PLAID damaged by TESLA minutes before delivery!

[glide]

These are my thoughts EXACTLY

Then go buy a Mini. How many times does it have to be stated; Tesla does not operate that way?

Soo I wonder how it’s going to work when the assigned vin car has been paid for in full, and they’ve already got temp tags on the car for me based on my insurance coverage for the car.

I think it’s going to get messy if/when I refuse the car. I don’t know how all that works from a legal standpoint. The car hasn’t been registered yet or taken possession of obviously but otherwise it’s mine. Any ideas?

Again. TESLA DOES NOT CARE about your insurance situation. You have no legal recourse here either.

You can either accept or refuse the delivery. Those are your only two options.

 

[linux-works]

this much money on a new car - for me (which I would never pay this much, fwiw) - it would have to be accident-free if it was brand new.

just walk away. its time wasted but that's all.

that's all there is to this. tesla does not care and they owe you nothing.

do not buy this. you have been given all the advice you need.

 

[PLAIDsky]

Thank you to all those that have provided input, experience, perspective and opinions. It has given me a good foundation to build upon regarding this.

Mostly, thank you for being a soundboard to my frustration and disappointment. Just needed some like minded individuals to talk with a little bit as it definitely helped.

Thanks for all the perspective.

 

[Sandollars]

When I took delivery of my current S, there was a tiny rock chip in the windshield. It had only gone through one lamination and it was a "half moon" only about 1/8th inch wide. I had waited several months for the car and was told it wasn't a big enough problem for them to address, that if it actually cracked, they would replace it then at no charge. They also told me I could choose to refuse delivery and they would put me in a priority queue, but I chose to take delivery and the chip never did spider crack, but every time I see it....

My point being, if you can live with the knowing, then take it. If not, wait. I think if I were you, I would refuse delivery and ask about a priority queue Priority queue means you get the very next VIN number assigned, not the very next car. Once the VINs are assigned lots of things are set in motion.

 

[Big Dog]

I would reject it and wait for another.

 

[Stirthepot]

I wouldn't take the car, no way, but that is just my opinion, doesn't make it right for everyone. I'm a nut about my cars, no way I would take a car that starts with paint repair. Others may disagree with me that is OK. People view cars differently and repairs differently that is OK too. But, for me, no, I won't start with a new car that has damage.

As for diminished value, it will be diminished if you trade it to a dealer. It won't show up on a Carfax, but any dealer with a used car person that does their job will walk around the car with a paint depth meter and will immediately know it was painted - that will definitely impact your trade in value. I've traded in many cars and its common for them to measure the paint.

My advice, let them repair it and then make your decision. I wouldn't even consider it, but since you came here asking for opinions you seem open to the idea. If you see the repair and its not noticeable to you then take the car. If its going to drive you crazy knowing its damaged then don't take it.

 

[jebinc]

I wouldn't take the car, no way, but that is just my opinion, doesn't make it right for everyone. I'm a nut about my cars, no way I would take a car that starts with paint repair. Others may disagree with me that is OK. People view cars differently and repairs differently that is OK too. But, for me, no, I won't start with a new car that has damage.

As for diminished value, it will be diminished if you trade it to a dealer. It won't show up on a Carfax, but any dealer with a used car person that does their job will walk around the car with a paint depth meter and will immediately know it was painted - that will definitely impact your trade in value. I've traded in many cars and its common for them to measure the paint.

My advice, let them repair it and then make your decision. I wouldn't even consider it, but since you came here asking for opinions you seem open to the idea. If you see the repair and its not noticeable to you then take the car. If its going to drive you crazy knowing its damaged then don't take it.

You forgot the “bondo”. With this one, it’s more than paint and polish. And then there is the “paint blending,” meaning multiple panels and doors will see new paint and clear coat…. No thanks, on a $150,000 expenditure.

 

[Stirthepot]

You forgot the “bondo”. With this one, it’s more than paint and polish. And then there is the “paint blending,” meaning multiple panels and doors will see new paint and clear coat…. No thanks, on a $150,000 expenditure.

i didnt forget either, i'm well aware of both, grew up in an auto body repair shop, hence my personal view on repairs, i can see them, i can see them all, which is why i won't start with them. but not everyone notices them, and many don't care about them.

there is no right or wrong here. its an individual decision.

 

[PLAIDsky]

Thanks again for all the advice.

I will definitely be taking a looooong hard look at the vehicle, and Ill bring along an experienced and discerning friend with me as well. I’m also going to get a paint depth meter gauge and take that as well. Paint depth is irrefutable to say there isn’t diminished value when I present that and the depths don’t match.

Now IF they replace the entire door, AND it matches perfectly to my (and my friends) critical eyes AND miraculously the paint depth matches within an acceptable tolerance then I’ll consider taking the car.

