Cannot agree with this assessment of the situation.
If anyone insists that this is a minor issue, then you need to open up your mind and see from out of the box.
In China, with constant attack from the public and media about supposed inferior build quality. It is somehow a fact now that Tesla is like VW, going mass market but yielding to other car makers, like Nio, on the luxury segment. It is also a implied drawback even for most of the buyers. "Yes, Tesla has built quality, but...."
If you focus on "but", then in China they sold every car they can ever built. but Nio right now position themselves to be like BBA of EV. It does not bold well with a car that is trying to compete with BBA and knock them out. If this trend continue down the road, it could only do more damage.
Like everybody else here, I feel Elon's word command authority and sincerity. Then here is what he said: " We want to achieve production perfection that if the gap is not consistent, then you measurement tool is wrong". This was said like what, 2 years ago?
Mission is critical, but you are marketing your product to the public, where most of the people care less about the mission like everyone here, including me. And to provide this type of product hurt you image, and hurt your mission. In comparison, if Starship has a gap inconsistency that does not affect the functionality, then nobody would care.
Please don't start with Tesla sold every car they made in China. That is simply not relevant. Or shall I say, they could sell more and speed up the mission more if this build quality has been eradicated? Don't agree with me? Thinks they sold every car possible in China? How about they could sell every possible S and X in China? Not being argumentative, just trying to make the point.
To defend the indefensible only makes our mission a cult mission.