Well, I Rejected my White P3D-

[Sg911]

I was so excited to pickup the car! First delivery was canceled middle of last month. Then I received a text saying it would be delivered before the end of September. So I wasn't holding my breath for the new delivery date today, but it actually did happen, I took off work early, and there was a car there waiting for me. But then we found a door ding like mark on the drivers side with a paint chip and another mark next to it, we took pause. Upon closer inspection we found a couple more paint nibs (something black under the clearcoat) which would not have been enough to reject the car, but then we found another paint chip on the front quarter panel, and a couple more paint blemishes in the same area, as well as another defect near the panel and front front bumper. *sigh*

Everything else was perfect so I really thought about accepting it, but couldn't bring myself to buy a new car at close to 80k that was going to need to have 3 panels repainted at a body shop (covered by tesla) in the next couple weeks...

Also while I was inspecting the car I saw some employee drive over a curb in a red P3D+ Or maybe it was an AWD with rims (I can't remember) ouch!

Pictures are only of the main 3 places, but there were 3 smaller blemishes in the paint and another couple paint nibs as well as a small bubble in one of the corners. I don't think I'm that picky so if if it was just the smaller stuff and not these paint chips that were down to the primer (or maybe it's the base coat, I can't tell because it's white) I would have accepted the car.
View attachment 340586 View attachment 340587 View attachment 340588

Worst part is that I think I lose my locked in loan rate now, which will add another $800-1000 to the total cost of the car. Plus I have to continue paying paying over $100 a week (about every 5 days) for diesel fuel in the meantime. I guess I will cancel the insurance policy I took out too.

Truly ,sorry to hear that! Guess go riding and out of the blue on those dunes they’ll call With a more perfect car!

 

[jcasetnl]

Worst part is that I think I lose my locked in loan rate now, which will add another $800-1000 to the total cost of the car. Plus I have to continue paying paying over $100 a week (about every 5 days) for diesel fuel in the meantime. I guess I will cancel the insurance policy I took out too.

In terms of insurance, it took me 15 minutes to set up a policy online after I bought a car recently. It was a private party sale and I didn't set it up in advance in case of shenanigans. After the transaction, I drove the car about a mile to a cafe, got a coffee and whipped out the laptop. It was easy peasy.

 

[StellarRat]

Those are bad defects. To me they look more like some kind of post painting damage (shipping?). Either way, you were right to not want that car. I wouldn't have taken it either and I'm not that picky or observant, but I would have seen that!

 

[brianman]

...

Sorry for your pain. I hope your patience is rewarded.

 

[Glamisduner]

In terms of insurance, it took me 15 minutes to set up a policy online after I bought a car recently. It was a private party sale and I didn't set it up in advance in case of shenanigans. After the transaction, I drove the car about a mile to a cafe, got a coffee and whipped out the laptop. It was easy peasy.

I got the insurance straightened out, it's cheaper if I keep the policy and pay for it while not having the car vs creating a new policy when I get it. This assumes I get a replacement within the next month. This is due to particulars pertaining to my existing policy. So I don't need to do anything but pay about $64 to keep it active while I wait for the car.

I have not however made any progress with lightstream. They do not respond when I email customer service. I emailed them yesterday and again this morning and they do not respond. The phone number for them I find on google does not work.

As for lightstream, even if I could figure out how to contact them.
"Variable-rate loans do not qualify."
The 2.29% loan from Allegacy is marked as variable rate, then under notes it says that the loan is considered variable rate because if I decide not to automatic payment or discontinue auto pay the loan rate will increase.

I have a feeling they wrote it this way just to not have to deal with lightstream.

Not exactly what I think of when you use variable rate but that is how they wrote it out. I guess maybe I should apply for a few more loans.

 

[SMAlset]

Be careful applying all over. I believe it will impact your credit rating negatively. Sure someone else can speak to this.

With interest rates slowly climbing, I'd also be careful about getting a variable rate that extends out too many months. With the Federal deficit growing, trade wars, and the Fed raising short-term interest rates hard to say what things will be like 36 months or more out.

