Is New Plaid S build quality improving since Fall 2022 ?

[MaxOverflow]

Ive had my thumb on the order button for a new Tesla for the last 6 weeks.

Read posts from the past year, read online articles, seen youtube videos - about build quality issues noted when taking delivery of Model S Plaid.

Thought I would not be bothered by this once the price dropped 21,000 on Jan 13, but seems i still am - if anything - its more of an excuse for factory folks to say well you're getting a car thats 21,000 cheaper so may not be perfect.

Most of the issues I saw were from Videos and articles from 2021 up to Summer 2022.

Anyone know if these quality control issues with the exterior and trim and paint and panels have improved in the last 6 months. I am sure there are misses here and there but any general patterns of improvement in the last several months?

I ask since i am still deciding between Performance Y vs Model S Plaid - but i dont want to buy the Plaid if there is a reasonable chance of finding significant issues where I need to start haggling with the Tesla people to fix this and address that - I just dont need that kind of stress!

I feel like if i buy a performance model Y, it should not be garbage, but I am not expecting perfection, though if i buy a Plaid S, i will hold them to a higher standard ;-)

 

[glide]

Ive had my thumb on the order button for a new Tesla for the last 6 weeks.

Read posts from the past year, read online articles, seen youtube videos - about build quality issues noted when taking delivery of Model S Plaid.

Thought I would not be bothered by this once the price dropped 21,000 on Jan 13, but seems i still am - if anything - its more of an excuse for factory folks to say well you're getting a car thats 21,000 cheaper so may not be perfect.

Most of the issues I saw were from Videos and articles from 2021 up to Summer 2022.

Anyone know if these quality control issues with the exterior and trim and paint and panels have improved in the last 6 months. I am sure there are misses here and there but any general patterns of improvement in the last several months?

I ask since i am still deciding between Performance Y vs Model S Plaid - but i dont want to buy the Plaid if there is a reasonable chance of finding significant issues where I need to start haggling with the Tesla people to fix this and address that - I just dont need that kind of stress!

I feel like if i buy a performance model Y, it should not be garbage, but I am not expecting perfection, though if i buy a Plaid S, i will hold them to a higher standard ;-)

QC and build quality gets better, then it gets worse because of parts shortages, then it gets better, then it gets worse because it was built on the last Thursday of the month, then a new manufacturing process is put into place and it gets worse again….

You see where this is going. It’s Tesla. It’s always a crap shoot on what you get. This is not limited to the MS. There is zero, and I mean ZERO, consistency.

Now to wait for the “dooooood, my car iz perfect”, posts.

 

[vcor]

Dude, my car is perfect! Ok, Tesla is not perfect, but no worse than any other automaker. Most owners have zero problems, but they rarely visit forums either. The ones that have issues shout the loudest, which is fair. Go to any other brand forum (not run by the automaker that filters every bad comment) and you'll think that brand is utter crap. Again, the vast majority of those owners without issues have no reason to visit forums, so you get a very lopsided view.

Our 2022 S and 2022 Y, both had zero issues at delivery and have been very reliable. To be fair, we picked up the S at the factory, and the Y was delivered (20 minutes from the Fremont factory). I can see some problems people have may have occurred in transport. Seems Tesla (and other brand's dealers) may get a car in that was damaged in transport. This is not a factory QA issue, but still the vendor's responsibility. It's worth checking your car when you get it and report any problems. Tesla will fix it if there is an issue.

Ok, now back to those that hate Tesla and will never buy another Tesla because they didn't get free repairs for their 9-year-old Tesla with 200K miles...

 

[TLLMRRJ]

My 2023 has terrible panel gaps in the frunk/fenders and the trunk lid, and uneven alignment of the dash with the door panels on both sides (one high, one low), super wavy windshield, sound deadening material that came loose in the front fenders, odd wrinkles in the vegan leather at the back of the driver seat, and very annoying milling and beeping noises from the front motor.

So, no, it's not consistently better.

 

[Droschke]

Our 2022 S and 2022 Y, both had zero issues at delivery

No panel gaps at all?

 

[WilliamG]

My 2023 has terrible panel gaps in the frunk/fenders and the trunk lid, and uneven alignment of the dash with the door panels on both sides (one high, one low), super wavy windshield, sound deadening material that came loose in the front fenders, odd wrinkles in the vegan leather at the back of the driver seat, and very annoying milling and beeping noises from the front motor.

So, no, it's not consistently better.

