Did u not watch the video? he wants rid of it because he has a bit of water in the boot and they didnt use enough sticky back plastic on his fin. Jokes apart, hes right Tesla servicing is not great, ive had a mixed bag tbh. like the quality of their model 3's, its a bit of a lottery, (I did some research on problems like door alignment, condensated lights, unstuck spoilers, paint missing....its plastered all over reddit forum so I knew there was a risk of one or all of these faults BEFORE i purchased the car). Ive had dealings with them 5 times since April. 1) took a month to buy a spare performance wheel from Dartford, Service girl was also rude to me on phone when i was chasing up why they had cancelled my wheel order during the process. When it arrived they fitted a new tyre and the new wheel. 2) Dartford cancelled appointment by text 5 mins before he was due at my home saying technician was "sick ...... 3) After they did come a week or so later he made more things wrong when trying to correct the initial problem (he damaged boot liningtrying to reposition rear light, he didnt click drivers pillar cover in properly so it vibrated when driving, Door was aligned better as gap was tapered but shutting door was not right) I decided to try a different service centre, Milton Keynes...... 4) Milton Keynes Cancelled mobile technician a day before he was due by text, saying parts not in stock after i had booked 2 or 3 weeks prior to this message. 5) Mobile technician (from MK) was fantastic, he put right all the (minor) fuckups Dartford had made on the first visit. Think I might now have a boot leak, which i never noticed before, not sure if its related to light replacement and boot lining replacement where they have to remove certain trim. Have another appointment booked whilst I wait for it to rain to be 100% sure if and where its getting in. Number 6 coming up....😁 BUT i still love the car. I know its weird but like lots of cars, lots have qwerks and faults but cars always have fans I guess. The performance model 3 just puts a smile on your face everytime you drive it. For me it does anyways...... I hope Kate wins him over and he gives Tesla another chance to put things right, they will 2nd time round im sure of it.
We (Tesla owners) feel the same way about powertrain issues the big car manufactures have. Every vehicle will have compromises, and since owning my Model 3P, I’ve never once had car envy for anything else.
@@MrMgivens Except that if you do research you can find a car that doesn't have any issues. Toyota Camry Toyota Corolla etc You're not going to have any powertrain issues either And no fit and finish issues. Sure it's a boring car it's basically an appliance on wheels. It's also not likely need to go to the shop ever. I've got a 12-year-old Prius 335,000 miles. I bought it used with 200k on it, and I put 135,000 on it in two years.
@@kens97sto171 I had a 2010 Prius. The most practical , reliable and cheapest car I have ever owned. Average 58mpg over the 85,000 miles and minimal servicing costs. Because it was frugal I didn't hang around particularly on the motorways, and I would often load it up with building materials so it was on the floor. Would have bought the later model if it were not so ugly.
James my friend is a salesman here’s what he’s said to me I’ll paste his reply. You need to contact the finance company because they have an invested interest in the car, they will get in contact with the dealer direct and try to come to an agreement. They will have to provide proof that the vehicle has been repaired to manufacturers standards and if the fault cannot be repaired then they will have to A. Take the car back and your friend can walk away Or B. The dealer will have to find a replacement vehicle. Hope this helps
@@guyontheinternet8891 To be fair on the whole they are massively easier to repair yourself. Say you needed to replace the drive motor in a Leaf - it shouldn't take more than a couple of hours at most. Whereas a new engine in a Qashqai would write off a comparable aged car due to labour cost alone, never mind the engine! It's the fact that EV's are so inherently simple that worries the motor industry no end. Currently repairs and servicing makes up the bulk of a dealers income. That could be wiped out by the reliability of EV drivetrains. Yes there are some complex electronics, but generally they are plug-and-play for those that know how. But Tesla really need to stop taking such an arrogant approach to customer service, I love what they do but agree if they carry on like this, the best cars in the world (which by most metrics they are) won't win people over if the service is so poor.
Let’s make it simple take away the Manufacturer just for a second! These issues are simply unacceptable on any brand new vehicle and certainly one that commands a relatively high price. The manufacturer in question still won’t sign aftermarket manufacturer agreements enabling some parts to be available without the need to pay higher prices at the main dealership. So they have complete control of their aftermarket business too! This for me does not create competition which in turn means paying a higher price for repairs in the future. While build quality is an issue now on these new models, this will sadly possibly lead to more problems later in the Vehicles life. Tesla are aware of their issues but more worryingly are still sending the vehicles out in this condition, obviously due to the needs to meet the financial side of things. But in turn if this isn’t sorted out soon could have a real detrimental effect on their business. Fantastic Platform! Fantastic Battery Management System & Software all class leading. But build quality and having issues like James is having, will always stick in an Owners mind when looking at making a future purchase of a car.
That’s so sad to see. I recognise your demeanour instantly. I’ve been there in the past with products that have let me down and I know that feeling where the hassle has been so great that you just have enough of it. Especially gutting when it’s something you’ve been looking forward to for so long. I seem to be seeing and hearing more of these kind of stories lately. I can’t work out whether it’s because they’re just selling more cars or if it’s because something has changed within the company, but they really need to get a handle on this. Again, sorry to hear your woes. Hope it gets sorted (one way or the other) for you soon.
I feel for you, I had all sorts of issues with my 2017 Model X and felt the same way for quite some time. One issue, with the driver window rattling went in so many times that I lost count. Had nearly give up on it when a mobile technician looked at it an knew straight away what the problem was. Someone, had cut/shaved its lower gasket so that it wouldn’t squeak (presumably after they replaced it after some major sensor replacement work, as that is when the rattling started), nit realising that the lower pressure resulting from that wouldn’t keep the window firmly in place. I was gobsmacked, it took nearly two years of me bringing it up every time the car went in for service, which happened a lot because my sensors have had to be replaced a few times, before it finally got fixed. I have always put my problems up to it being in the first batch of RHD Model Xs and Tilburg just majestically messing it up. Now, the only thing that still nags me is that my screen gets garbled quite often and Tesla always has me reinstall the firmware, claiming it to be a software issue. That usually works for a short while, then the garbling starts again. My worry is, what if it actually is an MCU issue and it finally fully craps out after my warranty period has expired, which is coming up soon? I never see it mentioned in any of the many Tesla related videos I watch so that kind of worries me... Any way, all this to say, I think that, unfortunately, you got a lemon... if you don’t want it to take years for all the niggles to get fixed (they eventually will) and you can return it, you should. Tesla does not seem to care much about the UK (don’t know why) as service (response and quality) is not what you would expect from a luxury car, and the Supercharger rollout is moving at a snail pace, or at least feels that way, when you look at how quickly they are rolling out in the US and China...
Tesla has been blowing it for several years now on build quality and inconsistent service experience. My 2015 Model S 70D has been a great car, but my experience with service centers has been well below par. Mobile service has been a little better but they cannot fix everything. You have an advantage in the UK over us in the US in that your EV charging network by other than Tesla is far better than the US. Most NON-Tesla EV networks here are few and far between and when you do find them they have broken charging stations and are often overpriced. Even the new ones being installed by the VW diesel-gate agreement are below par, compared to the Tesla charging network. With all the new EV's being introduced, especially those by Korean makers, Tesla's charging network is now the only advantage they have over other manufacturers here in the US. But in the UK, based on many of the youtube shows from there, it appears you're charging networks are as good as Tesla's and so you could get a non-Tesla EV, with good build quality, a good dealer network and drive it without range anxiety because of the growing non-Tesla EV charging networks in the UK and Europe. Bottom line. After 3-5 years of crappy build quality and increasingly bad service experiences, Tesla corporate is failing to take corrective action and after that span of time it appears they will never learn, which could result in their ultimate death. Games and movies on a touch screen are just not enough to keep the company alive. You should not have to take it back a second time to fix such easily repairable defects. One would hope that Tesla would pay attention to RUclipsrs like yourself and get their act together, but Elon is clearly not paying attention or is working under the false impressive that all is well with customer service when in fact, Tesla has some of the worst customer service in the industry. Like you, I have bent over backwards in support of Tesla, but enough is enough.
