Resolution? Defective Paint, Trim & Glass NEW Model X

[SanDiegoReef]

I'm less than a month new to TESLA and this forum. I'm can be a perfectionist, especially when things are new. I picked up my Model X 100D A few weeks ago in San Diego. The delivery 'production' was smooth. It was indoors and under bright lighting. It was an experience.

As I walked towards the vehicle, at about 20 ft, I noticed large swirls everywhere. They promised they would make the purchase right and take care of me. The delivery man was the nicest, pleasant to be around people I've met.

I drove the vehicle home and noticed several defects. TESLA asked me to bring the vehicle in and assured me they would fix everything and provide a free service. They wrote a service order to 1) replace the rear passenger gull wing door. 2) Cut off the rear hatch and replace including the glass. 3) Replace Spoiler & Repaint rear of vehicle. 4) windshield and other glass sparkles in direct sunlight from pitting by sand. They also agreed to buff out the swirls and scratches.

The very professional service manager told me he couldn't explain how the vehicle was delivered that way and that he has never seen anything like it.

I called the TESLA service number who were friendly and apologetic. During my conversation with the TESLA service representative, our conversation suggested my vehicle was 'refused' by a buyer who had it build and placed into inventory on their website without repair.

Since this Model X requires body work, new paint and new glass, I don't think it's fair to pay a new car price when it needs surgery right off the line for a known easily seen defects. I know I should of REFUSED delivery but I was excited & rushed, an idiot.

What would be a reasonable solution for TESLA to fair up this sale?

 

[cartwright]

I'm sure if you ask you can get a year or 2 of schedule maintenance thrown in. Not sure if that really covers the issues though.

My model S was picked up in San Diego as well. It's been at a body shop for 3 weeks dealing with numerous paint flaws. Not very fun, but somehow I am still really excited about the car.

 

[SanDiegoReef]

I'm sure if you ask you can get a year or 2 of schedule maintenance thrown in. Not sure if that really covers the issues though.

My model S was picked up in San Diego as well. It's been at a body shop for 3 weeks dealing with numerous paint flaws. Not very fun, but somehow I am still really excited about the car.

TRUE. Sorry to hear about your car. I noticed the scratching more than likely comes from someone dry washing the car prior to delivery. As you might know, the delivery center is located on the property line of an active rock quarry. All silica and other solids both abrasive and dangerous to inhale. Poor employees standing outside breathing the silica dust and debris - they need masks and covers for the cars.

 

[Need]

That trim! Looks like someone took it off and tried to chop down a tree with it.

 

[comanchepilot]

If your vehicle qualifies for lemon law, then lemon law it- and get y our money back. The only way to make them improve their QC is to make it costly for them ... if they end up buying back even 1 out 200 vehicles things will change quickly because even if they've got a 20% profit margin, they need to sell 5 cars to buy back one. . . .and we know they're losing money on the vehicles - so- buy backs are extremely costly.

I know you don't want to not have the car - but its the only way to start getting good ones-

 

[razh]

If your vehicle qualifies for lemon law, then lemon law it- and get y our money back. The only way to make them improve their QC is to make it costly for them ... if they end up buying back even 1 out 200 vehicles things will change quickly because even if they've got a 20% profit margin, they need to sell 5 cars to buy back one. . . .and we know they're losing money on the vehicles - so- buy backs are extremely costly.

I know you don't want to not have the car - but its the only way to start getting good ones-

How would it qualify for a lemon law? Those are for repeated failures to address the same issue. From what I understand Tesla hasn't even had a chance to address it the first time, let alone repeat.

 

[dmeyer]

What would be a reasonable solution for TESLA to fair up this sale?

They should fix those issues.

 

[valakos]

If your vehicle qualifies for lemon law, then lemon law it- and get y our money back. The only way to make them improve their QC is to make it costly for them ... if they end up buying back even 1 out 200 vehicles things will change quickly because even if they've got a 20% profit margin, they need to sell 5 cars to buy back one. . . .and we know they're losing money on the vehicles - so- buy backs are extremely costly.

