Model 3 not recommended and also highest owner satisfaction from Consumer Reports

[dmurphy]

We really love our Tesla, one of the top 3 or 4 cars I've ever owned. However, when talking to people about it, after totally gushing about how great the car is, I always add that it's not very reliable at all. It's the least reliable car I've owned since I was driving used Alfas, but I bought a second Alfa after the first was totaled, and it was no more reliable than the first.

It's very possible to be highly satisfied while knowing full well that a vehicle is unreliable, reliability isn't everything.

This right here is why I can't wait for leasing to be available. The reliability thing doesn't concern me then; after 3 years, I hand them back the keys and say "thanks for the memories" ... and either I get a new one, or something else if I'm not happy. It's under warranty the entire time I'm driving it, and so - if it does break, I'll get a loaner Tesla. All good. Leasing means I'm just worried about the driving experience, and not the long-term prospects. There's (of course) a premium for that - I'm OK with it.

 

[StellarRat]

Mine has been perfect. No problems at delivery and none to date. Going on 7 months now. Best car I've ever owned and the most fun to drive as well.

 

[run-the-joules]

I would not recommend one for someone's only form of transport because service and repairs are such a crapshoot, but I wouldn't trade mine for anything that I wouldn't sell immediately and buy another Model 3 with the proceeds.

I think it's the best daily driver in the history of automobiles, but that doesn't mean there isn't a lot of room for improvement in a lot of areas.

 

[voip-ninja]

If Model 3s keep on selling, and selling around the world that basically says Consumer Reports should be eating *sugar* sandwiches as no one is listening to their recommendations?

No, I'd say it's more about Tesla having pretty much zero competition.

If BMW pisses me off I can go buy an Audi. If Audi pisses me off I can buy a Mercedes. All are high quality German sedans with good driving attributes.

If Tesla pisses you off then you can just suck it up buttercup because there isn't anything else electrified anywhere close.

 

[Barklikeadog]

They have a forum??

Sure, someone in a Bieber Bro forum had a signature link to a dance moms forum and someone there had a link to the Honda Odyssey forum.

I was trying to click an adult oriented foreign bride website for weirdos, but I ended up in the Honda Odyssey forum by accident.
I swear! Don't judge me.

 

[N5329K]

Seemed very straightforward and fair to me.
Robin

 

[OCR1]

I love our M3, but every interaction I’ve had with Tesla from pre-sales to delivery to service has been dreadful. It feels like they just hired a bunch of college students to run the company and gave them no training on how to do it. The high turnover at the exec level really leads me to believe that Elon is not the right guy to be running the company. He is a great visionary but he needs a President to handle the day to day operations of the company and he needs to hire one and then get our of their way so they can come in fix these things.

 

[MMBTUS]

Model 3 is not recommended due to reliability concerns by owners, yet is the most satisfying car to all owners.

Consumer Reports reverses itself again, no longer recommends Tesla Model 3

Tesla's Model 3 was named the most satisfying car by Consumer Reports

--

This just tells me the Model 3 is very hot, yet also very crazy. I do a lot of economic analysis but at the end of the day most decisions boil down to:

Does the HOT outweigh the CRAZY?

So Consumer reports doesn't recommend the car because they wouldn't recognize a prime Liz Hurley or a prime David Beckham twerking right in front of them because they are blind, need click-bait controversy, dumb or all of the above.

What say you fellow TMC'ers?

I struggle to fathom how a car that tops the list of joyful owners — and rightly so — does not deserve recommendation because it has quirks — and it surely does. The quirks don’t trump the joy factor. And at least in my case they don’t translate to a knock on M3’s reliability, rock solid for me so far. Lord, please spare me any body work, for sure, but I do highly recommend the car to the right drivers.

 

[Foxhound199]

Other than a really minor common issue with one of the headlights, our Tesla has been problem (and maintenance) free. The other car we own, a subaru forester, is perpetually a top CR pick for reliability. However, we've had to bring it in to have parts swapped for a couple of recalls, the back struts gave out after just two years, and all the gasket seals had to replaced due to a design defect that spurred a class action lawsuit that resulted in an extended powertrain warranty for all owners.

 

[run-the-joules]

I struggle to fathom how a car that tops the list of joyful owners — and rightly so — does not deserve recommendation because it has quirks — and it surely does. The quirks don’t trump the joy factor. And at least in my case they don’t translate to a knock on M3’s reliability, rock solid for me so far. Lord, please spare me any body work, for sure, but I do highly recommend the car to the right drivers.

A control in a weird place is a quirk. A high probability of needing repairs that come with long waits for appointments is not a quirk.

