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Tesla got the worst score in the J.D. Power Initial Quality Survey

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I've had my car in twice for paint blisters in the same area. The paint started to blister up from under the paint. Even though the 2 areas were within 6 inches of each other they appeared a few months apart. They think someone touched the panel with their bare hands.

Also just had the front under panel replaced under warranty. The original was a type of fiber mat that failed and tore in half in heavy but not deep water. The replacement is made of plastic, I assume. This has happened in rain to others with the same material. But I understand they stopped using this material last summer.
 
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I think that the people buying tesla vehicles for the most part are not expecting perfection. I know my car had three issues when mine was delivered. High end auto manufacturers are usually less hasty to get the car in your hands and more focused on making sure that their products are fitting of their name and image. Tesla fanboys will excuse anything and spin it.

How does this explain that joined at the bottom with Tesla is Audi, Range Rover, Mercedes Benz, Jaguar and Volvo. Really think it comes down to it that the more expensive the car the higher the chance that consumers are going to nitpick the hell out of the car.
 
Really think it comes down to it that the more expensive the car the higher the chance that consumers are going to nitpick the hell out of the car.

It doesn't always work out that way as far as survey/ranking results e.g., ten years ago, seven of the top ten were higher priced brands: Porsche, Acura, Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, Lincoln, Infiniti, and Volvo. Five years ago, six of the top ten were higher priced brands: Porsche, Jaguar, Infiniti, BMW, Lincoln, and Lexus. At the same time, cheaper car brands have ended up at the bottom end over the years too.
 
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My comments are based on having worked with JD Power on behalf of a major OEM luxury vehicles.
In this and other JD Power related comments nobody seems to be understanding what the 233 question initial quality survey (IQS) really is. It includes all items with equal weight and specifically includes:
U.S. Initial Quality Study (IQS)
By survey definition, 'problems' are defined to explicitly include 'learning curve' issues, and weighs any learning curve issues as 'problems. Four of the nine categories are ones that make into problems anything at all that requires reading or learning anything to sue the vehicle. For that reason, and no other, the rankings reflect vehicle differences from generic simple vehicles. That means that cheap simple vehicles are the ones with the best ratings and complex or unusual ones have poor ratings. Check out the rankings and you'll see that is the major influencer of rankings.

Thus almost no highly ranked vehicle ever can have high ratings and the most unusual and/or most technologically advanced one will be at the bottom. A Tesla is the definitive unusual and technologically advanced vehicle so it will be at the bottom of the IQS.
Similarly the vehicles with highest loyalty measured by any reputable surveys tend to be inversely correlated with their IQS ratings.

For years Porsche, Mercedes Benz and BMW higher end models held the relative positions similar to those of Tesla today.

Starting in the early 1990's that began to change, although the general relationships have not. Why? The answer is simple: manufacturers began to design vehicles to optimize IQS. Thus brands such as Lexus, the first to design for IQS, made controls as simple as possible and did everything they could to eliminate anything unusual in any way. Others did not, and sought distinction and increased functions. Those, like BMW and Porsche, suffered in IQS but gained in owner loyalty.

For understandable but misguided reasons JD Power retained the name IQS and continued to represent it as something related to actual manufacturing quality or defects. Those are included, but all the ranking differences tend to relate to the four categories of Climate, Driving Assistance, features/controls/displays and Infotainment. Again, why?

Simply stated the actual quality of vehicle construction has risen by orders of magnitude in the last two decades because increased quality control and increased cost efficiency are closely related and have been assisted by increased automation and other quality control techniques. So, the differentiating factors have essentially nothing to do with actual quality.

Why, then all the endless complaints about poor Tesla quality? I think there are four principal factors: 1) until about 2014 Tesla Model S had quite a few problems, until ~2017 Model X had FWD etc, in 2017 Model 3 had 'production hell'. That sequence of manufacturing and technology learning curves was true. 2) Operating a Tesla is different than other vehicles and many of our prized features, like FSD, are Beta; nobody else has the willingness to allow customers to use something before ti is 'bulletproof'
3) The Fudsters and other negative people seek to magnify anything at all and create negatives if they can. 4) Tesla eschews the dealer system. That makes customer service odd and unconventional as does the online initiation for nearly all encounters.

Those four have nothing much to do with the actual vehicles which is why Tesla has the highest customer satisfaction and owner enthusiasm in the industry. Of course, because owners are passionate about their Tesla vehicles, owners are also very critical, obsessively so. Thus we all complain incessantly, as do I. again, of course, most of us buy more Tesla vehicles after our first ones and then gripe about delivery issues, upgrade sequences, etc. Probably we'll all keep doing that as will the increasing numbers of new Tesla drivers. Yet again, of course, the new drivers will complain because their new Tesla does not get the 'promised range', even when the new 'P' owners are doing repeated launches in the dead of winter.