I know you don't want to not have the car - but its the only way to start getting good ones-

its comments like these that will sink Tesla. Elon took a gamble with putting manufacturing in USA. Some of these threads are legit (I would say 20% based on what I've seen) but I'm seeing a multitude of what I can only describe as complete nitpickers who would be never satisfied with ANYTHING holding u[ tape to panels to see if they can spot a few millimeters difference or complaining about a speck or asking for a full refund for something like this. Its starting to filter through to reviews - complaints by ultra picky customers are DEFINITELY having an impact on demand. Personally I believe this to be the biggest threat to demand - it validates an assumption that you cannot build in america. Some issues I've seen on the forums I would describe as legit but the VAST MAJORITY are chronic complainers who nitpick at everything - I feel sorry for anyone who has to deal with these morons. Like I said, there people are on these forums holding up tape measures to panels to see if they can find a millimeters difference FFS, PULEZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.

 

[DarkMatter]

They should fix the issues. If they don't do it to your satisfaction, after repeated opportunities, lemon law it.

Rework on new cars is actually fairly common, and almost never reported. Bumpers and wheels get scraped in transport, the dealer fixes it, and nobody is ever the wiser. Tesla's biggest failing seems to be that they don't do a great job of noticing these things before delivery at every service center.

I'm sorry you have to go through this. My X needed some door alignment work after delivery, and a curbed wheel replaced. Tesla took care of it all, gave me a XP90D loaner during the fix, and was great to work with the whole way through. Give them a chance to do a good job.

 

[vandacca]

Just because Teslas rolling off the line today have less than perfect alignment, it doesn't mean that future Teslas can't be perfect.

Using the techniques of William Deming, I'm sure Tesla can get tolerances down to the same level as Japanese cars. There is no reason why it can't be done in America (or in any other country for that matter).

 

[GOPJEW]

Every new car manufacturer is aware of this case - I got a new Ford truck instead of a "paint job" as a result of this case...

THE CASE OF THE $4 MILLION BMW - The Washington Post

Good luck

 

[SanDiegoReef]

That trim! Looks like someone took it off and tried to chop down a tree with it.

Yes, the trim could be used a saw - it's rough and sharp.

 

[SanDiegoReef]

Every new car manufacturer is aware of this case - I got a new Ford truck instead of a "paint job" as a result of this case...

THE CASE OF THE $4 MILLION BMW - The Washington Post

Good luck

Great article, thank you for the share. Still no response from TESLA - this is crazy.

 

[sub]

If your vehicle qualifies for lemon law, then lemon law it- and get y our money back. The only way to make them improve their QC is to make it costly for them ... if they end up buying back even 1 out 200 vehicles things will change quickly because even if they've got a 20% profit margin, they need to sell 5 cars to buy back one. . . .and we know they're losing money on the vehicles - so- buy backs are extremely costly.

I know you don't want to not have the car - but its the only way to start getting good ones-

.

They do not lose money on the cars, educate yourself. As the saying goes, better to be thought a fool than to open ones mouth and remove all doubt.

I agree with above poster and I've commented on this a couple times recently, there are certain people you just can't please and comanchepilot is clearly one of them.

 

[comanchepilot]

.

They do not lose money on the cars, educate yourself. As the saying goes, better to be thought a fool than to open ones mouth and remove all doubt.

I agree with above poster and I've commented on this a couple times recently, there are certain people you just can't please and comanchepilot is clearly one of them.

lets take a look - shall we?

Tesla posted a record quarterly loss of $619 million as it struggles with Model 3 production

Record $619 million loss- they're losing money on everything they touch. Solar City, Solar Roof, And yes, even the cars they're building now as they amortize the learning curve.

Now - as for someone you can't please - you know everything about me? Can you tell me how I"m gonna do the next year?

I'm just telling people what their options are - and if you don't exercise your options you lose them.

I don't CARE what anyone does - its called unsolicited advice and its worth what you pay for it. But - putting financial pressure to buy back defective cars will percolate through the company to build better cars - otherwise - well - as I said.

