Quality Control?? Delivered Model 3 with Major Issues!!!

[MaxSpeedM3]

So I'm a first time owner of a Tesla and it didn't start off on a good note. Luckily, I've been reading about quality issues in the paint, body gaps, etc so I kinda knew what to look for. I was so excited to pick our car up finally after all these years of waiting that I just glanced over the car during delivery. I did a quick once-over and did notice a few black specks under the clear coat which I reported and got it into the system. After I went home, I cleaned the car and went over the car and found more issues. I took pictures and documented everything. I called Tesla and submitted the defects.

I've added pictures of the issues on the car. Took awhile for the car to get into service. I actually had to call a couple of times for them to finally get back to me. Once in, they gave me a Hertz loaner car which was a bit disappointing but better than nothing. So they end up replacing the whole front bumper and buffed out some of the paint imperfections. That was great news and I was a happy customer.

Now I am dealing with a few scratches on my windshield that I had brought up. They just told me I voided my windshield warranty because I took it to a 3rd party tint company. I'm really getting pissed because they are being totally reasonable. Man, having second thoughts about owning a Tesla. Sorry forum, just really frustrated with their customer service.

 

[Stirfelt]

So sorry you are experiencing QC issues. Also regret that you are having "second thoughts about owning a Tesla."

Do not consider the following advise .... you need to do what you feel is best.

If I were faced with the issues you pictured, I suspect I would not seek corrective repairs. There have been so many reports of cars returning from the SC with greater issues than when entered.

 

[ngogas]

Return the car!

 

[MXWing]

How do you know it wasn’t the tint company?

Just asking a question without making judgment one way or the other.

 

[more863-also]

So the major issues involved "specks" of paint and a scratch that could have been caused by your tinting company? I'm feeling better about my delivery day by the minute.

 

[scottm]

Cosmetic blems are not major qc issues.

Laws allow these, and allow manufacturers to clean them up and car is still considered new.

Or, shine some perspective on other things in life too.

 

[outie]

Was your windshield scratches documented before tinting was done? I guess not since you proceeded with the tint. This is a hard one to hold Tesla responsible for because your tint shop could've scratched it. My tint guy pointed out a scratch on my quarter glass before proceeding. This is what your tint shop should've done beforehand. Are you saying the shop proceeded with the tint job knowing the scratches are there? Or... they were the one who scratched it and not admit it?

Sorry to hear but these are hardly major quality issues.

 

[jackospd]

I picked up my P+ today and didn't see any issues. Maybe I need to go out in the garage and look closer!

I can say the car is awesome and it's the first time I'm volunteering to pick up and drop off the kids wherever they need to go!

 

[MaxSpeedM3]

So sorry you are experiencing QC issues. Also regret that you are having "second thoughts about owning a Tesla."

Do not consider the following advise .... you need to do what you feel is best.

If I were faced with the issues you pictured, I suspect I would not seek corrective repairs. There have been so many reports of cars returning from the SC with greater issues than when entered.

They did replace my whole front bumper and buffed out a lot of the paint issues. I'm glad they didn't try to just fix the bumper issues taking the better option of just replacing. Wasn't reassuring to hear that they have a lot of pre painted bumpers on hand.

 

[MaxSpeedM3]

Return the car!

The thought did cross my mind but then read the return policy. Too late to return.

 

[MaxSpeedM3]

How do you know it wasn’t the tint company?

Just asking a question without making judgment one way or the other.

I have used them to tint all my cars for many years now. If you see the scratches, they are not consistent with anything they would do. I've seen them install tint. Some of the scratches are curved at the center of the windshield. I dont see how they could cause these types of scratches .

I guess anything is possible but I'm leaning more toward Tesla. I guess I'm more upset that they never even asked me to show them the issues and just totally blamed the tint company.

 

[Gavyne]

Weird I thought I was going to read a horror story, instead I read someone who got some blemishes on the car, took it in to service and they took care of everything. Maybe I'm missing some outrageous thing somewhere.

As for your windshield, it's 100% legitimate for them to void warranty since you had it tinted. Reports have so many shops damaging the windshield, chrome, and defroster don't help your case. If you had any issues with the windshield, you had to take it in before getting tint job done.

 

[MaxSpeedM3]

So the major issues involved "specks" of paint and a scratch that could have been caused by your tinting company? I'm feeling better about my delivery day by the minute.