 

[Terthen]

I was so excited to pickup the car! First delivery was canceled middle of last month. Then I received a text saying it would be delivered before the end of September. So I wasn't holding my breath for the new delivery date today, but it actually did happen, I took off work early, and there was a car there waiting for me. But then we found a door ding like mark on the drivers side with a paint chip and another mark next to it, we took pause. Upon closer inspection we found a couple more paint nibs (something black under the clearcoat) which would not have been enough to reject the car, but then we found another paint chip on the front quarter panel, and a couple more paint blemishes in the same area, as well as another defect near the panel and front front bumper. *sigh*

Everything else was perfect so I really thought about accepting it, but couldn't bring myself to buy a new car at close to 80k that was going to need to have 3 panels repainted at a body shop (covered by tesla) in the next couple weeks...

Also while I was inspecting the car I saw some employee drive over a curb in a red P3D+ Or maybe it was an AWD with rims (I can't remember) ouch!

Pictures are only of the main 3 places, but there were 3 smaller blemishes in the paint and another couple paint nibs as well as a small bubble in one of the corners. I don't think I'm that picky so if if it was just the smaller stuff and not these paint chips that were down to the primer (or maybe it's the base coat, I can't tell because it's white) I would have accepted the car.
View attachment 340586 View attachment 340587 View attachment 340588

Worst part is that I think I lose my locked in loan rate now, which will add another $800-1000 to the total cost of the car. Plus I have to continue paying paying over $100 a week (about every 5 days) for diesel fuel in the meantime. I guess I will cancel the insurance policy I took out too.

Hope they didn’t give you a hard time. I’d have trouble rejecting the car after waiting that long but I think you did the right thing. Not only spending $80k but also you did pay extra for the paint job... now if they offered to fix it and refund you $2000 for your troubles or something, maybe i would have taken an offer like that

 

[Glamisduner]

Be careful applying all over. I believe it will impact your credit rating negatively. Sure someone else can speak to this.

With interest rates slowly climbing, I'd also be careful about getting a variable rate that extends out too many months. With the Federal deficit growing, trade wars, and the Fed raising short-term interest rates hard to say what things will be like 36 months or more out.

It's not a typical variable rate though, it is fixed rate UNLESS I decide to cancel auto withdraws in which case the rate increases by .5%. I think they are just marking these variable rate so they won't qualify for a light-stream rate match. I believe only the first place that does a hard pull impacts your credit, well maybe additional queries would if your getting declined? My Equifax dropped 2 points, and Transunion actually went up a point around the same time, I already applied at 3-4 places and noticed no change after that, actually Equifax went back up a point but probably for some other reason. My current CC balance seems to affect it just as much even though I pay off my card every month. I'm just not sure which places are worth my time it's not easy to get a good rate these days.

Never thought I would consider joining a Dancers over 40 group (Glamisduner does not dance) and I'm not over 40 yet but hey Actors has a great rate!

 

[MXWing]

@Glamisduner - private messaged you.

Scott's on the ball from my experience and I hope he will take care of you.

 

[Driver X]

You made the right call, that paint is unacceptable.

 

[Trevor B]

You might try a Credit Union. The rate at mine (PFCU) hasn't changed in years: 1.99%

Not true at all ... quit posting #fakenews

 

[kris_m3]

I was so excited to pickup the car! First delivery was canceled middle of last month. Then I received a text saying it would be delivered before the end of September. So I wasn't holding my breath for the new delivery date today, but it actually did happen, I took off work early, and there was a car there waiting for me. But then we found a door ding like mark on the drivers side with a paint chip and another mark next to it, we took pause. Upon closer inspection we found a couple more paint nibs (something black under the clearcoat) which would not have been enough to reject the car, but then we found another paint chip on the front quarter panel, and a couple more paint blemishes in the same area, as well as another defect near the panel and front front bumper. *sigh*

Everything else was perfect so I really thought about accepting it, but couldn't bring myself to buy a new car at close to 80k that was going to need to have 3 panels repainted at a body shop (covered by tesla) in the next couple weeks...

Also while I was inspecting the car I saw some employee drive over a curb in a red P3D+ Or maybe it was an AWD with rims (I can't remember) ouch!

Pictures are only of the main 3 places, but there were 3 smaller blemishes in the paint and another couple paint nibs as well as a small bubble in one of the corners. I don't think I'm that picky so if if it was just the smaller stuff and not these paint chips that were down to the primer (or maybe it's the base coat, I can't tell because it's white) I would have accepted the car.
View attachment 340586 View attachment 340587 View attachment 340588

Worst part is that I think I lose my locked in loan rate now, which will add another $800-1000 to the total cost of the car. Plus I have to continue paying paying over $100 a week (about every 5 days) for diesel fuel in the meantime. I guess I will cancel the insurance policy I took out too.

