Diehard Tesla Fanatic Turning in MX

[jasonb]

I've got balls. I bought my X instead of leasing. I figured if it sucks, I'll sell it back, but I'm really hoping I can get 10 years out of it It feels like a lot of the parts fail initially, but I'm curious to see how it stands the test of time. It feels like a lot of the issues I've had are fix-it-once type of issues. I'm hoping that's true, but we won't know until those 2016s run out of warranty in 2020+. Miles isn't the same wear and tear on the car (just like tires, brakes and battery -- but the battery has been proven to actually wear quite well) compared to ICE vehicles, so we need to see how it lasts from wall-clock time. It's a gamble no doubt. It's cheaper to finance though

I guess i have balls too but it was just me being naive. so far (30k miles/1.5yrs) my biggest complaints are wind noise (driver side window), FWD rubbing on the body, and acceleration shudder. (oh, and wire wear). (btw, i'm suspecting acceleration shudder is very dependent on front tire balance. need to confirm)

OP, i wonder come our experiences are so different going from 3/16 to 2/17 deliveries. at what odometer did you start seeing problems?

 

[jasonb]

I'm considering going back to ice, but I like to sit in my car with the a/c running at times. I would never do this in an ICE vehicle. I hate fumes.

ikr. gasoline powered bedrooms are not a thing. why does everybody keep doing that.

 

[Peteski]

Little more? I have a LOT more trust in the S over the X. But I bought the X anyway. Here's hoping I don't regret that

I only say a little more because I now have plenty of trust in my X after driving it for nearly 10K miles with zero hassle. I do still worry a little about the FWDs playing up at some point, whereas I wouldn't be concerned at all with conventional doors. Also wondering if I'll eventually get the dreaded driveshaft shudder (which is not a show-stopper anyway), but that's about all.

 

[Peteski]

The Consumer Reports reliability rating is updated every year. The latest one was released in October 2017, so it’s pretty recent. I’m guessing we’ll get a new reliability rating around the same time this year, so we’ll see if there’s been much improvement. Maybe Tesla has turned things around.

But when you say the report was released in Oct 2017, that would presumably be a summary of consumer reports for people actually owning 2016 and maybe early 2017 cars. I don't think we'll see a reflection of the running improvements made until maybe the 2019 consumer report.

I based my decision to risk buying an MX after closely viewing various showroom and demo cars throughout 2017 and witnessing first hand quality improvements on newer cars coming into our local showroom/SC. The cars I saw from September 2017 had a much better build quality than cars from earlier in the year (in terms of panel fits, seals, trims etc) and I saw how much the FWD operation improved from slow and clunky, to slick and near silent. My car is an early 2018 model and is easily living up to my expectations. The panel fits are not completely perfect, but overall it's a very solid build inside and out.

 

[Peteski]

It's pretty hard to go back to the RX now that I'm in an X. The reliability is nice, but we will have to see how things pan out.

Our neighbour has an RX and I have to say it has zero kerb appeal to me or my wife. I'm sure it's reliable, but it's just too dull to ever consider owning. At this point our MX is equally reliable and amazing to drive. I couldn't give that up now, even if it did have to dive into the SC at some point down the line!

 

[wamochi]

i have faith in tesla and sincerely hope that our short time with this X will lead to a 2020 X replacement with very few build quality issues. if not, by 2020 there are going to be a lot of crossover EVs worth considering, or we will just go back to a model S since we still have our road warrior ICE SUV.

i can't say this X is not testing my patience (when the S has been near perfect except for bad LED headlights and 1 door handle replacement), but i have another SC visit soon to address the remaining items on the list of issues and i will just enjoy the rest of our time with it until 2020!

 

[jboy210]

My 2018 P100D X is still trouble free - 3 months into beating...I mean driving it.

The appeal of leasing - my company car - turn it in - get a new car. I hate the process of selling cars.

Same for me. Through the company I lease a new car every 3 years. It is a deductible expense to the company, which need deductions.

But, even if I could not lease through the company I would lease a Tesla. We are at the very beginning of EVs and a lot of new models are being introduced each year.

 

[rlpvl]

I don't understand the appeal of leasing. The residual value calculated isn't all that much better than what you'd get if you just sold it if you wanted to get rid of the car. I just don't like being weighted down by worries of damage and mileage. I leased once and I swore I'd never do it again.

You're in Texas, where I believe you pay sales tax up front on the full purchase price of the car when you lease it. In California you only pay sales tax on each monthly lease payment. The difference is that the residual value isn't taxed in California when you give back the vehicle at lease-end, compared to paying tax on the full purchase price if you buy and then sell it. On shorter leases you easily save thousands of dollars in sales tax. If you don't drive a lot of miles and want to always drive newer vehicles that are in warranty and have the latest technology, leasing makes good sense in certain states.

 

[muleferg]

My 12/19/2016 Model X90D,14,400 miles has been good to wife and me. No issue's. A friend has a 75D 2018 without issue's. They love it

 

[Krazaak]

My 2016 Model X P100D has spent 3-4 weeks in the shop total over the 13 months I've owned it (It was a demo purchased in 7/2017).

