Today really was a bummer. What started out 4 months ago thinking I would get a really cool car turned into a bad dream.
Right before the Covid started I decided to sell My MS and get a Model X. Started looking for the X but couldn’t quite find one I liked. Sold my MS and ended talking to Tesla about the MY right after they shut down. Tesla said there were a few around and I could order one. During a confusing phone conversation and ordering what I thought was a MY, turned into a M3 perf which I did not want. Ended up losing my deposit. (Should have stopped there) Got call a few days later from Tesla. And wanted to know If I wanted to test drive a MY, of course I did. Next day my daughter and I were the first in San Diego to test drive a MY. Ordered one that Day, 5/9 (white/Black, AWD, non-performance, 19”, no FSD ). Was told about 4 weeks to get one. Spent the next few weeks on online reading about the MY, checking for Vin #s, getting a fake one for Model X P90D, getting the 2 week text and in June getting a real Vin# , MVPA, then finally the text for delivery. On 6/13 My 2 kids and I armed with a checklist, went to the Carlsbad delivery center to get our MY. After a 45 min inspection and list of 22 issues with car including misalignments, paint, gap and rear seat problems the Tesla Delivery guy told us to reject the car and Tesla would issue us a new vin#. He said should take 7-10 days to get a new one. Left bummed but happy did not come with car that had issues. The following week got a new vin and new delivery date, 6/19. Back to Delivery center on 6/19 to take delivery. This car better with less issues (or so I thought). Took delivery with promise Tesla would resolve issues.
Next day got a chance to look the car over in natural light and discovered the passenger side door panels and rear 1/4 quarter panel paint did not match. Found a couple other gap issues I had missed. I made an appointment through the app and downloaded pictures of everything. ( have to do within 100 miles or Tesla will not take responsibility)Then got an appointment with a mobile repair, instead of service center. Tried get it changed but no luck. Decided I would take the car to a Tesla certified body shop here in San Diego and get their opinion.
Took it to the body shop and the news from the body shop was not good. Not only was the paint mismatched, but the manager of the shop found multiple other issues in the body that I had missed. Left for the Tesla Service center a little shell shocked and embarrassed that I had missed so many problems with car. When got service center which was surprising empty I was told I had go back to the delivery center to report cosmetic issues. It was then that I decided to return the car.
Drove to the delivery center, spoke to the manager, who passed me off to the Interim Service Manager. He had the personality of a grape. He told me the MY is a new car for a Tesla and all of issues should be expected. Offered no solutions or apologies other then here are the forms to sign to return the car and where were my key cards. He didn’t even ask what issues the car had. I asked when I would receive my down payment. He said 30 to 45 days and again asked for the key cards. Also informed me I could not order same model car with same trim level for 1 year.(already expected that)
My four month journey to buying another Tesla was over in 5 minutes.
What I learned....I did really like the MY as an EV, liked the technology. , hated that Tesla has some very big problems with production, Sales methods and Policies are horrible, a lot of their staff has no clue about the car business or even cars in general. If they do not make some changes in the way the treat customers now, in the long run not even having the best technology will save them when the competition catches up. By the way I loved my used Model S that bought at a Tesla Wholesale auction, maybe I should have kept it...Tesla if you are reading this you got your key cards back... I want my 40,000 down payment back now!,,.. A disappointed Tesla fan
