Model 3 Performance/Ludicrous Waiting Room

[jv92red]

Congrats to everyone receiving their vehicles lately! I wanted to pop in to urge everyone to do a strong checklist before driving off the lot. I’m sure most if not all will, but I’ve noticed a few issues with my vehicle that are a bit annoying considering it is new that I want others to avoid as best they can.

- Park assist is degraded warning almost every time parking
- Slight rattle on the driver’s side door appeared and disappeared a couple times
- There is a bit of a creaking noise when turning the wheels while stationary at times

Of course I still love my vehicle and am over the moon to be driving it around, but I wish I could have noticed these before I accepted delivery. Service appointment is next week so I’m hoping they address these at no cost.

Has anyone else had experienced any issues after pickup?

Mine had some minor scratches in low in the quarter panel, area size about 1" x 1" I would estimate. I thought to myself if I tell them to fix it, it will just be a Tesla service tech in the back to buff it out with who knows what their skill level is, I'll just take it to a detail shop I trust that I know will do it right. Not a big deal as the scratches are not too deep into the clear coat. Looks like someone brushed up against it.
Everything else checked out ok. On the drive home it was creak/rattle free.

 

[ucby]

Everyone is admiring the UR/Black but seeing these just reinforces my decision to go with SG/Black. Looks great!

I love the UR but black / white / silver are timeless colors. Tesla really nailed SG and it looks quite elegant as the sun sets.

 

[cardsdoc]

I love the UR but black / white / silver are timeless colors. Tesla really nailed SG and it looks quite elegant as the sun sets.

Your SG pics are really nice. I haven’t seen it in person yet but still happy that’s what I ordered as well. It’s what I wanted and was the cheapest. Win win. On many cars I find grays and silvers a bit boring but if done right on the right car I have always found it can look really nice but never owned one and decided now’s the time. Some of the darker BMW metallic grays often looked really good (I think maybe mineral gray). The new M3P, at least in pics, looks very sporty and a bit menacing without being flashy in SG. Looking forward to it.

 

[arkhos]

AFAIK, that is true but its also not a violation they can pull you over for. They can tag it on with another violation after they stop you though. I bought a BMW in Cali and drove it back to WA, it came with no front plate mount, never bothered to change that for the 3 years I had it.

But the day I drive without it - I'll get pulled over for something else and BOOM, an extra gift to the state! LOL

Seriously, I know a lot of people who don't bother, and are fine with the risk. I think it's the same for excessive tint, as well, but the legal amount for tint here is perfectly good for me anyway. The car sure does look better without a front plate at all, though... hmmm.

 

[Jangy]

It's nice to be home!

 

[P-Lo801]

My friend just shared this interesting stat with me as I was discussing wrap color options with him:

Note: I didn't fact check this, but anecdotally, I have noticed seeing a lot more grayscale colors out on the road. I'm not sure what factors are contributing to this (e.g. manufacturer paint options that are free [ala Tesla], people's preference, etc), but it reinforces for me even more wanting to get my car wrapped.

I recognize this boils down to vanity talk, but I chose SG/Black intentionally, mainly because it's the most cost effective option (including the fed tax credit). So i'm going to use the money I saved from opting out of a different color option ( I would've gone with blue so it would've been 1.5k), and will use that towards a wrap for a more unique color and some protection too. I would've ordered ultra red because I think that's worth it, but we already got our MXLR in UR, and it just doesn't make sense to me to have two cars of the same color.

To be clear, I really love the stealth grey color. But, I would've spent 2k on a ppf for that and ceramic coating already. With a vehicle wrap, I have a shop charging me 2.4k, and i'll just ceramic coat it myself. So i'll get some of the protection benefits of a ppf and a unique color for essentially only $400 more.

 

[TheHeez]

The real controversy for us in CA is: what will we do once we get the plates. Since CA vehicle code (5200 through 5206) states both front and rear are required, will people go without the front one cause they hate the look? After i got a fix it ticket for it, rather than switch to drilling into my bumper, there are other solutions that skirt around the law a bit. On my previous BMW's i had custom euro plates made with the correct license number, affixed using high strength 3M automotive double sided trim tape. The more narrow line euro plate looked better than the square one IMO. And it follows the letter of the law and i never did get pulled over with the euro plates on...View attachment 1053296

In CA we also have the option to do a PPF style sticker for the front license plate. You can only order it to mirror your traditional plate. Not sure if it’s a great option, but I’m sure some will think it’s better than the traditional options.

License Plate Wrap

licenseplatewrap.com

Me, I plan to roll the dice. I feel like 80% of Teslas on the road don’t have a front plate, may as well join em.

 

[arkhos]

It's nice to be home!

Grats!

I take it that it passed the Jangy-inspection?

 

[ucby]

In CA we also have the option to do a PPF style sticker for the front license plate. You can only order it to mirror your traditional plate. Not sure if it’s a great option, but I’m sure some will think it’s better than the traditional options.

License Plate Wrap

licenseplatewrap.com

Me, I plan to roll the dice. I feel like 80% of Teslas on the road don’t have a front plate, may as well join em.

