Not re-assured...

[pdk42]

I was at a meeting in MK today which finished early so I popped into the Tesla store there. I have an M3 on order (LR AWD). I took a test drive before ordering but, as with all test drives, it rushed past. So, I wanted to sit in the 3 for a little while and get a bit more acquainted. I walked away a bit disappointed...

The car on display was a LHD Euro market model. There was no RHD Model 3 there. I don't know how long it had been in the showroom (only 12 miles on the clock so no road use), but:

• The state of the interior was awful. There were bits of trim falling off the B pillar (I could see all the wires hidden behind it), the black plastic trim on the centre console was covered in fingerprints, had scratches in many places and was slightly misaligned. The seats (white) were looking pretty soiled, the mucket trims were badly scratched and scuffed, and the underneath of the front seats were pretty chewed up - presumably from people sitting in the rear. Now I appreciate that it probably gets lots of people jumping in and out to try it for size etc - but I was pretty disappointed in its state nonetheless.
  
  
• The driver's door was misaligned. It wouldn't close properly without a really good shove and it dropped visibly when it was opened.
  
  
• I wanted to try out the bluetooth pairing but despite being there about 30-40 mins, there was NO ONE from Tesla in the store. It was like the Marie Celeste. Maybe that explains why the interior of the 3 was in such a state - no TLC for the display models.
  
  
• I paid a bit more attention to the interior than on the test drive. It's certainly not bad, but I was definitely thinking closer to "Renault" rather than "Audi". Getting back into my 2010 Audi TT to drive home, my impressions were confirmed - the Audi just feels more meaty - nicer door closing thunk, softer-touch surfaces, less flex when pushing on interior panels, ... that sort of thing. I'm not saying that the Tesla is bad - just a bit disappointing for a £50k car.

On the positive side:

• The tech really is nice. Very intuitive UI. I'm sure I'll adapt very well to it.
  
  
• The seats feel very comfy.
  
  
• It does look nice (even though it was the grey - not personally my favourite colour).
  
  
• Audio quality from the sound system was excellent.
  
  
• There weren't many other people browsing - mostly mums getting dragged in by their kids to sit in the "cool" car and play with the tech (maybe this helps to explain the state of the interior). All the kids without exception were really excited about the 3 - I couldn't imagine them being the same with a BMW etc. The car definitely projects a different image.

So, I'm still in the tent, but I can't help feeling a bit down by the experience. I'm looking for re-assurance!

 

[jelloslug]

OK

 

[Yev000]

I'm not saying that the Tesla is bad - just a bit disappointing for a £50k car.

Don't know why people say that, it start at 36k and ends in 49 - for the top end performance. The interior is the same - minus the non-visible gadgets.

Ford Focus starts at 18k and ends at 29k and you don't call it a "30k car"

But anyway, the showrooms have been all but abandoned with so many deliveries, so of course those poor LHD demo cars will be destroyed. I visited with my 2 kids in May and they climbed all over it, shoes on seats, in the boot, smeared the screen, pressed buttons banged the doors. And then the next family with 3 kids did the same...

I personally thought the cabin was better than my 12 year old BMW 7 series. Leather seats look nice, the materials feel ok. Certainly not Bentley quilted seats, but not horrible at all. Seats were very comfy. I couldn't fault it really.

 

[Durzel]

I'm not saying you should do this, but I think to some extent you are paying £50k to buy the electric car of the moment from the electric brand.

I think anyone expecting Audi or Mercedes levels of refinement are probably going to be disappointed. Both companies have had many, many years of iterative design, customer feedback, etc. Tesla have, from my impression, decided upon an internal fit and finish and their customers have, for the most part, been accepting of it because.. well, what choice have you got? Buying a not-Tesla?

I would expect Tesla's attitude towards interior quality and refinement to develop as and when other brands establish a real foothold in the market. Until then there isn't much motivation for them to do so. They know anyone really keen on their brand and their cars will make sacrifices, downplay the importance of fit & finish on a ~£50k car, etc. They will no doubt improve as customers cycle in and out of their cars.

That said - if your own car arrived anything like that then you'd have every reason to complain and get it resolved.

 

[Ryder35]

I was at a meeting in MK today which finished early so I popped into the Tesla store there. I have an M3 on order (LR AWD). I took a test drive before ordering but, as with all test drives, it rushed past. So, I wanted to sit in the 3 for a little while and get a bit more acquainted. I walked away a bit disappointed...

The car on display was a LHD Euro market model. There was no RHD Model 3 there. I don't know how long it had been in the showroom (only 12 miles on the clock so no road use), but:

• The state of the interior was awful. There were bits of trim falling off the B pillar (I could see all the wires hidden behind it), the black plastic trim on the centre console was covered in fingerprints, had scratches in many places and was slightly misaligned. The seats (white) were looking pretty soiled, the mucket trims were badly scratched and scuffed, and the underneath of the front seats were pretty chewed up - presumably from people sitting in the rear. Now I appreciate that it probably gets lots of people jumping in and out to try it for size etc - but I was pretty disappointed in its state nonetheless.
  
