Rejected 4 cars, was told they would not request more cars for me

[StellarRat]

I rejected 4 M3's in a row, once each Saturday, all mainly due to significantly different taillight gap on left vs right side. Maybe I'm too perfectionist but it really bothers me. Anyone know if there are specific policies limiting how many times you can reject cars?

In my last visit I just took a caliper to record the difference.

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Get some OCD counseling.

Also, I wouldn't order another car for you either. Do you seriously think anyone is going to notice your panel gaps but you? Personally, I don't run around parking lots with a pair of calipers measure panels gaps. What about all the other things you gain? Do panel gaps in any way affect the performance and reliability of the car? The odds of the perfect panel gap BMW (if you find one) breaking down and leaving you stranded are a lot higher and will cost you a lot more money.

 

[patrick40363]

Right that makes sense, I enjoy wasting time and they did take it in to fix and could not, so maybe read what I posted. And i was clear from the beginning exactly what was too much of an eyesore.

Nonsense. My model 3 had gaps and service fixed them without any problems. Tesla is probably not the brand for you. Bolt range just increased so maybe you should look at one of those. It is a good car.

 

[bhzmark]

Keep looking. Bob Lutz found a Model 3 with no panel gaps

: Bob Lutz Talks Panel Gaps, Tesla, and Why Every Detail Matters

Otherwise, try again in a year

 

[groovidad]

If anything, this thread proves the different levels of “acceptable” and the tolerance that goes with that. Everyone on here is entitled to their opinion of that. I have MSM and love it. Others would argue it’s not “flashy” enough or “attractive” or that it’s “boring”. OP decides “gap tolerance” is his irritant and feels with the money he’ll spend for that “imperfection”, it’s not worth it. I respect that, as I do most opinions on such. Most know their comfort zones and base their decisions around that. There is another thread where a member has a “slight vibration” that can be felt when driving and emphatically wants to return vs have a SC address. He has his reasons for doing so. His money, his comfort zone, his call. I, on the other hand, would give the SC a try first. Same problem, 2 different approaches.

 

[FielderJones]

I have to admit, when I took delivery back in April, I was so focused on looking for scratches, dings, and paint problems that I did not even think to measure panel gaps. As I look at my car now, I realize I got a real gem. The panel gap variance from one side to the other, for trunks, doors, etc. is maybe 1 mm.

 

[hcdavis3]

I find it sad that OP will miss out on the driving experience with this car. I’ve got a couple of panel gaps that bothered me at first, but no longer. I’ve had 5K miles of fun and lots more to go. I never would have rejected the car.

 

[Octo]

The whole panel gap controversy is so strange. My Model 3 must be one of the rare ones that has good panel gap accuracy and my German vehicles must be bad examples.

I just did a super scientific comparison in my garage between panel gaps and the Tesla is one of the better ones:

Model 3, tail lights:

BMW Z4, tail lights:

Porsche Macan, tail lights:

BMW i3: tail lights are integrated in hatch. Hatch gap:

 

[Asterix187]

My display was a little bit offset, but I find it okay and didn't returned my car.

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They have also fitted the steering wheel on the wrong side.

 

[Jonathantuba]

Would not worry me at all. The performance and how the car works are important - not panel gaps!

I can see looking closely at my car that the panel gaps are not exactly the same, but I love the car all the same every time I drive it.

Are you buying a car to drive, or just to look at it?

 

[cquin]

Nonsense. My model 3 had gaps and service fixed them without any problems. Tesla is probably not the brand for you. Bolt range just increased so maybe you should look at one of those. It is a good car.

What is nonsense? On one occasion they said that maybe the service center could fix it, but not sure. Then I asked if it could be sent to service center before buying it, they said no.

Another time they said something was screwed and could not be moved.

4th time they took it in delivery center shop, said they fixed it but it looked exactly the same.

Also I have read threads saying the delivery center will jut say things are within tolerances and not fix it. And those tolerances seem to be a secret.

 

[cquin]

As a long time auto enthusiast I think people are making way too much of the panel gaps in particular you want to talk about expensive cars with panel gap issues look no further than Ferarri. a pretty well known Enzo Ferarri Quote was "I don't care if the door gaps are straight. When the driver steps on the gas I want him to *sugar* his pants." EVERY" brand has panel gap/alignment issues. This is way overblown because everyones looking for issues due to the early QA problems and all the press it got. I can show you some cars with perfect panel gaps but it's hundreds of hours of work by a craftsman to get there on an entire car. And sometimes some tricky body filler tricks.