Same James. I’ve had so many issues with Tesla service. They state they fix something - they never did and then new issues pop up. My final straw was when the warranty is up what will happen? Sold the Tesla and got a Chevrolet Bolt; not a single red issue with it.
Hi James ill reiterate what others have said by getting in touch with finance company and tell them the issues and not repaired and then say "the car is not fit for purpose "
How does a slightly loose spoiler and a humid light qualify as not fit for purpose? Drives just fine. Drives efficiently. 🤷♂️ Don't think I'd be impressed by tape to fix it but sounds like he's after a sculpture not a car. The car is fine isn't it?
@@Lewis_Standing its a legality Lewis when the supplier keeps failing to repair your car correctly,so are you saying when your paying close to 40k for a car your be ok with the issues james and Kate keep having ?
I was thinking this too. All the issues you are having is service centre related. All WARRANTY. All should be replaced. Also I doubt the rear light has faded but if there is any difference I would push for both sides to be replaced. I would be also sending an email to Tesla head office with a link to your RUclips vid. The vid of the motor sound should also be enough and if not, bring a service guy for a ride. As for all the people just saying how bad Tesla build is... I have to say Cars today are complicated and after service support is not optional but mandatory for part of the price.
I think we have been blinded by the tech. Which other 50k car would you buy and make excuses for the build quality etc. Too many issues for such an expensive car but they are still selling.
Too many issues for any car, irrespective of price. Can you imagine a budget brand like Dacia having these quality issues. Everyone would be ripping them to pieces. I've seen people lambast other ev manufacturers for poor service / defects, then buy a Tesla and defend the same. It's the Tesla effect....... ...I was looking to buy then steered away, like James these types of issues drive me nuts
@John Edwards Carbon fibre reinforced polymer, or carbon fibre reinforced plastic, or carbon fibre reinforced thermoplastic, or carbon composite, or carbon fibre. Call it what you like. The i3's chassis is made of carbon firbre. It is purely in you imagination that it is made of something else that is somehow plastic and has carbon fibres but is not carbon fibre. Yes the "skateboard" is made of other materials, that is not the chassis.
Hey James, you seem emotional about the situation and I can empathise especially as it’s a big purchase. The shoddy repair/treatment has soured the experience, is there any recourse with Tesla before you move on? Your mind seems made up but other manufacturers are not absolved from similar treatment or issues with their cars. Hope you find a resolution but for now maybe take a step back and let the dust settle as long as Tesla are engaging on the matter. Personally I have had issues on my model x but tesla in Ireland have been very accommodating and helpful in resolving the issues. Wouldn’t change to another brand but that’s just me. Stay safe.
Thanks, James. I have been studying Tesla and wanting to get a Model 3 for about a year now, but every time I finally make the decision to follow through on that, I come across yet ANOTHER tale of woe, like this one, that changes my mind AGAIN. Perhaps I should just learn to read the bloody writing on the wall and buy one more high end ICE car and see how the EV market pans out over the next 3 or 4 years. Tesla make the best EV and certainly have the best charging network, BUT they fail at build quality and customer service . Maybe they will be forced to improve as competition looms, and other charging networks mature, over the next 4 years. I wish you and Kate all the best in getting it either sorted or sold.
@@VirtuellJo Thanks. I think the closest competitor non-Tesla EV is the Polestar 2. Looks great and certainly better built, but range is shorter, charging is slower and the CCS charging network here in Canada is not that great.
Philip T I’m not sure what your timeline is for purchasing an EV, but if it goes into next year then why not wait for a giga Berlin built model 3, model Y because I believe they are going to be the best built teslas yet. In the meantime this may help balance your thoughts 💭.dated 3rd Sept. 2020 www.teslarati.com/tesla-model-3-most-reliable-ev-executive-car-uk-award/
Philip T the Polestar 2 is surtenly not a bad buy. For me I still would rather have the Volvo XC40 EV or the Nissan Ariya. It still looks like VW, Skoda, Seat, Audi with MEB will beat every one in availabilty and quality. Do not forgett the Koreans in all this. They are also great value for money. If you hva the time to wait the ID.5 will be available in 2022 and it is rumored to have an 111kWh battery pack option.
Also the finance company effectively own the car so they also should be put in the picture. Let them take the problem direct to tesla. If product is faulty it could.just be swapped out for a replacement vehicle. Best wishes to all the family btw😎🙃👍
I completely understand where James is coming from. It isn't just about the shoddy workmanship, he expected that. It's that environment where you are having to repeatedly point out and chase problems they are not resolving. That would wind me up. Any other car I would take it to a local workshop I had confidence in and tell them to sort it out but a Tesla car I would think twice. Tesla today is about reducing cost and beating targets so I wouldn't be surprised if the poor workmanship continues until manufacturing capacity met demand. James, you need to careful the non collections will not appear on your credit file.
Not good is it only a few months old what else is going to go wrong next, your paying a lot of money for something that isn’t up to standard. You’ve given Tesla opportunity to try and fix the issues but they haven’t and now you’ve lost faith in the car, they should do the right thing and either give you a refund or offer a replacement.
I’m not a fanboy and I get being unhappy with it, but I was expecting serious issues... and you’ve got a slightly unstuck spoiler and rear light condensation? I’ve had both of those, it’s definitely a problem, and in the case of the condensation a widely experienced one, but it’s fixable, and minor in the grand scheme of things. The rear lights can be replaced by mobile service - zero hassle. I’ve heard of people getting the spoiler done that way too. Is that not an option for you? All told loving the car is a feeling so I can’t tell you that you should, but at the same time I feel like this stuff is all really minor in the grand scheme of things. There’s no EV that comes close to what this car offers, and I’m sure you’d have complaints with those too.
I'm glad you've finally decided not to put up with it any more. There are way too many apologists for basic build quality issues that any other car manufacturer would get roasted for.
I have similar issues with the SR+ model 3. It never had the promised rated range, after a month it had -12% and now 10mo later its -13.8%... (they say within spec!!) Also: steering wheel leather comes off, water it lights, paint issues, leaking water, misaligned trunk damaging bumper... All takes a “fight” and multiple appointments to fix, biggest problem batterh they dont fix because warranty is for -30%
James, honestly Kate is right and you are wrong. The spoiler is a non issue. Worst case scenario it falls off and Tesla replace it. Boot leak/condensation- keep complaining to Tesla and it will get fixed or they will replace the boot lid. Finance - if you have a single email showing that you try to pay that is legally admissible so any legal action that they might take they would lose. Companies are smart, they would not pursue a case they are guaranteed to lose. I get that you are annoyed that you have been given the run around, but realistically you are not going to get a full refund and what you actually want are the problems resolved, which they will as it is under warranty, so the more times that you bring it in the stronger the case for them sorting it out (new boot lid) to free up time/resources for other customers. Even if you did get your money back you won’t find a car as good today or for some time to come.
I don’t know legally where you stand but I asked in writing for a refund after 3 months because of various faults with my Model 3 and to my surprise Tesla offered me a full refund as a gesture of goodwill. Maybe email the service centre with a “enoughs, enough” style email and see what they say. When I’d looked into it you could return a car for a full refund within 6 months as long as there was a manufacturing fault and you had given them the opportunity to try and repair it. But honestly it didn’t get to that point for me, I asked and they said ok (took about 2 weeks).
So the complain is: There is water getting into one tail light, and the spoiler is not attached sturdily? I can't even tell if you're saying water is still getting into your trunk. And for that, you want to be able to return the car? I understand that it's new, and shouldn't do that. Still, that seems extreme.
I had to reject a Suzuki Vitara after 3 weeks, the finance company told me to contact the dealer, then dealer said it wasn’t there problem . The dealer a few hours later said they would replace it. The car wouldn’t start and 4 times car died when on the road. Suzuki GB only offered me a free service.
There's no excuse for that. I don't even get the attitude of placing the onus on the buyer to have to run around, book appointments to fix all the faults which are present on delivery. They should at least own the faults and proactively sort them out with no inconvenience to the customer.