  
• The driver's door was misaligned. It wouldn't close properly without a really good shove and it dropped visibly when it was opened.
  
  
• I wanted to try out the bluetooth pairing but despite being there about 30-40 mins, there was NO ONE from Tesla in the store. It was like the Marie Celeste. Maybe that explains why the interior of the 3 was in such a state - no TLC for the display models.
  
  
• I paid a bit more attention to the interior than on the test drive. It's certainly not bad, but I was definitely thinking closer to "Renault" rather than "Audi". Getting back into my 2010 Audi TT to drive home, my impressions were confirmed - the Audi just feels more meaty - nicer door closing thunk, softer-touch surfaces, less flex when pushing on interior panels, ... that sort of thing. I'm not saying that the Tesla is bad - just a bit disappointing for a £50k car.

On the positive side:

• The tech really is nice. Very intuitive UI. I'm sure I'll adapt very well to it.
  
  
• The seats feel very comfy.
  
  
• It does look nice (even though it was the grey - not personally my favourite colour).
  
  
• Audio quality from the sound system was excellent.
  
  
• There weren't many other people browsing - mostly mums getting dragged in by their kids to sit in the "cool" car and play with the tech (maybe this helps to explain the state of the interior). All the kids without exception were really excited about the 3 - I couldn't imagine them being the same with a BMW etc. The car definitely projects a different image.

So, I'm still in the tent, but I can't help feeling a bit down by the experience. I'm looking for re-assurance!

Maybe I am not fussy but have owned Audi (2 TTs) and modern Porsche and I am quite happy with the interior of mine. Zero rattles, nice touch points etc. I think it is a bit easy to get carried away with this stuff while waiting....

"less flex when pushing on interior panels" I mean how often do you push interior panels on your car?

Were you happy with the interior on the test drive? If so focus on that.

Good luck, I think a bit of buyers remorse is natural when you are waiting. It all vanished for me once I got the car.

 

[Tony Hoyle]

So, I'm still in the tent, but I can't help feeling a bit down by the experience. I'm looking for re-assurance!

I do think they should be policing it a bit and only allowing people to look at the show cars who are bona-fide buyers, which kids dragging their parents in definately are not. I wouldn't expect a car that had been through that to be a good example.

I've noticed the stores being largely empty of staff before.. I presume it's the whole non-pressure thing they aim for. You should have been able to find someone to talk to though. Or they're understaffed, which given Tesla, wouldn't surprise me.

I wonder whether finding a local owner might be useful for you to get a proper look at a car.

 

[zayn]

I was at a meeting in MK today which finished early so I popped into the Tesla store there. I have an M3 on order (LR AWD). I took a test drive before ordering but, as with all test drives, it rushed past. So, I wanted to sit in the 3 for a little while and get a bit more acquainted. I walked away a bit disappointed...

The car on display was a LHD Euro market model. There was no RHD Model 3 there. I don't know how long it had been in the showroom (only 12 miles on the clock so no road use), but:

• The state of the interior was awful. There were bits of trim falling off the B pillar (I could see all the wires hidden behind it), the black plastic trim on the centre console was covered in fingerprints, had scratches in many places and was slightly misaligned. The seats (white) were looking pretty soiled, the mucket trims were badly scratched and scuffed, and the underneath of the front seats were pretty chewed up - presumably from people sitting in the rear. Now I appreciate that it probably gets lots of people jumping in and out to try it for size etc - but I was pretty disappointed in its state nonetheless.
  
  
• The driver's door was misaligned. It wouldn't close properly without a really good shove and it dropped visibly when it was opened.
  
  
• I wanted to try out the bluetooth pairing but despite being there about 30-40 mins, there was NO ONE from Tesla in the store. It was like the Marie Celeste. Maybe that explains why the interior of the 3 was in such a state - no TLC for the display models.
  
  
• I paid a bit more attention to the interior than on the test drive. It's certainly not bad, but I was definitely thinking closer to "Renault" rather than "Audi". Getting back into my 2010 Audi TT to drive home, my impressions were confirmed - the Audi just feels more meaty - nicer door closing thunk, softer-touch surfaces, less flex when pushing on interior panels, ... that sort of thing. I'm not saying that the Tesla is bad - just a bit disappointing for a £50k car.

On the positive side:

• The tech really is nice. Very intuitive UI. I'm sure I'll adapt very well to it.
  
  
• The seats feel very comfy.
  
  
• It does look nice (even though it was the grey - not personally my favourite colour).
  
  
• Audio quality from the sound system was excellent.
  
  
• There weren't many other people browsing - mostly mums getting dragged in by their kids to sit in the "cool" car and play with the tech (maybe this helps to explain the state of the interior). All the kids without exception were really excited about the 3 - I couldn't imagine them being the same with a BMW etc. The car definitely projects a different image.