In conclusion, we ought to stop thinking the JD Power IQS ha anything to do with panel gaps etc. It doesn't.
 
I think it's exactly accurate , delivery issues are the main problem with Tesla's and it's reflected in the score. My only issues were delivery items which I had fixed. Door alignment, new Tesla logo (not adhered fully), rubber seal around door adjusted. I let go of a few paint issues as it was not worth it for me to get it fixed as they weren't very major. That would add up to 5 issues which is twice as high as the 250. Have not called for anything else yet but in day to day usage over 1.5 years it has been trouble free after delivery. Except maybe I should call about that range loss soon.... Another item. Very easy to see 250, I thought it would be higher .
 
CR is by no means a perfect source for survey results, but they tend to yield much more relevant information about cars from the stand point of a potential buyer than either 1.) Anecdotes (last place) or 2.) JD Power. Tesla buyers are the happiest car buyers. Also reflective of my anecdotal experience is that Porsche buyers are also very happy and Range Rover buyers are not!
 
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If there's a statistically significant inverse correlation between technology and rating, then the survey isn't doing what it purports to do, and is garbage.
Despite my earlier post I do not think the IQS rating is 'garbage'. IT, however, like all survey data, will be misinterpreted if released for general audience consumption. Without doubt the survey title Initial Quality Survey, is misleading and also is disseminated to accentuate 'clickbait'. With all it's defects it does yield useful information IF CONSIDERED IN CONTEXT. Sorry for shouting.
 
Well all I can say to this is I am one of those people affected with a car handed over with problems. Which is being independently inspected for the faults at manufacture. Good enough is not new car standard, from paint to glass, panel gaps to missing paint area’s to lights that need replacing to contamination under the paint my list is large and this is not good enough. I would never buy a new car again after my Tesla experience so far. So 9 months on and its still unfinished business you get bolted on to a new purchase.

What should Tesla do about it well at the moment they are still delivering their latest flagship model Y to youtubers and reviewers riddled with the same problems as the model 3. So how about put some of that money made into quality control and pre fixing of issues. Tesla reputation is taking a bashing all over social media right now for new owners as I think the majority not the minority are finding things wrong imo. Get people on the line to inspect the cars, log the faults, fix them and then send the cars out on the ship. Take some responsibility for your products! Who buys a new car new with immediate need to book multiple service center appointments then wait a month.... When will the excuses stop and proper action taken? Who the hell writes on a service center report... paint missing, checked another model 3 paint missing ok thats to Tesla spec....
 
This is the quality control.

0F9C57B9-2023-44BD-9600-580EE459641D.jpeg


To spec, ok why did you then spray paint it anyway? Also my ranger visit is missing issues he was meant to log down and told me he would log down and rebook for me. Watch this space as I am logging all of this BS.
 
actually worse than garbage because all the media run with it and then people that just read headlines think a Tesla is utter crap

I wouldn't say utter crap plenty of good things inside and a world leading charging network. But quality control and sales responsibility in what they are prepared to handover is an industry low at the moment. I think this report might be spot on until it is properly addressed at the factory end and not in the customers lap. If there was no problem wouldn't they get the same access as the other companies quite happy to allow proper review? Or is that statement false also?

Quote “Unlike other manufacturers, Tesla doesn’t grant us permission to survey its owners in 15 states where it is required,” said Doug Betts, president of the automotive division at J.D. Power. “However, we were able to collect a large enough sample of surveys from owners in the other 35 states and, from that base, we calculated Tesla’s score.” <--- is this a false statement? 35 more?
 
This video puts some perspective on the JD Power survey even though this does NOT mention Tesla.

Basically it says as follows:
1. A “problem” does not necessarily represent build quality. It can be “not working as you expected”.

2. All issues are weighted the same. A paint problem has the same weight as an engine problem.

3. The more features a car has, the worse it usually does on this survey because people don’t know how to use it or don’t work like they thought. Infotainment “problems” usually account for 25% or more of the “issues” reported because people either can’t or don’t like how it works..

 
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Seems to me to be a good look at the first 90 days of ownership in that important new car period. That survey seems to backup my own experience and every Tesla owner I have spoken to at the superchargers. So Tesla came last at something it needs to clearly fix in its quality control and care to stop handing over cars with multiple issues. So this report if you are realistic about owning a Tesla is worth its weight in gold if they listen. Kia have far superior paint and finish quality at the moment fact and its looked over by a dealership before handover I have experienced this myself before my model 3. So the survey is spot on time to stop denying what is happening on the ground to people.
 
