Model S 2021 refresh sightings, panel gaps and build quality discussion

[Tigers]

The reality is these probably will make it to a showroom/store and different regions tend to slant towards preferring different colors. I bet the Blue does not sell well in the south (other than FL) and Black does not sell well in bad weather areas.

Moderator note: The starting posts in this thread were moved from the "Model S Delivery Update thread"

Yeah, possibly. Hope they fix the panel gaps on these things before sending to a showroom or to customers though.

The images of some of these testers will make you rethink your purchase if you care about how the car is put together. At this point, I'd rather wait until the end of April so the body of my car doesn't look like picture 4. That trunk has like a one inch gap on the left side and the hood is also misaligned.

https://imgur.com/a/AToY8rb

 

[boonedocks]

Yeah, possibly. Hope they fix the panel gaps on these things before sending to a showroom or to customers though.

The images of some of these testers will make you rethink your purchase if you care about how the car is put together. At this point, I'd rather wait until the end of April so the body of my car doesn't look like picture 4. That trunk has like a one inch gap on the left side and the hood is also misaligned.

https://imgur.com/a/AToY8rb

Sshhhhhh you might wake up Sandy Monro this early on a Saturday morning ....Elon doesn’t want him seeing that yet

 

[Tigers]

Sshhhhhh you might wake up Sandy Monro this early on a Saturday morning ....Elon doesn’t want him seeing that yet

I know these are testers but you have to wonder if the machines putting these things together are fundamentally calibrated incorrectly and try to address that even on test cars. I mean good lord. I'm not one to really even notice panel gaps usually but the one of the trunk is so incredibly bad. Also the hood. One inch of space on one side and basically nothing on the other lol. Come on Tesla. I can only hope and pray this was a very early tester that was put together by hand or something.

 

[RMG007]

If they’re going to showroom floors they’re not testers

 

[AMPd]

Yeah, possibly. Hope they fix the panel gaps on these things before sending to a showroom or to customers though.

The images of some of these testers will make you rethink your purchase if you care about how the car is put together. At this point, I'd rather wait until the end of April so the body of my car doesn't look like picture 4. That trunk has like a one inch gap on the left side and the hood is also misaligned.

https://imgur.com/a/AToY8rb

I know I’m critical of teslas build quality but that’s absolutely terrible.
I understand Tesla can’t discriminate against people with disabilities in their hiring process but did they really need to hire a blind person for the final inspection part of the production?

 

[Hayseed_MS]

One pic like that and everyone is up in arms. Do we know why that is like that? Not really. Could be from pisspoor craftsman ship or the driver damage or error. Waiting to pass judgement.

Looking at it now, it looks like maybe he hit something on that corner and pushed it down. He is driving this new thing around in winter conditions.

 

[Tigers]

One pic like that and everyone is up in arms. Do we know why that is like that? Not really. Could be from pisspoor craftsman ship or the driver damage or error. Waiting to pass judgement.

Looking at it now, it looks like maybe he hit something on that corner and pushed it down. He is driving this new thing around in winter conditions.

HAHA. Well, you say this now. Wait until you get your car and it looks like that/the doors rub the frame/the trunk has a hard time closing. Welcome to Tesla, baby!

 

[Hayseed_MS]

HAHA. Well, you say this now. Wait until you get your car and it looks like that/the doors rub the frame/the trunk has a hard time closing. Welcome to Tesla, baby!

You are right but it is still true. Block me now because I can bitch better than most.

 

[Tigers]

You are right but it is still true. Block me now because I can bitch better than most.

It's all good. Tesla has a reputation for poor build quality for a reason, it's not because 1/1,000,000 cars has an issue. It's because most have some issue. Question is, does it bother you or will you care? IDK, my Model 3 had some small tweaks and I lived and it was fine. But, it also did not look like that Model S and was $30k cheaper.