My brother in law has 3 dual motor $76,000 CDN. While we agree it's an amazing driving car, from a quality control perspective, it's unacceptable the issues it has, considering that those same issues are also unacceptable on a $25,000 car!
I had issues too with my M3P. I booked it in and they kept it for a month This included respray of the boot, realignment of the door and replacements tail light. All fixed. Recently all 4 rotors had bad scoring due to lack of use and they replaced all 4 rotors and pads under warranty. I was expecting issues on collection, but to be honest after 20k miles it's been faultless. Have you tried booking into a different dealer? May be they would be more thorough with their repairs.
My strategy exactly... or maybe the Nissan Ariya, Kia E-Niro, or really... take your pick. But stay away from Tesla. Great battery tech, but terrible cars.
Sounds like the spoiler could be letting in water (are there any clip in holes?), causing the drip when you open the boot, and the fogging of the rear light (which also sounds like a poor weather seal somewhere). Find out where Tesla accident repairs are done, and get them to address the spoiler (new boot?!), that should be 3 of the issues fixed. Good Luck!
I was walking in midtown Manhattan yesterday. Saw a Tesla and the back light had condensation/water in it. I thought that was strange. It appears to be common sadly. I've had front lights in my car get condensation when it was about 15 years old!!!!
I was kind of approaching the same point. But after 5 months they finally fixed all the faults including fitting a new front bumper. They also discovered the car had very low battery coolant levels on delivery. Tesla quality control is non existent. Buying one is like roulette, you might get a good one, you might not. If you get a good SC they'll probably fix it, just maybe not quickly
Yes it is Roulette. I have a friend who bought two Model 3's at the same time, one for him one for his wife. His wife's car, while not perfect, has generally been fine. His car has had many repeat problems and failures to fix at the service center. Total lemon. Both cars delivered an serviced by the same service center. Two totally different experiences.
I don't have a dog in this fight, but I drove a Mercedes AMG C63 S for four years. Just got rid of it and got my first Tesla - A model 3 performance. The things you point out are indeed bothersome, but my Mercedes, at close to 50% more expensive than the my Model 3 Performance, had issues too...the eco mode never worked (where it was supposed to shut off at lights), the battery would drain unnecessarily and was never resolved, the service center ordered the wrong tires and kept the car for 2 weeks until they got their shit together, the entertainment center would just shut off on its own randomly and would not start again until it decided, it was ridiculously expensive to operate - went through fossil juice like it had hole in the tank, every time I took it in it cost me $2k or $3k USD, had to buy Z-rated tires 2 - 3x per year ($450 USD per tire), went through brakes as if I drove around with the parking break on all the time, and worst thing about it - my model 3 performance would smoke the shit out of it along with almost anything else on the road in a red light race (with the exception of perhaps a Porsche Turbo S, and all that performance for a fraction of the cost). Yeah, there are some things on my model 3 that I'm not so keen on...the interior lacks a bit compared to the European and American autos...but these things are inconsequential to me. The Model 3 Performance IMO is a feat in engineering technology...it's an incredible car to me. Any other issues to me are meaningless so far. Simple things like being able to send directions from Google Maps on my Android to my Tesla, which my Mercedes wasn't even vaguely close to doing. The fossil juice cars are so far behind from a technology standpoint it's not even close. And the recent bump in range just showed how the traditional car companies are likely not going to catch Tesla. Tesla is a pure-play EV company...not a petrol car company that was caught flat footed and now trying to build EVs. To me it feels like the 90s when the Blackberry came out and then the real phone competitors were Ericson and Nokia...then along came along two tech companies named Google and Apple that upended the whole industry. I'm a month in on my Model 3 - I'm anxiously awaiting the Plaid to come out and hopefully can get my hands on that one next year if it's out.
Sorry to hear this James. We rarely hear a negative review by you. I wish you all the best and I hope your situation gets resolved. Actually, it is also making me seriously think about not getting a Tesla M3.
Hm. Dont let your choice depend on a single video of a guy who had some bad luck. I was lucky and got that same car. Still, after a year the best choice I have ever made.
@@kurriedone741 But also don't let your choice be swayed by just one comment. LOok for it yourself. Find things out that are really common and decide if those are concerning for you. If you think the tech is the only good thing about a Tesla. You might want to reconsider. Because the value of a Tesla is only in the tech and performance, the rest is basically below avg. And in a few years we will have electric BMWs, Mercedes and Audis in the same price range, with better build bodywork and interiors, but similar performance and tech (though less gimmicks)
@@Astke Hello, thank you. Very good points. I appreciate it because at the moment I am driving a BMW I3. I had a mark 1 Nissan LEAF for four years. I definitely can see the difference between the two and the amount of progress made as far as build quality and battery. Thank you for taking the time to write to me. Have a good day 🤗.
This is the problem with Tesla. Unlike the major German brands, who have been building cars for years (and with that have learnt a LOT of lessons), Tesla are still very new to this game. The price you pay for a Tesla is much more than you would pay for an Audi, BMW or Mercedes, but the build quality and aesthetics are nowhere near. Tesla are more akin to VW, Peugeot, Renault, Citroen in terms or aesthetics and build quality, but their price is more akin to Porsche!
I had the eGolf and I drove the Tesla first. I can surely tell you that the build quality is nowhere near VW more like an older Cadillac with a few miles on the clock. Typical american build quality I'm afraid.
I fully understand how you feel, I’d be the same. Good luck with what ever decision you make James. Shouldn’t be feeling the way you are on a car costing that much dosh.
Really feel for you chap, I know how gut wrenchingly frustrating and disheartening this sort of thing can be. QA/QC in the UK needs a huge overall IMHO, the business is very much now driven by accountants/spreadsheets/number and the WS attitude - live from qtr to qtr.I also feel that there are too many people who are afraid of Elon to tell the truth and to give the bad news and this is a side affect of his mamagement style and attitude. I do hope that with Giga-Berlin this will change a little and a more focus on QA/QC will return rather than “hitting the numbers”. Quarterly pushses will always drive this sort of behaviour and he si reqarding this without seemingly being informed of the consequences. You look back at his older vids and he was much more interested in delivering the right customer experience, attention to detail, getting it fixed and prioritising the customer where he understood that the numbers would come if you go the product and experience right … now he seems too interested on naming his kids with some random computer code core dump and deciding that he needs less material things in his life …. sometimes I think he needs a slap from his mom….
Hi James, been following you and Kate for some years and now a Tesla owner partly because of you guys, Ben and EVM. Our Model 3 performance is just an awesome car, we have honestly had no issues and driven from Buckingham to Paris on the spur of the moment with absolute confidence. Having said that I do not have experience of Tesla service and will report such when I do. Having had a 40kw leaf and lived the Rapidgate nightmare, which my local dealer basically denied all knowledge of, we got rid of that early to buy our Tesla. No regrets from me and looking forward to the model Y. I think my point is, stick with it.... because there are no other BEV cars out there yet that can live with the efficiency, usability and infrastructure.
I dont see the advantage personally in buying the performance over the AWD. You get a faster speed. But the AWD long range is very fast and you can even buy a performance upgrade for it. The performance gets an underline under the "dual motor" better brakes (which according to after-market companies aren't that good for a track anyway) and a slightly faster top speed, wheels that'll break on potholes because of the narrow tyres, and worse range. save £10k and get the AWD. You'll also feel £10k richer.
My Dad's 2004 Prius had an issue with condensation in all of the lamps. Not sure what I was thinking but had put a couple of pads in it to absorb the excess moisture thinking maybe that it was the seals around the lamps themselves that were leaking, there was nearly 250,000 miles on it at the time. Turned out there was a leak in the roof!
I feel your disappointment. But in perspective its a) leaking light bay, poorly fitting spoiler c) motor whine which appears to be getting better? payment system will sort itself out in due course.
