How is the quality control of the recent model 3s being delivered?

[BalletJH]

Hi guys,

I recently purchased a model Y and had to return it due to quality issues. Please see my post here:
Interior, exterior and driving experience within spec??

I'm interested in the model 3. However, I have seen posts about paint chipping, door misalignment and panel gaps. How's the quality control for the recent deliveries of model 3? Any inputs would be appreciated. Thank you!

 

[SilverGS]

One of my friends just picked up a Model 3 SR+ RWD this past weekend (on Saturday) and he noticed two defects:

1. There is slightly a wider gap on the right side of the trunk verses the left side.
   
   
2. In bright sunlight he noticed a few spots where Tesla tried to fix some paint defects.

He will report this in a week just in case he finds any more defects.

 

[jjrandorin]

If you dont like the road noise that the model Y had (taking a quick look at your other thread), then you likely wont like it in the model 3. They are basically the same car with the model Y sitting taller and having a heat pump for better range in cold weather.

 

[glide]

QC at Tesla is non-existent these days. It’s a total crapshoot. Doesn’t matter if you order another MY or a M3. You’re always rolling the dice.

 

[Iain]

I picked up mine in March...maybe i got lucky but I have zero issues.

 

[BalletJH]

Thank you for all the inputs.

If you dont like the road noise that the model Y had (taking a quick look at your other thread), then you likely wont like it in the model 3. They are basically the same car with the model Y sitting taller and having a heat pump for better range in cold weather.

I actually test drove a model 3 LR AWD this past weekend and found the wind noise to be slightly better than the Y I had. The Y sounded like wind was hitting resistance on the top glass. This was not heard during the model 3 test drive.
Also the 3 I test drove had no rattle noise at all. It just seemed like the 3 was assembled much better than the Y.

I picked up mine in March...maybe i got lucky but I have zero issues.

Congrats. Maybe the quality before COVID factory shut down is better.

 

[DwightKSchrute]

I picked up the model 3 long range a week ago. Generally good condition. There is a small defect in the paint where the hood and fender meet and a few other minor paint issues.
I already had the front end wrapped except for the fenders and upgraded to the performance upgrade

 

[hcdavis3]

I picked up my LR RWD Model 3 Saturday. Car is perfect. Some minor imperfections that I don’t notice and if I do notice they are not in the least problematic. I bought the acceleration boost yesterday and WOW. Best car I’ve ever owned.

 

[TShockeyFamily]

I picked up my M3 on June 12, and had zero issues with the car. It's in great shape and is a total dream to drive.

 

[jeremymc7]

Picked up a M3 in late Dec 2019. Very minor. Kept it.

• Passenger side of glass roof slightly not flush with windshield. Minor.
• Small circle on hood in clear-coat (fairly common). Not visible in most light. Could be polished out. Minor.
• Home charging cable was defective. Replaced in 5 min.

Picked up another M3 mid June 2020. Near perfect. Kept it.

• Plastic wheel cap was bulging. Someone tried to force it and broke it. Replaced in 5 min.
• Small drop of paint in middle of rear trunk lid. Most people don't even see it even when you point right at it. Not even visible in most light. Literally the tiniest drop. Minor.
• Car is basically perfect. Sounds quieter and runs smoother than the Dec car (which is fine). Has the new USB-C ports and wireless phone charger included too. Added FSD to this one before price hike as well.

 

[AEmgee]

I am a first-time Tesla purchaser. My current/previous vehicles are/were Mercedes-Benz and Lexus. I was completely thrilled with my Model 3 extended test drive and was very excited to join the Tesla family. No sales pressure, no negotiating, no hassle and a few clicks to order - what a joy!

I pay attention to detail but I do not believe that I am overly picky. I realize that Tesla is a relatively new player in the automotive world, and not all the kinks have been worked out yet, which is understandable. Further, in general, I do not have an expectation that an American car manufacturer will excel at build quality compared to its Japanese and German counterparts.

Having said that, disappointingly I have now had to refuse delivery of two SR+ due to quality issues.

