Model 3 Rust Risk? New Article...

[daviddavid]

Just read this article. We live in the Chicago area. I own an S and am thinking about a Model 3 for winter.

Anyone seeing this already? I know it is probably too new of a car to see much though...

Why Are Tesla Model 3s Already Suffering From Rust?

 

[super20g]

Just read this article. We live in the Chicago area. I own an S and am thinking about a Model 3 for winter.

Anyone seeing this already? I know it is probably too new of a car to see much though...

Why Are Tesla Model 3s Already Suffering From Rust?

New Evidence Seems To Show A Tesla Model 3 Fender/Frame Rust Issue

 

[Johnii__82]

Finnish Goods Inspection Finds Tesla Model 3 Paint Is Soft And Thin

What rust issues? Yes we have them. A lot. See our facebook group:

https://facebook.com/groups/359891901375063/

My video:

Sources: https://photos.google.com/share/AF1...?key=alNDUmRmb0plb3hMOHZSU0wtaHBYbUV1RWloZmx3

 

[Belisarius]

Just read this article. We live in the Chicago area. I own an S and am thinking about a Model 3 for winter.

Anyone seeing this already? I know it is probably too new of a car to see much though...

Why Are Tesla Model 3s Already Suffering From Rust?

because they are CHEAPLY MADE where you may not think it matters.. You might get away with it in Chicago, but keep the fol in mind. Have seen some Model 3s in Quebec, and they look atrocious after their ONE winter to date. French reports pretty much killed Tesla sales in Quebec. The entire car needs to be ppfe. It is less the cars own sanding doing the trick as opposed to salt projectiles thrown against the car by other cars. The rust I saw on one winter Model 3s reminds me of 2000s Hyundais and Mazdas- that bad. it is a combination of factors, including cheapo metal, cheapo paint, cheapo everything.

Some of the bodywork I do is cosmetic repair to stone chipped cars. Germans such as Audi BMW, with their ULSAB-AC steels, seen them shiny still 2-3 winters after the owner admitted seeing it first. And in Quebec and Ontario they use 24% salinity, twice the sea level rate. the cars swim in this for months, December to March. But the metallurgy is superior, period. The same as Honda metal sheets and not AMG, BMW or Porsche, nor is Model S like Model 3 (Al alloy being the primary difference). In my estimate, these Model 3s (and mine is not frequently driven in winter) will be serious garbage past year 5-6, when the battery impedance, as well as paint and rust will kill their residual value. So whereas a premium 50-80,000$ maintained car normally holds a good 10-20000$ value (or higher), the paint and rust issue on the Model 3 is a real serious liability.

If you have a dishwasher, I am sure you found out not all "stainless steels" are alike. Some cheapo ones corrode. Good ones never. Or they do but 1000 times slower than cheap steel.

What will happen, is what I forecasted a few years ago when all 2006+ Blue Black or Silver civics started peeling off. In the US it was Class Actioned and repainted. In Canada, not. However, Quebec now has a Class Action as of a few weeks ago, ALL Civics, 100,000 or so vehicle, some 240,000 million USD. Of course, Honda tried to buy off owners with 2000-3000$ cash incentive towards a new car, but owners massively refused. Consequently, the exact same thing will happen to Tesla in Canada. The issue is, however, residual sale. Once the car gets so much cosmetic repairs, its VIN gets tagged so -30% overnight depreciation.

Now contrast this with 2006 BMWs, Mercedes (and they were outsold 100-1 by Japanese then), that still look today nearly as mint as when new, no rust. Then the germans used ULSAB steels, now ULAB AC, so basically 12 years for a Premium German does mean 12 years. With Tesla is a flat lie: it is 12 year and 100% rejectable if you rust-proofed it, if you "did not clean the salts" or if you "neglected cleaning." In Germany 12 means 12 yrs unlimited, the entire panel gets replaced, the car repainted and heat baked to spec. When repainting my Civic nth time, the one approved repaint centre in Ottawa told me having seen one German under warranty in 10 years. ONE. Lexus? Year 2. Yep, 80,000$ lexus are rusting by their second winter... Infiniti? Year 5 6. Germans (minus VW?) statistically close to nil. In practical terms, given the way they survive winter, cuddos to German protection laws as they hold makers to account. but German HATE rust hence why their cars are awesome (FYI, WWII German tanks are still structurally sound even if rusting in Middle East and European exposed locations) FYI, in addition to our model 3, our two German cars have a combined 300,000 kms, 12 winters, 48 months of salt driven, generally weekly washes, and even wheel well painted areas, that thick German paint is still on. Or polishable.

The only real solution for Model 3 is a good ppfe. Not rustproofing as it voids the warranty.

So, if you own the S, keep it, enjoy it, or buy a Polestar. If you are OCD like me about rust, you will hate the Model 3's cheap "feraille" iron sheets. Can't even call the steel as modern steel indeed is resistant to begin with.​

 

[daviddavid]

What does PPFE mean?

 

[M3FNATIK]

What does PPFE mean?

Paint Protection Film...not sure what the E is for here?

 

[TonyJag]

FYI, see this later TMC thread where I tried to summarize M3 rust issues and solutions:
Rust Vulnerability?