Reported Door Redesign

[TeeEmCee]

As I’m getting ready to take the car in for the 8th attempt at having it fixed properly, I did a bit of asking around beforehand.

One of my perennial issues is a misaligned door, and the local SCs have put a lot of effort into realigning it with results anywhere between catastrophic and “almost there”. I spoke to an independent body shop, in an effort to understand why it’s such a big deal to put a door in place on a Model 3. They told me that it’s essentially unfixable. Pulling it a bit in one direction messes the alignment on the other axes and it’s damn near impossible to get it right. They said Tesla has since redesigned the door and all collision repairs they do involve replacing the whole door AND the corresponding hardware on the inside of the body. They said that nothing on the new doors is compatible with the old one (handles, interior panels, hinges, nothing) as the fasteners are now different, and any damage involves getting a complete new door.

I don’t know if this is true but, while it was not the answer I was looking for, it’s the first one that is starting to make sense.

 

[VT_EE]

Do we know when this new door design went into production?

 

[TeeEmCee]

Do we know when this new door design went into production?

Nope.

 

[ebmcs03]

Crap. Now i have to buy a new car.

 

[SigNC]

not what i wanted to hear since i need to have alignment fixed on my door

 

[azaz]

might've also been done to help with the freezing issues

 

[WileyTheMan]

What specifically was out of alignment? Was an edge rubbing? Was it not closing correctly? Water leakage? Aesthetics?

 

[StellarRat]

As I’m getting ready to take the car in for the 8th attempt at having it fixed properly, I did a bit of asking around beforehand.

So, logic clearly dictates that you ask for a new door instead trying to fix the impossible to align one you have now. I'm sure you'll find something else wrong, but it's a start.

 

[Daniel in SD]

My door alignment was horrendous at delivery (in August). They were able to fix it.

 

[C141medic]

not what i wanted to hear since i need to have alignment fixed on my door

Tell me about it. I think I’m in the same boat. I thought it may have been a striker issue but when I look at the alignment of the door latch with the striker, it’s perfect. So I’m thinking it may be a door alignment issue. And it’s only the drivers door that has issues closing. All other doors are fine.

 

[Esquire]

Yet another reason no one should buy a Model 3 made before November or so. The build quality and design choices on them are questionable. Sure, there are perfectly good examples out there. But if I were buying a used TM3, I would prefer to avoid those cars entirely.

Totally IMO.

 

[StellarRat]

Yet another reason no one should buy a Model 3 made before November or so. The build quality and design choices on them are questionable. Sure, there are perfectly good examples out there. But if I were buying a used TM3, I would prefer to avoid those cars entirely.

Totally IMO.

My car seems to be perfect and I got it in July. I found one tiny paint problem that was easy to fix with about 1/4 drop of touch up paint.

 

[felixculpas]

M3 birthday of November 13 and picked up Dec 4. Driver's side rear door going in for minor alignment issue next week. Didn't even notice it till washing it by hand. Sticks out a couple of mm on the bottom left and has a bit more of a gap in the upper right.

 

[SigNC]

Tell me about it. I think I’m in the same boat. I thought it may have been a striker issue but when I look at the alignment of the door latch with the striker, it’s perfect. So I’m thinking it may be a door alignment issue. And it’s only the drivers door that has issues closing. All other doors are fine.

Exactly same for me.

 

[SigNC]

Yet another reason no one should buy a Model 3 made before November or so. The build quality and design choices on them are questionable. Sure, there are perfectly good examples out there. But if I were buying a used TM3, I would prefer to avoid those cars entirely.

Totally IMO.

I have a LR RWD i picked up in Feb 18 and everything is perfect.

 

[SigNC]

My door alignment was horrendous at delivery (in August). They were able to fix it.

Just curious, did you get it adjusted at the service center or did you have to go to a body shop?

 

[Daniel in SD]

Just curious, did you get it adjusted at the service center or did you have to go to a body shop?

I'm not sure. It was at both the service center and the body shop (for paint).

 

[SJC3]

My July build had a misaligned door and it got fixed at the SC on the first visit.

 

[ℬête Noire]

Yet another reason no one should buy a Model 3 made before November or so. The build quality and design choices on them are questionable. Sure, there are perfectly good examples out there. But if I were buying a used TM3, I would prefer to avoid those cars entirely.

Totally IMO.

Odds improve as time goes on, and I had a Ranger tell me straight up he was waiting until 2020 (he'd worked for Toyota prior, and said he'd do the exact same thing for their vehicles), but lots of vehicles have been fine and Tesla has largely been reasonable and responsive in fixing things.

Sure it's a gamble, I laid down money for an AWD before a single one had rolled off the factory line proper, but it's not a risk without potential rewards.

 

[Brentt]

My car was built in April of 18 and i picked it up May 4th. It was smack dab at the beginning of production Hell. It was perfect on delivery, and after 25,000 miles, still is.