This has probably been said a 100 times already James, but Tesla have had a chance to fix the faults and failed, therefore under the 2015 Consumer Rights Act you can reject the car within 6 months of purchase and get your money back. You could of course also contact Tesla UK and complain that the Milton Keynes service centre have failed to rectify the faults and give them a chance to fix it at another service centre, give you loan car until it is repaired to your satisfaction. Tesla's reputation is on the line here.
I’ve had three Tesla and two Model 3 Performances. Never had any issues except for driver seat making weird sounds which tightened the bolts . Sorry to hear that from over the pond!
I won't even _think_ of owning (or leasing) a Tesla until they start making them in Germany. But even that is not a guarantee. The culture of quality control and importance of post-sale customer experience takes time to build.
Your experience is different from mine with the same car. However, that said I can totally empathise with your feelings and current state of mind about how you feel about the car. The boot leak and rear lights fogging is not something you would probably pick up on during pre delivery inspection. Same with the motor whine. However they are easy fixes, so shouldn't need to be returned to fix it a second time. The spoiler would have been spotted and agree with you about the poor repair job they have done. I took mine off and re-fitted it myself as I knew I would do a better job as I has time on my side.
Hi James I know how you feel. I bought a new BMW M3 back in 2016 cost me a lot of money on repayments. Had issues with the suspension from the moment I left the show room but BMW were not at all helpful. Palmed me off with a 1.6d shitbox whilst they had my car in for several weeks at a time saying nothing was wrong with the car!? Anyway finally sorted it. Split shock absorbers. Couldn't take too the car and sold it 16 months later for massive loss. We've been very lucky with our M3P had it 12 months now with zero issues. Love it. Sounds like you have a lemon, hand it back if I were you.
Hi James. It’s really sad you feel this way. My M3 LR AWD has been in twice for unrelated problems. First time to Heathrow with a bonnet alignment problem just after I got it. The about a month ago with a squeaking front left suspension after about 10000 miles at Leeds service centre. On both occasions the service was great and the repairs were spot on. Hopefully next time you won’t get the Friday afternoon fix
This is Bad.. but lets be VERY honest here... has anyone ever had a really good top notch finish, panel fit etc.. from a car that was made in the USA? I really struggle to think of any. Most US manufactured cars have failed in the UK market. Usually down to build quality... TESLA is just the latest.. I see a fair few Teslas around here and the fit and finish is really not good... yet people appear happy to turn a blind eye? Better tech will only get you so far... remember Betamax and Video 2000... both were technically better than VHS.. but VHS won the battle. The EV marketplace is the new tech battleground.. there will be winners and losers. TESLA make great batteries.. but they are not the best at manufacturing cars.. Reject the car.. or live with niggling regret
Yes, my 2012 Honda Pilot was built in Alabama and it has outstanding build quality. Did not have one issue at time of purchase or in the eight years and 128K miles since.
Yes, I agree. I don' tlike owning American cars since I feel they are of lower quality than Japanese cars. I don't like that Tesla is American and I'd rather not buy it for that reason. But you have to deal with what you've got.
I'm inclined to agree with you, but only partly. I wholly agree that the main reason American cars fail in Europe is because of build and finish quality. Just look at the Germans, they use far superior materials, aesthetics inside are SO much better and the whole ergonomic driving experience trounces what the American's provide. That said I have a BMW X7 which was built in the USA - the quality is exceptional. I guess the point is that the design is German, but the labour and assembly is American.
@@savedfaves The specifics are different in every state but basically if the car spends x number of days, hours, or weeks in a shop under warranty the manufacturer is legally bound to buy it back or exchange it. It can get messy and most people end up hiring a lawyer.
Persevere, I have had more annoyances with my iPace than my Tesla. If you are planning on handing the car back at the end of the PCP then chill, though the spoiler is a little poor; I would quietly talk to MK SC and not publicise these issues so openly. Honestly what car will be better as an EV? My recommendation is to pre order a Tesla Model S Plaid, yes it will have issues but so what.
James I not able to buy a new electric car at the present time however I love this car however I am put of by the poor build quality interns of owning a second hand one further down the line.The only real advantage Tesla have is the supercharger network. If I was to buy new now I think maybe Mini or a 2008or may be a Hyundai
I've had one the same as James the rear lamp condensation, same unit as James too, a Tesla Ranger came out to me in my case and all ok, disappointing that James didn't get the same service as I on that bit of work.
The sad thing is im seeing this more and more on the owners groups. Still people posting weekly about collecting cars with all sorts of niggles , then the hassle of trying to get them fixed . Ive had a mixed bag of experiences with Tesla service centres , some great with very good coustomer service . some bad with faults left half finished or not addressed at all . have had them Fix one thing that lead to something else not working. The service centres are getting busier and the level of service is suffering.
The car's not his to sell. He's on a PCP which means the car belongs to the finance company until all payments under the agreement have been made. If he can't get the Tesla Service Centre to take the issues seriously he's got to get the finance company involved if he wants to get shot of the car. The problem with that is Tesla are very likely to be his finance company too!
Great honest video. I deliberated long and hard over a M3 and a Macan. Cancelled my £1k deposit and eventually bought the Macan. As much as I love battery cars, and have and still own a Nissan leaf, the build quality of the Tesla just doesn’t appeal. The Macan on the other hand is a phenomenal car. Perfect, and I mean perfect, build quality. It’s quiet, quick, reliable.... and so on. What a real shame Tesla can’t get build quality right. Or listen to customers who really want a heads up display and a few buttons here and there. Polestar anyone?
James I feel for you. As a big promoter of evs and having a reasonably large youtube channel in this sector I would have thought you might get better service than your average Joe. Maybe we are now seeing why a legacy automaker could be a better option and im saying that with a heavy heart.
@@spikebmth I've only once bought a new car in 35 yrs of driving and that cost £5600 . It had no basic manufacturing problems like James tesla has. Neither has any car I've owned. I'm sympathetic to James and his experience. Do you own a model 3 and have you ever had an experience like his with any vehicle?
thats fine but theres nowhere to supercharge the competition, theyve only just woken up, they are years behind on charging infrastructure lets be honest. its ok having a fancy porsche taycan or jag but the charging options are shit.
I’ve got the same car and so far the only issue I have is a creak coming from the lids on the center console. It’s an epic car but I get why you’re frustrated. Don’t bin it, they have a duty to fix it, keep asking them.
For every person with a bad experience with Tesla there’s hundreds that have a great one and have no issues. Aside from a few tiny scratches and a small dent from delivery (which they all fixed) my Model 3 is awesome and Tesla service has been great and easy to deal with.
Sorry, but the stat's do not agree with your experience. It's documented that 40% of Model 3's have faults reported in the first month. I'm not a Tesla hater... they are just the facts!
Sucks that you have had a bad experience. Had an M3 LR with some initial faults (scratches on the steering wheel, some paint chips) but was fixed within 1st month of ownership by Tesla. Since then not a single fault or issue, not even a squeak in the car, all panels super well aligned, etc. Had to sell it in Q2 (thankfully with no loss), but ordered an AWD for Q4 now - hope to remain lucky on the build quality, because these are just so good. Not even sure what alternatives are there realistically (all the similar sized electric cars from competition suck in comparison, including Polestar 2; all the larger ones like EQC and E-Tron have either horrible outdated tech or real bad Wh/Km).
As a fellow performance 3 and stock holder. Really disappointed if this service center is treating you like that. Get rid of it. Need to file a complaint on thay service center.
Tesla should take note - that was mighty important feedback. A previously supportive customer who had a great experience with a Model S, and has wide experience of driving EVs, gives a big thumbs down to ownership of the Model 3. Great car, let down by poor build quality and customer service. I fully understand how you feel James, and seeing that would drive me away from Tesla.