 

[AMPd]

One pic like that and everyone is up in arms. Do we know why that is like that? Not really. Could be from pisspoor craftsman ship or the driver damage or error. Waiting to pass judgement.

Looking at it now, it looks like maybe he hit something on that corner and pushed it down. He is driving this new thing around in winter conditions.

If it were hit hard enough to create that much of a gap wouldn't the paint also be scuffed up?

What about the trunk lid? Also got hit? I understand these may be test cars so they might not care how well it’s built but it’s still a car you’re sending out into the public where people will look at it and wonder wtf is wrong with it. For a car company known for its terrible build quality you’d think they’d do a better job for a refresh model.

 

[Hayseed_MS]

If it were hit hard enough to create that much of a gap wouldn't the paint also be scuffed up?

What about the trunk lid? Also got hit? I understand these may be test cars so they might not care how well it’s built but it’s still a car you’re sending out into the public where people will look at it and wonder wtf is wrong with it. For a car company known for its terrible build quality you’d think they’d do a better job for a refresh model.

Not saying that is it or is even likely it. But I have seen enough bumps to do that and not scuff up the paint. Just putting out a viable alternative.

 

[EVonly]

HAHA. Well, you say this now. Wait until you get your car and it looks like that/the doors rub the frame/the trunk has a hard time closing. Welcome to Tesla, baby!

I have had two Model 3’s, a Model Y, and a Model S. I have never had any of the problems you are describing. I have had some slight issues with panel gaps or the hood appearing higher on one side. These issues were easily adjusted at my service center. The only other issue I have noticed is while washing my cars - a significant amount of water gets into the door jambs and trunk jamb. Has anyone else noticed this? Tesla definitely needs to figure out a way to seal the openings to prevent water infiltration. I’ve never noticed this issue with any of the German cars I have owned.

 

[lzolman]

It's all good. Tesla has a reputation for poor build quality for a reason, it's not because 1/1,000,000 cars has an issue. It's because most have some issue. Question is, does it bother you or will you care? IDK, my Model 3 had some small tweaks and I lived and it was fine. But, it also did not look like that Model S and was $30k cheaper.

Dude, most of ANY model of car "has some issue".

 

[Tigers]

Dude, most of ANY model of car "has some issue".

Yeah, I assume that's how Tesla got to be one of the worst on this list:

2021 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS)

TROY, Mich.: 18 Feb. 2021 — Vehicle dependability is at an all-time high, with the overall level of problems cited by owners declining 10% from a year ago, according to the J.D. Power 2021 U.S. Vehicle Dependability StudySM (VDS), released today.

www.jdpower.com

I'm sure its just a biased, uncontextualized list with no real data. lol. The lengths people go to defend Tesla is pretty funny. 2014 Mazda 3: zero repairs after 125,000 miles and 6 years of ownership. One year of Model 3: 5 service visits. Not to mention software bugs.

The only reason I have an S on order, is because there are currently no other vehicles with that range or size that are EV. But if the Rivian/Lucid were out, I'd probably just pass and get one of those, as Tesla clearly seems to be missing the mark again.

 

[lzolman]

Yeah, I assume that's how Tesla got to be one of the worst on this list:

2021 U.S. Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS)

TROY, Mich.: 18 Feb. 2021 — Vehicle dependability is at an all-time high, with the overall level of problems cited by owners declining 10% from a year ago, according to the J.D. Power 2021 U.S. Vehicle Dependability StudySM (VDS), released today.

www.jdpower.com

I'm sure its just a biased, uncontextualized list with no real data. lol. The lengths people go to defend Tesla is pretty funny.

OK. From my personal experience with a sample size of one, Tesla quality is as good or better than any other car we've ever owned.
As far as all the very real misc. issues Tesla has had and will probably continue to have, I give them a pass because Elon is saving the frickin' planet. The price of moving fast enough to scare the rest of the industry into following suit is a product line far enough short of perfection to draw a wee bit of attention.