Started with these black specks I thought were bug marks or something. Tried to remove them with my fingernail but it was under the clearcoat. It's hard to see in the pictures. The toe hook cap looked like somebody jammed a screwdriver to open it. There were a lot of hazy spots in the paint, also. The worst was the bumper gouges on the lower part of the bumper. It was pretty bad.

When I spoke to the tint shop, they said the tint makes scratches appear or makes them more noticeable. That's when I saw them. I initially thought the tint had scratches on it. It wasn't the case.

 

[MaxSpeedM3]

Was your windshield scratches documented before tinting was done? I guess not since you proceeded with the tint. This is a hard one to hold Tesla responsible for because your tint shop could've scratched it. My tint guy pointed out a scratch on my quarter glass before proceeding. This is what your tint shop should've done beforehand. Are you saying the shop proceeded with the tint job knowing the scratches are there? Or... they were the one who scratched it and not admit it?

Sorry to hear but these are hardly major quality issues.

They are not deep scratches but a bunch of light scratches right in my line of vision making the more noticeable. I think the tint made them more visible. Yeah, I wish they noticed them before they placed the tint on the inside of the windshield.

 

[MaxSpeedM3]

I picked up my P+ today and didn't see any issues. Maybe I need to go out in the garage and look closer!

I can say the car is awesome and it's the first time I'm volunteering to pick up and drop off the kids wherever they need to go!

It's a good car. I really enjoy it. I would just look over it to make sure there are no issues. Warranty does not cover cosmetic issues after 72 hours, unless documented

 

[MXWing]

I have used them to tint all my cars for many years now. If you see the scratches, they are not consistent with anything they would do. I've seen them install tint. Some of the scratches are curved at the center of the windshield. I dont see how they could cause these types of scratches .

I guess anything is possible but I'm leaning more toward Tesla. I guess I'm more upset that they never even asked me to show them the issues and just totally blamed the tint company.

@outie summed it up pretty much. There’s no way for one party to conclusively prove it was the other parties fault.

I expect Tesla to miss things but not your tint company. They run the risk of you going after them versus Tesla.

 

[Glamisduner]

I can't tell where the issue are because I think you took screen shots of the pictures on your phone?

Anyways, lots of worse cars including my own.

 

[MaxSpeedM3]

Weird I thought I was going to read a horror story, instead I read someone who got some blemishes on the car, took it in to service and they took care of everything. Maybe I'm missing some outrageous thing somewhere.

As for your windshield, it's 100% legitimate for them to void warranty since you had it tinted. Reports have so many shops damaging the windshield, chrome, and defroster don't help your case. If you had any issues with the windshield, you had to take it in before getting tint job done.

You know what, maybe I'm more upset at the way they handled it. So, im supposed to be grateful they were generous in fixing issues that were caused because they rushed to meet their quotas? What if I missed the paint and bumper issues and found it later. Again, they would have blamed me for 1. Not noticing it and not documenting it 2. It was outside of their 72 hour window. 3. Blame the company for adding a clear bra.

They didn't even ask me to bring the car in about the scratches. I told them there were scratches and they totally blamed the tint company. Would have made me feel better if they looked at it and tried to work with me a little.

 

[MaxSpeedM3]

I can't tell where the issue are because I think you took screen shots of the pictures on your phone?

Anyways, lots of worse cars including my own.

Sorry to hear you had worse issues. Yeah, could be worse but that isnt so comforting!!??

 

[MXWing]

You know what, maybe I'm more upset at the way they handled it. So, im supposed to be grateful they were generous in fixing issues that were caused because they rushed to meet their quotas? What if I missed the paint and bumper issues and found it later. Again, they would have blamed me for 1. Not noticing it and not documenting it 2. It was outside of their 72 hour window. 3. Blame the company for adding a clear bra.

They didn't even ask me to bring the car in about the scratches. I told them there were scratches and they totally blamed the tint company. Would have made me feel better if they looked at it and tried to work with me a little.

Problem is looking at your car is one less other car they can look at for a more serious issue.

Why didn’t your tint company inform you immediately and stop working on it so you can get remediation from Tesla? They cost you a free windshield replacement if they would have quit working on it.

I’ve been accused of being a paid Tesla shill but this is really a case of “who touched it last” bears responsibility. That’s why walk arounds are done by car rental companies and shops.

I wish I had good news or good courses of actions for you but I can't see a path to your favor.