James. Oh dear! It's kind of distressing to see you so disappointed in your car like this. Ok, put it into perspective - they are relatively minor issues and they certainly don't do Tesla any favours in the quality control department. But it is a superb car in most other respects including performance and above all else SAFETY. How long is your lease for? You could put up with the leaky light/boot and whirring motor and keep banging on the TSC's door to get them to fix it properly - and I mean physically bang on their door too and ensure that the manager knows. Your social media presence will certainly attract their attention if it hasn't done already. If you continue to get poor service or are not completely happy you could simply keep the car until the end of your contracted term, hand it back to Tesla and wash your hands of it then. If you really want rid of it now you have to get your finance company involved (I'm guessing that's Tesla Finance?) and fight the fight through them but that won't be easy either. For my two'pennorth, if I was in your shoes, I'd keep it/get it fixed and make a few videos about Tesla's QC issues in the UK and put pressure on them to improve that way. Whatever you decide to do, I hope you get things resolved to your satisfaction. Love yours and Kate's input and contribution to the whole EV subject btw and also love the drives around the Leicestershire countryside - I grew up around those routes :-)
if you take it back or a phone call to tesla explaining the issues they should put you in another one as this may have issues with the car itself, RR did it with myself but i soon got rid of the car i owned at the time anyway.
I don't understand. These are minor issues. I had an Audi, brand new. Paint problems on the rear end, and mighty problem with the engine (burning oil). Transmission software bad which made it go crazy in traffic jams, spinning wheels when accelerating from stand still because of too much torque (solved with a sw update).
I have similar issue with condensation on my 18 yrs old Mazda Bongo Friendee - never bothered to ask Mazda to fix this and found solution... drilled small hole at lense bottom so any condensation drips away
UK law on cars - 30 days to return a car with a major fault (no questions asked) then next phase is 31 days to 6 months - if the car has a problem the dealer has one chance to fix it or you can return it.
www.motoreasy.com/magazine/258/Know-Your-Rights-How-To-Reject-A-Faulty-New-Car#:~:text=What%20Are%20Your%20Rights%20When,one%20chance%20to%20fix%20it. Definition of the major fault the sticky bit...sagging roof lining and water ingress in boot would be tough...but more fundamental/serious problems should hold sway.
Unfortunately this happens with all Manufacturers not just Tesla. I've had my Performance Model 3 for over 2 years now and have had zero issues. I have 33,000 Kms. I've done a couple of tire rotations. One at service dept. and one by Tesla mobile. Both times it was a great experience . Booked appointments on the Tesla App and everything went without a hitch. Maybe you could Tweet Elon about your issues. He has 23 million followers on Twitter. I'm sure he wouldn't like the experience you have had to get around a bigger audience. He will straighten out any issues you are having with Tesla Service I'm sure. Give it a try.
Can I ask a silly question? Why did you get rid of the Model S if you liked it so much? Model S versions maybe because they cost more Telsa has better quality control?
I agree you have some real issues. I have a M3+ and would give anything for a performance. But your steering wheel is on the wrong side and besides I couldn't afford it. Mine is a 2020 I got last October. I have not had one issue. I'm not rubbing it in. Just don't give up on Tesla.
Ouch. For us, a £12k car was a big investment, my spouse had saved a long time and paid cash. Now, being the mechanically-minded one, I noticed one of the panels was slightly out of alignment. I hummed and hawed and finally decided not to say anything, knowing the wife would not notice herself. Where I drew the line was after a year of topping it up with coolant, I realised smells inside from aircon, a juddering clutch and the leaking coolant were all related. THAT I told her about, having sat on it for a year. She was happy, but at the point there was going to be a drive with our daughter to Glasgow Uni 250 miles away, and I would not be there, I realised we had to get it fixed. Long made short, it was a plastic moulded housing full of coolant deep in the guts of the engine bay, that was warped, got replaced, and I'd say MOSTLY cured, up to press. It may well be returning a smidge, but I will monitor this. The repair was £250 or so from a very good garage - exceptional - called Howarths in Mirfield, West Yorkshire. Now, I could have decided to go in early, after three months, to the dealership, and started the whole discussion and handing the car in for them to look at, and all that malarkey that follows. Indeed, I should have done that - but that would be in an ideal world, which we don't possess! So having much experience of this in the past, I opted to stick it out, maintaining the car until the point too much coolant was being used up (became clear it was weather/temperature dependent - hot weather no leaks, cold weather, leaks). I honestly wouldn't dream of taking it back to the dealer for what was an intermittent fault, of weird origin, for many reasons, but here's what one dealer told his customer - that it was a warped cylinder head, and that they'd replaced this and done a load of work associated, under warranty. Hmmm. I don't believe that story. I think, the dealership swapped out the warped plastic coolant moulding, and it's a well-known fault with this car. I think, they told a story to make the customer think they are the best dealership in history and would go to the ends of the earth to fight the customer's corner. This is much more likely and has a basis in selfish behaviour than the version sold to that customer. My usual experience with weird/hard to find/intermittent faults, is they tend to result in fobbing-off to the max, unless it's an actual breakdown issue, which is not the sort of fault I am on about. I am thinking of the injection Cavalier I got, that had what I now know to be an air mass meter failure, such that the car was impossible to drive 'nicely'. It simply did not respond properly to the throttle/accelerator. This is a QUALITATIVE fault, and really you are dependent on the liable party, being amenable to the idea it really does need fixing, and it is squarely theirs to fix. Turning to your own car then, that I could buy about 5 of my wife's cars for the price of, the condensation rear moulding, you have to stop the water getting in, and/or definitely allow a small hole for it to get out. Of course, this issue is a well-known one, that some Teslas have a weird design of rear lip that when the boot/trunk lid went up, it poured water into the boot. The stupid plastic moulded trim that was stuck on with double-sided window tape, is in the same boat as the stick-on number plates. The go-for guy about the dealership was given this job for my wife and put the number plate on squint. Again, I did not advise the wife of this, and fixed it myself, with double-sided window tape. It's still on now, after five years. I carefully pre-curved the alum-backed number plate (tag) so it was a perfect fit to the curve of the car body at the front, and it fit perfect when I put it on finally. Flat and flush. Your little spoiler, is not the precise fit it needs to be, or 'weak' enough it needs to be, flexible enough, to allow even really good sticking tape, to hold it tight on. Now, your whine that I assume you have noted is motor-speed dependant not vehicle speed dependant, obviously could be anything , and it's all quite likely to amount to replacing the electric motor, or as good as. IE getting down to the thing and it being dismantled at that point - that's an axchange job and the factory takes the motor back. Oh hang on - for your car, the motor speed varies constantly in proportion to the vehicle speed, I forgot! But I still take it, you have sussed it's the motor. So, you don't mention the door not quite fitting in alignment, which I could see clearly in the video at the driver's side. That's a small kindness on your part, really it is. If my wife's £12,000 French ICE car had that, I'd probably have told them to fix it before we even would take delivery. Others seem to know the form on this one, and advise guided by what they know, but my own view is, the inconvenience of repeated returns, is problematic for two reasons: ONE it is indeed a PITA, out of all proportion to the results achieved; TWO your view of the automaker and the whole support system, takes a massive knock. And, we haven't even mentioned, the pinch bolts missing their nut on the lower front arm (wishbone) on some recent EVs let go to customers, by this same supplier, Tesla. A borderline criminal act - I mean, in the 1980's a lawsuit was won against Porsche for not warning buyers who crashed the car, that it was in fact rear-engined and prone to more sudden 'letting-go' than the owner might be used to. Absolutely feel for you - as a guitarist said to me once however - it pays to get enjoyment from things that are less subject to the vagaries of the outside world. I paraphrase, I think he said my motorbike was obviously my pride and joy, and little oiks would be prone to f$$$ing around with it, where his guitar never got left alone outside, but you get the idea. It's a negotiation it seems to me, a return is proportionately more straightforward, the less weeks since you took possession, and the fewer miles you put on it, and the more immediately you advised the supplier of the problems, and the more times they've been given reasonable access and tried and failed to rectify, and of course, the more serious the issue. So, I'd bet your biggest stick of all, is simply they want you back onside, because all of your issues could be trivialised by a cynical party James. Not at all fairly of course, but this can result in dragging things on - note the points above about what stuff makes returning the vehicle easy or hard. Good Luck, this is not deserved.