The wavy windshield is on every. single. Model. S. refresh. So at least that's consistent, right? Once you notice it (especially looking diagonally across the lower portion of the windshield) on a right turn, you always notice it. Such is the way!

 

[TLLMRRJ]

The wavy windshield is on every. single. Model. S. refresh. So at least that's consistent, right? Once you notice it (especially looking diagonally across the lower portion of the windshield) on a right turn, you always notice it. Such is the way!

Whatever, my statement that it's not consistently better is still correct.

 

[dmurphy]

One I saw people showing up for appointments with checklists and micrometers, I stopped worrying about build quality. That’s just insanity.

They’re not low cost cars, but they’re also not Bentleys or Rolls Royces.

Also bear in mind that Tesla attracts YouTubers like flies to poop. And controversy = clicks = cash for that crowd. So things tend to get blown WAY out of proportion.

All this is to say, even the Plaid is a mass market car. It’s not always perfect but perfect is the enemy of good. I prefer to just get in and drive a great car and not worry about minutia. Sure, have any big stuff fixed. But the small stuff isn’t worth my brainpower to worry about.

 

[drunkenbuda]

One I saw people showing up for appointments with checklists and micrometers, I stopped worrying about build quality. That’s just insanity.

They’re not low cost cars, but they’re also not Bentleys or Rolls Royces.

Also bear in mind that Tesla attracts YouTubers like flies to poop. And controversy = clicks = cash for that crowd. So things tend to get blown WAY out of proportion.

All this is to say, even the Plaid is a mass market car. It’s not always perfect but perfect is the enemy of good. I prefer to just get in and drive a great car and not worry about minutia. Sure, have any big stuff fixed. But the small stuff isn’t worth my brainpower to worry about.

Well said, I felt the same way. I am not going to lose sleep over the little things.

 

[SO16]

Well said, I felt the same way. I am not going to lose sleep over the little things.

Same. I don’t mess with paint protection either. I just drive the car on Michigan salty roads. It will get some wear but when it is washed up, people still are shocked that it’s 6 years old with almost 100k miles and still drives close to new.

 

[Sam1]

Same. I don’t mess with paint protection either. I just drive the car on Michigan salty roads. It will get some wear but when it is washed up, people still are shocked that it’s 6 years old with almost 100k miles and still drives close to new.

YMMV on PPF. Better get it out here in the desert, otherwise your car will look like it's been sandblasted if you drive a lot

 

[dmurphy]

Same. I don’t mess with paint protection either. I just drive the car on Michigan salty roads. It will get some wear but when it is washed up, people still are shocked that it’s 6 years old with almost 100k miles and still drives close to new.

Granted, it's only 4 years old/50k miles, but I feel exactly the same about my 3. Drives here on northeast roads - every bit as salty as Michigan.

 

[K.I.T.T.23]

I'm a fan of paint protection, I am up in Colorado and we have rocks... my wife's car was wrapped a year ago and her front bumper wrap has all kinds of nicks and such. Definitely going to get a protective wrap on my car once it comes in.

As for the inspection, just like dmurphy said, no need to go nuts with the micrometers and such... but make sure the significant flaws are addressed if present.
Test all the things, make sure they work, and give it a good once-over. I do like the idea of taking a good high res-video of the car, so if something is noticed later that bugs ya, you can prove it was there at delivery.

 

[dmurphy]

Test all the things, make sure they work, and give it a good once-over. I do like the idea of taking a good high res-video of the car, so if something is noticed later that bugs ya, you can prove it was there at delivery.

This is very sound advice, but please - leave the clipboard and micrometer at home!

 

[K.I.T.T.23]

This is very sound advice, but please - leave the clipboard and micrometer at home!

I noticed you have FSD on all of your vehicles including your kid's. I assume your Model S is no longer on order). Why did you go with FSD?

 

[zoomer0056]

Ive had my thumb on the order button for a new Tesla for the last 6 weeks.

[snip]

i will hold them to a higher standard ;-)

You're in charge with power of refusal. No matter what car you buy you have to inspect it. Go for it, odds are in your favor. Most people wait for the latest hinges. This is the first I've heard of waiting for high quality hinges.

 

[dmurphy]

I noticed you have FSD on all of your vehicles including your kid's. I assume your Model S is no longer on order). Why did you go with FSD?

Actually, the S very much is still on order.. I'm waiting with bated breath for it to come in. (I did order it "gently" used... 15k miles.) Hopefully next week!

But all that said ...

I bought FSD first on the 2019 - it was $4k if I recall. Then when we bought the Model X, it was up to $7k. Both seemed reasonable - a great path towards the future.