Oh gosh, I got a call scheduling my delivery for early November on a white P3D-. What was your configuration and rejected VIN? I am nervous now!!

 

[JMatt]

*reads OP's story, and think maybe they're being a bit picky
*looks at photos
*head to desk going why even bring someone down to look at that?

I had less paint issues on my 3 year old Model S that I traded in.

I had the same thought. Just picked up a 2015 P85DL with better paint than that after 38,000 miles. I can't imagine trying to pawn that off on a customer.

 

[Glamisduner]

Well I got my P3D- last night. It wasn't a great experience either.

New car also has issue but I feel tired and worn down. I don't think the issues are as bad as the first car assuming they can fix them. Of course I'm getting more picky as time passes too. This time I was able to speak with a service center expert (delivery center is the service center)

issues to be corrected:
Panel Gaps.
- Frunk is slightly crooked but after looking at it carefully he says he can adjust it.
- Trunk not crooked but much closer to the rear fenders on one side than the other. He said this is also an easy fix.
Passenger front door needs to be closed hard. Service center said it's a striker plate alignment fix and they have done many.
Paint chips between passenger rear door and front door (will be sent to body shop for repaint). I only took a picture of one side but the other side is also chipped.
2" scratch inside passenger door area near the latch. Down to the metal and will also be repainted.
Passenger door handle is not flush, Service center adviser said it's just an adjustment as well.
Windshields weather stripping sticks out above the roof. (They said they can trim it, but otherwise they would

need to replace the windshield to replace it)

He said they should be able to provide a loaner model S sometime next week and they will be in touch soon.

Now the paint chips were almost as bad, but there in a more conspicuous area so I decided to go for it after some thought. But I was pretty damn close to rejecting it again. I think I would have lost the loan and spent another $600 in diesel to reject it again too.

 

[TLej]

Disheartening to see pics like that of the replacement vehicle. Honestly hard to understand how that passed QC, never mind the issues you had the first time around. There should be some kind of email address to send photos like that to; hard to believe things like the paint chips aren’t caused by something process-related on the shop floor which should then be fixable. It’s also hard to believe they head of QC wouldn’t want to see what is getting past their inspectors.

I really hope it turns out well for you, you deserve a good outcome after your patient and reasonable approach to your first issues.

 

[zonela]

Definitely can relate to your situation. I am on my 3rd reject white AWD, it has several issues that you mentioned. The next one will be my last attempt to take delivery of an acceptable car before leaving for other options.

 

[ba2002]

I took delivery of a car with multiple defects. I took it back today to get a piece of damaged trim replaced and they dented the adjacent panel.

They tell me it will be "good as new" when they are done with it. I'm nervous that Tesla and I have different perceptions of what "new" is based on how my car looked at delivery.....

 

[SCW-Greg]

Dang... this is not the same Tesla from even just a year ago. Or remembering when Elon used to personally inspect many of the cars coming off the line back in 2012 and 2013. I think the push for sales volume is taking its toll... on all fronts. Now I’m nervous for mine in the coming weeks. This thread is a great tool though — in what to look for during inspection.

 

[SMAlset]

I got the insurance straightened out, it's cheaper if I keep the policy and pay for it while not having the car vs creating a new policy when I get it. This assumes I get a replacement within the next month. This is due to particulars pertaining to my existing policy. So I don't need to do anything but pay about $64 to keep it active while I wait for the car.....

When we sold our car to Carmax prior to getting the Model 3, we called our insurance to tell them we had sold it and our new car wasn't ready to be delivered. They suggested, and I forgot the term used, but to essentially suspend the policy instead of cancelling it and then when the new car was delivered to call them to reinstate it and give them the new car info at that time for updating the policy. Just received my adjusted coverage balance for the term period based on the new car and my new insurance card for the Model 3.

BTW strongly suggest going this route if you are in a similar situation, as Tesla (and probably lender if there is one) will require that you have insurance at the time of buying the car and you'll need to provide proof of insurance.

 

[Jedi2155]

Dang... this is not the same Tesla from even just a year ago. Or remembering when Elon used to personally inspect many of the cars coming off the line back in 2012 and 2013. I think the push for sales volume is taking its toll... on all fronts. Now I’m nervous for mine in the coming weeks. This thread is a great tool though — in what to look for during inspection.

I will mention that while this is certainly happening to a larger percentage of owners than it should be, there are many good vehicles out there.