 

[Az_Rael]

I always recommend the car with a huge * that the Tesla's I have owned have been the least reliable cars I have owned.

Recommended one to my neighbor with the full spiel "these cars are like owning an exotic and you will be spending time at the service center, but they are awesome anyways" and as luck would have it, he had a drive unit failure day 2. Would have hated to gloss over that aspect and have him be upset. (He still wasn't happy, but at least he knew what he was getting into).

 

[banned-66611]

Good decision by Consumer Reports. The high satisfaction rating is meaningless - people rate Apple products high for satisfaction, even though they are crap. Tesla is the Apple of the car world, so they have to look at the hard data - the poor reliability being indisputable.

 

[Barklikeadog]

However, we've had to bring it in to have parts swapped for a couple of recalls, the back struts gave out after just two years.

That sounds like a 'what were you doing back there' problem.

 

[Daniel in SD]

Consumer Reports does not recommend cars with below average reliability no matter how much people like them. That's just their brand. They're not an enthusiast magazine.

 

[AnesDragon]

My PM3 is used as an everyday commuter and it excels at the fun factor. However, I have a backup SUV gas guzzler that is super reliable. With a significantly reduced range compared to the stated range and possible reliability issues along with inconsistent service experiences, as well as cold weather issues, I have a hard time recommending this vehicle to a one car owner. Also, it has been almost 6 months into the ownership of this car and I have yet to have my title. spoiler and badging. I don't know what other luxury automobile company would get away with not satisfying these issues as of yet when fully paid for these features in advance.

 

[run-the-joules]

My PM3 is used as an everyday commuter and it excels at the fun factor. However, I have a backup SUV gas guzzler that is super reliable. With a significantly reduced range compared to the stated range and possible reliability issues along with inconsistent service experiences, as well as cold weather issues, I have a hard time recommending this vehicle to a one car owner. Also, it has been almost 6 months into the ownership of this car and I have yet to have my title. spoiler and badging. I don't know what other luxury automobile company would get away with not satisfying these issues as of yet when fully paid for these features in advance.

Look on the bright side: You can tell them not to install the badge when it arrives, and save yourself from having that horror of ugliness applied to your car.

 

[MXWing]

Consumer Reports does not recommend cars with below average reliability no matter how much people like them. That's just their brand. They're not an enthusiast magazine.

So you are telling me that if someone came out with the Bubonic plague vaccine in 1375, Consumer Reports wouldn't recommend it because it failed for 25% of the people who took it?

Ideally a vaccine is only reliable if its 99% efficacy over 18 years.

Below 'average reliability' for sure.

 

[Daniel in SD]

So you are telling me that if someone came out with the Bubonic plague vaccine in 1375, Consumer Reports wouldn't recommend it because it failed for 25% of the people who took it?

Ideally a vaccine is only reliable if its 99% efficacy over 18 years.

Below 'average reliability' for sure.

No, but if there were a bunch of plague vaccines of different efficacy they probably wouldn't recommend any that were below average.
It's a relative measure. The Model 3 may very well be more reliable than a car they would recommend in 1980.

 

[MXWing]

No, but if there were a bunch of plague vaccines of different efficacy they probably wouldn't recommend any that were below average.
It's a relative measure. The Model 3 may very well be more reliable than a car they would recommend in 1980.

Excellent point.. however

The Model 3 is really its own product. It would be the first vaccine in a world with no vaccines.

Is there really an alternative car that has

Looks (The i3 is GIVING BIRTH to another car in the back for FFS!)
Performance (Usain Bolt has a faster 50m dash than the Mirai)
Technology (Can I play 1980 video games in a Bolt?)
Local Range (Honda's pure EV Clarity LOL)
Long Distance Range (We know the answer is 100% NO)
Mass Market (Even 40,000 Taycan a year is not mass market)

of the Model 3 at its price point?

The Model 3 is a new species of car.. even AGAINST the Model S.

Consumer Reports is crapping on the first product of its kind.

Oh.. the Tesla Ipad sometimes is wonky.

1.) It can be updated.
2.) The iPad is completely unrelated to the steering, brake and acceleration of the Model 3.

The longer we discuss this, the stupider Consumer Reports is becoming.

 

[Daniel in SD]

Consumer Reports is crapping on the first product of its kind.

Consumer Reports is comparing it to other cars. Look at how poorly they review the Jeep Wrangler. They have their criteria and they stick to it. As a toy the Model 3 is amazing! Same with the Jeep Wrangler. For most people the Chevy Bolt would be a more "practical" choice and that's what Consumer Reports values above everything else.