You all have about talked me out of a Tesla altogether...

[TM3P1]

I figured I owe it to you to tell you about my Tesla M3P (June 2020) - the best car I have driven (but not owned!). The good news is it’s a lease and it’s going back, to be replaced by a MY.

Prior to the M3P I had a F80 M3 and before than a E92 M3, so familiar with BMWs as well! I currently also have a 981 Cayman GTS.

Issues I have had:
- Modem dead on arrival (took 10 days for Tesla to get me in to replace that on a brand new car)
- Doors (white) painted a few shades of grey darker than the rest of the car (it’s a lease so I didn’t get them resprayed which is what Tesla was happy to do).
- Floor ripped off the bottom of the car whilst driving at 5 mph through water in a car park
- At least two rattles inside the cabin since delivery that I can’t isolate (random bolt and bracket found in rear door card on delivery!)
- Water ingress through the boot lid (some silicone applied by Tesla)
- Water ingress in the frunk (awaiting Tesla service)
- Once the computer screen died whilst driving (no speed data etc). It rebooted itself but took at least a minute to come back on
- Standard operation of auto-wipers (beyond terrible)
- Filters changed (smelt rotten after 2 years!)

I am quite envious of all those who have come on here and said they have had zero issues. Tesla has sorted the issues with mine out (although they wanted to leave the modem for 2 months as they had no slots to book me into in Bham). Only the threat of returning the car made them expedite the process.

Overall I maintain it’s the best car I’ve driven to date. It’s super fast (beyond any ICE car I could lease), convenient and fun. For the theatrical experience I have the Porsche. I would definitely get one again, as I am, hoping the new one isn’t built on a Friday afternoon

Oh I forgot two other issues…

- Front suspension bushes let go in a big way at 10000 miles. Sounded like an old pirate ship! Changed on my drive but had to wait 3 weeks!

- Rear spoiler was almost detached at one of the above visits. They had to come to the house and re-glue it on!

- Rear license plate holder has come off twice now, been replaced twice by Tesla! Waiting for it to come off again!

 

[derekmw]

I've owned Tesla's since 2015 and have never cared about FSD. That is probably one of the least items on my list on why I would purchase a Tesla...

 

[ZenRockGarden]

I'm on my second MYLR.

I have never had to take either of them to Tesla for anything. My worst issue was a bit of interior trim which wasn't fully snapped in place on delivery - pushing on it cured the issue. The end.

edit - oh and I did put some 5/15" tubing in the rear hatch seal to reduce boominess on the second MYLR. Trivial operation.

 

[unk45]

I've owned, bizarrely, more than 50 new cars in my long life. Many have been reliable and satisfactory.
Two were not. One, a BMW M3 convertible was in service almost all of my four months when it finally was repurchased under a lemon law, although it took some doing. The other, a Mercedes 300 SEL 6.3., just was a maintenance hog, but even then I understood a hot rod causes more trouble. None fo my three Tesla cars have had any material problems, but the first a P85D, had several minor fixes under warranty, none of which was material.

Tesla ones a cheap to run, cheap to 'fill up', but expensive to insure. What's not to love? Oh, there is the fun!

 

[ZenRockGarden]

I've owned, bizarrely, more than 50 new cars in my long life. Many have been reliable and satisfactory.
Two were not. One, a BMW M3 convertible was in service almost all of my four months when it finally was repurchased under a lemon law, although it took some doing. The other, a Mercedes 300 SEL 6.3., just was a maintenance hog, but even then I understood a hot rod causes more trouble. None fo my three Tesla cars have had any material problems, but the first a P85D, had several minor fixes under warranty, none of which was material.

Tesla ones a cheap to run, cheap to 'fill up', but expensive to insure. What's not to love? Oh, there is the fun!

Tesla's in-house insurance is quite affordable (if available in your area)

 

[pipestem]

My Gieco insurance is reasonable. It seems to vary wildly across locations and individuals, even more than I would expect.

Our worst car was probably a Ford Windstar minivan. Awsome tank that could swallow great cargo, go surprisingly fast with the massive 3.8 v6, and had the worst sorted out system of drivetrain sensors and electronics imaginable. Once it hit about 60k, it was a shop vip. Tesla is a DREAM car by comparison -- with my apologies to all those who ex[eroemce serious problems.

Even worse than the self-disintegrating Volvo 740 GLE ....

 

[Starks]

FWIW I went through the same thing. Stoked... researched... more stoked... more research... less stoked.

Then a friend bought a MYP and I drove it: SOLD.

I was looking at a locally used M3 and was negotiating price. As he's telling me to go buy a new one my buddy text me that Tesla was doing a $7,500 discount and 10K free supercharger miles... I drunkenly pressed the order button and have had zero regrets since.

I'm already looking at a second Tesla.

 

[zoros]

I'm a die hard petrolhead: Porsche, BMW, Maserati, Merc AMG etc.
Absolute4ly detest the looks of the M3 (even worse - the MY), looks like a limp Mazda 3.
Hate the interior even more - what interior???
But - by God after my wife purchased a 2 yr old M3 - my head has turned upside down!
The technology is streets ahead of every other EV out there and has remained so for ages. I feel like a kid back in that sweet shop - learning all about what it can do/not do. And to be fair - the performance is"electric".

