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Hello TMC, I was so frustrated with my recent experience with my brand new 2022 Model Y that I decided to join this community so no one else has to go through what we went through and also ask for advice on what I should do. Disclaimer: We love Tesla and everything that it stands for, but extremely disappointed by the quality and customer service. You would expect the service to be phenomenal, if not on par with most luxury vehicles out on the market but the difference is substantially lacking.

Storytime: We picked up our new Model Y in Brooklyn and was extremely excited, but upon the inspection noticed that there was some minor issues on the exterior of the car. I noticed there was smudges on the hood/side of the car and the sales associate saw me meticulously checking so she came over with a rag and started wiping the car, explaining that the car just got detailed and "don't worry about it". Upon this interaction, she mentioned she'll give us another minute or two to inspect the vehicle before setting up everything and handing the key cards to us. I also noticed that the car plates were already installed, whilst another couple's sale associate was installing it during their inspection. This already felt like a red flag to me so I was trying to inspect the car carefully, but the process was so quick that all of a sudden we were setting up everything inside the car. The attention to detail was evidently lacking-- the sales associate misread my husband's name a few times and even set it up wrong in our car, which I finally corrected her for and then she still proceeded to say his name wrong throughout the experience 😒 The name isn't even hard... literally a regular English name...

During the inspection, I did also mention that the car wheels and side doors were dirty and she didn't have much to comment on it since another department details the car and sends it over to them... I would think that they would check everything before just handing the car over to the owners? Another thing to note is that the car only had one paper car mat in the driver's side, but she was sitting in the passenger side and obviously stepping on the floor during the inspection and didn't bother to put another one there. I basically had to ask her for another one before she drove the vehicle out of the garage for us. She ended up taking a paper place mat from another vehicle and mentioned that they usually come with one... I don't know if this is a policy, but sounds to me like carelessness or just being cheap...

Upon leaving the garage, I immediately noticed that the car dashboard is extremely dusty/dirty. I was already annoyed by the entire experience and attributed it to the fact that Tesla focuses on the technology and not the luxury experience that most car dealerships provide and tried to keep a positive mindset. However, it was also clear to me that the car was not detailed and definitely not inspected prior to handing it off to us-- I ended up finding hair in the cup holders, random scratches in the interior, and the left panel was broken near the hazard lights. There was also spider webs in the rear doors, like wtf?? In addition, the key cards that she gave us was also scratched up... 😑 That's when I started to feel extremely frustrated. We just paid 60K+, but did not have the "new car" experience. Later on in the day, someone who knows more about cars happened to see our brand new Tesla Y and pointed out that there was a dent on the driver side of the car... Can this get any worse? Spoiler, YUP 😓

We ended up going back to the Tesla center and an associate inspected the vehicle, took photos of the dent, and apologized for the horrible experience we had. They both explained that this is a one-off situation and would have the service team fix the dent and give us a credit for detailing. So far there's just a bunch of going back and forth and sending in photos for the issues, which I had to adamantly follow up on. Tesla asked for more photos and that's when I noticed that my rear door was bulging out slightly, thinking I left my door open, but nope. The door isn't aligned correctly so it can't properly close all the way. Upon further inspection, I realized that there is uneven gaps between panels in the trunk area and basically the entire backside of the car is not aligned properly. All this has been documented and provided to the original associate assisting up, but he has handed our issues over to someone else.

We just received a call from her today and she mentioned that she would need more photos of the dent. When we brought the car in, the associate took photos and we have sent in images, plus a video which clearly indicates the dent. And now she wants more photos? At this point, I feel like they're just pushing it off and wasting my time. We also brought up the issues with the gaps and our door not closing properly, but read online that other issues can arise from getting this fixed. Her advice was practically saying that what we read online is true and it's up to us if we want to get it fixed. What would you guys advise in regards to this situation? Is it worth it to get it fixed? Is it possible to just get a brand new vehicle? Has anyone else ever experienced something like this?

I hope no one else experiences this and make sure you meticulously check everything in daylight before signing any paperwork!!!😭
 
At first I couldn't tell if this was parody... dust on the dashboard! But the dent should obviously be fixed. And are you positive the back door doesn't close all the way, or does it just appear that way because it's not perfectly aligned? I would be very surprised if the door didn't close all the way. I don't think the car would sleep or even lock if that were the case.

