its a lack of QC from Tesla. Still enjoy the car (Model 3 is more fun to drive), but can’t make excuses for these types of QC issues.

Oh, I agree with you. QC does need to be better, and even though I'm not as nitpicky as some here, I don't disagree with their right to reject a car that doesn't meet their standard, whatever that may be.

 

[rotiv54436]

is the only way to pay is through the website? i guessing there's no one on site to take my check?

 

[rotiv54436]

I got Express pickup scheduled for the 24th and it's asking me to pay the amount due to confirm. I would like to inspect at least the exterior of the car before giving them any money. Can I still reject after paying the amount due while at inspection?

same here, im picking up tomorrow as well... i know there an option to return within 7-days, under 100miles.

 

[MSM_Y_Bruh]

same here, im picking up tomorrow as well... i know there an option to return within 7-days, under 100miles.

Goodluck. Maybe I’ll see you there.

 

[mark95476]

I went through the Express Pickup at Fremont on Tuesday morning (6/23) and there was a Tesla person on-site helping out. He might have been running around, but I did talk to him and pointed out a small headliner issue on my car. He told me to file a service appointment through the app.

Overall, it went really smoothly for me and I'm happy with my new MY.