Welcome to Tesla Motors Club
Discuss Tesla's Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Cybertruck, Roadster and More.
Register

Returning Tesla M3P after month, possible?

This site may earn commission on affiliate links.
Thanks for these.
Here some photos.
On the "rocker panel" on the side of the car?
Yes that is correct. I put better mud flaps front and rear to prevent these but seems that not help on really rear before tires.

Thanks for sharing.... but you probably won't like my response.

These all appear to be minor issues to me. Not one thing I see that would make me think about returning the car, that's for sure.

The door issue - I don't see a big issue, but Tesla should be able to replace that panel easily if it's really bothersome.
The paint issues, for the most part, are normal wear and tear you'd get from rocks kicking up or dirt and sand. A tiny dot of touchup paint would cure pretty much all of those.
The "missing paint" inside the door is normal... that's how Tesla paints them. They are primed, so the metal is protected, but it's out of visible view, so they don't waste paint there. Not saying I agree with that, but it's what they do, and not a defect.

Overall, you can find little things like this on ANY car after a month of driving. Roads are dirty places. Cars kick up rocks and debris all the time and cause much more damage than any of this.
 
None of those concerns will lessen the value of the car when you resell. I understand they bother you, but from a truly financial angle, not worth an ounce of thought in my opinion.

I sold my Model X with an 18-inch long scratch on the door (looked like it was keyed....and before Sentry Mode was a thing). The outfit that bought the car said the scratch had zero impact on the appraisal. Most used car sellers have staff that can fix scratches and paint issues for practically nothing.
 
Thanks for sharing.... but you probably won't like my response.

These all appear to be minor issues to me. Not one thing I see that would make me think about returning the car, that's for sure.

The door issue - I don't see a big issue, but Tesla should be able to replace that panel easily if it's really bothersome.
The paint issues, for the most part, are normal wear and tear you'd get from rocks kicking up or dirt and sand. A tiny dot of touchup paint would cure pretty much all of those.
The "missing paint" inside the door is normal... that's how Tesla paints them. They are primed, so the metal is protected, but it's out of visible view, so they don't waste paint there. Not saying I agree with that, but it's what they do, and not a defect.

Overall, you can find little things like this on ANY car after a month of driving. Roads are dirty places. Cars kick up rocks and debris all the time and cause much more damage than any of this.

My car has no primer showing nor have I ever owned a car in my life with issues like this and I have owned many cars but I don't buy BMWs or American cars?
 
Thanks for sharing.... but you probably won't like my response.

These all appear to be minor issues to me. Not one thing I see that would make me think about returning the car, that's for sure.

The door issue - I don't see a big issue, but Tesla should be able to replace that panel easily if it's really bothersome.
The paint issues, for the most part, are normal wear and tear you'd get from rocks kicking up or dirt and sand. A tiny dot of touchup paint would cure pretty much all of those.
The "missing paint" inside the door is normal... that's how Tesla paints them. They are primed, so the metal is protected, but it's out of visible view, so they don't waste paint there. Not saying I agree with that, but it's what they do, and not a defect.

Overall, you can find little things like this on ANY car after a month of driving. Roads are dirty places. Cars kick up rocks and debris all the time and cause much more damage than any of this.
Thank you reply. Those are not big things to get fixed. Hopefully Tesla do that.
I like driving with these but only those little bit bothers me but maybe that is this buyers remorse which is in my head.

How much miles effect resell value? I am mostly driving about 21-25000 miles per year.
 
Since the OP is from Scandinavia, and not the USA, the more important question is whether or not he knows Angelica personally and can hook us up? She's just so much more fun to watch than reading posts on how it was your duty to know about every unusual Tesla problem before you bought one.

 
  • Funny
Reactions: Proflig8tor
Thank you reply. Those are not big things to get fixed. Hopefully Tesla do that.
I like driving with these but only those little bit bothers me but maybe that is this buyers remorse which is in my head.

How much miles effect resell value? I am mostly driving about 21-25000 miles per year.

Happy to help, even if it's not the answer you really wanted. The resale value drops pretty badly the first day you own the car. Then it levels off a bit. 21-25,000 miles per year is a lot, but Model 3 keeps its value pretty well. I expect you'd be OK to sell it at a pretty small loss after a year or two.

I think you'll be very happy with the car over time. If I showed you a list of new things it does, compared to when I bought it, you'd be amazed.

A Tesla is the only car that gets BETTER the longer you own it! The new features and functions they keep adding are just amazing.
 
  • Like
Reactions: gavine
I think it’s clear that OP did not make the right choice for him. If you are expecting near perfection in fit and finish, then a Tesla is not for you and you should get a Lexus. They simply do not have the accumulated experience in car manufacturing for that yet. If you are looking for the the most technologically advanced, best driving car you can buy, then a Tesla is the way to go. It is the future for sure. But it is not for everyone.
 