Everything else you mentioned regarding dust, paper mat, mispronouncing your name... well I agree with @Yelobird. I just hope you aren't as critical toward the people in your life as you are about your car.
 
Lol I wouldn’t be returning a car for spider webs… Just put that in there to explain my experience with picking up a Tesla for the first time. Main frustrations are with the dent, door issue, and poor alignment of the car. I don’t think that’s much to ask for when you’re paying for a brand new car.
 
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Dust, smudges, missing disposable paper floor mat, and trouble saying your name. Lol. Sounds like your expectations are Off the charts and No car will make you happy sorry. It’s a family car not a Lamborghini. Sorry don’t have any advise as nothing will likely please your needs. And based on the spider web I would certainly return it…….lol
At first I couldn't tell if this was parody... dust on the dashboard! But the dent should obviously be fixed. And are you positive the back door doesn't close all the way, or does it just appear that way because it's not perfectly aligned? I would be very surprised if the door didn't close all the way. I don't think the car would sleep or even lock if that were the case.

Everything else you mentioned regarding dust, paper mat, mispronouncing your name... well I agree with @Yelobird. I just hope you aren't as critical toward the people in your life as you are about your car.
Don’t worry, I’m not! And I’m actually very forgiving IRL so I’m not a crazy Karen… I was prepared to be roasted for those comments, especially on a Tesla forum.. lol but I just put that there to explain the frustrations from picking up a brand new car and then finding out the dent, door issue, and poor alignment. The car does close, but slightly bulges out from the side. I guess I’m just concerned that these “small issues” will cause larger problems in the future.
 
We picked up our model Y from the Red Hook, Brooklyn location last year. We hadn't gotten out of the bay and my wife noticed the low tire pressure indicator was on. I called over the SA and he said to bring it around to the service bay, Was told by the tech that "sometimes they don't put air in all the tires." :confused: He pumped it up and off we went. Next day was a road trip to Virginia and in Maryland, the light came on again on a Friday evening. Guess what? I had a big honking nail next to the sidewall. I'll spare you the details but Tesla was very good with the service. We pumped up with tire temporarily and continued to Virginia. Tesla called us at 10:30 PM to make sure that we were ok and to make an emergency appointment for the replacement of the tire when service was open again in Virginia Beach.

Everyone's experience is different, but hopefully Tesla will take care of the issues. Today is the end of the quarter so that probably factored into the issue. Red Hook service has been good so far with the things that we needed done. I'm sure you will be back up and running soon! Don't let it taint your opinion of the car. They are great rides to have in all of the traffic here and make driving (almost) pleasant in Brooklyn.
 
Totally understandable for OP's dissatisfying experience. 60K+ would normally get you an impeccable delivery experience in dealership like Lexus. However, Tesla's staff aren't trained to do that. They don't view Model 3 or Y as luxury. I'm due to pick up my vehicle in Redhook too, I'm not expecting anything. After all, this is NYC we are talking about.
 
Why didn’t you take all the time you needed to inspect the vehicle before delivery? They weren’t gonna give the car to someone else for making them wait on you to do the paper work. Why was the delivery rep sitting in the car in the first place; did you ask her to get in to look at something that was amiss, say the dusty dash or misspelled name on the touchscreen. BTW it’s not really standard procedure for the delivery person to set up anything in the vehicle, especially since covid, they usually just give you the key card and send you on your way. Also just curious what’s a “regular English name”? Would it be more acceptable to get the name spelling incorrect if it were one of those “weird” Asian or Spanish names?

Listen, I absolutely hate when other posters on this site flame people who complain about their cars and call them trolls. I’m usually the first person to defend someone who has come to this site to voice honest feedback about problems with the vehicle BUT, you do seem like a Karen. If there is something wrong with the vehicle that a micro fiber towel and some chemical guys products can’t fix then you have a legitimate complaint. I hope they’re able to resolve your door and dent issues to your satisfaction, but based on the tenor of your post I’m not holding my breath.
 
