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Quick Model 3 Review - The Best Car I've Ever Owned, With The Most Issues I've Ever Had In A Car.

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Sounds like a oxymoron, right?

I'll give you a quick introduction as to who I am. I've previously owned a new 2014 Camaro SS 1LE and 2020 Veloster N. Sold the Camaro after 6 years, sold the Veloster after 1. Both great cars in their own right, both never had any real issues. The camaro had a weird hum from the driver's side mirror at around 40 mph but nothing that was annoying. The Veloster, although the interior could've had higher quality materials, was absolutely rock solid. No problems and no rattles whatsoever.

I have days worth of experience with my dad's 2021 C8 Corvette Z51, my special others BMW 135I, and some SUV's here and there.

AA9A3A24-8BB8-4931-9BB3-62E593352D27.jpeg


The Good
The Model 3 is hands down the best car I've ever experienced. I have a 2021 Dual Motor (NOT performance) with a white interior. No accel boost or FSD.. yet. Not only is it beautiful to look at, but the driveline is just heaven on wheels. I thought I would miss the sound of a rumbly V8 car, or the backfire pops of a turbo, but actually the M3 is car enough to make those two other cars look primitive. I love the instant power, I love the simplistic instruments-in-a-screen approach, I think the sound system is the best in the world. I drove my dad's Corvette recently and amazingly the Model 3 made me feel like the driveline was clunky on it, even though it's a high-end corvette. The sound is great for the first WOT or two but after that I kind of missed my car.

All the other goods I can share are basically well-known between all of us. Maintenance costs, charging from home, the mobile theater hub, etc. All amazing features. All things I can talk about all day.

Do not be mistaken that the paragraphs below are longer than the Goods, and by thinking that this means I have more negatives to say than positives. They are only longer because they are more elaborate.

The "Meh"
Not having Android Auto took me a good while to get used to. I would use that sucker all day long in the Veloster. The coolest thing about it was being able to ask questions like "when does this store close" and "is it going to rain today" all by just saying "Hey google" and the car responding accordingly. Unfortunately for me, the voice commands of the Tesla feel kind of lackluster compared to it.

I also am not thrilled with the Spotify app. Half the time I enter the car, Spotify is in the middle of crashing and wont play anything for a few minutes. Not having Pandora is both a blessing and a curse.

I've also been locked out of my car once, when the mobile app was down, even after restarting the phone, and clearing data / cookies in the app. Thank god I had my card on me or else I would've been stranded.

Maybe there is a way to do this, but I wish I could turn off the auto high beams on autopilot. It's weird almost flashing people in front of me when it's dark outside and I have no control over it.

3D4F01F9-3112-4E6A-97F1-F458E2F87777.jpeg


The Bad
Wow have I never experienced a brand new car with so many issues. I get loud rattles from the driver's side wheel well, passenger's side wheel well, front driver's side dash, and rear seats (although admittedly, the rear seat rattles aren't that bad). The hood was way out of alignment. multiple areas of trim were falling apart on the driver's side. I have some other bizarre issues such as an AC vent not working, and a loud chirping noise coming from the front of the car sometimes. This car is only 3 months old!!

The turn signal & gear stocks feel downright non responsive at times and that is somewhat annoying.

Tesla service has been okay. In the 3 months i've owned this car, i've now had to contact Tesla 3 separate times for random fixes. Getting an appointment is simple enough and the staff is friendly. My last visit they didn't fix everything, even though the invoice said they did, and I found that to be irritating.

End Summary
Do you know of a 4 door car that does a consistent 0-60 in 4.2 seconds and has the maintenance cost of a Camry? Whilst also costing around 50k? What about a car that does 0-60 in 3.8 for only 2 grand more? If you do, kindly point me in the right direction.. that's actually a challenge I'm presenting you with lol.

It's a great car and I'll still recommend it to people. I just hate it when people ask me how I like it. Because I gloat like a madman, and then I mention that i've had my fair share of build quality issues with it thus far. People give me the funniest look, but ultimately they wont understand until they experience it themselves.

At least the problems are covered under warranty. For now.

(“2019 Tesla Model 3 Performance AWD Front” and “2019 Tesla Model 3 Performance AWD Rear” by Vauxford are licensed under CC BY-ND 4.0.)
 
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I've also been locked out of my car once, when the mobile app was down, even after restarting the phone, and clearing data / cookies in the app. Thank god I had my card on me or else I would've been stranded.
You might want to take a look at this (I have one, works great at the beach when I want to lock everything including phone in the car).
 
