Refused M3 delivery Marina Del Rey

[Lasairfion]

My mate's Jag got dropped off the transporter. Oddly enough he didn't accept it even with an offer to have it fixed, and requested a replacement. These sorts of things do happen with new vehicles from all manufacturers, and I agree that a lot is probably just hidden better by other manufacturers to the point where you just wouldn't know without looking very closely. At the end of the day, you're not likely to get perfection from anyone.

That doesn't mean you should accept something you are not happy with. There's a difference between having panels a mm or 2 out, compared with things that are obviously poorly fitted and come up time and again as issues on the forums. As with all things, be fair and balanced about it, but stand your ground where the manufacturer tries to redefine the definition of tolerances.

 

[Shizzrock]

I mean, I've waited this long, I'd happily wait another two months if that meant I'd have a car free of defects that I can inspect before purchase. Maybe they need to slow down at the stores and stop worrying about the shorts.

 

[devilmountain]

My dad ran many dealerships before you retire. I have personally seen a car accidentally driven off the transport (which was repaired), lock boxes fall off a car and scrape the paint on the door, shoddy paint and body repair work on dealer trades.

Comparing getting a good vehicle at a dealership and getting a bad one at Tesla is apples to oranges. First you order your vehicle from Tesla, you do not select one off the lot like you do at a dealership.I think Tesla needs to get their act together with their PDI that would end a lot of issues people are seeing. My car had remnants of glue and plastic all over it.

That being said I have seen people request a full charge and Tesla charged it. My car was at 90% when I picked it up, there should be a decent charge on your vehicle or comp you a supercharge.

 

[kengchang]

I mean, I've waited this long, I'd happily wait another two months if that meant I'd have a car free of defects that I can inspect before purchase. Maybe they need to slow down at the stores and stop worrying about the shorts.

Bills don't wait, if the cash balance is as dire as shorts portrays

 

[Swampgator]

Bills don't wait, if the cash balance is as dire as shorts portrays

TSLA had over 2 billion in cash at the end of last quarter. If they burnt though 1.5 billion Q2 they still have 500+ million going into Q3, which according to Elon is looking to be a positive cash flow quarter. Yes, they need to be prudent. No there is no need to panic. The shorts pushing the panic narrative are about to get pantsed themselves.

 

[3mp_kwh]

That doesn't mean you should accept something you are not happy with. There's a difference between having panels a mm or 2 out, compared with things that are obviously poorly fitted and come up time and again as issues on the forums. As with all things, be fair and balanced about it, but stand your ground where the manufacturer tries to redefine the definition of tolerances.

I don't see panel gaps coming up in reasonable ways. Honestly, there are slight variations one has to set out to find, but others who hung out on the internet, drumming up the idea Model 3 had all these problems, are now trying to make a reality of something that isn't. At this point, charging and living near a Service Center has afforded me a look at a good hundred Model 3's (6 performance models, at Dedham right now). I see maybe a millimeter's variation, in the hood to front apron gap, but that's it.

The internet is filled with drive-by posts. I'm not here to "vet" who I am replying to, but if you have 22 posts, or 12 posts, etc., you might not get the faith you deserve, for good reason. If you are in the UK, you probably haven't seen many 3's. Right?

 

[kengchang]

TSLA had over 2 billion in cash at the end of last quarter. If they burnt though 1.5 billion Q2 they still have 500+ million going into Q3, which according to Elon is looking to be a positive cash flow quarter. Yes, they need to be prudent. No there is no need to panic. The shorts pushing the panic narrative are about to get pantsed themselves.

1.5 billion is a huge hole to dig out if Tesla wants to be profitable in Q3.

 

[techmaven]

Bills don't wait, if the cash balance is as dire as shorts portrays

Tesla has $1.7 billion in uncommitted debt that they can use if they want to... their cash balance is not an issue at this juncture. They may be at roughly $2 billion in cash w/o using more credit lines.

 

[P85_DA]

They may be at roughly $2 billion in cash

...but they would have been at $2,000,000,060 ...if OP accepted car

 

[MXWing]

1.5 billion is a huge hole to dig out if Tesla wants to be profitable in Q3.

What would approx 60,000 Model 3s at a ASP of 60,000 do for their cash position?

Maybe I can ask @Montana Skeptic for a calculation on acceleration to bankruptcy based on those estimates?

 

[kengchang]

What would approx 60,000 Model 3s at a ASP of 60,000 do for their cash position?