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Dust, smudges, missing disposable paper floor mat, and trouble saying your name. Lol. Sounds like your expectations are Off the charts and No car will make you happy sorry. It’s a family car not a Lamborghini. Sorry don’t have any advise as nothing will likely please your needs. And based on the spider web I would certainly return it…….lol
So you're trying to argue that it's unreasonable to expect a new $60,000+ car to be clean? Can I get a job cleaning your house? I'll just wipe a rag over a few counters and then tell you your expectations are off.

We bought an Audi in 2016 and the experience and the car were impeccable. And they pronounced my name correctly.
 
I wouldn't consider Tesla a luxury car. The price point is definitely around the price range of luxury but that's it. The sales associates are just there to get you out the door. I bet the guys detailing the car are just like a car wash. Wash, clean, dry, quick vacuum with a quick wipe down of the dash. Was the dash actually dusty or was it just left over fuzzy stuff from the towel they used? Same thing a $10 quick wash would do.

It doesn't take that long to quickly inspect your car. You had your husband there with you so it should have been pretty quick. I feel like people are going in expecting they'll find something wrong which in all honestly is the wrong game plan since it puts your in such a negative mindset when actually looking over your car. It does seem based on your description of events that the sales associate was trying to be helpful even though she wasn't doing an amazing job. You wasted time just getting nitpicky about stuff being dirty. If you were truly unhappy, you should have just rejected the car.

Its unfortunate that you did find some things wrong with your car and I'm sorry to hear that the car wasn't perfect. The car I had delivered to my house yesterday was flawless. You set your expectations to high... Let Tesla fix your stuff if you want it done but I honestly think you should take a chill pill. Your impatience with the sales associate probably didn't make your experience better.

I still can't believe you complained about the stuff below:
  1. Dirty door/dirty rims
  2. Dust/spider webs
  3. the disposable paper floormat
  4. Misspelling your husbands profile name in the car
  5. having the plates put on.
  6. scratches on your key cards...
Warranted stuff:
  1. Semi unprofessional sales associate rushing you
  2. dent in your door
  3. panel alignment issues.
 
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So you're trying to argue that it's unreasonable to expect a $60,000+ car to be clean when you buy it new? Can I get a job cleaning your house? I'll just wipe a rag over a few counters and then tell you your expectations are off.
Pretty long way from Fremont to Brooklyn mighta picked up a few dust particles on the way. Tesla operates under a just-in-time manufacturing strategy and the vehicles come straight off of the line and to the customers. Not the same for luxury brands like Mercedes and BMW who’s vehicles are likely on the showroom floor weeks if not months before they are sold. Just speaking for myself, and knowing how excited I was to pick up my new vehicle, I would suffer some dirt if it meant I could pick it up a few days earlier and didn’t have to wait for it to be detailed. And that’s not just conjecture it’s reality. My vehicle arrived at the service center on a Saturday, later than expected, and after the service department closed for the day. My sales rep called me to tell me that the car wouldn’t be ready on my scheduled day (Sunday) because they didn’t have a chance to get a state inspection and have it detailed. I, being a Karen myself, convinced him to get someone to drive it by the Valvoline instant oil change place for an inspection and I cleaned it myself Sunday afternoon when I got it home.
 
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So you're trying to argue that it's unreasonable to expect a new $60,000+ car to be clean? Can I get a job cleaning your house? I'll just wipe a rag over a few counters and then tell you your expectations are off.

We bought an Audi in 2016 and the experience and the car were impeccable. And they pronounced my name correctly.
Audi Scenario: If I was getting paid a huge commission from selling a luxury car, you bet the experience I provide would be impeccable. You want word of mouth to spread that you offered an exceptional experience so you can get more customers.

Tesla Scenario: These guys are not getting commission. They are doing what the job entails. Get you in the car, educate you and get you out the door. Don't expect to much from them. Why would they need to go above and beyond? Car is sold.

I don't understand why people keep comparing the 2 experiences.
 
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Once you owned Tesla for a while, you will learn not to expect attention to details, premium experience, treat you like a King from customer service, and premium build quality, but the technology is great!. I owned Lexus, Acura and Genesis before, Lexus is still the best. Tesla service on the other hand, around 25-30 % of the time in my experience, took 3 tries to fix a problem, even scheduling recalls took 3 times (when I asked simple question is my car affected and when can I schedule the check, they literally reply Hey Mr, we are not only serving you!). eventually they will get it right though.
 