Exactly. Other companies deliver cars with issues all of the time. My previous car was a new 2017 Volvo S60. It had more delivery issues than the M3 I picked up in September.

Some of it is luck.
I had a v60 and it was the worst piece of crap ever...but the very worst part was the dealership...they would charge thousands for work never done...and they took your money before they returned your keys, so by the time you found out that nothing was done all you could get out of them was a promise to return your money...a promise they don’t keep.
And since the Volvo dealership in my part of the world also owned almost every other legacy car dealership it left me with no alternative but to support Elon’s industry disruption tactics. And the end result (after a somewhat stressful time communicating with Tesla staff (sometimes you have to accept that the French will be French no matter which company they work for))... is I love my M3LR!!!
So far (touch wood) the only problem is a little fogging on the left pillar camera....I must get around to contacting Tesla about that. I love the look, the comfort, the tech, the performance, in fact I love driving again.....
The car is new, so I don’t know how it will hold up over time, but so far so great...
 
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Old fart chiming in... in over 50 years of buying cars, everything from new to used to rebuilds to junkers to disasters, high end, low end, middle end, domestic, foreign, alien, trucks, sports cars, muscle cars, sissy cars, ocean liner sized automotive couches, floorless Flintstone-like cars that would let me dispose of empty beer cans without having to roll down the window, and now a Tesla Model 3, I can say, without reservation, that this car is, quite simply... another one.

It does everything every car I've ever owned could do, it does some things no car I've ever owned could do, it's missing some things other cars I've owned have had. I've not lost any weight since buying this car, my dick is still the same size, and I still have to get up once or twice each night to visit the bathroom. These are not disappointments, just simple facts.

I like that the mirrors fold in when I pull into the garage, because certain members of my household, who shall go unnamed, have had mirror issues getting previous cars in and out without tearing the mirrors off which, are you kidding me?? there must be 2 feet between you and the garage door, how could you have hit it, again?? Also, I really like being able to give voice commands because in my non-voice-command outfitted cars I've developed an unfortunate tendency to change lanes whenever I also reach over to change radio stations, which can be a real problem on 2 lane roads.

Other things I like... scaring the pants off passengers by accelerating onto the freeway and having them feel their internal organs actually reposition themselves. The stereo, the stereo... for someone who has to have the tv set to volume level 25 out of 20 and still needs closed captions, the stereo is magnificent. I also like being able to produce a fart outside the car for slow moving pedestrians in crosswalks, and my 4 year old grandson who thinks this is the greatest thing he's ever seen in a car, or anywhere for that matter.

It is comfortable, and it is quiet (see above comment about tv volume and likelihood that I cannot hear rattles and squeaks). It is quite beautiful, and all my neighbors are envious, which is very important because what good are neighbors if you can't make them jealous of your car? I like that it kind of greets me whenever I walk up to it with my phone in my pocket, turning on the music, warming up my seat, making cheerful little humming noises, kind of like a puppy getting ready to be taken for a walk, even if I'm not going anywhere. Sometimes, if I just walk by and don't get in, I can almost hear it sigh in disappointment. I've never owned a car before that was disappointed if I didn't get in. And if I do get in, it makes all kinds of happy things happen, like adjusting my seat, the steering wheel, the mirrors, are you all comfy now? are you ready to go? here's a map, where are we going?

I've had this car since December and, as you can tell, I'm very happy with it. I've also had a lifetime of owning things I was very happy with until I wasn't, so who knows. For now, I will say my expectations have been exceeded in most areas, met in others, and only disappointed in very few (damn thing scared the *&^% out of me the first time the phantom braking slammed on... they could take that feature out and it would be ok with me).

Forgot to mention... no gas stations. No issues yet with the No Free Squeegee problem.
 
My 3 year old Model 3 makes me sometimes ask 'is the bloom off the rose' (or whatever that phrase is)

Tesla service disappoints frequently, most recently not having in stock things which should be available like a 12v - but telling you it is, you come to scheduled appointment (to buy a part?) to find out rescheduled

Tesla corporate? seems more interested in making my Performance car into a living room w/game console vs a machine for drivers to enjoy (rant about V11 UI being So Bad)

Substandard features people come to expect in modern high tech cars: Apple Car play/Android Auto, auto wipers that work etc. The high tech car is looking less so each day (see above rant)

TLDR; Will Tesla's runaway success be what kills them? Unable / unwilling to meet customer expectations in a market suddenly showing actual growth and promise. Too bad cause I still really enjoying driving the car
 
Loved the post by the old fart... Spot on. :)

I've had my Model 3 since late November and have 4,200 miles on it so far with very few issues. Maybe that's not the norm, but I just wanted to add one more thumbs-up to Tesla to the thread.