Maybe I can ask @Montana Skeptic for a calculation on acceleration to bankruptcy based on those estimates?

I did this rough calculation last week.

Q1 deliveries totaled 29,980 vehicles, of which 11,730 were Model S, 10,070 were Model X, and 8,180 were Model 3

Q2 deliveries totaled 40,740 vehicles, of which 18,440 were Model 3, 10,930 were Model S, and 11,370 were Model X

Model S : 11730 -> 10930 -800
Model X : 10070 -> 11370 +1300
Model 3 : 8180 -> 18440 +10260

500 Model X * $100,000 = 50,000,000
10260 Model 3 * $55,000 = 564,300,000

So about extra 614 millions of revenue and hopefully that can stem the bleeding this quarter, but it really depends on the margin which should be trending up.

 

[MXWing]

I did this rough calculation last week.

Q1 deliveries totaled 29,980 vehicles, of which 11,730 were Model S, 10,070 were Model X, and 8,180 were Model 3

Q2 deliveries totaled 40,740 vehicles, of which 18,440 were Model 3, 10,930 were Model S, and 11,370 were Model X

Model S : 11730 -> 10930 -800
Model X : 10070 -> 11370 +1300
Model 3 : 8180 -> 18440 +10260

500 Model X * $100,000 = 50,000,000
10260 Model 3 * $55,000 = 564,300,000

So about extra 614 millions of revenue and hopefully that can stem the bleeding this quarter, but it really depends on the margin which should be trending up.

There would have been some infusion from orders being locked in for Q3, premium data supercharging? Higher uptake on FSD from higher price now post delivery.

 

[kengchang]

There would have been some infusion from orders being locked in for Q3, premium data supercharging? Higher uptake on FSD from higher price now post delivery.

That would help with Cash Flow but counted as Deferred Revenue.

 

[Rhkingsfan]

Similar bad experience for me today. Waitlisted February and configured June. Sold my car (Acura TL through Shift) on Friday and ready to take deliver 3:45pm today at Marina Del Rey.

They got me in at 3:30 to fill out paperwork for 20 minutes and then took me to my car. Congratulations! I looked at the car and said the salesman “I ordered black”. They had somehow delivered me a metallic blue M3.

The guy was clueless. Back and forth he went to talk to the front and then his manager. I waited for another 15 minutes and at that point I told them I’ll take the blue even though I don’t like it, but I’m not paying the extra $1,000. See they got me; I already sold my car and already Ubered to work and then to Marina del Rey (costing me $40 total). If I didn’t have a car, Uber would cost me $50/day to go round trip for work. Sales guy disappears for another 5 minutes and says the manger rejected my deal. I would have to pay the $1,000 upcharge for the blue. My options were to do that or take my chances calling Tesla customer care. He said worst case, I would have to order a new M3 (he was serious). No loaner.

Thankfully one of the salesladies called me a Lyft back to the office and told me to call my coordinator. She thanked me for not yelling at anyone.

So my coordinator told me they would do their best to track me down a black M3 and she thinks it may take a week, but no promises.

Not what I expected when I woke up his morning.

 

[Uncle Paul]

The panel fittment is mostly an ego thing. The cars still function amazingly even if a panel gap is a bit off.

Japan went through this when buying a new car there was a rite of passage, and people were conditioned to expect absolute precision as a sign of competency. I remember when a Japanese grocery store would display a stack of apples, each in their individual see through packaging, without a scratch or blemish. They sold for around $5 for each apple and prospective buyers would look at 20 or more before selecting the one that was most perfect. On the other hands Americans see a stack of them in a pile, not polished and with a thin coat of wax. They would touch each other and there was a large variation. Customers would grab what they needed and put them in a thin plastic baggie and throw them in their carts. Cost more like 25 cents each and still as delicious and nutritious as the expensive Japanese trophy selection.

Remember. These are still $35,000 base price cars. Expecting them to be perfect is a challenge. They, on the other hand are awesome!

The Japanese and Germans still produce the best panel gaps. The Germans the best thud sound on door closing and the other Asian producers the best values.

Tesla stands alone as offering an all electric vehicle with great styling and performance.

 

[MXWing]

Similar bad experience for me today. Waitlisted February and configured June. Sold my car (Acura TL through Shift) on Friday and ready to take deliver 3:45pm today at Marina Del Rey.

They got me in at 3:30 to fill out paperwork for 20 minutes and then took me to my car. Congratulations! I looked at the car and said the salesman “I ordered black”. They had somehow delivered me a metallic blue M3.

