Tesla, TSLA & the Investment World: the Perpetual Investors' Roundtable

[bkp_duke]

You sure regulations from 1984-2010 were the same as today?

Let me google that for you:
Automotive Refinishing | California Air Resources Board

Automotive Refinishing - Airborne Toxic Control Measure

https://ww3.arb.ca.gov/coatings/autorefin/atcm/901.pdf

So, from 2001. So yeah, the plant with Tesla was probably under the same regulations as Toyota/GM were under.

 

[jbcarioca]

Elon Musk Appoints Paint Operations Director To Oversee Fremont Production
Elon Musk just put a new person in charge of production at Tesla’s Fremont factory – TechCrunch

I love Tesla, but a strong argument can be made that the paint is the worst part of the cars . . . and it hasn't improved that much over the past 8 years.

Debatable whether this was the best move.

OTOH how much of the Tesla perceived paint deficiency is due to compliance with CA State rules governing paint use?

 

[bkp_duke]

Seriously, are you guys just TSLA investors and not car owners? The paint quality on their cars (I've had 3) is worse than KIA.

Certainly no where near the Luxury brands they are trying to compete with (Lexus, BMW, Mercedes, etc.)


EDIT - and yes, paint is the single biggest gripe I have about the cars.

 

[Compton]

Seriously, are you guys just TSLA investors and not car owners?

The paint on my 2019 red model S seems perfect to me and several people have specifically complimented how the paint looks. But perhaps I was just lucky.

 

[Unpilot]

Is that the same as all the teenage daughters who told their mothers they will never speak to them again?

I think so. A conniption fit.

Or maybe it's closer to all those who have told their partners they will never have sex with anyone else again?

I think so. But the product is too desirable to resist.

But the rest of those people who are now claiming they will never buy a Tesla are either just trying to smear Tesla or they know they can't afford a new car anyway (and used ones sell for almost as much) and now they have a good reason to stop wanting something they were not going to buy to begin with.

Like the people who tell me as they leave my plane "I WILL NEVER FLY YOUR AIRLINE AGAIN!"
I just smile and say thank you ...knowing they would come back...well before the covozombie attack that is.

 

[TheGrimSweeper]

Biggest issue with Tesla paint I think is resilience (resistance to wear, chipping, etc.) & not consistency. Resilience would be affected significantly by the chemicals allowed to be used in the mixes.

Let's see how the cars in GF3 stack up. I agree with resiliency though. I personally find the paint on Tesla cars looks great, but they are very prone to getting rock chips. Perhaps this is even more emphasized since there is no grill in the front?

 

[jbcarioca]

Seriously, are you guys just TSLA investors and not car owners? The paint quality on their cars (I've had 3) is worse than KIA.

Certainly no where near the Luxury brands they are trying to compete with (Lexus, BMW, Mercedes, etc.)

Quoting my detailer: "the lower the volume the worse the paint". I have owned a few cheap mass production cars and a few exotics. None of the exotics had good paint, making great business for the detailer. The cheapos all ahve had impeccable paint. CARB rules just make it a little worse. That said Model 3 is better than either S or X IME.

BMW and MB high volume cars are great. Low volume like Z1, early M3, and 6 series, not so much. That is just the way it it. Highly mechanized application is always better. Paint shops are always better in higher volume. FWIW, I should add 'other things remaining equal'.

 

[Reductionist]

The County Board of Supervisors do not "Revise" the Health Order. That is actually done by the Alameda County Health Officer Dr. Erica Pan. We continue to try and push for loosening of the restrictions to get all employees back to work but in some industries like construction we have been successful but in others such as "manufacturing" we have not. We will continue to push to get people back to work!

Based on this it seems to me that even the Alameda county legislature would like to reopen Fremont, and that Erica Pan is literally the only person stopping it from happening. Am I reading this correctly?

 

[bkp_duke]

Quoting my detailer: "the lower the volume the worse the paint". I have owned a few cheap mass production cars and a few exotics. None of the exotics had good paint, making great business for the detailer. The cheapos all ahve had impeccable paint. CARB rules just make it a little worse. That said Model 3 is better than either S or X IME.

BMW and MB high volume cars are great. Low volume like Z1, early M3, and 6 series, not so much. That is just the way it it. Highly mechanized application is always better. Paint shops are always better in higher volume. FWIW, I should add 'other things remaining equal'.