Did I measure the panel gaps when I went to pick it up? No, and the delivery guy looked relieved as there were a few pick-ups going on with checklists.
Is the car an abomination of poor quality craftmanship and falling apart? No.
Did it have some minor squeaks and rattles? Sure, but so does my dad's brand-new Kia. I did take it in to service for this and they foamed the crap out of the speaker grille and somehow made it worse - so I found a YouTube video and took it apart myself, put some foam in the correct spots and now it's good.

The car is fine, it's not amazing and it's not crap. It gets me from point A to point B every day even though I may be the only person still working in an actual office and commuting these days.

I do miss having a real adaptive cruise control. Whatever it has now isn't all that great. It got better with the Holiday release, but it still can't manage to do its job properly enough to be trusted. I also miss Apple Car Play. It certainly would fit on the Navigation side of the screen just fine. :)

Tesla wins no contest on charging network and software (though the software side is also a potential downside for some). I prefer it over the others I looked at. VW has terrible software.
 
I'm very happy with my 2019 M3P. I have owned around 30 vehicles and the M3P is by far my favorite. Zero issues with the car since I bought it a year ago. (other than the side mirrors folding in when I enter my driveway. Problem just started and no solution so far from my post on this website/ Filed a service request.) I use Teslafi and have the car nice and warm before I leave in the morning. (I have an irregular schedule) The stereo sounds amazing. The acceleration is just insane. :) The car handles well and stops on a dime. No rattles or weird noises. There is a little bit of road noise, but way less than most cars I have owned.
 
Because of all the panel gap talk in the media and online, before I took delivery I kept checking car parks and observing panel gaps on various makes....and from budget brands to high end to Tesla...it all looks the same
 
First car I’ve ever owned that I’ve fallen out of love with in less than 2 months, worst before was 6 months & that was a used Renault🤦🏼‍♂️. Guess I’m in the minority😂
What ruined it for you?

I find I go in love/hate waves, interestingly enough the hate is when there is a big UI rewrite (every one has been a disappointment to me) and love when I take it on a road trip: fast, comfy, still have some free SC miles :)
 
What ruined it for you?

I find I go in love/hate waves, interestingly enough the hate is when there is a big UI rewrite (every one has been a disappointment to me) and love when I take it on a road trip: fast, comfy, still have some free SC miles :)
my own mistake really but I thought I was buying a car with a tablet …..instead after V11 I find I’ve bought a tabley with some wheels attached🤣. With hindsight I should have hired one for at least a week before buying but there again I’ve never done that with any of the other numerous cars I’ve had over the years.
Even if I’d joined this forum before signing I wouldn’t have been aware of the fact someone sat at a desk in sunny California can change the cars controls / characteristic.
I hate the TACC, aren’t interested in autopilot or FSD etc in the slightest. To me a car is a tool to get me, family, friends plus anything else I chuck in their from A to B safely. If I have to relearn where things are after an overnight UI change then it starts to fail on that.
As I say, my own fault really and I’ll have to live with it. It certainly isn’t the best car I’ve ever owned …. best & fastest tablet yes😂
 
my own mistake really but I thought I was buying a car with a tablet …..instead after V11 I find I’ve bought a tabley with some wheels attached🤣.

Sometimes this is how I feel about my Tesla though one thing, the touch screen on the 3 hasn't ever been laggy.

I think my favorite comment was: The type, the layouts, and animations scream “designed by committee and approved by someone who doesn’t have to use it.”
 
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Sounds like a oxymoron, right?

I'll give you a quick introduction as to who I am. I've previously owned a new 2014 Camaro SS 1LE and 2020 Veloster N. Sold the Camaro after 6 years, sold the Veloster after 1. Both great cars in their own right, both never had any real issues. The camaro had a weird hum from the driver's side mirror at around 40 mph but nothing that was annoying. The Veloster, although the interior could've had higher quality materials, was absolutely rock solid. No problems and no rattles whatsoever.

I have days worth of experience with my dad's 2021 C8 Corvette Z51, my special others BMW 135I, and some SUV's here and there.