Yet Elon Musk himself makes a big deal about panel gaps and customers and measuring tapes, as I quoted previously and customers

 

[cquin]

If anything, this thread proves the different levels of “acceptable” and the tolerance that goes with that. Everyone on here is entitled to their opinion of that. I have MSM and love it. Others would argue it’s not “flashy” enough or “attractive” or that it’s “boring”. OP decides “gap tolerance” is his irritant and feels with the money he’ll spend for that “imperfection”, it’s not worth it. I respect that, as I do most opinions on such. Most know their comfort zones and base their decisions around that. There is another thread where a member has a “slight vibration” that can be felt when driving and emphatically wants to return vs have a SC address. He has his reasons for doing so. His money, his comfort zone, his call. I, on the other hand, would give the SC a try first. Same problem, 2 different approaches.

Thank you for an intelligent reply. And by the way, I was not planning to check gaps in detail or anything. I just looked at the car and it stood out immediately.

 

[cquin]

On my last trip to the delivery center I had some time to kill so I wandered around and looked at all of the cars being delivered. There were quite a few of them that had some definite issues with gaps, paint, and cosmetics. I’m pretty sure that every one of them ended up being delivered that day without issue. Some may have left with some post delivery items but they did end up selling them.

So it’s clear that most of the buyers just don’t pay that much attention to these things. It may be easier for Tesla to let go of the occasional customer that is too hard to please because they know they will sell these cars in short enough time to other customers.

Look at the survey, almost 20% so far would reject it.

 

[jerseygirl18]

Tesla have never called themself luxury - they named in premium car market. The definition of standard car with hi-end software. Basically, their cars are giant-movable-by-itself-computers.

i tell peeps it feels like driving your iphone

 

[GOOCHY]

If you pulled out a pair of calipers on me as a salesperson I would have laughed in your face.

 

[Nels]

I know if I have to return a product and the replacement is unsatisfactory, I'm done. Were you planning to continue to get replacements until you found one you were happy with?

 

[ucmndd]

I know if I have to return a product and the replacement is unsatisfactory, I'm done. Were you planning to continue to get replacements until you found one you were happy with?

Like I said, good on the company for putting an end to the BS. This is obviously not the car for OP. Best that they both part ways and stop wasting each others’ time and money.

 

[jerseygirl18]

honestly, i don't think expecting a "gapless" car is unreasonable at all...however, why not just expect them to fix it..why reject? I have owned MB vehicles since 1980's gaps were never a problem, but i never looked for any also. I would expect a pretty perfect car for the 6 figure chg...and i always got it. Twill expect the same from my Tesla...i am not unreasonable i understand this is a new & not perfect org pushing out these cars. i am willing to take the leap & pursue the perfection with time & patience as i did in all my first adopter Apple products. This Tesla thing is more than a car...it's a mindset & not 100% foolproof at this point. Fasten your seat belts & enjoy the ride is my opinion

 

[cquin]

If you pulled out a pair of calipers on me as a salesperson I would have laughed in your face.

LOL, and that's when they told you not to come back. And, since you admit you could make a decision by eyeballing, the calipers could be seen as a passive-aggressive move.

As I already mentioned, some parts can be fixed quite easily. Door alignment being one of them. Also trunk alignment. If you had shown us a body panel that was misaligned that was not an easy fix, that would be one thing, but what you showed should be an easy fix.

I find it odd how people make up facts based on assumptions.

First of all they mentioned by phone, BEFORE the 4th delivery that it would be the last one that they would source for me.

Secondly I did not pull they callpers with the salesperson. I went earlier and checked the matching VIN of the car parked out side, and checked it in my own.

 

[cquin]

honestly, i don't think expecting a "gapless" car is unreasonable at all...however, why not just expect them to fix it..why reject? I have owned MB vehicles since 1980's gaps were never a problem, but i never looked for any also. I would expect a pretty perfect car for the 6 figure chg...and i always got it. Twill expect the same from my Tesla...i am not unreasonable i understand this is a new & not perfect org pushing out these cars. i am willing to take the leap & pursue the perfection with time & patience as i did in all my first adopter Apple products. This Tesla thing is more than a car...it's a mindset & not 100% foolproof at this point. Fasten your seat belts & enjoy the ride is my opinion

Bacause they said they did not know if could be fixed. And they would not fix it before I purchased it since they could not at the delivery center, I would have to take it to service center (after purchase). Additionally, I have heard they frequently just say it is within tolerances and dont fix it.