Sad to see you guys having so many issues. I umed and ahed about going m3 or kona to replace my i3 rex. Went kona premium se on lease in the end. Love the car but seeing this makes me more relieved. I'll wait a few years till the kinks are ironed out. I dont do enough motorway driving to pay the extra for the super charger. I'm in to the 3rd week on one charge. still driving to work and still have 70 miles range left 😂.
If you’ve ever watched Sandy Munro Chanel, he doesn’t rate the model 3 in his tear down in fact only the model Y received his high praise. I really feel for you and your situation and I’m sure somebody better qualified than me will give you the right advice. I’m just glad now that I opted for the Kia Nero 4+ instead of the Tesla which was on our short list.. I hope you get it sorted soon.
The original Performance came without it, and they supplied it loose to purchasers later for them to fit themselves. New ones come fitted. apparently Centre deficiencies.
Just sell the car and put it all behind you. Personally, I have the exact same model and trim and I love it despite having the same tail light and spoiler issues. The service centre fixed it and I consider it a small price to pay for a car which is a dream to drive and blows 2x more expensive cars away.
Mine was delivered on the 28th of September and they couldn't get it off the trailer because it wouldn't engage into reverse. Also, the trim was hanging off the b pillar so god knows who checked it over before it left wherever it came from. Since then no-one from Tesla has called me and I've emailed and rang numerous times to be fobbed off about when it will be ready. Customer service is terrible considering its a 50k long range Model 3. Very disappointed.
This is making me feel like I need to take the Model Y off my list of possible replacements for my current car. Give them a second chance to put right but make sure you state your intentions to reject the car if not resolved. If you successfully reject it, the full purchase price is returnable, so on PCP I believe that you get back the capital element of payments, just not any interest.
My best mate got the model 3 soon after they became available. I was a little jealous.... Unfortunately he has had lots of issues and has now sold it and purchased another popular brand of ev car. I am about to make the ev leap and will definitely be given this a miss.
Keep your wife happy, keep it! Ask that they dry fit a few different spoilers to see what fits best! Carbon is never identical.. Demand they order a new boot and replace it instead of complaining on the internet. That will fix your condensation problem. Drivetrain has a hefty warantee, and it has two motors, drive it hard and get the motor replaced if it has any problems beyond what you think you hear.
All those things can and I’m sure will be fixed, mobile service can do the spoiler and light can’t they? It’s a great car, but yes quality is highly variable. I think the good points outweigh the bad in most cases, however the M3P is at a price point where it is harder to forgive than it is with an SR+.
TESLA are allowed 3 attempts to rectify the faults, if they don`t rectify it by the 3rd attempt you can refuse it under the consumer good`s act. SIMPLES.
@Wooly Chewbakker Very helpful, thanks, We have an issue with our new Kona. We made same mistake, allowing Hyundai to attempt a repair, they are still trying to repair a related issue, with our delivery issue (we didn't notice until 4hrs after pick up).
With Tesla, I was always concerned that, if an owner had a problem, the absence of a dealer network would mean getting the problem sorted would be far harder...great video and speaks of the fact that Tesla's increased production has caused a decline in quality?
What is going on at Milton Keynes SC? They haven't bothered to fix it properly and clearly no one has checked the technician's work. I love the comment about being unable to test it at high speed - because the M1 isn't near Milton Keynes at all is it?
This was hard to watch, you are usually very upbeat about Tesla's so hopefully Tesla are watching and will take these issues seriously and get their act together regarding build quality and after sales service. I'm a potential model 3 or Y buyer but it's not gonna happen till they have a better reputation.
![Tee Grizzley - Blow for Blow (feat. J. Cole) [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/wNLN5xsx5dc/mqdefault.jpg)
The tolerance that Tesla owners have for quality issues that buyers of brands of other new cars would simply not tolerate never ceases to amaze me.
Did u not watch the video? he wants rid of it because he has a bit of water in the boot and they didnt use enough sticky back plastic on his fin.
Jokes apart, hes right Tesla servicing is not great, ive had a mixed bag tbh. like the quality of their model 3's, its a bit of a lottery, (I did some research on problems like door alignment, condensated lights, unstuck spoilers, paint missing....its plastered all over reddit forum so I knew there was a risk of one or all of these faults BEFORE i purchased the car).
Ive had dealings with them 5 times since April.
1) took a month to buy a spare performance wheel from Dartford,
Service girl was also rude to me on phone when i was chasing up why they had cancelled my wheel order during the process. When it arrived they fitted a new tyre and the new wheel.
2) Dartford cancelled appointment by text 5 mins before he was due at my home saying technician was "sick ......
3) After they did come a week or so later he made more things wrong when trying to correct the initial problem (he damaged boot liningtrying to reposition rear light, he didnt click drivers pillar cover in properly so it vibrated when driving, Door was aligned better as gap was tapered but shutting door was not right)
I decided to try a different service centre, Milton Keynes......
4) Milton Keynes Cancelled mobile technician a day before he was due by text, saying parts not in stock after i had booked 2 or 3 weeks prior to this message.
5) Mobile technician (from MK) was fantastic, he put right all the (minor) fuckups Dartford had made on the first visit.
Think I might now have a boot leak, which i never noticed before, not sure if its related to light replacement and boot lining replacement where they have to remove certain trim. Have another appointment booked whilst I wait for it to rain to be 100% sure if and where its getting in. Number 6 coming up....😁
BUT i still love the car. I know its weird but like lots of cars, lots have qwerks and faults but cars always have fans I guess. The performance model 3 just puts a smile on your face everytime you drive it. For me it does anyways......
I hope Kate wins him over and he gives Tesla another chance to put things right, they will 2nd time round im sure of it.
We (Tesla owners) feel the same way about powertrain issues the big car manufactures have. Every vehicle will have compromises, and since owning my Model 3P, I’ve never once had car envy for anything else.
@@MrMgivens
Except that if you do research you can find a car that doesn't have any issues. Toyota Camry Toyota Corolla etc You're not going to have any powertrain issues either And no fit and finish issues. Sure it's a boring car it's basically an appliance on wheels. It's also not likely need to go to the shop ever.
I've got a 12-year-old Prius 335,000 miles.
I bought it used with 200k on it, and I put 135,000 on it in two years.
@@kens97sto171 I had a 2010 Prius. The most practical , reliable and cheapest car I have ever owned. Average 58mpg over the 85,000 miles and minimal servicing costs. Because it was frugal I didn't hang around particularly on the motorways, and I would often load it up with building materials so it was on the floor. Would have bought the later model if it were not so ugly.
There is a real simple explanation: Tesla owners are idiots.
James my friend is a salesman here’s what he’s said to me I’ll paste his reply.
You need to contact the finance company because they have an invested interest in the car, they will get in contact with the dealer direct and try to come to an agreement. They will have to provide proof that the vehicle has been repaired to manufacturers standards and if the fault cannot be repaired then they will have to
A. Take the car back and your friend can walk away
Or
B. The dealer will have to find a replacement vehicle.
Hope this helps
"to manufacturers standards"
There you go
Thank you 🙏🏻
Scott Mccauley Have you drove 1?
@@guyontheinternet8891 To be fair on the whole they are massively easier to repair yourself. Say you needed to replace the drive motor in a Leaf - it shouldn't take more than a couple of hours at most. Whereas a new engine in a Qashqai would write off a comparable aged car due to labour cost alone, never mind the engine! It's the fact that EV's are so inherently simple that worries the motor industry no end. Currently repairs and servicing makes up the bulk of a dealers income. That could be wiped out by the reliability of EV drivetrains. Yes there are some complex electronics, but generally they are plug-and-play for those that know how.
But Tesla really need to stop taking such an arrogant approach to customer service, I love what they do but agree if they carry on like this, the best cars in the world (which by most metrics they are) won't win people over if the service is so poor.