Anything less than that and it’s going to be a no-go and I’ll handle it however I need to at that time.

 

[FFCars]

Soo I wonder how it’s going to work when the assigned vin car has been paid for in full, and they’ve already got temp tags on the car for me based on my insurance coverage for the car.

I think it’s going to get messy if/when I refuse the car. I don’t know how all that works from a legal standpoint. The car hasn’t been registered yet or taken possession of obviously but otherwise it’s mine. Any ideas?

Call your SA and ask. I doubt it’s a big deal to unravel. It looks like plaids are coming out fast, so you probably won’t wait long for another car.

 

[Stirthepot]

good plan. but just know, based on my experience its highly unlikely that the paint depths will match. a human with a spray gun and a robot just perform entirely differently. measure the door that gets painted and both panels in front / back of the damaged panel.

they should be blending the solid color paint about halfway through each panel in front / back of the damaged one and re-clearing all 3 panels in totality. this is why if you take multiple measurements along the repaired side of the car it should be obvious with a depth meter. you will have one door completely done by a human, and two panels that have solid color paint done by a human and a robot (roughly 50/50 on each panel) and the clear done by a human. this is the blending process.

then, the clear will be lightly scuffed /sanded on the adjacent panels in the areas that don't get the solid colored resprayed so that new clear can bond to it. so those areas will in have more than one layer of clear. its lot of different layers and thus depths on the paint meter. in addition, auto repairs are always applied thicker, just they way us humans do it.

its done to fool they eye so you don't notice the repair. as precise as the human eye and brain can be, its pretty easy to fool both. be sure to examine the paint up close and from a distance. do so both indoors and outdoors and from different heights and angles.

i said i was nuts above, its more of a curse in reality. i wish i couldn't see it. i have sold two model S' both less than 24 months old because they were damaged (neither my fault) but the repairs were obvious to me.

good luck!

 

[brkaus]

You're simply wrong. Nobody cares about any of this at Tesla. You're either a customer or a nuisance. You're setting yourself up for massive disappointment down the line with that kind of attitude. You're not buying a Porsche.

Porsche doesn’t care either. Repairing cars prior to sale is legal in nearly every state. And it doesn’t have to be disclosed up to a certain limit.

Tesla kinda gets forced into telling because of the just in time delivery. But dealers that move a lot of cars have a big back lot to do all the prep and repairs needed before they get moved up to the sales lot.

Your brand new car might not be completely new after all

New cars can get damaged in transit or on the dealer lot, and in many cases the dealer is not required to tell you if any repairs have been completed.

www.autoblog.com

 

[FFCars]

Thanks again for all the advice.

I will definitely be taking a looooong hard look at the vehicle, and Ill bring along an experienced and discerning friend with me as well. I’m also going to get a paint depth meter gauge and take that as well. Paint depth is irrefutable to say there isn’t diminished value when I present that and the depths don’t match.

Now IF they replace the entire door, AND it matches perfectly to my (and my friends) critical eyes AND miraculously the paint depth matches within an acceptable tolerance then I’ll consider taking the car.

Anything less than that and it’s going to be a no-go and I’ll handle it however I need to at that time.

If that works for you, it’s a good plan.

It’s nearly impossible, when shooting just one panel, to match the factory paint depth. And it may not be a perfect color match. It might even age differently than the rest of the car.

However, Tesla is known for having poor quality paint jobs. So you may get a new door panel that is “close enough” to pass as factory. I just went out and measured all the panels on my 2021 MY LR and there is as much as 35% variance been panels. Maybe the MS has a better paint job since it’s much more expensive. Who knows?

In my experience, when I check out a used car to buy, I can spot a painted panel because it will be 200% to 400% thicker than the other panels. So if your door comes back with 100%+ more paint, it will be obvious on a paint meter.

Good luck.

 

[jebinc]

Thanks again for all the advice.

I will definitely be taking a looooong hard look at the vehicle, and Ill bring along an experienced and discerning friend with me as well. I’m also going to get a paint depth meter gauge and take that as well. Paint depth is irrefutable to say there isn’t diminished value when I present that and the depths don’t match.

Now IF they replace the entire door, AND it matches perfectly to my (and my friends) critical eyes AND miraculously the paint depth matches within an acceptable tolerance then I’ll consider taking the car.

Anything less than that and it’s going to be a no-go and I’ll handle it however I need to at that time.

@PLAIDsky It can’t and won’t match factory paint depth. Totally different application methods. Refinished will be thicker. That’s the “tell”. And it will likely be weeks before you can even see it finished. Weeks you won’t get back if you wait until then to reject it. Just sayin’

 

[Tiger]

This post has been a great therapeutic session Get the emotions out!

