Tesla 3 - Build quality?
Discussion
I've had my Model 3 LR AWD since September 2019. I have been told by more than one anal retentive Audi owner that panel gaps on the frunk lid of mine are not up to their standards, but actual build quality is fine. It's solidly built. Since I bought mine, build quality of Teslas has only improved. Panel gaps have also.
What almost nobody in the pub talks about, because they've never experienced it: unlike any other car, Teslas become better over time. Mine is now more efficient, quicker and has many more features than when I bought it.
What almost nobody in the pub talks about, because they've never experienced it: unlike any other car, Teslas become better over time. Mine is now more efficient, quicker and has many more features than when I bought it.
Jordie Barretts sock said:
Am I going to get 250 miles on a cold January day in the rain?
Meaningless question to me. If you're going to be flogging it on the outside lane: definitely not. But Superchargers and fast chargers are everywhere and you may well be able to charge at your destination, while you're doing other things.I suggest you stop fussing about it. There are millions of Tesla drivers that don't.
Jordie Barretts sock said:
Thanks for that. What's the range like in real terms? Am I going to get 250 miles on a cold January day in the rain?
In a facelift one, probably, as its got the heatpump. The earlier ones, especially the performance may be a little (but not much) less than the 250 mile mark.I've not had mine through a winter yet though, so I am speculating a little.
Other than the cracked glass roof on delivery, boot lid corner that wore through the rear quarter panel paint, drivers door card rattle above about half stereo volume, rear door card that dislodged rendering the door unopenable, pond in the near side rear light and the regular software feature merry-go-round, mine was thoroughly reliable at getting from a to b over the year I tolerated it 
foggy said:
Other than the cracked glass roof on delivery, boot lid corner that wore through the rear quarter panel paint, drivers door card rattle above about half stereo volume, rear door card that dislodged rendering the door unopenable, pond in the near side rear light and the regular software feature merry-go-round, mine was thoroughly reliable at getting from a to b over the year I tolerated it
Dont get on plane with this person 
Jordie Barretts sock said:
Kicking about the idea in my head of a Model 3 Long Range. Not actually looked closely at them, but have heard the build quality isn't great.
What real time experiences have you had?
No problems with mine apart from a missing trim clip which I discovered on collection day. That was fixed the next day by a mobile tech. What real time experiences have you had?
There are plenty of marques whose owners report quality issues but with Tesla, I'm convinced a lot of the quality issues were with the very early cars. Quality is much improved since those early days. Unfortunately, those early issues are still mentioned by the motoring press, along with comments like 'everything is controlled via the big screen' and 'it's so distracting having to look at the screen to check your speed'. I hear that comment a lot but it's simply not true. Most of the day-to-day controls can be done easily using voice commands.
The only gripe I had with my Model 3 was the 'wood' trim. It looks cheap and nasty to my eyes (I note they've done away with it in the Highland) but I solved that easily with some Alcantara trim to match the door cards.
Jordie Barretts sock said:
Thanks for that. What's the range like in real terms? Am I going to get 250 miles on a cold January day in the rain?
As others have already said, it depends on how you drive. It's no different to driving an ICE car. With your foot to the floor, your mpg will suffer. It's the same with range. Most of my driving is on good A ad B roads with very little traffic and I drive 'briskly' but I'm not racing around everywhere. I get an indicated 270 miles (fully charged to 100%) from my 2022 Model 3 RWD, on 19" wheels in summer (with no aero) and 18" in winter (no aero). It's pretty much the same range during the summer and winter months. I think I'm right in saying that LR Model 3's can't be charged to 100% (at least not on a regular basis) so maybe that has an impact on range???Edited by CharlieAlphaMike on Monday 11th September 12:51
tr3a said:
I've had my Model 3 LR AWD since September 2019. I have been told by more than one anal retentive Audi owner that panel gaps on the frunk lid of mine are not up to their standards, but actual build quality is fine. It's solidly built. Since I bought mine, build quality of Teslas has only improved. Panel gaps have also.
What almost nobody in the pub talks about, because they've never experienced it: unlike any other car, Teslas become better over time. Mine is now more efficient, quicker and has many more features than when I bought it.
Until they want you to buy a new one, then it'll start getting worse. What almost nobody in the pub talks about, because they've never experienced it: unlike any other car, Teslas become better over time. Mine is now more efficient, quicker and has many more features than when I bought it.
Merry said:
I've got a 2020 Freemont built M3P.
It's not awful, but then it's not the best either. I'd say for the price ranges these go for now it's acceptable. I'd have been a bit miffed if I'd paid £50k + though.
Hope that makes sense.
I paid over £60k cash for mine It's not awful, but then it's not the best either. I'd say for the price ranges these go for now it's acceptable. I'd have been a bit miffed if I'd paid £50k + though.
Hope that makes sense.
The detailer I use for all my cars warned me after I'd ordered it that I wouldn't be happy, said "they're all crap". He did say after he had worked on it that it was "one of the better ones", which is damning with faint praise.
When I first got it I had to get it looked at by Tesla because the chrome trim was misaligned... not massively, but enough to justify kicking off. After owning it for a while I've noticed a couple of areas where the paint is obviously too thick, and one or two areas where the opposite is the case.
By all accounts the Shanghai (2021 on) cars are a lot more consistent in quality. Don't expect German marque levels of fit and finish, though, because it's not that kind of car intrinsically. It is very much of the 90s Ferrari ilk where you pay for the engine (& battery) and the rest of the car is free. It is arguably a £20k car sat on a £15k battery, with the rest of the retail price going straight into Tesla's pocket.
Certain things about the car seem a flaw in the raw design. The boot won't have a uniform gap around it because of the powered strut that was added later in production, likewise its impossible to make it so the bonnet has a uniform gap all around, it'll be ~2mm out somewhere.
Having had some recent experience of a BMW 430i - I'm a lot more jaded than I was previously about my car. The materials are nowhere near the same standard, and in the M3P particularly the seats are terrible in terms of being "sporty", the side bolster support in particular is non-existant.
Good luck!
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