To be honest here, these are fairly minor issues that are easily addressable (some paint issues perhaps a wildcard due to a month of driving). Most of us have had to deal with our own batch of issues, some are a bit nitpicky, but hey to each their own.

And many of us do paint correction and get a ceramic or PPF to help things stay new. A Tesla is all about the driving experience and tech, and once things warm up the range will improve as you'll be using your heater less and the cold won't have as much of an impact on range (although the P's 20" wheels reduce range). Unless you're roadtripping or have a very long commute, range really shouldn't be an issue and it has plenty for daily driving in most circumstances.

They are not perfect cars off the assembly line, but most of us have come to accept that being a young company pushing the envelope comes with a few caveats. For me because of the driving experience I wouldn't trade for anything else. I LOVE driving these cars and every time I have to drive an ICE rental it reminds me how much I do and how I could never fathom going back.

But for people who demand perfection there's always Porche.

Thanks for these.
Here some photos.
Trim with scissors? Can you send a photo? - The driver's door shows stitching at the joints
View attachment 534751
Passanger side is fine, no problems on there.

Normal - There is no paint on the inside of the doors, ie when you open the door you will see a white primer between the door and the frame
View attachment 534754
Both sides.

Can you send a photo? - A small line in the rear bumper that is missing paint
View attachment 534753

Could be from rocks or dirt on the street? - At the left rear door, a couple of spots where the paint came off, showing now white
View attachment 534755 View attachment 534756

Can you send a photo - In the trunk on the side of the auxiliary driver, the frame and the hatch apparently swung a little together that the paint had worn off, no primer is still visible
View attachment 534757

Possible from your wash? - Few spots where is missing paint, like little chips, noticed after wash, only hand washed now
View attachment 534758 View attachment 534759

Possible from your wash? - On frunk corner missing paint
View attachment 534760

On the "rocker panel" on the side of the car?
Yes that is correct. I put better mud flaps front and rear to prevent these but seems that not help on really rear before tires.
 
But for people who demand perfection there's always Porche.

.... with the commensurate price tag.

It's very much not a popular opinion around here, but let's keep in mind that Model 3 is a $36,000 car. Sure, it can be optioned up, but at its core, that's what it is. Need to keep that in perspective. Even my optioned-up, FSD-enabled LR AWD cost less than my wife's Buick.
 
Over on the VW GTI threads every winter there are people shocked at the lack of efficiency of their cars because the fuel injection pumps a bunch of gas while the engine and the emissions control system are brought up to operating temperature. Driving it just like I do my Tesla it can do 40MPG on the freeway. But guys who have a very short commute in cold weather get astonishingly poor mileage, < half that.
 
  • Informative
Reactions: gavine
Latest status after weeks is that Tesla made second attempt to fix those issues. No money wanted at all on after little sending emails different people etc. But overall that quality was main issue and owning car about 2 month I sold this M3 and I bought German car. I take little hit reselling this car but now I am happy and not need to anymore think car which can be after years "rust bomb". With new car there was no problems at all anything. Got better service than Tesla ever gave me. It's not electric but much smoother and better drive than M3.

Mainly on this second attempt with Tesla they fixed almost all issues but some of those was under specs and normal wear and tear. That's what they told me. Paint issues was mainly normal wear and tear and they said that those will not covered in warranty and car was driver under 4000 km. They also found some dust on paint and fixed those, after fixing those that spot was like light blue. They said that is now in spec but thankful that was on body which door was hiding. Panel gaps was mainly fixed but still there was problems. Rear driver door was leaking sometimes lot of water, after fitting that correctly and also same issues all windows when I was driving on rainy day. They said that they will attempt to fix those but I needed arrange another appointment if/when those happens again. What is coming wind noise on driver side window, they said that noise is on specs so they didn't make anything for that. On exterior side there was this gap on A-pilar, they said that this is normal installation and passenger side was the wrong one.

When I was dropping my car on center, they took it in and said that I can get this out end of day. But totally my car was there about three days and I did not get anything updates what is happening and when I would get my car. Only when I call every day on center and asked status, then I got updates what is really happening etc. On app side there wasn't any status updates, only that day when I dropped my car to center.

Overall car quality was bad, paint problems, missing alignments and poor customer service. Now I'm wiser and not touch Tesla next years. Word of warning people that if you are picking up Tesla, if you find something wrong with it, don't take it. Repairing will take your life.

Tesla needs to do lot of work to make cars better and now when rivals are coming in that is very bad situations because you can get much better entity from another manufacturer.