The guy was clueless. Back and forth he went to talk to the front and then his manager. I waited for another 15 minutes and at that point I told them I’ll take the blue even though I don’t like it, but I’m not paying the extra $1,000. See they got me; I already sold my car and already Ubered to work and then to Marina del Rey (costing me $40 total). If I didn’t have a car, Uber would cost me $50/day to go round trip for work. Sales guy disappears for another 5 minutes and says the manger rejected my deal. I would have to pay the $1,000 upcharge for the blue. My options were to do that or take my chances calling Tesla customer care. He said worst case, I would have to order a new M3 (he was serious). No loaner.

Thankfully one of the salesladies called me a Lyft back to the office and told me to call my coordinator. She thanked me for not yelling at anyone.

So my coordinator told me they would do their best to track me down a black M3 and she thinks it may take a week, but no promises.

Not what I expected when I woke up his morning.

If I was there and heard your story, I would have had words with the manager too. They could have gotten off easy here.

Hypothetically if they had to charge you they could have comped you warranty, a charger or something. Tough spot to be in.

@bonnie - things getting out of control at DMR? Musk himself took delivery of cars here.

 

[mmd]

Sounds like there’s more problems now than there was in June deliveries. Is Tesla rushing cars too fast or just the same percent of defects. But higher number of cars.

The better-than-assembly line tent-built cars might be showing up now. When everyone and their sisters have to build cars during their weekends and late nights in a tent, quality can only go one way. If even a low 20% cars have to be rebuilt, it means Tesla only achieved 4000 net Model 3 a week in last week of June.

At least "stealerships" don't "deliver" vehicles like the one OP was presented with.

They don't keep the check either while not delivering the car

So, Elon's answer to all these delivery problems is to show up at one customer's house with 5 employees and one extra car in a truck directly from factory? Sounds a little inefficient, and odd to tweet about it.
Reminds me of the light bulb joke. How many CEOs and employees are needed to deliver one car?
Elon showed up at my Model 3 delivery!!!

 

[uclazn]

Remember. These are still $35,000 base price cars. Expecting them to be perfect is a challenge. They, on the other hand are awesome!

I hate when people say "these are $35,000 cars". $35k is not even a build option on Tesla's website. These cars are what you paid for them. With that logic a BMW M3 is a $35,000 car bc a base 3-series is that price...

 

[fstorm]

So, Elon's answer to all these delivery problems is to show up at one customer's house with 5 employees and one extra car in a truck directly from factory? Sounds a little inefficient, and doo to tweet about it.
Reminds me of the light bulb joke. How many CEOs and employees are needed to deliver one car?
Elon showed up at my Model 3 delivery!!!

I mean that's one way to do it. They'd be so fanboyed out of their minds to care how badly the panel gaps are or paint defects.

 

[outie]

The panel fittment is mostly an ego thing. The cars still function amazingly even if a panel gap is a bit off.

Japan went through this when buying a new car there was a rite of passage, and people were conditioned to expect absolute precision as a sign of competency. I remember when a Japanese grocery store would display a stack of apples, each in their individual see through packaging, without a scratch or blemish. They sold for around $5 for each apple and prospective buyers would look at 20 or more before selecting the one that was most perfect. On the other hands Americans see a stack of them in a pile, not polished and with a thin coat of wax. They would touch each other and there was a large variation. Customers would grab what they needed and put them in a thin plastic baggie and throw them in their carts. Cost more like 25 cents each and still as delicious and nutritious as the expensive Japanese trophy selection.

Remember. These are still $35,000 base price cars. Expecting them to be perfect is a challenge. They, on the other hand are awesome!

The Japanese and Germans still produce the best panel gaps. The Germans the best thud sound on door closing and the other Asian producers the best values.

Tesla stands alone as offering an all electric vehicle with great styling and performance.

The S/X are how much base price again? They share the same QC issues. Expecting them to be perfect is not only a challenge, it's impossible.

I hate when people say "these are $35,000 cars". $35k is not even a build option on Tesla's website. These cars are what you paid for them. With that logic a BMW M3 is a $35,000 car bc a base 3-series is that price...

A BMW M3 is indeed a 3 series. Just ask any non car-enthusiast and see if they can tell the M3 is more special or is it built any better. It's built with the same quality standards as a regular base 3 series. BMW / other manufacturers have actual QC, and they also have VPC. VPC would've taken care of most of these Tesla QC issues but Tesla doesn't implement a VPC.