Are we talking optioned out now? 2018 M3P was about 77k optioned out. So let's add 5-10K to my hypothetical 80K+ car to keeps things even. We're back to square 1.
Bottom line is they paid too much. The market spoke and prices came down.
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Paint Quality & Fitment
- Thread starter mafpolo
- Start date
Are we talking optioned out now? 2018 M3P was about 77k optioned out. So let's add 5-10K to my hypothetical 80K+ car to keeps things even. We're back to square 1.
Bottom line is they paid too much. The market spoke and prices came down.
No, the bottom line is Tesla needs to do a better job with paint.
Not an opinion, it's fact. Just ask around and look at all the mentions on poor Model 3 paint quality compared to other cars. It's not a secret, and it's not other people's opinion. It's objectively bad paint on many of their cars. If you can't see it, that's your opinion.
Yes, and what are these 'other' cars? A Jaguar? A Range Rover? A Bentley? A BMW? Just for the hell of it, I briefly browsed a Jaguar and BMW forum and guess what? There were people complaining about the paint and paint chips. So applying your train of thought, their paint is objectively worse than other cars for some members.
I challenge you to browse any forum where paint topics are non-existent. It's all relative is what my original point was.
jelloslug
Active Member
Tally another satisfied vote. I am very happy with the quality of the paint on my car. Also the fitment. No runs, no sags, no errors.
The paint quality on my white AWD Dec 2018 car is quite good. I was honestly surprised how good it is. No runs, drips, missing coats, etc that I could find anywhere. The plastic bumper covers aren't a dead match for the neighboring metal panels, but close.
The panel gaps are all merely "acceptable" other than the protruding headlights issue which was apparently common for the first year or so.
The panel gaps are all merely "acceptable" other than the protruding headlights issue which was apparently common for the first year or so.
This is what I "heard," so take it with a grain if salt. Musk is heavily involved. He does hire excellent plant management, but then he grinds them and they leave. If plant management rolls over before good process management is in place, the result is inconsistency. All other car companies are utilizing six-sigma, and they apply it to everything, and that includes fit and finish. Last year I took a tour of the Mercedes plant in Alabama. I expressed my amazement when a vehicle reached a certain point, a bumper slid down to the vehicle. That bumper came from a tier supplier. The bumper matched the car's paint exactly. When I did express my amazement, the plant manager looked at me with surprise that I was shocked. He told me that they hold the supplier responsible for delivery, quality, and the right build (some have sensors and some don't). The Model 3 is without a doubt one of the greatest cars I have ever driven. I just believe that Tesla can do the paint and fitment properly if they want to. I am not sure why they don't. My post is not bashing. I would like to see the Model 3 where none of them have paint and fitment issues.
You make some valid points, mafpolo. I may take and post some pics later, but with the Tesla and Bolt sitting next to each other, the Bolt's paint looks better from a finish perspective. If you look at the overhead shop light's reflection in both hoods the Tesla's paint has a slight orange peel look. Not terrible, but definitely noticeable compared to the Bolt. That doesn't necessarily mean the Tesla's paint will be worse or is inferior, but from a finish perspective it isn't as good. So yeah, a car I paid $31k for has a better looking paint job than a $50k car.
Unfortunately, unless we're talking high-dollar exotics, there is no such thing with any manufacturer. Some cars will have paint and/or fitment issues. It's not an excuse, just the way it is. Look up Mercedes 'paint defects' or 'orange peel' and see how many hits you get.
Orange peel is industry wide. Some cars will have more than others. Not much you can do except inspect before buying. Fitment issues can be fixed usually.
With all that said, I agree with the overall point you were making. There is room for improvement, but not just with Tesla. At least with Tesla, you can walk away free and clear within 7 days.
jelloslug
Active Member
All of that cost extra money. Six sigma is just another management buzzword fest to make people that don't actually do things feel like they are useful.
Businesses are still using Six Sigma. The ones that are using it are the ones it was intended for. At one point many companies jumped on this bandwagon when it was not necessary.....if they achieved two sigma, they would have been beyond excellence. The automotive industry is still utilizing six sigma. It is simply a quality and continuous improvement tool. When I was with a Caterpillar dealership, Caterpillar used Six Sigma. They still use it. I recently spoke with an employee at Raytheon, and he told me that they are using Six Sigma; now Lean Six Sigma. Again, I am not in any way trying to bash Tesla. I want them to succeed in a big way and be prepped for major production. Phenomenal vehicle. I haven't seen a Y, but the 3 is my favorite Tesla and one of the best driving cars ever.
jkoya
NA2 NSX
Thanks for the update. Forgot about the lean training also. The company I worked for was one who jumped on the six sigma bandwagon.
jelloslug
Active Member
I'm a "certified" green belt also. In a huge manufacturing company with continuously changing products, it can be useful. In most companies though, once the initial flood of projects are done, it's virtually useless.
jkoya
NA2 NSX
That was my experience also. In fact, after all the corporate Black Belt and Master Black Belts left, most people went back to pre-six sigma workflow. The master black belt got upset, because someone cut out all these Dilbert Comic strips from the newspaper, in which Wally said six sigma was outdated and posted them on all the bulletin boards.....
I think that a lot of consulting firms made a lot of money when 'Six Sigma" was the new thing. Sadly, most companies don't need it....they paid for it, and it now sits on the shelf. Also, unless you are a large company that needs it, Six Sigma is a very expensive process to utilize.
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