One of the doors was clearly misaligned in the first vehicle. The chrome trim did not line up, and the front part of the door flared out at the bottom noticeably. I was told that everything was "to spec" and was shocked to be informed by the delivery associate that Tesla should not be compared to Mercedes or Lexus as it is a young company. It was a bit off-putting, to be honest. I looked at the many other Model 3's at the delivery center and most, but not all, had better aligned doors. Somewhat reluctantly (in part because I sold my vehicle in preparation of delivery day!), I refused delivery in hopes of getting one with no obvious issue.

The second vehicle (see attached images) had very significant paint and panel gap issues. Several globs of paint were present on the rocker panel of one side. On the other side of the vehicle, one edge was not painted at all. The closed trunk looked like someone had left it ajar. The rocker panel on one side had completely loose plastic trim (I could place my finger into one gap). The rear bumper also had plastic trim that was not aligned. For this particular vehicle even the delivery advisor told me there were no excuses and I should refuse it.

I'm sure some of these things could be fixed and the first or second vehicle could be made "acceptable" even though technically, nothing must really be wrong with them because they were deemed to be "to spec" before leaving the factory, right? But shouldn't these things have been identified and rectified BEFORE the vehicles ever left the factory, as part of quality assurance? And if these are the things that I, with an untrained eye, can easily identify, I shudder to think of how many things are "to spec" but lack quality in areas that I cannot see, or do not know how to examine properly.

Should Tesla expect owners to have their brand new vehicles require "rectifications" immediately upon purchase? Is that part of their new car-buyer experience? My gas/time/effort is worth something too...

Maybe I have bad luck and the third time will be a charm???

 

[BalletJH]

I am a first-time Tesla purchaser. My current/previous vehicles are/were Mercedes-Benz and Lexus. I was completely thrilled with my Model 3 extended test drive and was very excited to join the Tesla family. No sales pressure, no negotiating, no hassle and a few clicks to order - what a joy!

I pay attention to detail but I do not believe that I am overly picky. I realize that Tesla is a relatively new player in the automotive world, and not all the kinks have been worked out yet, which is understandable. Further, in general, I do not have an expectation that an American car manufacturer will excel at build quality compared to its Japanese and German counterparts.

Having said that, disappointingly I have now had to refuse delivery of two SR+ due to quality issues.

One of the doors was clearly misaligned in the first vehicle. The chrome trim did not line up, and the front part of the door flared out at the bottom noticeably. I was told that everything was "to spec" and was shocked to be informed by the delivery associate that Tesla should not be compared to Mercedes or Lexus as it is a young company. It was a bit off-putting, to be honest. I looked at the many other Model 3's at the delivery center and most, but not all, had better aligned doors. Somewhat reluctantly (in part because I sold my vehicle in preparation of delivery day!), I refused delivery in hopes of getting one with no obvious issue.

The second vehicle (see attached images) had very significant paint and panel gap issues. Several globs of paint were present on the rocker panel of one side. On the other side of the vehicle, one edge was not painted at all. The closed trunk looked like someone had left it ajar. The rocker panel on one side had completely loose plastic trim (I could place my finger into one gap). The rear bumper also had plastic trim that was not aligned. For this particular vehicle even the delivery advisor told me there were no excuses and I should refuse it.

I'm sure some of these things could be fixed and the first or second vehicle could be made "acceptable" even though technically, nothing must really be wrong with them because they were deemed to be "to spec" before leaving the factory, right? But shouldn't these things have been identified and rectified BEFORE the vehicles ever left the factory, as part of quality assurance? And if these are the things that I, with an untrained eye, can easily identify, I shudder to think of how many things are "to spec" but lack quality in areas that I cannot see, or do not know how to examine properly.

Should Tesla expect owners to have their brand new vehicles require "rectifications" immediately upon purchase? Is that part of their new car-buyer experience? My gas/time/effort is worth something too...

Maybe I have bad luck and the third time will be a charm???

I'm so sorry about your experience. This is certainly unacceptable. Hopefully 3rd time is a charm. You made the right decision to reject the first two cars. You certainly do not want to purchase a brand new car with these many issues that have to be rectified in service center. And you are completely right. Who knows what the build quality is under the hood.

 

[hcdavis3]

Hope the third one is a keeper.