Now, on the S -- it was included with the used vehicle (I guess baked into the price -- hard to tell how much is the car vs. FSD itself.) The used 2021 S w/ FSD was $88k. If I were to buy it new, today, after the price cuts, it's $112k with FSD. So that's trading $24k for 15,000 miles. Or -$1.60 for each mile driven. Seems like a solid value to me. (Oh, and when used, Tesla tacks on an extra 1 year/10k mile warranty. So that's trading $24k for 5000 miles off the warranty. Hard to beat that.)

I do use FSD quite a bit. Sometimes it does great, sometimes not. When not, I feel good that I'm helping "train the system" so to speak. The improvements since the first release are quite stark - it's definitely improving.

My wife never uses it, and once the 3 rotates down to my son, I'll probably turn it off on the Model 3 -- he needs to get comfortable with driving for a long time before I think he should have any automation.

Is it ready for prime-time? No. Do I enjoy the features? Absolutely. *Could* I do without it? Sure. Do I want to, now that I've had it? Absolutely not.

Thing is -- probably 90% of what I consider the "value" of FSD in in the Enhanced Autopilot package. I truly absolutely can't imagine NOT having auto lane changing. That just would be the most disappointing thing! Auto lane changing is what takes Autopilot from "just a fancy cruise control" to something other-worldly.

So at a bare minimum, I'll order EAP on every vehicle going forward. But my daily driver? Yeah, I want FSD. I'd feel my vehicle is "incomplete" without it.

 

[K.I.T.T.23]

Actually, the S very much is still on order.. I'm waiting with bated breath for it to come in. (I did order it "gently" used... 15k miles.) Hopefully next week!

But all that said ...

I bought FSD first on the 2019 - it was $4k if I recall. Then when we bought the Model X, it was up to $7k. Both seemed reasonable - a great path towards the future.

Now, on the S -- it was included with the used vehicle (I guess baked into the price -- hard to tell how much is the car vs. FSD itself.) The used 2021 S w/ FSD was $88k. If I were to buy it new, today, after the price cuts, it's $112k with FSD. So that's trading $24k for 15,000 miles. Or -$1.60 for each mile driven. Seems like a solid value to me. (Oh, and when used, Tesla tacks on an extra 1 year/10k mile warranty. So that's trading $24k for 5000 miles off the warranty. Hard to beat that.)

I do use FSD quite a bit. Sometimes it does great, sometimes not. When not, I feel good that I'm helping "train the system" so to speak. The improvements since the first release are quite stark - it's definitely improving.

My wife never uses it, and once the 3 rotates down to my son, I'll probably turn it off on the Model 3 -- he needs to get comfortable with driving for a long time before I think he should have any automation.

Is it ready for prime-time? No. Do I enjoy the features? Absolutely. *Could* I do without it? Sure. Do I want to, now that I've had it? Absolutely not.

Thing is -- probably 90% of what I consider the "value" of FSD in in the Enhanced Autopilot package. I truly absolutely can't imagine NOT having auto lane changing. That just would be the most disappointing thing! Auto lane changing is what takes Autopilot from "just a fancy cruise control" to something other-worldly.

So at a bare minimum, I'll order EAP on every vehicle going forward. But my daily driver? Yeah, I want FSD. I'd feel my vehicle is "incomplete" without it.

That is interesting! yes, at $4k I would absolutely buy FSD. I went with EAP for the exact reason you mentioned; at $6k I like the lane change. When the other features come online for EAP I will be happy.

I also 100% agree with your assessment on your son. My son is also about to start driving. I was going to save him my model 3, but after getting a good price for it I couldn't justify holding onto it for him. I figure I will help him buy a 3 or whatever the "2" is that is coming out if that is really the thing. No EAP or FSD for him.. gota learn through experience, and best to do so in one of the safest cars in the world!

Congrats on the S! Your logic is sound, I really just went full mid-life crisis mode (to quote my wife) and figured if I am going to close in on 6-figures on a car, I am going to order it new, and exactly what I want. Your decision was much more... stable lol.

 

[Droschke]

While the topic of this thread says "Is New Plaid S build quality improving since Fall 2022", almost anything beyond the first 7 posts seems to be off-topic.

Not sure if the OP is getting any relevant and useful feedback to his post!

 

[TLLMRRJ]

While the topic of this thread says "Is New Plaid S build quality improving since Fall 2022", almost anything beyond the first 7 posts seems to be off-topic.

Not sure if the OP is getting any relevant and useful feedback to his post!

Yep, quickly went sideways.