If the source of the poor score for Tesla is AP then the entire JDP exercise is a waste of time because no other manufacturer offers customer facing technology like Tesla.

Invalid conclusion based on false assumption.

JD Power, just like Consumer Reports, goes through a long and comprehensive list of questions about new car experience, quality, delivery, and ownership satisfaction.
Frequently Asked Questions | FAQs | J.D. Power

When I filled out mine for both (JDP and CR), I was honest with some of the interior issues (seat back control button broken, took 3 visits to replace), and exterior bumper scrapes (since repaired) that were present when the car was delivered to me.
Then there are sporadic issues with the nav screen crashing (sadly, got used to it now), safety features false alerting all the time, phantom braking on AP, etc. :eek:
I said nothing about panel gaps or the misaligned molding. Not a big deal for me.

None of the above qualifies as the end of the world, but Tesla absolutely does have plenty of QC challenges.
Making excuses for Tesla is absolutely asinine, as direct and honest customer feedback is how the products improve!

If you read Model Y sub-forum, things are getting worse, not better.
:(

Tesla store doesn't own any of those cars. They don't lose profit when then sit on the lot. They don't get paid less when they don't move cars. Dealerships do.

First of all, since Tesla owns the SC/dealership, it absolutely does loose money when cars sit on the lot. Thus the end of the month / end of the quarter sales pushes and freebies (free supercharger for a year, etc, etc).

Secondly, and most importantly, Tesla sales people absolutely DO get extra comp for booking sales, so for them, the incentives are very similar to those of sales people at regular dealerships.
 
It seems that both of our good experiences were outliers :)
I too went over my model s when I picked up in far more detail than any other car. I found no flaws with paint or panel fit, most common complaints, or any other issues for that matter. My only issueS was poor A/C function after an update and a software reboot fixed that. The only other issue was my speedo stopped working and a reboot fixed that as well.

I’m picking up a M3 today or tomorrow and will review it in detail. I was going to pick one up yesterday but the center called and said there was a defect on the bumper (crack in the bumper and some paint chipping) that they said they could fix after delivery. However, the fellow there thought it wouldn’t be the best customer experience and called before I made final decision. I though they handled it quite well.

However, given the number of poor experiences I’ve read about I do believe Tesla has a long way to go in getting these car right. Perhaps more manufacturing capacity to help hit their sales goals rather than rushed manufacturing? While I had small post delivery issues I was a bit nervous picking this car up. Before the MS we were long time Mercedes buyers. My pre-purchase inspections were a quick look over to make sure the car hadn’t been scratched during the prep process and having the sale give me the keys to drive home. In all of years purchasing their cars we had one defect in a 2017 S550. The climate control vents had electronic actuators to be turned on and off (they looked mechanical with a twist knob but weren’t) and one did not function when we left the dealership. However, the MB service experience, at least at the dealers I’ve used, is amazing.

The M3 I’m purchasing is for my 3 kids to share when they come visit and they chose it over the MB A35. I’m good either way.
 
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However, given the number of poor experiences I’ve read about I do believe Tesla has a long way to go in getting these car right. Perhaps more manufacturing capacity to help hit their sales goals rather than rushed manufacturing? While I had small post delivery issues I was a bit nervous picking this car up. Before the MS we were long time Mercedes buyers. My pre-purchase inspections were a quick look over to make sure the car hadn’t been scratched during the prep process and having the sale give me the keys to drive home. In all of years purchasing their cars we had one defect in a 2017 S550. The climate control vents had electronic actuators to be turned on and off (they looked mechanical with a twist knob but weren’t) and one did not function when we left the dealership. However, the MB service experience, at least at the dealers I’ve used, is amazing.

I agree with everything you wrote but I do think you have to be careful with how much emphasis We all place how many complaints your read here. Years back I read an interesting marketing article that said something like “a consumer with a bad experience is 14 times more likely to tell people about it than a good experience” (I am paraphrasing).

So, as I wrote earlier in this thread, I have had many problems which have not changed my opinion about the car and while I do sympathize with those people who have had it worse, their experiences have little to no bearing on my perception of Tesla as a car or company. I still believe I have the best car in the world, sold to me by a company that needs a lot of work, especially in the area of customer service.
 
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Years back I read an interesting marketing article that said something like “a consumer with a bad experience is 14 times more likely to tell people about it than a good experience” (I am paraphrasing).

I agree people are always more likely to complain and never praise. I don't like being one of those people and try to let people know when I was happy with service as well. Dealership, restaurant, painter, doesn't matter. If someone does a good job you should recognize them, it's truly free to lift someone's spirits and make them feel good about themselves. They'll also always try to help you as a customer. I'm not saying be foolishly optimistic but just be fair. You did a good job--you should hear about it.
 
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