 

[jjrandorin]

I am a first-time Tesla purchaser. My current/previous vehicles are/were Mercedes-Benz and Lexus. I was completely thrilled with my Model 3 extended test drive and was very excited to join the Tesla family. No sales pressure, no negotiating, no hassle and a few clicks to order - what a joy!

I pay attention to detail but I do not believe that I am overly picky. I realize that Tesla is a relatively new player in the automotive world, and not all the kinks have been worked out yet, which is understandable. Further, in general, I do not have an expectation that an American car manufacturer will excel at build quality compared to its Japanese and German counterparts.

Having said that, disappointingly I have now had to refuse delivery of two SR+ due to quality issues.

One of the doors was clearly misaligned in the first vehicle. The chrome trim did not line up, and the front part of the door flared out at the bottom noticeably. I was told that everything was "to spec" and was shocked to be informed by the delivery associate that Tesla should not be compared to Mercedes or Lexus as it is a young company. It was a bit off-putting, to be honest. I looked at the many other Model 3's at the delivery center and most, but not all, had better aligned doors. Somewhat reluctantly (in part because I sold my vehicle in preparation of delivery day!), I refused delivery in hopes of getting one with no obvious issue.

The second vehicle (see attached images) had very significant paint and panel gap issues. Several globs of paint were present on the rocker panel of one side. On the other side of the vehicle, one edge was not painted at all. The closed trunk looked like someone had left it ajar. The rocker panel on one side had completely loose plastic trim (I could place my finger into one gap). The rear bumper also had plastic trim that was not aligned. For this particular vehicle even the delivery advisor told me there were no excuses and I should refuse it.

I'm sure some of these things could be fixed and the first or second vehicle could be made "acceptable" even though technically, nothing must really be wrong with them because they were deemed to be "to spec" before leaving the factory, right? But shouldn't these things have been identified and rectified BEFORE the vehicles ever left the factory, as part of quality assurance? And if these are the things that I, with an untrained eye, can easily identify, I shudder to think of how many things are "to spec" but lack quality in areas that I cannot see, or do not know how to examine properly.

Should Tesla expect owners to have their brand new vehicles require "rectifications" immediately upon purchase? Is that part of their new car-buyer experience? My gas/time/effort is worth something too...

Maybe I have bad luck and the third time will be a charm???

Yeah these pics are some of the worst I have seen posted here for a new car. I think any reasonable person would have likely rejected that car.

 

[loopsdude]

Having said that, disappointingly I have now had to refuse delivery of two SR+ due to quality issues.

Oh that's not good to hear. Did you order one with the standard 18" wheels SR+ White ones? Was the delivery located at 901 Great Northern Way? I wonder what they do with the car you rejected it? Turn around and sell it to someone else? I am due to pick mine up on Monday. I'll have to check my car for those exact defects.

If you have the VIN number for the most recent car you rejected, can you PM me the info?

 

[AEmgee]

Oh that's not good to hear. Did you order one with the standard 18" wheels SR+ White ones? Was the delivery located at 901 Great Northern Way? I wonder what they do with the car you rejected it? Turn around and sell it to someone else? I am due to pick mine up on Monday. I'll have to check my car for those exact defects.

If you have the VIN number for the most recent car you rejected, can you PM me the info?

Yes, base everything - SR+ with standard aero wheels. Yes, 901 Great Northern Way in Vancouver. You definitely won't need the VIN to identify such obvious defects! I am not a "car enthusiast" and spotted these things in the first few minutes. I actually didn't even get a chance to step inside the vehicle!!!

I don't know what they do with rejected vehicles. I suspect they just reassign it to another purchaser and hope that the new buyer does not notice. I saw about a dozen deliveries (Model 3, Y, and S) over my two visits and I would say the vast majority of the new owners simply do a quick 30-second walkaround and then get into the car to excitedly start poking at the screen.

Because this is the second vehicle I have refused, my case apparently will be escalated to a delivery manager. In return for my trouble, I am told that I might be offered free supercharging for a year if Tesla head office feels like it. How generous of Tesla to offer something that everybody else taking delivery this week (end of quarter) is getting, without their having to waste time looking at two lemons like I did.

