I've actually had a similar experience with my Model Y (VIN 2560) which I had returned a couple of days after taking delivery. Even the SC folks were baffled by the amount of issues that we found. You can see all the pictures in my post here: Tesla Model Y
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It puzzles me why Tesla cannot get quality control right?
- Thread starter canbonbon
- Start date
rxlawdude
Active Member
Instead of shamelessly promoting another site that requires registration to "join", you couldn't post them here?
I think a contributing factor also is simply the non-dealer system.
In the traditional buying experience a dealership would reject a poor QA/QC product.
In some ways, they are the first "owner" since they buy from the OEM and then sell to consumers.
Since Tesla bypasses this model and sell direct to consumer. It's also obvious that delivery/service centers are not to empowered to "reject" poor quality deliveries from the factory. The responsibility is at the factor... so if it ships.. they'll deliver it.
Tesla's customer service also has a bit of a reputation... with the many many stories of customers not being able to report issues and getting them resolved with the type of handholding you might receive at a traditional dealership.
People do have the option to return the vehicle, but most don't seem to do so... as they don't want to get back in line for delivery.
Tesla certainly seems to take advantage of this dilemma.
* I acknowledge that many people have positive experiences, but as others have already mentioned... the issue here.. is that there are far too many poor experiences give the price point of the vehicles.
In the traditional buying experience a dealership would reject a poor QA/QC product.
In some ways, they are the first "owner" since they buy from the OEM and then sell to consumers.
Since Tesla bypasses this model and sell direct to consumer. It's also obvious that delivery/service centers are not to empowered to "reject" poor quality deliveries from the factory. The responsibility is at the factor... so if it ships.. they'll deliver it.
Tesla's customer service also has a bit of a reputation... with the many many stories of customers not being able to report issues and getting them resolved with the type of handholding you might receive at a traditional dealership.
People do have the option to return the vehicle, but most don't seem to do so... as they don't want to get back in line for delivery.
Tesla certainly seems to take advantage of this dilemma.
* I acknowledge that many people have positive experiences, but as others have already mentioned... the issue here.. is that there are far too many poor experiences give the price point of the vehicles.
RichAZ/CapeCod
Member
Damn, I've published nine books and I had to look that one up! (Oxford comma)
More germane to this thread; once Tesla gets its quality control issues in hand, they'll eat all the other OEM auto people's lunch!
Rich
This is an important point. With a traditional dealer, once the car leaves the lot, they wash their hands of it unless it comes back in for warranty service. Sometimes they may take it back, but it's not easy, and they may actually want some kind of compensation. Tesla gives you 7 days to decide, plus you can look over the car at delivery. I think that's a generous amount of time to make a decision. At the end of the day, the buyer can take their business elsewhere.
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There is a pretty hefty string attached to that 7-day return policy, though, in that you’re prohibited from reordering the same vehicle for a year. That’s a large decision to place on the consumer — accept what’s perceived to be a vehicle delivered in substandard condition or, as you stated, take their business elsewhere and buy a different car.
There is a middle ground somewhere between “perfection” and “embarrassing” — and it should be a doable without a dealer in between, but it’s easy to armchair quarterback this thing and think it’s easy.
empiredown
Member
And this is exactly the point. The pluses outweigh the minuses. At least in our, and mostly other cases. The squeaky wheels are trying to get the grease. Another thread has someone contemplating returning the vehicle over a back seat rattle... Seriously.
It's human nature, but try and take a step back, if you're waiting on one, and just assume the best. If you're waiting for perfection, it's not only going to be a longer wait. It's also seeing you up for failure.
ẞ
I think that policy was more than likely a result of getting stuck with cars they can no longer sell as new. Many of which probably had minor issues. I agree regarding the expectation of perfection. They can certainly improve their final quality checks, but like you suggested, that could be easier said than done. IMO, their return policy is a decent enough compromise for now.