I've dealt with most of the typical Model X issues, multiple FWD visits, front door control motors, front half shafts, 2 17" screen replacements and a seat replacement. While I'm not overly happy with all the SC visits, they were all at my convenience, none of those issues were a breakdown. While I'd love to have a problem free vehicle, so far the pros have far exceeded the cons. My M BMWs had a rich service life as well.

It's looking like my FWD door issues might finally be fixed, but I do have long term concerns about the front half shafts and 17" screen issues. I'm going to be a lot less understanding of issues once the vehicle is out of warranty, especially for repeat issues that were covered while in warranty.

 

[Ormond]

@Krazaak My FWDs can be noisy, but I've had no screen or half shaft issues. My MX has been (fingers crossed) reliable--just flat tires.

 

[Peteybabes]

Hi Folks -

We have initiated a buyback (still waiting for the quote) of our MX. We simply can't take it anymore. My wife is fine with the Hyundai loaner they gave her (if that gives you any idea of how bad it was).

From the moment we took delivery in March of 2016 the car has been riddled with problems. Falcon doors needing to be rebuilt, rattles everywhere, tons of misalignments, suspension needed to be rebuilt several times, MCU randomly inoperable (rendering AC and radio inoperable), a battery with the capacity of a 75 but their refusal to replace it, door latches that need to be replaced 2+ times, acceleration shudder, and now back-to-back car failures that left my wife stranded (one DC/DC converter problem and now something else). Overall the car has been in service for atleast 3 months over the past 2 years. The problems are constant with the car and the Service center no longer treats us like a VIP (for a 150k car). They are as exhausted as we are with this car. The early adopters are no different than people getting base M3s. They are taking advantage of our love for the company.

I've been a loyal and die-hard Tesla fanatic since 2012. I have 4 powerwalls. 20% of my retirement savings is TSLA. My model S has been essentially completely rebuilt and is now super reliable. I will never upgrade the S because I'm simply afraid that the new ones have the same QC issues and the service center is beyond overwhelmed (as is apparent from the threads on this board). San Diego SC is like a mad house. Its chaos there. The "invisible love" us old-timers experienced when they only sold MS is gone. Its truly invisible and non-existent now.

My wife said it right - the problem with EVs is unlike a gas car where you can hear a problem coming or there is a check engine light or something, there are numerous parts of the Tesla that can fail without warning and simply leave you with a worthless brick. Theres no warning. There are no fluids to check and no sounds to listen for. It's like an iPhone that could have the home button stop working at any moment and then its worthless. Its ok if you are single and stay local but if you have 3 kids you need honda/toyota mini-van level reliability.

I wish they would go private and could focus on going slower, having a real QC department that doesn't put shitty beta vehicles into customers hands. I think this problem is quite dramatic and if left unchecked it will lead to the demise of the company. Most of the people on this forum are so loyal to Elon and Tesla (as I am too) that they say this is rare or give anecdotes about other failures of their BMW or Land Rover. The fact is that what is going on now is not normal and there is a real problem here that can not be brushed off.

Right now we are thinking about replacing the X with either a used S or maybe giving an X another shot but as a lease (will never purchase again). If you don't have a Tesla and are reading this you might say that getting another one is the definition of insanity! The problem is that while it is true that there is nothing like driving a Tesla, there is a limit to the patience us early adopters have. We can't go back to ICE and there are currently no other EV options that have an extensive supercharger network so they have trapped early adopters like me

Wondering if anyone is in the same boat and how they proceeded? If you went to another EV or ICE how is that working out for you?

i'm having all of the same complaints with my 2016 P90D that barely drives 200 miles on a full charge...

my car just went in for 9 different issues, but bare in mind my car is in the 6000's VIN #, the loaner X they gave me with 8 miles on it (VIN #: 112K) drives silently and like a dream. the newer X's are fantastic.

i personally want to get into a 3 for the next 3 years and go back to the X when the full redesign happens in 2021...

 

[AndreyATC]

There were far more issues with Model X prior summer of 2016 builds
That's when Elon was sleeping at the factory to resolve of the Xs problems
When I was shopping for mine, i was specifically looking for July+ build
So, Got mine as Sep 2016 build in December (as 3-mo old inventory car)
Worry free experience so far

 

[X Fan]

Hi Folks -

We have initiated a buyback (still waiting for the quote) of our MX. We simply can't take it anymore. My wife is fine with the Hyundai loaner they gave her (if that gives you any idea of how bad it was).

From the moment we took delivery in March of 2016 the car has been riddled with problems. Falcon doors needing to be rebuilt, rattles everywhere, tons of misalignments, suspension needed to be rebuilt several times, MCU randomly inoperable (rendering AC and radio inoperable), a battery with the capacity of a 75 but their refusal to replace it, door latches that need to be replaced 2+ times, acceleration shudder, and now back-to-back car failures that left my wife stranded (one DC/DC converter problem and now something else). Overall the car has been in service for atleast 3 months over the past 2 years. The problems are constant with the car and the Service center no longer treats us like a VIP (for a 150k car). They are as exhausted as we are with this car. The early adopters are no different than people getting base M3s. They are taking advantage of our love for the company.