View attachment 761219

The Good
The Model 3 is hands down the best car I've ever experienced. I have a 2021 Dual Motor (NOT performance) with a white interior. No accel boost or FSD.. yet. Not only is it beautiful to look at, but the driveline is just heaven on wheels. I thought I would miss the sound of a rumbly V8 car, or the backfire pops of a turbo, but actually the M3 is car enough to make those two other cars look primitive. I love the instant power, I love the simplistic instruments-in-a-screen approach, I think the sound system is the best in the world. I drove my dad's Corvette recently and amazingly the Model 3 made me feel like the driveline was clunky on it, even though it's a high-end corvette. The sound is great for the first WOT or two but after that I kind of missed my car.

All the other goods I can share are basically well-known between all of us. Maintenance costs, charging from home, the mobile theater hub, etc. All amazing features. All things I can talk about all day.

Do not be mistaken that the paragraphs below are longer than the Goods, and by thinking that this means I have more negatives to say than positives. They are only longer because they are more elaborate.

The "Meh"
Not having Android Auto took me a good while to get used to. I would use that sucker all day long in the Veloster. The coolest thing about it was being able to ask questions like "when does this store close" and "is it going to rain today" all by just saying "Hey google" and the car responding accordingly. Unfortunately for me, the voice commands of the Tesla feel kind of lackluster compared to it.

I also am not thrilled with the Spotify app. Half the time I enter the car, Spotify is in the middle of crashing and wont play anything for a few minutes. Not having Pandora is both a blessing and a curse.

I've also been locked out of my car once, when the mobile app was down, even after restarting the phone, and clearing data / cookies in the app. Thank god I had my card on me or else I would've been stranded.

Maybe there is a way to do this, but I wish I could turn off the auto high beams on autopilot. It's weird almost flashing people in front of me when it's dark outside and I have no control over it.

View attachment 761222

The Bad
Wow have I never experienced a brand new car with so many issues. I get loud rattles from the driver's side wheel well, passenger's side wheel well, front driver's side dash, and rear seats (although admittedly, the rear seat rattles aren't that bad). The hood was way out of alignment. multiple areas of trim were falling apart on the driver's side. I have some other bizarre issues such as an AC vent not working, and a loud chirping noise coming from the front of the car sometimes. This car is only 3 months old!!

The turn signal & gear stocks feel downright non responsive at times and that is somewhat annoying.

Tesla service has been okay. In the 3 months i've owned this car, i've now had to contact Tesla 3 separate times for random fixes. Getting an appointment is simple enough and the staff is friendly. My last visit they didn't fix everything, even though the invoice said they did, and I found that to be irritating.

End Summary
Do you know of a 4 door car that does a consistent 0-60 in 4.2 seconds and has the maintenance cost of a Camry? Whilst also costing around 50k? What about a car that does 0-60 in 3.8 for only 2 grand more? If you do, kindly point me in the right direction.. that's actually a challenge I'm presenting you with lol.

It's a great car and I'll still recommend it to people. I just hate it when people ask me how I like it. Because I gloat like a madman, and then I mention that i've had my fair share of build quality issues with it thus far. People give me the funniest look, but ultimately they wont understand until they experience it themselves.

At least the problems are covered under warranty. For now.

(“2019 Tesla Model 3 Performance AWD Front” and “2019 Tesla Model 3 Performance AWD Rear” by Vauxford are licensed under CC BY-ND 4.0.)
Thanks for the info. We just saw a listing for a used Model 3 and we were wondering what the pros and cons are for this vehicle. We are also wondering what the cost is to install a “plug” in our garage. Do you have any helpful info on what to expect for this item (cost, etc.)?
 
Thanks for the info. We just saw a listing for a used Model 3 and we were wondering what the pros and cons are for this vehicle. We are also wondering what the cost is to install a “plug” in our garage. Do you have any helpful info on what to expect for this item (cost, etc.)?

This is sort of like asking "how much is everyone paying for insurance?" This is going to vary considerably with variables like where in the country are you, what you have already as far as electricity service, how far is the location from the panel, etc etc.

It could be from 3-400 to "thousands" depending on a lot of variables that have to do with your specific location.
 
We just saw a listing for a used Model 3 and we were wondering what the pros and cons are for this vehicle. We are also wondering what the cost is to install a “plug” in our garage. Do you have any helpful info on what to expect for this item (cost, etc.)?

Cost to install an outlet depends on several factors. I think I paid about $1000 for one a couple of years ago which included the outlet, electrician time to install it and the Level 2 charger.

Cost to Install EV Charger

Pros and cons for a Model 3 can be subjective. If you lurk in these forums you can pick up most of what you are looking for.