Rounding error. The planet get saved, but in the process Tesla customers have to deal with a few issues they might not have ever had to suffer if Tesla's M.O. was the same as every other car company before it. I'll happily live with the issues. I've also put my money where my mouth is on Tesla (investor) and so far my investment thesis has worked out pretty darn well.

 

[Tigers]

OK. From my personal experience with a sample size of one, Tesla quality is as good or better than any other car we've ever owned.
As far as all the very real misc. issues Tesla has had and will probably continue to have, I give them a pass because Elon is saving the frickin' planet. The price of moving fast enough to scare the rest of the industry into following suit is a product line far enough short of perfection to draw a wee bit of attention.

Rounding error. The planet get saved, but in the process Tesla customers have to deal with a few issues they might not have ever had to suffer if Tesla's M.O. was the same as every other car company before it. I'll happily live with the issues. I've also put my money where my mouth is on Tesla (investor) and so far my investment thesis has worked out pretty darn well.

LOL well thanks for confirming you are in fact a biased kool-aid drinker. Tesla better get their *sugar* together because the rest of the industry has finally woke up.

 

[lzolman]

No, but it does make your judgement and ability to be objective terrible.

I would admit to it (my objectivity) being slightly impaired, but I wouldn't go as far as to say it was terrible. It actually took me about 5-6 years to warm up to Tesla as in investment. I made some decent money when the stock was in 30's territory, took my profits and stopped paying attention. The next thing I knew it was in the multiple 100's (pre-split) and I took a closer look, and I began to really get what Elon was trying to do. At that point I was hooked. Also, a buddy of mine had an S and an X in his garage shortly after the X came out, and I got to drive the S. That helped too.

My guess is that the population of this sub-board is made up of more Tesla shareholders than just me.

[Edit:] Nice pic! That's "my" blue and gives me a good feel for how it looks. The blue Teslas I've seen in the wild (not the refresh S of course) have disappointed me, the blue seems way too dark and subdued. I'd love it if it looks like this pic, then I might scuttle my current plans to wrap it with a lighter blue (I'm aiming for something like Aqua Blue Metallic of my "launch edition" '09 Boxster S alas long gone.)

 

[Fred42]

OK. From my personal experience with a sample size of one, Tesla quality is as good or better than any other car we've ever owned.
As far as all the very real misc. issues Tesla has had and will probably continue to have, I give them a pass because Elon is saving the frickin' planet. The price of moving fast enough to scare the rest of the industry into following suit is a product line far enough short of perfection to draw a wee bit of attention.

Rounding error. The planet get saved, but in the process Tesla customers have to deal with a few issues they might not have ever had to suffer if Tesla's M.O. was the same as every other car company before it. I'll happily live with the issues. I've also put my money where my mouth is on Tesla (investor) and so far my investment thesis has worked out pretty darn well.

After reading a great many posts about panel gaps, I finally looked for panel gaps on my Mazda for the first time and immediately saw a misaligned panel. I never noticed it before and I didn't care and I still don't care. Much of the fuss about Tesla panel gaps is because it's on people's minds because of the noise.

 

[Fred42]

Yeah, possibly. Hope they fix the panel gaps on these things before sending to a showroom or to customers though.

The images of some of these testers will make you rethink your purchase if you care about how the car is put together. At this point, I'd rather wait until the end of April so the body of my car doesn't look like picture 4. That trunk has like a one inch gap on the left side and the hood is also misaligned.

https://imgur.com/a/AToY8rb

If Tesla is using a car to test something mechanical, they might not see a need to make the appearance just right. I wouldn't read much into the appearance.

 

[Tigers]

If Tesla is using a car to test something mechanical, they might not see a need to make the appearance just right. I wouldn't read much into the appearance.

Sure - I get that, but...why wouldn't they be dialing *sugar* on on the testers? lol. I think this is wishful thinking for all of us, but don't know if it is reality.