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Fremont delivery - car refused

Discussion in 'Model 3: Ordering, Production, Delivery' started by dan180, Mar 23, 2018.

  1. Darren Donovan

    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2013
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    Key West, FL
    They'd probably go bankrupt after a week or so. Aside from the drivetrain, the rest of their vehicles are not much to crow about. Then on top of that, the poor QC and over stressed service personnel, lack of parts,....
     
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  2. erthquake

    erthquake Active Member

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    I can assure you, ValueAnalyst doesn't work for Tesla.

    And people don't become fans of $htty products. They become fans of revolutionary products. No marketing genius could have made people wait in line for a Pinto.
     
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  3. P85ATL

    P85ATL Member

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    In contradistinction to his experience our Midnight Silver Model 3 which we have now had for one week was pretty much perfect. In fact it was perfect. I always make sure the delivery people know not to power buff my car. We have really enjoyed the car and only slightly miss our 2013 P85 which lacked autopilot.
     

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  4. pdq

    pdq Member

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    Go to church, light votive candles and pray, pray, pray that your car stays perfect and never has a problem requiring a part. Because -- from my multiple experiences -- it will be many months (typically 3 - 6 months) before it arrives.
     
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  5. Prodigalcat

    Prodigalcat New Member

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    I took delivery of my midnight silver long range Model 3 manufactured 1/18 Vin 44XX in mid February and other than dust on the dash there were no problems with fit and finish. I looked carefully because I'd read about the panel fit issues.
     
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  6. P85ATL

    P85ATL Member

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    Well we had our S for 3 years/40,000 miles during which time we only had two minor problems both of which were fixed quickly and under warranty. Do you own a Tesla or just base your opinions on what you read?
     
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  7. pdq

    pdq Member

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    P85ATL:

    I own a 2015 P90D. I base my comments on the history I've experienced, not what I've read. Here goes.

    When the car was a few months old, the main 90Kw battery was found to be defective, but they wouldn't simply replace it. Despite my repeated requests, they said that was not how Tesla did it. They said it had to be shipped back to CA and be "re-manufactured" and they installed a loaner battery. Estimated time was 4 - 6 weeks "depending on how backed-up the remanufacturing process is".

    It arrived 6 months later.

    When installed back in my car and diagnostics run, it was found to be defective, it could not hold a charge. They hadn't run diagnostics before sending it back. It took another month and the people at the SC acting as my advocates arguing with the people at Tesla HQ, but they finally got their policy overturned and agreed to install a new 90Kw battery. I know for a fact that it's a new battery as the design had changed and to put a new battery into an older car required an adapter kit. They failed to send that kit with the battery, so there was a further delay.

    So, fast forward to more recent time. Around Thanksgiving we had family visiting from Houston, and they wanted to go for a ride in the Tesla, so I went into the garage to get the car out. The drivers door handle would not extend. All the others worked. So I had to open the passengers door and go feet first over the center console to get into the drivers seat and take the car to Tesla. When I got notice that the replacement door handle was installed, I went to get the car. As I was signing off on the paperwork, the service person said "Your car was one of 5 that we replaced handles on today". Great. TMI.

    A month later the airbag warning light came on. I called Tesla, and they said to get the car to them asap. They later explained that when that symbol is on, the entire airbag system is shut down. They found that the airbag's wiring harness had failed and they ordered a replacement. When it arrived, there was a problem. The harness that arrived was the correct part number, but it was the wrong harness, and it wouldn't connect. This took a couple of weeks for them to figure out and with Christmas and New Years happening, I was in a brand new loaner car for a number of weeks.

    While driving that loaner, I noticed that the heated seat cushion was significantly hotter than the one in my car, and as I thought about it, I couldn't ever remember feeling much heat from the cushion. When I turned the loaner car in I asked if they had upgraded the heated seats, or could my car have a problem. They checked and said that the heated seat in my car was defective. To correct the problem they couldn't just replace the heating element, or just replace the seat cushion, but rather they had to replace the entire drivers seat. When I heard that I said "OMG -- how much would that cost if it wasn't under warranty?" The service person said "I don't know -- all the ones we've replaced have been under warranty". The important words there are "all the ones". I asked how long it would take to get a replacement and they said 4 to 6 weeks.