In the grand scheme of things, it really does not matter. You might ding the door yourself soon after you dirive it home, bad luck never warns you beforehand.

And nobody (else) really cares about a practically invisible ding in the door unless you rave about it. If someone ever notices it, you can simply say "Teslas are part hand made and no two Teslas look the same."

This was damaged by wind so it's not even a Tesla thing.

Anyways, take a look at how the car looks ater fixing and if it is "annoying", they can try to fix it a gain, or just wait for the next one from the lottery. Keep in mind tough, you never know what you get next. You might get the 2022 or you might get a lemon. In a way, if this is the only problem with the car, it might be safest to take this after they fix it.

Sure, the wait (for fixing or a new car) is annoying, but you can survive if you adjust your expectations. We have been waiting for a refreshed X for 6 months already and I have already began planning life without it so if/when it actually arrives it will be a happy surprise And same as the Model 3 we got, I plan /have not looked at the car because I don't want to know how buggy it is I just drive.

 

[forevernoctrnl]

Tesla is not giving you anything for free.

Your options are to let them repair the vehicle and deliver it to you. Or you can reject delivery and wait for a new vehicle to become available.

That is all.

This.

 

[Gumball]

As someone who has been working in the new car business for the last 30+ years, let me tell you that a huge lot of new cars already had damage repaired before delivery. Crazy amounts of cars get damaged in transit, or in the dealership and repaired up to the point of replacing complete fenders, bumpercovers and whatever. I would not worry for a bit about a small ding and paint repair like this.
Totally understand the frustration , but for sure that at least 20% of all new cars had some sort of damage repaired (or worse, just covered up) before delivery.

 

[TIppy]

[I am a new member here, and to Tesla. I apologize if this isn’t posted in the appropriate category. If that is the case, could a moderator please relocate to the correct location.]

I am soo frustrated, irritated and upset. Literally minutes (less than an hour) before my new Tesla Model S PLAID was to be delivered to me this past Thursday -Oct 28th,Tesla called to tell me that strong wind caught the door of another car and slammed into the side of my car during them prepping the car for delivery. They sent me pics and asked if I wanted the car still delivered or if I wanted to have them keep the car repair it. I already had my PPF, ceramic coating and tint scheduled out well before the delivery date that I had to cancel. The car door hit hard enough that it went completely through the paint and caused 2 points of impact on the door according to the Tesla rep and will require both body and paint work, PDR is not possible.

So here I am now waiting on my car even longer that I have been waiting for months to receive. I’ve already purchased the car and I don’t have it and have to wait at least a week or more longer to receive. My BIGGEST issue is that I am now receiving a new car that has been damaged and will already have both body and paint work done on it post-production. This is much different than a defect from manufacturing. I basically feel like I have purchased a REFURBISHED Model S PLAID at FULL retail price. I am completely disappointed and I’m very dissatisfied at this point.

I feel like I should be offered something from Tesla in this situation. Maybe FSD (which I did not elect to purchase as most seem to think at THIS MOMENT still it’s not all that worth it at least from what I gather) or maybe the upcoming Track Pack wheels that will be coming out sometime soon for the Model S Plaid (the ones they are setting Nürburgring records with).

I just feel like I am being gipped as I’ve paid full retail price on this car just to be delivered to me essentially as a Refurbished vehicle. To add insult to injury im sure they are going to put miles on my brand new car that I had built to take back and forth from their repair facility. This is not a good first experience for me with Tesla, especially at this tier of a purchase.

Anyone else have any experience with a situation like this? Thoughts? Advice?
I’m ears open.

I haven’t officially contacted or approached Tesla yet with my dissatisfaction as I wanted to get some advice first.

Thank you in advance.

My last model S was damaged during transport. A rock bounced off the hood and broke the windshield. The hood had a pretty bad dent. I haggled trying to get some compensation to no avail. What I finally asked for and received was for them to order a factory painted replacement for the hood. It took about 10 days to have it shipped and installed. It was the metallic red, so wasn't going to accept a paint repair.

I brought a paint thickness gauge with me, and it was almost identical to the original paint on my car and the other cars they were delivering. I also checked the surrounding bodywork for increased thickness due to blending.

 

[byeLT4]

Maybe take a few pics from distance/angles as well. I think different shades show up easier on photos that for some reason the naked eye doesn't pick up on.

 

[TIppy]

Maybe take a few pics from distance/angles as well. I think different shades show up easier on photos that for some reason the naked eye doesn't pick up on.

If they have blended the paint to get the color match, the camera will see a different color as it doesn't have the same color response as the human eye. Also, the match is made for daylight color temperature, and you can sometimes see a color difference under street lights.

If they are using the original factory paint on a new car, it should be ok.