NCAviator
Member
Here is a simple test on how Musk empowers his people. I recently toured the BMW Factory in Spartanburg, SC. In there each station is 90 seconds, but any worker can stop the line for a problem. Each employee is responsible for quality. Each employee has a quality goal in their job responsibilities and is compensated on that component.
Anyone know what it is at Tesla? Can an employee stop the line?
Anyone know what it is at Tesla? Can an employee stop the line?
ACA Man
Member
NY_Rob
Member
QC would most likely be better if they slowed the line a bit... but that's the exact opposite of their business plan.
Kenriko
Former Vendor
No. The way I see it these interior panels can be replaced and the hatch can be fixed.
Getting a replacement car is rolling the dice with a whole new set of possible issues. At least most of my body panels and paint are ok.
IndyToronto
Member
It's the new design methodology. Everything built today is designed with field upgradability in mind. Whether you have a playstation or a webcam or the newest android phone or iphone, there is a rush to market where schedule drives the QA, meaning features are turned off, entire applications disabled in order to ship the product, then after that you get regular software updates as the engineers go to fix the bugs found and start enabling things or fixing new things as they are found.
Because devices are now field upgradeable, you're going to have to deal with this in everything we use now. Sometimes things are more complex and is not software fixable. Like that tow hitch or that bio weapon mode hepa filter. Also there's always the assembly issues worked out during the pilot launch first few months vs the improved builds later.
In the case of a car though, you have to weight what you prefer, be the first to show you have the latest coolest car, or wait a year for better software and more advanced useful hardware to make the experience less glitchy. Everyone has a different take on these things.
Because devices are now field upgradeable, you're going to have to deal with this in everything we use now. Sometimes things are more complex and is not software fixable. Like that tow hitch or that bio weapon mode hepa filter. Also there's always the assembly issues worked out during the pilot launch first few months vs the improved builds later.
In the case of a car though, you have to weight what you prefer, be the first to show you have the latest coolest car, or wait a year for better software and more advanced useful hardware to make the experience less glitchy. Everyone has a different take on these things.
Ok great. Good to know. Enjoy your otherwise perfect car. I am waiting to sit in one and possibly test drive after the Covid restrictions end.
From the posts I have gathered the following:
1) this can be attributed to the last minute rush before the factories closed and quarter ended
2) and that this can happen anytime, to any manufacturer, any car and is mostly fixable.
Lets just move on and focus on serious issues with Model Y, if any.
If Tesla wanted to, they could improve quality. But where is the incentive? People are still lining up to buy them. Although, I suspect a big reason is that today, Tesla is simply building future RoboTaxis. Buyers are helping that FSD future by providing free data for the AI/machine learning and subsiding costs.
With that in mind, it starts to become more clear why Tesla doesn't care about driver-centric features such as cooled seats, HUD, android auto, apple car play, garage door opener, etc. And why build quality issues such as panel gaps, paint defects, and squeaks/rattles aren't important. And why would you need a functional service department? They're just fleet vehicles at this point. Grab another one if it breaks.
Right now they just want to get as many vehicles out the door as possible to keep share prices high until they hit their final milestone of FSD.
With that in mind, it starts to become more clear why Tesla doesn't care about driver-centric features such as cooled seats, HUD, android auto, apple car play, garage door opener, etc. And why build quality issues such as panel gaps, paint defects, and squeaks/rattles aren't important. And why would you need a functional service department? They're just fleet vehicles at this point. Grab another one if it breaks.
Right now they just want to get as many vehicles out the door as possible to keep share prices high until they hit their final milestone of FSD.
ACA Man
Member
You can only be that arrogant to such a degree/time when others are coming out with comparable products then you’d be gone.
Look at Kodak, BlackBerry, Nokia,...
Look at Kodak, BlackBerry, Nokia,...
I think the priority has been, and will continue to be in the near-term, shipping and delivering as many cars as possible. That’s the metric investors are looking for, that’s the number the media picks up.
No one is asking (or cares) what their average warranty costs per vehicle are or how many get rejected/returned after delivery. I think that’ll happen eventually — once those shipping numbers plateau and folks turn (again) to profitability.