As an aside, I found it very strange that the delivery center wants the buyer to take care of payment before providing an opportunity to inspect the vehicle (but perhaps now I know why!). Therefore, I would recommend that any potential purchaser arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the delivery appointment and NOT check-in. You can identify your vehicle in the lot by the tag on the rearview mirror which has the last few digits of the VIN and the delivery appointment time. Then, without any time pressure from a delivery advisor, inspect at least the outside of the vehicle carefully (maybe wait until you have permission before entering the vehicle). In Vancouver, the parking lot is outside with no shade so be prepared for the elements.

Good luck to other purchasers!

 

[SDM44]

I picked up mine in March...maybe i got lucky but I have zero issues.

Same here. Picked up my M3 at the end of Q1 and it was pretty much perfect. No huge gaps, paint was good, no issues inside or out. The build quality wasn't like my previous BMW cars, but it wasn't bad like what I've see a lot of people report with their Tesla deliveries.

My friend is picking up their M3 this Friday (they'll get USB-C ports & wireless charging pad), and I gave them a checklist of what to look for. I'll see how their car turns out as it's a June 2020 build, and mine was a March 2020 build.

 

[loopsdude]

Hey there, thanks for responding. I will use your tip and arrive early so we can visually check the car. I too would want to inspect the vehicle before I officially buy the car.

I'm traveling from Kamloops so it would be very disappointing if I got a car with major issues such as yours so I am trying to be proactive as best as I can before arriving.

Do you mind if I PM you with some other questions?

Yes, base everything - SR+ with standard aero wheels. Yes, 901 Great Northern Way in Vancouver. You definitely won't need the VIN to identify such obvious defects! I am not a "car enthusiast" and spotted these things in the first few minutes. I actually didn't even get a chance to step inside the vehicle!!!

I don't know what they do with rejected vehicles. I suspect they just reassign it to another purchaser and hope that the new buyer does not notice. I saw about a dozen deliveries (Model 3, Y, and S) over my two visits and I would say the vast majority of the new owners simply do a quick 30-second walkaround and then get into the car to excitedly start poking at the screen.

Because this is the second vehicle I have refused, my case apparently will be escalated to a delivery manager. In return for my trouble, I am told that I might be offered free supercharging for a year if Tesla head office feels like it. How generous of Tesla to offer something that everybody else taking delivery this week (end of quarter) is getting, without their having to waste time looking at two lemons like I did.

As an aside, I found it very strange that the delivery center wants the buyer to take care of payment before providing an opportunity to inspect the vehicle (but perhaps now I know why!). Therefore, I would recommend that any potential purchaser arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the delivery appointment and NOT check-in. You can identify your vehicle in the lot by the tag on the rearview mirror which has the last few digits of the VIN and the delivery appointment time. Then, without any time pressure from a delivery advisor, inspect at least the outside of the vehicle carefully (maybe wait until you have permission before entering the vehicle). In Vancouver, the parking lot is outside with no shade so be prepared for the elements.

Good luck to other purchasers!

 

[AEmgee]

Hey there, thanks for responding. I will use your tip and arrive early so we can visually check the car. I too would want to inspect the vehicle before I officially buy the car.

I'm traveling from Kamloops so it would be very disappointing if I got a car with major issues such as yours so I am trying to be proactive as best as I can before arriving.

Do you mind if I PM you with some other questions?

I live ~15 minutes from the delivery center but if I lived in Kamloops I would have been livid if I had to make repeated trips to refuse delivery!

Please feel free to PM with any other questions and I would be glad to help if possible.

 

[aLka]

Accepted delivery of a SR+ (White exterior, White Interior, Aero Wheels) last week on 6/18. Did a thorough check of the exterior and interior prior to accepting delivery- didn't see anything major. However, on the drive home it started raining and water poured into the cabin through the footwell. The carpet on the drivers side was completely saturated. Brought the car right back to the dealership the following morning, and as of right now I still do not have a replacement car or my money back. They gave me a loaner but demanded I return it when I refused to sign a document saying 'Tesla has not found a defect with the returned vehicle.' Honestly surreal. I was so excited for this car, but this experience has been absolutely terrible.

When I have time I'll be making a YouTube video to document the entire experience. I love the vision and technology surrounding the company. But this has been the worst customer service experience of my life.

Here's video proof
Reddit post