So, I'm still in the tent, but I can't help feeling a bit down by the experience. I'm looking for re-assurance!

what's your EV budget? , if you can take a sit down look around at the Merc EQC it is at a different level for build quality, comfort and quietness as you can see on Bjorn's YT channel

 

[interbear]

Opposite experience for me in the Bristol (Cribbs) store. The same issue of families and kids jumping in, poking things and generally messing with the cars, but they are all (3, S, X) in good condition. And the staff do seem attentive in terms of both keeping the cars presentable and chatting to people. So no complaints on that front. What I would say is that the MK store should pay more attention as the cars in store are a showcase for the brand. Would be an error to let that slip.

On the general point re interior quality, I currently have an Audi A4 Avant, less than 2 years old. Top spec "black edition" quattro and quite a delightful car in fact, the interior quality is superb. I love it and am not entirely sure why I'm selling it Well, I am really. I was definitely a wee bit worried at the Audi interior quality setting an unrealistic expectation level but on reflection I'm prepared to make some sacrifices for the battery and zero emission goodness of the Tesla. Every car has it's downsides, my current Audi is pumping out diesel emissions, the Tesla will inevitably have a lower quality interior than the Audi (it's acknowledged as a real strength for Audi vs their ICE competitors). It's a trade-off but I'm comfortable with sacrificing a little interior quality to stop polluting the planet.

Overall - best to focus on the Tesla positives - zero emissions, unbeatable performance, running costs and tech. Are there negatives? Yes of course? The current pain of buying the damn thing being one of them! But the positives will win.

 

[diablosammich]

I've been in the MK store a few times and I have a Model S Performance on order from there -- I usually found it quiet but not deserted, certainly no different to two Tesla stores I've visited in the US on holiday this month, and I was grateful for the time and space to peruse without being hounded. Surprised to hear there was nobody there for 45 minutes, though. They give you space but not that much.

Not a straight comparison I accept, but I'm coming out of a fully loaded 2016 Audi RS6 Performance and approached the test drive with some trepidation given the talk of questionable build quality and fit & finish, but I was pleasantly surprised by how good it was. Once you factor in the tech and the driving experience, the overriding feeling I got getting back into my Audi after the test drive was that it felt almost Victorian in comparison. And the RS6 is a tidy motor.

 

[DaveW]

The showroom cars do seem to be a bit of a free-for-all, with some parents letting the kids treat them like a fancy softplay

I've just come from a 66 plate BMW to the Model 3, there are some bits of the BMW that had better build quality / components, but all of that is massively outweighed by the cars tech, the way it drives etc..

The interior on mine seems great so far (apart from the piano black centre console, which I've just wrapped!)

 

[ewoodrick]

That showroom car shouldn't be considered representative at the state that you described

 

[Fullerene]

you are paying £50k to buy the electric car of the moment from the electric brand

This.

I'm paying for the drivetrain, the software and the fact it's not from BMW/Audi/Merc etc. The European Automative Industry have deliberately deceived us for years whilst trying to throw spanners on EV bus bars to maintain the status quo. Would rather fund Elon to disrupt things than support the creators of diesel-gate.

Yay for no RHD cars on display, that means another person not waiting

 

[ivangr]

just remember that the RHD is like the 5th/6th iteration of the Model 3. As with all new models there will be a few rounds of improving the production line.

You can see this from looking at old Model 3 issues that no longer get mentioned.

Also the store models are wrecked by kids and people jumping in and out. I’ve seen this first hand.

 

[pjuk]

fancy softplay

I might take the kids to a Merc/Audi/BMW garage and tell them just this and see how long it takes to get kicked out.

 

[Dapimp]

My Dec 2014 MS has aged really well. Feels solid and I’ve taken trim off and refitted and it goes together well. Very few rattles and squeaks. Not like for like comparison but hope it provides some reassurance that a well looked after car will age well.

 

[Uncle Paul]

Relax.

The car you get delivered will not be like the condition of the floor model. They get beat up pretty bad. Seems many Dad's take their kids to the showroom and encourage them to treat it like a romper room.

I saw a guy popping off a speaker trim panel to see what was behind it. Not sure why.

Blue tooth pairing is pretty straight forward and works well.

 

[pdk42]

Thanks for all the responses everyone. That's what's great about forums - it's a fantastic way to get alternative views. I think on reflection that I agree with most of the points you've all made. It's clear that the car's interior has probably had 10 years' worth of private owner abuse given its location and the foot traffic it gets. I also think that I'll be wrapping that black plastic just as soon as I can. I remember having a Merc C class as a rental car once and it had exactly the same issue with interior black plastic trim.

I also do recall being really wowed on the test drive by the overall feel, performance and tech on the car - and that when I got back into my own car I had the overwhelming impression that it felt old, previous gen and that the Tesla was the new world.

 

[Uncle Paul]

Enjoy your new Tesla.

They drive like no others.

 

[davidmc]

I might take the kids to a Merc/Audi/BMW garage and tell them just this and see how long it takes to get kicked out.

Are they now museums?

"See kids we used to drive these!"

 

[Daverh]

If the sales people aren't on commission there's no incentive for them to keep the cars looking shiny.