I have a 3 standard and it's been fine I issues except range is nothing like what is published
Let’s make it simple take away the Manufacturer just for a second! These issues are simply unacceptable on any brand new vehicle and certainly one that commands a relatively high price. The manufacturer in question still won’t sign aftermarket manufacturer agreements enabling some parts to be available without the need to pay higher prices at the main dealership. So they have complete control of their aftermarket business too! This for me does not create competition which in turn means paying a higher price for repairs in the future. While build quality is an issue now on these new models, this will sadly possibly lead to more problems later in the Vehicles life. Tesla are aware of their issues but more worryingly are still sending the vehicles out in this condition, obviously due to the needs to meet the financial side of things. But in turn if this isn’t sorted out soon could have a real detrimental effect on their business. Fantastic Platform! Fantastic Battery Management System & Software all class leading. But build quality and having issues like James is having, will always stick in an Owners mind when looking at making a future purchase of a car.
Return the car
We all get bad cars sometimes dude
From every manufacturer
Tesla should exchange it
That’s so sad to see. I recognise your demeanour instantly. I’ve been there in the past with products that have let me down and I know that feeling where the hassle has been so great that you just have enough of it. Especially gutting when it’s something you’ve been looking forward to for so long.
I seem to be seeing and hearing more of these kind of stories lately. I can’t work out whether it’s because they’re just selling more cars or if it’s because something has changed within the company, but they really need to get a handle on this.
Again, sorry to hear your woes. Hope it gets sorted (one way or the other) for you soon.
I feel for you, I had all sorts of issues with my 2017 Model X and felt the same way for quite some time. One issue, with the driver window rattling went in so many times that I lost count. Had nearly give up on it when a mobile technician looked at it an knew straight away what the problem was. Someone, had cut/shaved its lower gasket so that it wouldn’t squeak (presumably after they replaced it after some major sensor replacement work, as that is when the rattling started), nit realising that the lower pressure resulting from that wouldn’t keep the window firmly in place. I was gobsmacked, it took nearly two years of me bringing it up every time the car went in for service, which happened a lot because my sensors have had to be replaced a few times, before it finally got fixed. I have always put my problems up to it being in the first batch of RHD Model Xs and Tilburg just majestically messing it up. Now, the only thing that still nags me is that my screen gets garbled quite often and Tesla always has me reinstall the firmware, claiming it to be a software issue. That usually works for a short while, then the garbling starts again. My worry is, what if it actually is an MCU issue and it finally fully craps out after my warranty period has expired, which is coming up soon? I never see it mentioned in any of the many Tesla related videos I watch so that kind of worries me...
Any way, all this to say, I think that, unfortunately, you got a lemon... if you don’t want it to take years for all the niggles to get fixed (they eventually will) and you can return it, you should.
Tesla does not seem to care much about the UK (don’t know why) as service (response and quality) is not what you would expect from a luxury car, and the Supercharger rollout is moving at a snail pace, or at least feels that way, when you look at how quickly they are rolling out in the US and China...
Tesla has been blowing it for several years now on build quality and inconsistent service experience.
My 2015 Model S 70D has been a great car, but my experience with service centers has been well below par. Mobile service has been a little better but they cannot fix everything. You have an advantage in the UK over us in the US in that your EV charging network by other than Tesla is far better than the US.
Most NON-Tesla EV networks here are few and far between and when you do find them they have broken charging stations and are often overpriced. Even the new ones being installed by the VW diesel-gate agreement are below par, compared to the Tesla charging network.
With all the new EV's being introduced, especially those by Korean makers, Tesla's charging network is now the only advantage they have over other manufacturers here in the US. But in the UK, based on many of the youtube shows from there, it appears you're charging networks are as good as Tesla's and so you could get a non-Tesla EV, with good build quality, a good dealer network and drive it without range anxiety because of the growing non-Tesla EV charging networks in the UK and Europe.
Bottom line. After 3-5 years of crappy build quality and increasingly bad service experiences, Tesla corporate is failing to take corrective action and after that span of time it appears they will never learn, which could result in their ultimate death. Games and movies on a touch screen are just not enough to keep the company alive. You should not have to take it back a second time to fix such easily repairable defects.
One would hope that Tesla would pay attention to RUclipsrs like yourself and get their act together, but Elon is clearly not paying attention or is working under the false impressive that all is well with customer service when in fact, Tesla has some of the worst customer service in the industry.
Like you, I have bent over backwards in support of Tesla, but enough is enough.
snake oil.. they sell you the future and deliver the past!
Same James. I’ve had so many issues with Tesla service. They state they fix something - they never did and then new issues pop up. My final straw was when the warranty is up what will happen? Sold the Tesla and got a Chevrolet Bolt; not a single red issue with it.
Yeah, lots of used appearing on autotrader that have very low mileages..... Makes me wonder why?
Have a model 3 long range got 6k miles on it never had a problem, just my experience. I’ve heard about issues but am lucky enough not to have any
Hi James ill reiterate what others have said by getting in touch with finance company and tell them the issues and not repaired and then say "the car is not fit for purpose "
How does a slightly loose spoiler and a humid light qualify as not fit for purpose?
Drives just fine. Drives efficiently. 🤷♂️
Don't think I'd be impressed by tape to fix it but sounds like he's after a sculpture not a car. The car is fine isn't it?
@@Lewis_Standing its a legality Lewis when the supplier keeps failing to repair your car correctly,so are you saying when your paying close to 40k for a car your be ok with the issues james and Kate keep having ?
Looks like the service centre in question is to blame and should be reported.
There are service centres in other countries with the same kinds of issue ...
I was thinking this too. All the issues you are having is service centre related. All WARRANTY. All should be replaced. Also I doubt the rear light has faded but if there is any difference I would push for both sides to be replaced. I would be also sending an email to Tesla head office with a link to your RUclips vid. The vid of the motor sound should also be enough and if not, bring a service guy for a ride. As for all the people just saying how bad Tesla build is... I have to say Cars today are complicated and after service support is not optional but mandatory for part of the price.
I think we have been blinded by the tech. Which other 50k car would you buy and make excuses for the build quality etc. Too many issues for such an expensive car but they are still selling.
Too many issues for any car, irrespective of price.
Can you imagine a budget brand like Dacia having these quality issues. Everyone would be ripping them to pieces.
I've seen people lambast other ev manufacturers for poor service / defects, then buy a Tesla and defend the same.
It's the Tesla effect.......
...I was looking to buy then steered away, like James these types of issues drive me nuts
@John Edwards "econo box plastic car" Well that is one way to describe a car with a full carbon fibre chassis I suppose.
@John Edwards You know what else has a chassis that is just plastic wrapped in carbon? The McLaren F1.
The chassis of the i3 is carbon fibre.
@John Edwards Carbon fibre reinforced polymer, or carbon fibre reinforced plastic, or carbon fibre reinforced thermoplastic, or carbon composite, or carbon fibre. Call it what you like. The i3's chassis is made of carbon firbre.
It is purely in you imagination that it is made of something else that is somehow plastic and has carbon fibres but is not carbon fibre.
Yes the "skateboard" is made of other materials, that is not the chassis.
@John Edwards Where is your evidence?
Hey James, you seem emotional about the situation and I can empathise especially as it’s a big purchase. The shoddy repair/treatment has soured the experience, is there any recourse with Tesla before you move on? Your mind seems made up but other manufacturers are not absolved from similar treatment or issues with their cars. Hope you find a resolution but for now maybe take a step back and let the dust settle as long as Tesla are engaging on the matter. Personally I have had issues on my model x but tesla in Ireland have been very accommodating and helpful in resolving the issues. Wouldn’t change to another brand but that’s just me. Stay safe.
Redmantech nice comment.
I don’t blame you James. How far away would be an alternative service centre be?
Thanks, James. I have been studying Tesla and wanting to get a Model 3 for about a year now, but every time I finally make the decision to follow through on that, I come across yet ANOTHER tale of woe, like this one, that changes my mind AGAIN. Perhaps I should just learn to read the bloody writing on the wall and buy one more high end ICE car and see how the EV market pans out over the next 3 or 4 years. Tesla make the best EV and certainly have the best charging network, BUT they fail at build quality and customer service . Maybe they will be forced to improve as competition looms, and other charging networks mature, over the next 4 years. I wish you and Kate all the best in getting it either sorted or sold.