 

[jeffro01]

I don't CARE what anyone does - its called unsolicited advice and its worth what you pay for it. But - putting financial pressure to buy back defective cars will percolate through the company to build better cars - otherwise - well - as I said.

While I'll stay away from the personal side since I don't know you, never met you, etc... I will say that Tesla has had consistent issues with this since the very first Model S's rolled off the assembly line. I've been told by "experts" in automotive manufacturing that it's extremely hard and complex and Tesla is years, perhaps decades, away from high quality assembly done consistently as they need to re-learn everything the other companies already know... The uneducated side of me who's never built a car, never been a mechanical engineer, never attempted to know/manage/develop a complex manufacturing process, says that's BS and just an excuse to cover up their shortcomings. Then the educated side of me says you don't know what you don't know and if you have no relevant experience building cars then you are in no position to postulate said process...

All I can say is, regardless of what's actually happening on the assembly line, Tesla's QC is an abomination... It's ALWAYS been questionable and it gets worse with quarter end and other sales/delivery goals the company is trying to meet in order to keep wall street off it's proverbial butt... I really don't know what Tesla's fundamental problem with QC is but having been following it as long as I have I'm forced to draw some basic conclusions with the main one being Tesla is still prioritizes production/delivery numbers over quality. Whether or not you're okay with that is entirely up to you...

Jeff

 

[Xcelerator]

lets take a look - shall we?

Tesla posted a record quarterly loss of $619 million as it struggles with Model 3 production

Record $619 million loss- they're losing money on everything they touch. Solar City, Solar Roof, And yes, even the cars they're building now as they amortize the learning curve.

Now - as for someone you can't please - you know everything about me? Can you tell me how I"m gonna do the next year?

I'm just telling people what their options are - and if you don't exercise your options you lose them.

I don't CARE what anyone does - its called unsolicited advice and its worth what you pay for it. But - putting financial pressure to buy back defective cars will percolate through the company to build better cars - otherwise - well - as I said.

Actually, showing that Tesla lost money in a quarter (even every quarter) does not show that they are losing money on every car. That is a leap of logic and fact. We know that Tesla is constantly ramping up new cars, new battery plants, etc. They are in a growth phase that is required to get into the extremely capital intensive business of manufacturing cars. You have conflated capital expenditures with operational expenditures. Only the later can be used to determine if Tesla is losing money per vehicle. If you have that data, please share it. If not, everyone needs to keep in mind the two types of expenses are very different with Capex dollars being tracked on the balance sheet as an asset vs Opex dollars being tracked on the income statement. The is extremely basic stuff...believe me, it has to be for me to understand it.

 

[sub]

lets take a look - shall we?

Tesla posted a record quarterly loss of $619 million as it struggles with Model 3 production

Record $619 million loss- they're losing money on everything they touch. Solar City, Solar Roof, And yes, even the cars they're building now as they amortize the learning curve.

Now - as for someone you can't please - you know everything about me? Can you tell me how I"m gonna do the next year?

I'm just telling people what their options are - and if you don't exercise your options you lose them.

I don't CARE what anyone does - its called unsolicited advice and its worth what you pay for it. But - putting financial pressure to buy back defective cars will percolate through the company to build better cars - otherwise - well - as I said.

Funny, all you did here is either show your lack of knowledge regarding Teslas financials or that you misspoke in your first post that I quoted.

You stated "Tesla loses money selling cars" which is not true and is not the same as "Tesla is losing money". If you don't know the difference then spend some time educating yourself before spouting off on the net and embarrassing yourself.

 

[SanDiegoReef]

I can’t get a response from anyone at Tesla, even their email in the contract that requires any problems the buyer finds to be emailed to resolution@tesla. I’ve also found pinched electrical wires and missing bolts and screws. I’m confused on the lack of response. Let’s see what a California jurry says because they may be going to mars but after this I’ll take them to the moon and back. Not fair.

 

[mongo]

@JonMc
Can you have someone check into this?