    Realize that was in early January. We now are at the end of March, and the seat has yet to appear. And, from when my car was built and now, the stitching pattern on the seats is different. And, my car has a gray interior, and Tesla stopped making gray interiors last year, so I have no idea what's going to show up. But that's not my problem. While my lease doesn't finish until the end of September, I'm dumping it, making a large lump sum payment to pay the remaining months, and turning it in next week.

    I've driven S class Mercedes for the last 20 years. I know how they treat their customers. When I spend $120,000 for a Tesla, I shouldn't have to put up with all these problems, complications and delays. Owning the Tesla was fun at first, but no more. I'm going back to Mercedes.
     
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  8. dhrivnak

    dhrivnak Active Member

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    My delivery room was large and bright. No need for a flashlight at the Charlotte delivery area.
     
  9. dhrivnak

    dhrivnak Active Member

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    I disagree. I own a 10 year old Roadster and recently had a minor (for the other car) accident. I needed a bumper, carbon fiber fender and two headlights all of which were promptly procured. And I am happily back on the road. Last week I picked up my Model 3 which appeared flawless and had a pleasant pick up experience. The only issue was the navigation showed I was in CA. I was told it would soon update. It did not. So when nearly home 160 miles I called and they tried to diagnos and there was a problem. So they sent me a Model S the next morning and took my car in for a fix. So I find it hard to falt service.
     
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  10. hill

    hill Active Member

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    Lake Forest, CA
    sounds like someone never read the pages & pages of Model X deliveries ... which include issues still ongoing. Sorry for the Op's travails .... but the reality is, Tesla is the only game in town. Ergo - we do what we have to or we get outa line.
    Good Luck!
     
  11. CharlieChiara

    CharlieChiara New Member

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    Location:
    pasadena! Ca
    OMG,
    Everyone who is betting against Elon Musk over the last 20 years has been wrong. If you don’t believe that these are solvable issues along the way to changing history then you have not been paying attention. This is a person who has reinvented banking, reinvented space travel, and reinvented the auto industry. I’m on my third Tesla, all with very early vins, and though the model 3 is not as luxurious as our model S or model X, it is revolutionary and eye-catching. But in terms of Tesla, and the kind of company it is, let me recount this story that has never been duplicated at any other car dealership ever and exemplifies the type of car company Tesla strives to be.

    I took delivery of my Model 3 (Vin number 2204) in January. It was perfect, all the fit and finish was spot on. The delivery process was unlike any delivery process that I’d ever had with any new car the past. It was at a special location dedicated to deliveries, well away from the hustle and bustle of a traditional car dealership.

    Two days later a rock hit my windshield and cracked it. I was so upset. I called Tesla and requested they replace windshield. Of course they did not have any Model 3 windshields at that time but called the factory and ordered one for me. It was a tiny crack so I continued to drive the car.

    Two weeks later I received a call that the windshield was in and we scheduled the service visit. When I arrived I was told It was gonna take a day so they gave me a loaner. A brand new P 100 D! Ouch. That’s a nice car. And if you get a loaner from a dealership do you ever get a brand new top-of-the-line vehicle? Like if you’re bringing your BMW 3 series, do they give you a 7 series loaner? No. Never from my BMW dealer. Anyway, that’s not the best part of story.

    Flash Forward and the car is all fixed and I’m in the dealer and I’m getting ready to pay for it and The total invoice for the replacement was $1000. Actually not as bad as I was fearing. $500 for the windshield and $500 for the labor. And they mentioned that, because I wanted to pick up the car ASAP, they did not have time to wash the car so the next time they would wash my car for me. I said well, maybe in exchange for the car wash he would just give me the windshield for free. The manager chuckled and let me finish my paperwork with the service person. But he came back a few minutes later and told me that they were going to revise the invoice because they were going to give me the labor for free! They took $500 off of my bill! Wow. That has never ever happened before. and frankly, this was not the first time that they fixef something and not charge me. Yes, that’s right, there have been things along the way but mostly minor things. And now they do many of those repairs in the field. No other car company sends technicians to your house to replace anything.