Agreed. I've also noted that the darker the color, the worse the job on Teslas. Black and blue on many cars I've seen at superchargers have notable drips and even sometimes some imperfections that look like probable dust in the paint. Less so on the whites and silvers.

Friend that worked at Tesla commented as such as well (but he's not a line worker, he's management).

 

[bkp_duke]

Based on this it seems to me that even the Alameda county legislature would like to reopen Fremont, and that Erica Pan is literally the only person stopping it from happening. Am I reading this correctly?

I see a future scapegoat . . .

 

[SMAlset]

Newsom is on tv now giving his briefing. Just tuned in and not sure how long he’s been talking or if he’s mentioned Tesla yet.

Statewide basis to open offices for those who can’t work from home but with modification. Mall pick up ok. He is clarifying to allow counties to be stricter and making it clearer to everyone that is the way it is. Assume he will be taking a similar decision on Tesla being open now.

 

[Dave EV]

Biggest issue with Tesla paint I think is resilience (resistance to wear, chipping, etc.) & not consistency. Resilience would be affected significantly by the chemicals allowed to be used in the mixes.

Long term, maybe. But a lot of that could be improved by using some of that extra-thick coating that most cars apply in abused areas, like the door-sills.

But I have to wonder if most of the issue is Tesla taking shortcuts to maximize volume instead of quality. They already underpaint many visible areas of the vehicle that other manufactures cover very well - look at all the door and trunk hinge areas on a Model 3 and the under-hood paint. Some will argue that it looks fine with the doors closed, but IMO it looks like a shortcut taken that you are reminded of every time you open a door.

Second to that, common Tesla paint issues are dust nibs, areas of insufficient paint. Both of these speak to Tesla rushing things and taking insufficient time to prepare and maintain equipment and perhaps spray a bit more paint to ensure thorough coverage.

Combine this with many other common QC defects in delivered vehicles (poorly aligned panels, trim, etc) and it's clear that either Tesla just doesn't care, or is sacrificing quantity for quality.

I say this as a Tesla and TSLA owner. Improve quality control and it will improve sales and reduce warranty costs.

 

[LN1_Casey]

@GF4Tesla..️️.build #GigaBerlin. on Twitter

Tesla has been steadily delivering gravel to the GF Berlin site. I wonder if having the train tracks next to the site will help speed production along, since it seems to be a fairly isolated line (not a trade rout?), and supplies can get out there without having to deal with traffic, and park until unloaded enmass.

 

[ThisStockGood]

The paint on my 2019 red model S seems perfect to me and several people have specifically complimented how the paint looks. But perhaps I was just lucky.

I think the paintjob quality in general is better in the multi layers colors - my Model S standard black paint from 2015 is thin and very hard to wash without getting micro scratches instantly...

 

[mickle]

More support for Tesla from T.J. Rodgers

Opinion: Musk's COVID-19 suit vs. Alameda County is badly needed

 

[ggr]

From what I gather, the plant's built in paint shop is pretty bad. Decades of dust, poorly laid out, and crowded.

You never know, maybe the paint would be far worse and even more of a bottle neck then what we have right now with out this guy!

Which one? I believe there are 3 at this point, two of which were built in the last couple of years.

 

[Todd Burch]

Those little bastard market manipulators are trying to move us red by close. LOL.

Edit: Oh, looks like it's macros. (Apparently Yahoo's NASDAQ subchart doesn't stay updated...)

 

[Chunky Jr.]

Apple, Uber may end self-driving projects in wake of COVID-19: expert — Business Insider

The autonomous-driving industry is beginning to consolidate around a smaller number of companies as automakers form partnerships with each other and invest in startups. The economic impact of COVID-19 will accelerate that process, industry executives have said. Some startups, like Zoox, Ike, and Kodiak Robotics have already laid off workers.

A number of smaller companies working on self-driving technology are likely to go out of business in the next two years, said Sam Abuelsamid, a research analyst at Guidehouse Insights whose areas of focus include automated driving and mobility services. But there are bigger names, like Apple and Uber, that may also shut down their autonomous-driving programs, Abuelsamid said.

 

[Mich]

Any specific reason the macros is tanking?

 

[CyberDutchie]

We need a strong rally into the close, what’s pushing it down?