It's not just the technology, it's the way the company behaves / how the car responds to driver input / cornering / braking / regen / safety / maintenance (or lack of it) / etc etc. Taking a while to get my head round it but I'm loving the journey.
Such a shame Musk has absolutely NO interest in aesthetics. Car looks still suck, car interior still sucks but I love it so much, I can live with these issues!

You're not buying just another EV, your buying into Musk's view of life

 

[Grrnmo]

TBH I See the same as the OP and some respondents in terms of the overwhelming number of "owners" who seem to post daily and have nothing but complaints about a car they have aparently owned multiple iterations of...with the occasional pre-requisite digs at Elon.

When I had an S2000 I was very active in those forums and owners were so positive - so helpful - only posting issues when seeking or sharing a solution.

Same for my TDI Jetta and its most popular forums.

Same for my old Ford F150.

All vehicles with problems and limitations, but so many fewer longtime owners who clearly hated the product.

Sad.

So far mine has been terrific, although the impact of darkness on TACC and windshield wipers is annoying... and ofc that darned Elon Musk

 

[MasterC17]

I've put a cumulative 183,000 miles across five Tesla's. As far as actual failure of a part is concerned, I replaced the FUCA's on a 2018, and a charge port door went wonky on another 2018.

If you'd like to review my service history for my BMW's over the same mileage, I could perhaps write you a book.

 

[ODWms]

Former BMW owner here. I can completely relate.

 

[Kevy Baby]

Everyone at the same time: "You all have about talked me out of a Tesla"

(Airplane! humor)

 

[RayK]

My daughter (32) just quoted me on Tuesday: "Looks like he picked a bad day to start taking mushrooms...".

 

[Rockster]

I read an article the other day about the fatal flaw in the often quoted “study” that shows 50% of marriages ending in divorce. The study counted marriages and divorces that occurred in a geographic area for a certain period of time and determined that the number of divorces equaled the half of the number of marriages and hence the entrenched meme that half of all marriages end in divorce.

The problem?

By only counting events, the study completely ignored every couple in the area who was happily married at the beginning of the study and stayed happily married throughout the study period.

The moral?

People who are happily cruising along are easily overlooked.

 

[Hiline]

I've had 100k+ miles across several Teslas. The only time I took a Tesla to a service center was to get an additional key card. The only maintenance I've ever done was to replace rear tires. I had never had such a simple, stress-free car ownership experience before.

 

[texas_star_TM3]

I've had 100k+ miles across several Teslas. The only time I took a Tesla to a service center was to get an additional key card. The only maintenance I've ever done was to replace rear tires. I had never had such a simple, stress-free car ownership experience before.

no issues with mine either - aside from real easy stuff mobile service can do and two SC visits for a broken windshield and a plastic part I cracked by hitting something. no complaints. that being said - if you have a serious repair or problem ... the "no loaners, maybe uber credit" policy royally sucks... there are folks in the lightning forum with battery issues and they end up with a loaner for the few weeks it takes to get, install and test the new battery.

 

[TomT]

My biggest complaint about Tesla is the almost total lack of customer service and support. Over the years, I've owned vehicles from at least a dozen different manufacturers and none have been as bad as Tesla. As many say, "Love the car, hate the company!"

 

[kpanda17]

My biggest complaint about Tesla is the almost total lack of customer service and support. Over the years, I've owned vehicles from at least a dozen different manufacturers and none have been as bad as Tesla. As many say, "Love the car, hate the company!"

its on us for a stellar customer experience with Tesla
like where you do any large monetary or time investment, network the system, get to know everyone
for my local service centers, I know the regional manager, general managers, advisors, service members, etc
I message them in app and other platforms

When I engage, they take notice and step up their game
dont sit back and wait for Tesla, dig in and engage, they respond and do take care of us

we are 3x Ts in, its been perfect

 

[JayPaul]

My biggest complaint about Tesla is the almost total lack of customer service and support. Over the years, I've owned vehicles from at least a dozen different manufacturers and none have been as bad as Tesla. As many say, "Love the car, hate the company!"

I think this is area specific. The 2 SC I typically go to, Plainview NY and now the Westbury NY location, they have been nothing but perfect. They remember me, know me by name, and always take care of me. I have had better CS with Tesla than I have had at Honda, Jeep, Ram, BMW, Audi and Mercedes (these are all the vehicles I've owned in my driving years, multiple of each brand).

 

[kpanda17]

I think this is area specific. The 2 SC I typically go to, Plainview NY and now the Westbury NY location, they have been nothing but perfect. They remember me, know me by name, and always take care of me. I have had better CS with Tesla than I have had at Honda, Jeep, Ram, BMW, Audi and Mercedes (these are all the vehicles I've owned in my driving years, multiple of each brand).

you've worked it and the dividends are payoff
good for you, this is how its done

guys, dont sit in poopy diapers, fix it