I've been a loyal and die-hard Tesla fanatic since 2012. I have 4 powerwalls. 20% of my retirement savings is TSLA. My model S has been essentially completely rebuilt and is now super reliable. I will never upgrade the S because I'm simply afraid that the new ones have the same QC issues and the service center is beyond overwhelmed (as is apparent from the threads on this board). San Diego SC is like a mad house. Its chaos there. The "invisible love" us old-timers experienced when they only sold MS is gone. Its truly invisible and non-existent now.

My wife said it right - the problem with EVs is unlike a gas car where you can hear a problem coming or there is a check engine light or something, there are numerous parts of the Tesla that can fail without warning and simply leave you with a worthless brick. Theres no warning. There are no fluids to check and no sounds to listen for. It's like an iPhone that could have the home button stop working at any moment and then its worthless. Its ok if you are single and stay local but if you have 3 kids you need honda/toyota mini-van level reliability.

I wish they would go private and could focus on going slower, having a real QC department that doesn't put shitty beta vehicles into customers hands. I think this problem is quite dramatic and if left unchecked it will lead to the demise of the company. Most of the people on this forum are so loyal to Elon and Tesla (as I am too) that they say this is rare or give anecdotes about other failures of their BMW or Land Rover. The fact is that what is going on now is not normal and there is a real problem here that can not be brushed off.

Right now we are thinking about replacing the X with either a used S or maybe giving an X another shot but as a lease (will never purchase again). If you don't have a Tesla and are reading this you might say that getting another one is the definition of insanity! The problem is that while it is true that there is nothing like driving a Tesla, there is a limit to the patience us early adopters have. We can't go back to ICE and there are currently no other EV options that have an extensive supercharger network so they have trapped early adopters like me

Wondering if anyone is in the same boat and how they proceeded? If you went to another EV or ICE how is that working out for you?

Sorry to hear about your issues....we have similar early X's, mine was delivered in May '16. I also have a new one.

What I can tell you is that my new X is substantially better than the old (and I enjoy the first one but the latest one is just more solid).

 

[TexasRat]

You're in Texas, where I believe you pay sales tax up front on the full purchase price of the car when you lease it. In California you only pay sales tax on each monthly lease payment. The difference is that the residual value isn't taxed in California when you give back the vehicle at lease-end, compared to paying tax on the full purchase price if you buy and then sell it. On shorter leases you easily save thousands of dollars in sales tax. If you don't drive a lot of miles and want to always drive newer vehicles that are in warranty and have the latest technology, leasing makes good sense in certain states.

Wow that's an amazing situation you have in California. Yeah here we have to pay the full tax up front so I don't see the appeal of leasing in Texas I just buy new cars every 3-4 years instead of leasing

 

[WorstCarEver]

I've a mid '17 X100D bought from new and it's had mostly all of the issues mentioned - and even invented a few ones of it's own.

It's the most abysmally put together car i've seen, let alone owned.
Not a week pases by withou a new rattle, shake, failure or other thing to remind you just how badly you've been taken by Tesla selling a total shambles of a car pretending it was finished.

Never gain - anything but Teslas for me.

 

[X Fan]

I've a mid '17 X100D bought from new and it's had mostly all of the issues mentioned - and even invented a few ones of it's own.

It's the most abysmally put together car i've seen, let alone owned.
Not a week pases by withou a new rattle, shake, failure or other thing to remind you just how badly you've been taken by Tesla selling a total shambles of a car pretending it was finished.

Never gain - anything but Teslas for me.

Geez, another BS, One post, fly by trolling FUDSTER.

TMC-there must be a way to stop these one post or a few more posters.

 

[WorstCarEver]

Geez, another BS, Fky by FUDSTER.

TMC-there must be a way to stop these one post or a few more posters.

Happy to share my VIN and verify. Not FUD... just another dissatisfied owner. Whilst some people are over the moon with their Model X (and Model S) purchases .. and good luck to them i can only say that mine is an abysmal piece of automotive junk.

I wouldn't be a one poster neither.... not if my previous account, the one i started when i got the car, seems to have disappeared from Tesla.com. Perhaps they do censor unhappy owners so that the pitch is left clear for fanboys to bask in each others hot air about how wonderful they think their cars are!

 

[X Fan]

Happy to share my VIN and verify. Not FUD... just another dissatisfied owner. Whilst some people are over the moon with their Model X (and Model S) purchases .. and good luck to them i can only say that mine is an abysmal piece of automotive junk.

I wouldn't be a one poster neither.... not if my previous account, the one i started when i got the car, seems to have disappeared from Tesla.com. Perhaps they do censor unhappy owners so that the pitch is left clear for fanboys to bask in each others hot air about how wonderful they think their cars are!

This is TMC, not Tesla.com.

 

[WorstCarEver]

This is TMC, not Tesla.com.

Sorry... i meant my TMC account. My Tesla.com account still stores the invoice and such to remind just how much this thing cost me and my gloriously unused referral code. I wouldn't wish one on my worst enemy let alone try cajole some one into buying one for my benefit!