ok. We don't need to rehash this. Euro opinion is good for Euros. I'm lost that you all think people with actual experience should ignore our experience and go by the rhetoric out of European Youtube videos. Youtube is the new google; you can find anything you'd like. It means nothing though. Wikipedia is more reliable.
-
Want to remove ads? Register an account and login to see fewer ads, and become a Supporting Member to remove almost all ads.
What’s the build quality on pre Shanghai model 3
- Thread starter Steffy
- Start date
- Status
But it is direct experience offered by folks in Europe of buying and owning cars provided to our market (so not gleaned from YouTube or wherever), offered here to someone in Europe who is asking advice on potentially buying a car in Europe, supplied by Tesla over a certain period in time.
What is your problem with that?!?
Last edited:
You don't have the experience. You were not shipped cars from Shanghai. We were shipped both.
Just stop, this is excruciating.
I got my car in March 2020, I was vaguely aware at that time of “variable quality” in paint, panel gaps, etc. At that time of course it was a case of “it is what it is” because they only came from one place. The guy I use to detail all my cars tried to warn me to calibrate my expectations, something he’d never done previously. Since there was no suggestion at that point that they’d ever be made anywhere else - Teslas had always been made in the States at that point - I rationalised it as being that my car would be “as variable as anything else”
My car turned up and it was “one of the better ones” (his words). High praise indeed. Despite that, I had chrome trim misalignment that was mostly fixed under warranty. I had to get one door “brought in” so that it didn’t sit proud of the rest of the car. The panel gap around the bonnet I fixed myself after I was fobbed off by Tesla as “within spec”. To this day my car has variable paint thickness, with some places where it’s clearly too thick to the point of almost forming a drip if it wasn’t dry. There are some dust nibs under the clearcoat (and PPF now) in places, a sign of an unsanitised painting environment.
I remember when Shanghai cars started arriving that talk of chrome trim misalignment and panel gaps basically disappeared overnight. I’m sure there’s the odd car that needs remedial work but it is by no means systemic anymore. That to me points to an elevated level of build quality.
If it were me I’d at least look at an equivalent spec early Shanghai (March 2021 on) car to compare to any 2019/2020 Fremont car.
My car turned up and it was “one of the better ones” (his words). High praise indeed. Despite that, I had chrome trim misalignment that was mostly fixed under warranty. I had to get one door “brought in” so that it didn’t sit proud of the rest of the car. The panel gap around the bonnet I fixed myself after I was fobbed off by Tesla as “within spec”. To this day my car has variable paint thickness, with some places where it’s clearly too thick to the point of almost forming a drip if it wasn’t dry. There are some dust nibs under the clearcoat (and PPF now) in places, a sign of an unsanitised painting environment.
I remember when Shanghai cars started arriving that talk of chrome trim misalignment and panel gaps basically disappeared overnight. I’m sure there’s the odd car that needs remedial work but it is by no means systemic anymore. That to me points to an elevated level of build quality.
If it were me I’d at least look at an equivalent spec early Shanghai (March 2021 on) car to compare to any 2019/2020 Fremont car.
I don't have a problem with people posting your personal experiences. I don't put any weight into youtube videos because they are biased. For example, there is a video out there that "shows" that a model 3 LR. with a ghost mod that beats a performance. Now that time has passed, we've documented that the ghost mod is nowhere near a performance. But the video exists, so is it true? No, it isn't, but those videos feed into the rhetoric. As you type this, read what browellm is posting. He's literally passing the same BS rhetoric, but you obviously don't mind. I'm about facts and data. There is plenty of data coming out on the Highlands built in various places to prove my point. Again, I am not bashing China. Quite the opposite, your crew is bashing the US facility because it makes them feel that they are somehow avoiding the negatives of a Tesla. Aside from that, I am on my 5th Tesla in my immediate family. All have come from Fremont. So, the last thing I will accept is a video from a UK showroom talking about USA build quality. It doesn't work that way.
Riddle me this: How do you know that Fremont has improved to catch up? I appreciate the vote of confidence, but how again are you the expert? I don't need to live in Europe to keep track of cars. I'm simply analytical and like to connect dots. You are satisfied with youtube videos. To each his own, but you shouldn't be frustrated that youtube isn't considered absolute.
I don't, I'm allowing you the benefit of your experience there - you've told us they have.
What we do have, is the direct experience which you did not, of the Fremont and Shanghai cars in the time period the OP asked about.
Now stop wasting all our time and walk away from this, it's ridiculous.
Drew57
Active ember
As mentioned previously I'm someone who has had both Fremont & China made Teslas with basically the same excellent quality.
However my neighbour had a late 2020 Fremont Model 3 which was appallingly built - 26 faults when we both checked it on delivery day and seemingly never-ending visits to the nearest SC (in particular, panel gaps were atrocious and mis-matched all over the car, seat surfaces were wrinkled and poorly stitched, one exterior door handle was so deeply recessed that it was hard to open, one rear light cluster stood proud, the other was misaligned and at a different angle etc etc ). It was rear ended and totalled within a year ("thankfully" he said) and replaced with the same model which was now Shanghai built. That car was and still is as fault free as both my Teslas.
However my neighbour had a late 2020 Fremont Model 3 which was appallingly built - 26 faults when we both checked it on delivery day and seemingly never-ending visits to the nearest SC (in particular, panel gaps were atrocious and mis-matched all over the car, seat surfaces were wrinkled and poorly stitched, one exterior door handle was so deeply recessed that it was hard to open, one rear light cluster stood proud, the other was misaligned and at a different angle etc etc ). It was rear ended and totalled within a year ("thankfully" he said) and replaced with the same model which was now Shanghai built. That car was and still is as fault free as both my Teslas.
Mod comment: I’ve locked the thread
I’m really struggling with the idea that somebody who’s probably never even seen a China built car feels more qualified to comment than people who have personal experience of Fremont next to China. As for batteries, I’ve seen a YouTube video (backed by thousands of data po8nts) where Fremont cars with Panasonic batteries degrade quicker than the China cars with LG batteries.
For what it’s worth my 2020 M3 built in Fremont was the worst car I have ever owned for build quality, only saved by the fact in the 9 months I owned it it went up in value in Teslas eyes and I chopped it in for a new China built MY. That’s not been great, new drivers seat, new front motor, roof replaced, but shut lines, pain etc all felt much better. In reality, both US and a China and all car factories can chuck out good and bad examples, and we all have different thresholds in what’s acceptable. Overall, I’d suggest Tesla have gradually improved quality, primarily by both continuous specific part and overall design updates.
I’m really struggling with the idea that somebody who’s probably never even seen a China built car feels more qualified to comment than people who have personal experience of Fremont next to China. As for batteries, I’ve seen a YouTube video (backed by thousands of data po8nts) where Fremont cars with Panasonic batteries degrade quicker than the China cars with LG batteries.
For what it’s worth my 2020 M3 built in Fremont was the worst car I have ever owned for build quality, only saved by the fact in the 9 months I owned it it went up in value in Teslas eyes and I chopped it in for a new China built MY. That’s not been great, new drivers seat, new front motor, roof replaced, but shut lines, pain etc all felt much better. In reality, both US and a China and all car factories can chuck out good and bad examples, and we all have different thresholds in what’s acceptable. Overall, I’d suggest Tesla have gradually improved quality, primarily by both continuous specific part and overall design updates.
- Status
Similar threads