    In conclusion, I imagine that mine is not the only experience like this. I’m not that special. But Tesla is. In every way. From the way the car performs, to the way the car is charged, the way the service happens. Of course nothing is perfect and every once in a while there are going to be outlier experiences. But I can say is that I hope to never go back to a dealer other than Tesla. The entire Tesla experience is so much more pleasurable then any other car purchasing/service experience I have had over the past 40 years, that I actually miss not going to the service center. That’s something I never thought I would say.
     
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  12. mattjs33

    mattjs33 Member

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    I'll just say this... We get windshields replaced all the time for our fleet. They come to our facility to do the work. The bill is usually around $150, that's including the windshield. It takes them about 15 minutes.

    I think Tesla could afford to take the $500 off your bill. Unless the shop labor rate is $500 an hour, which I doubt.
     
    • Like x 1
  13. Brettski

    Brettski Supporting Member

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    I agree $500 is steep for labor. However, I’ve had a $150 labor quick windshield replacement before - and it effectively put an early death to my BMW’s lane keeping system - until my insurance company relented and sent it to the dealer to repair the repair.
     
    • Informative x 2
  14. CharlieChiara

    CharlieChiara New Member

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    Agreed, Brettski.
    One of the challenges with the Model 3 windshield is that incorporates three cameras. There is a whole process there. It’s not replacing a windshield on the car that’s been made for decades. The gentleman who talks about $150 windshield on his fleet may get a special fleet discount. Those of us who’ve had to replace a windshield on a high-end luxury car knows nothing cost $150. A BMW logo coffee mug cost $75. And if you go into the dealership to have your 7 Series windshield replaced it cost almost $2000. Check it out.
     
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  15. mattjs33

    mattjs33 Member

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    You make a compelling argument that I mostly agree with.

    On the surface of it though, if someone discounts something 50%, just for the asking, that typically indicates to me it was grossly overpriced to begin with. Sorry but that's just the way I interpret it.

    I would be quite interested in what a Tesla Service Center's labor rate is, if anyone knows.

    I would also be curious what the book time is for windshield replacement.
     
  16. dan180

    dan180 Member

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    Feb 13, 2018
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    A very happy ending to this saga.

    Took delivery on my replacement Model 3, vin 114xx on Friday morning. The fit and finish are fantastic, and the driving experience is incredible. Really glad I held off and refused the first one - well worth the wait to have a product you are happy with.

    -Dan
     
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  17. erthquake

    erthquake Active Member

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    Great news. Good for you standing your ground. It only helped Tesla get better. Many happy miles for you.
     
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  18. Randy Spencer

    Randy Spencer Active Member

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    Alameda, CA
    Wow, when I looked at the rake of the Tesla windshield I assumed that I would never need to replace the windshield. I have a 2000 Honda Insight that has the same angle and not a chip in 18 years, while my RV has been thru 3 in half the time, rocks hit it hard, they don't skip off it the way they do on my Honda. If only I could get that nuclear bomb proof windshield of the Semi on my RV.

    -Randy
     
  19. daniel

    daniel Active Member

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    Technically, no. But this is Tesla.
     
  20. FSKT

    FSKT Member

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    Walnut Creek, CA
    #120 FSKT, Apr 2, 2018
    Last edited: Apr 2, 2018
    Well, OK I guess. But somebody wanting to badmouth/lie about "problems" with their pretend M3 could go a lot further in making stuff up. Yet this guy has some deep scratches, some panel gaps that were not deal killers in his mind, and that's about it. If this is just a fake post by a "short"/critic of Tesla, it's a poor effort. It just doesn't pass the "bad smell" test for a fake post designed to sow FUD.

    . . . And, of course, now that I got to the end of this thread, the OP actually reported that he got his replacement car, and it's awesome.

    So, overall the story of the OP is: Problems Found, Problems Addressed, Everything's Fine. This is the worst shorter/critic/FUDster ever if he's fake . . .
     
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