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Sorry about your poor delivery experience, @_dearkat. Unfortunately it is partly due to end of the quarter rush to pump up the numbers. If you’ve been on the forum long enough you’ll notice this trend.

I had a similar experience with my first Y delivery at the end of June 2021. The Y had some misaligned panels but worse were the obvious scratches and dent on the rear hatch. I promptly rejected the car for those reasons, and also because it didn’t come with the new HEPA filter. I couldn’t believe they tried to pass on a reject car to me and I suspect they tried to do the same to you. The thinking is people are tired of the long waits and someone will be willing to accept the car, dent and all, and deal with the service center to correct it later. After I rejected the car the VIN went to another member on this forum. Fortunately I received a new VIN and accepted a pretty perfect example two weeks later.

I understand your disappointment with aspects of your delivery experience but realize that even dents can be repaired. Of course it’s something you’d rather not deal with but it is still a great car in the end. Since you’ve already accepted the car I would just drive it and the joy of ownership will eventually wash over the bitterness of your delivery experience. Exercise some more patience and the car will be corrected in good time.
 
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I wouldn't consider Tesla a luxury car. The price point is definitely around the price range of luxury but that's it. The sales associates are just there to get you out the door. I bet the guys detailing the car are just like a car wash. Wash, clean, dry, quick vacuum with a quick wipe down of the dash. Was the dash actually dusty or was it just left over fuzzy stuff from the towel they used? Same thing a $10 quick wash would do.

It doesn't take that long to quickly inspect your car. You had your husband there with you so it should have been pretty quick. I feel like people are going in expecting they'll find something wrong which in all honestly is the wrong game plan since it puts your in such a negative mindset when actually looking over your car. It does seem based on your description of events that the sales associate was trying to be helpful even though she wasn't doing an amazing job. You wasted time just getting nitpicky about stuff being dirty. If you were truly unhappy, you should have just rejected the car.

Its unfortunate that you did find some things wrong with your car and I'm sorry to hear that the car wasn't perfect. The car I had delivered to my house yesterday was flawless. You set your expectations to high... Let Tesla fix your stuff if you want it done but I honestly think you should take a chill pill. Your impatience with the sales associate probably didn't make your experience better.

I still can't believe you complained about the stuff below:
  1. Dirty door/dirty rims
  2. Dust/spider webs
  3. the disposable paper floormat
  4. Misspelling your husbands profile name in the car
  5. having the plates put on.
  6. scratches on your key cards...
Warranted stuff:
  1. Semi unprofessional sales associate rushing you
  2. dent in your door
  3. panel alignment issues.
Just to clarify, I did not complain about any of this to the associate helping us... I simply just mentioned that the car was kinda dirty for being detailed, which she explained and I just accepted it. I would not make someone’s job difficult and be unreasonable… The garage is also not extremely well lit so I couldn’t really see the scratches in the interior and I obviously was not going in looking for issues with the car or else we would have refused the car. I was not impatient whatsoever and was polite about the whole experience FYI :)
 
So you're trying to argue that it's unreasonable to expect a new $60,000+ car to be clean? Can I get a job cleaning your house? I'll just wipe a rag over a few counters and then tell you your expectations are off.

We bought an Audi in 2016 and the experience and the car were impeccable. And they pronounced my name correctly.
Funny, I also picked up my 2016 Q5 in 2016 and the car had deep scratches all the way around. I find them the day after the pick up since I picked up the car at night and I could not see those scratches. After that the B pillar rattle, pano roof rattle, headlight fogging, buggy infotainment, failed body control modules, etc forced me to sell the car after 2 years of headaches.
 
Dust, smudges, missing disposable paper floor mat, and trouble saying your name. Lol. Sounds like your expectations are Off the charts and No car will make you happy sorry. It’s a family car not a Lamborghini. Sorry don’t have any advise as nothing will likely please your needs. And based on the spider web I would certainly return it…….lol
Lol I wouldn’t be returning a car for spider webs… Just put that in there to explain my experience with picking up a Tesla for the first time. Main frustrations are with the dent, door issue, and poor alignment of the car. I don’t think that’s much to ask for when you’re paying for a brand new car.
 
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