Never had a front plate on any of my cars in CA, NorCal and SoCal, for the past 20 years and never had a single issue. I even once lived downtown where I drove by a major police station every day, with plenty of officers seeing my car, and they couldn't care less. I even visited that police station to deal with an issue and an officer complemented me on my car while obviously seeing that I had no front plates. Here in CA people are walking into retail stores and stealing $950 worth of merch every day and police won't respond. I don't think front plates are a high priority infraction.

 

[Jangy]

Grats!

I take it that it passed the Jangy-inspection?

It did. I didn't find any issues with paint or fitment. I already made an appointment for alignment and it's getting de-badged and tinted tomorrow.

 

[Jangy]

Never had a front plate on any of my cars in CA, NorCal and SoCal, for the past 20 years and never had a single issue. I even once lived downtown where I drove by a major police station every day, with plenty of officers seeing my car, and they couldn't care less. I even visited that police station to deal with an issue and an officer complemented me on my car while obviously seeing that I had no front plates. Here in CA people are walking into retail stores and stealing $950 worth of merch every day and police won't respond. I don't think front plates are a high priority infraction.

Certain areas in LA give tickets (street parking). Otherwise, I have never had tags or issues. And with the parking tickets, I just paid them and kep the plates off.

 

[ucby]

Certain areas in LA give tickets (street parking). Otherwise, I have never had tags or issues. And with the parking tickets, I just paid them and kep the plates off.

What's funny is that if you park on the streets in SF they walk around scrutinizing your car to cite you for every possible little thing. Despite this fact I still haven't been written up for front plates but almost everything else including swapping out my lights for ones without the ugly orange reflectors. Unfortunately people just smash your windows now so I just take an Uber if I have to be in SF.

 

[Jangy]

There are not any instrumented tests for acceleration yet for the new M3P so I'm not sure how you're saying the 5 N "is slower in everything", and even if the Tesla has an edge in acceleration it will be minuscule at best. The 5 N has recorded 3 seconds to 60 mph, under 7 seconds to 100 mph and a 1/4 of 11.1 @ 123 mph. Those are just the straight line numbers, we have no idea if they will be close around a track.
The simulated gear shifts and sounds can be turned off so it isn't hurting the performance of the car. It's there to give the car character and make it more fun to drive. It's adding to the experience of driving
View attachment 1053353

We should have a face off at some track events. I would love to come across one

 

[Jangy]

What's funny is that if you park on the streets in SF they walk around scrutinizing your car to cite you for every possible little thing. Despite this fact I still haven't been written up for front plates but almost every else including swapping out my lights for ones without the ugly orange reflectors. Unfortunately people just smash your windows now so I just take an Uber if I have to be in SF.

Exactly! I don't take my car into SF anymore unless i am going to a parking garage. Cops are the least of my worry in the city

 

[xianking]

Here in WA, front and rear are both required, as well. So when I got my 3 last summer, I bought one of those 'plate frames' that you clip into the lower 'grill' space. Once you have it set in place, you have a little key that you turn to lock it, then pull the key out. It looks decent and I can 'uninstall' the holder when I trade/sell the vehicle. Cost about $60 on Amazon. I know it's probably silly, but I just REALLY didn't want to drill into the front bumper.

Yeah, I am sure 'locked' or not if someone really, really wanted the plate they could break it off somehow - but then again that can be said for just about any plate: if a thief wants it bad enough, they'll get it.

In 2018 before I got my Model 3, I started noticing all of the different cars in WA that don't have front plates and decided to take my chances and go without. No issues in almost 6 years.

 

[jose3030]

It did. I didn't find any issues with paint or fitment. I already made an appointment for alignment and it's getting de-badged and tinted tomorrow.

Wait, your alignment was off too?

 

[Jangy]

Wait, your alignment was off too?

Slight pull to the right

 

[jose3030]

Slight pull to the right

Based on other posts, this seems like an exceedingly common issue w/ these new M3Ps.
Ridiculous.

 

[jjrandorin]

Based on other posts, this seems like an exceedingly common issue w/ these new M3Ps.
Ridiculous.

Its actually pretty common on all new Teslas (this is not a "m3p" thing. If the car is pulling when you pick it up, notify them in the app immediately upon getting wherever you are going, same day you picked it up.

From other reports I have read, its a very short time to notify for alignment issues on a new car. I dont want to quote a time and be wrong, but my advice would be to report anything like that the same day you take the vehicle home, if you notice it. Dont wait.

 

[jv92red]

Never had a front plate on any of my cars in CA, NorCal and SoCal, for the past 20 years and never had a single issue. I even once lived downtown where I drove by a major police station every day, with plenty of officers seeing my car, and they couldn't care less. I even visited that police station to deal with an issue and an officer complemented me on my car while obviously seeing that I had no front plates. Here in CA people are walking into retail stores and stealing $950 worth of merch every day and police won't respond. I don't think front plates are a high priority infraction.

I've never had a problem with tinted windows OR lack of front license plate driving anywhere in SoCal with city cops in any of the cities here. It's the CHP who have always hassled me with both tint and no front plates. If there's no one speeding and no one driving solo in the HOV lane, I guess they get bored and look for violations.