Philip T Get an ID.4, Enyaq or similar.
@@VirtuellJo Thanks. I think the closest competitor non-Tesla EV is the Polestar 2. Looks great and certainly better built, but range is shorter, charging is slower and the CCS charging network here in Canada is not that great.
Philip T I’m not sure what your timeline is for purchasing an EV, but if it goes into next year then why not wait for a giga Berlin built model 3, model Y because I believe they are going to be the best built teslas yet. In the meantime this may help balance your thoughts 💭.dated 3rd Sept. 2020 www.teslarati.com/tesla-model-3-most-reliable-ev-executive-car-uk-award/
Philip T the Polestar 2 is surtenly not a bad buy. For me I still would rather have the Volvo XC40 EV or the Nissan Ariya. It still looks like VW, Skoda, Seat, Audi with MEB will beat every one in availabilty and quality. Do not forgett the Koreans in all this. They are also great value for money. If you hva the time to wait the ID.5 will be available in 2022 and it is rumored to have an 111kWh battery pack option.
It depends on the size of vehicle. Skoda Citi go for small, Renault Zoe for slightly bigger but then it gets complicated.
Also the finance company effectively own the car so they also should be put in the picture. Let them take the problem direct to tesla. If product is faulty it could.just be swapped out for a replacement vehicle. Best wishes to all the family btw😎🙃👍
I completely understand where James is coming from. It isn't just about the shoddy workmanship, he expected that. It's that environment where you are having to repeatedly point out and chase problems they are not resolving. That would wind me up. Any other car I would take it to a local workshop I had confidence in and tell them to sort it out but a Tesla car I would think twice. Tesla today is about reducing cost and beating targets so I wouldn't be surprised if the poor workmanship continues until manufacturing capacity met demand. James, you need to careful the non collections will not appear on your credit file.
Not good is it only a few months old what else is going to go wrong next, your paying a lot of money for something that isn’t up to standard. You’ve given Tesla opportunity to try and fix the issues but they haven’t and now you’ve lost faith in the car, they should do the right thing and either give you a refund or offer a replacement.
I’m not a fanboy and I get being unhappy with it, but I was expecting serious issues... and you’ve got a slightly unstuck spoiler and rear light condensation? I’ve had both of those, it’s definitely a problem, and in the case of the condensation a widely experienced one, but it’s fixable, and minor in the grand scheme of things.
The rear lights can be replaced by mobile service - zero hassle. I’ve heard of people getting the spoiler done that way too. Is that not an option for you?
All told loving the car is a feeling so I can’t tell you that you should, but at the same time I feel like this stuff is all really minor in the grand scheme of things. There’s no EV that comes close to what this car offers, and I’m sure you’d have complaints with those too.
I'm glad you've finally decided not to put up with it any more. There are way too many apologists for basic build quality issues that any other car manufacturer would get roasted for.
I have similar issues with the SR+ model 3. It never had the promised rated range, after a month it had -12% and now 10mo later its -13.8%... (they say within spec!!) Also: steering wheel leather comes off, water it lights, paint issues, leaking water, misaligned trunk damaging bumper... All takes a “fight” and multiple appointments to fix, biggest problem batterh they dont fix because warranty is for -30%
James, honestly Kate is right and you are wrong. The spoiler is a non issue. Worst case scenario it falls off and Tesla replace it. Boot leak/condensation- keep complaining to Tesla and it will get fixed or they will replace the boot lid. Finance - if you have a single email showing that you try to pay that is legally admissible so any legal action that they might take they would lose. Companies are smart, they would not pursue a case they are guaranteed to lose. I get that you are annoyed that you have been given the run around, but realistically you are not going to get a full refund and what you actually want are the problems resolved, which they will as it is under warranty, so the more times that you bring it in the stronger the case for them sorting it out (new boot lid) to free up time/resources for other customers. Even if you did get your money back you won’t find a car as good today or for some time to come.
I don’t know legally where you stand but I asked in writing for a refund after 3 months because of various faults with my Model 3 and to my surprise Tesla offered me a full refund as a gesture of goodwill. Maybe email the service centre with a “enoughs, enough” style email and see what they say. When I’d looked into it you could return a car for a full refund within 6 months as long as there was a manufacturing fault and you had given them the opportunity to try and repair it. But honestly it didn’t get to that point for me, I asked and they said ok (took about 2 weeks).
Is your MG better? Serious question
I think James and Kate are the channel that said something along the lines of if Tesla made the MG ZSEV it wouldn't be half as well built.
As an owner i can say the MG EV is really well built
@@mmrazovic just answering @Raj Bradwal's question what the problem with that ? or are just trying to be annoying?
Better question: is this experience with the Model 3 worth €49,000.
I can't even with this. It's incredibly frustrating to see this :/
I'm glad people like this man are willing to reveal the ugly truth. I love Tesla but dam.. they have obvious quality control issues.
So the complain is: There is water getting into one tail light, and the spoiler is not attached sturdily?
I can't even tell if you're saying water is still getting into your trunk. And for that, you want to be able to return the car?
I understand that it's new, and shouldn't do that. Still, that seems extreme.
I had to reject a Suzuki Vitara after 3 weeks, the finance company told me to contact the dealer, then dealer said it wasn’t there problem . The dealer a few hours later said they would replace it. The car wouldn’t start and 4 times car died when on the road. Suzuki GB only offered me a free service.
There's no excuse for that. I don't even get the attitude of placing the onus on the buyer to have to run around, book appointments to fix all the faults which are present on delivery. They should at least own the faults and proactively sort them out with no inconvenience to the customer.
My brother in law has 3 dual motor $76,000 CDN. While we agree it's an amazing driving car, from a quality control perspective, it's unacceptable the issues it has, considering that those same issues are also unacceptable on a $25,000 car!
So sad to hear your experience is not good. I know you have a lot of patience.
I had issues too with my M3P. I booked it in and they kept it for a month This included respray of the boot, realignment of the door and replacements tail light. All fixed. Recently all 4 rotors had bad scoring due to lack of use and they replaced all 4 rotors and pads under warranty. I was expecting issues on collection, but to be honest after 20k miles it's been faultless. Have you tried booking into a different dealer? May be they would be more thorough with their repairs.
The strategy is: Invest in Tesla but buy a Kia Soul
The stock won't stay high forever if the quality is this bad. Trick is just to guess when the bubble pops.
My strategy exactly... or maybe the Nissan Ariya, Kia E-Niro, or really... take your pick. But stay away from Tesla. Great battery tech, but terrible cars.
KIA SOUL = KOREAM GOLF CART.
@@markplott4820 Tesla = American CRAP!
Agree on invest, but Kia e-niro smoother more spacious than Soul. Lots of local Kia dealers and service as well as 7 year warranty.
Sounds like the spoiler could be letting in water (are there any clip in holes?), causing the drip when you open the boot, and the fogging of the rear light (which also sounds like a poor weather seal somewhere). Find out where Tesla accident repairs are done, and get them to address the spoiler (new boot?!), that should be 3 of the issues fixed. Good Luck!
As a non Tesla owner I’ve seen enough for me to stay that way. I mean look at the lower window trim between front and rear doors.
I was walking in midtown Manhattan yesterday. Saw a Tesla and the back light had condensation/water in it. I thought that was strange. It appears to be common sadly. I've had front lights in my car get condensation when it was about 15 years old!!!!
I was kind of approaching the same point. But after 5 months they finally fixed all the faults including fitting a new front bumper. They also discovered the car had very low battery coolant levels on delivery. Tesla quality control is non existent. Buying one is like roulette, you might get a good one, you might not.
If you get a good SC they'll probably fix it, just maybe not quickly
Yes it is Roulette.
I have a friend who bought two Model 3's at the same time, one for him one for his wife.
His wife's car, while not perfect, has generally been fine.
His car has had many repeat problems and failures to fix at the service center. Total lemon.
Both cars delivered an serviced by the same service center. Two totally different experiences.
I don't have a dog in this fight, but I drove a Mercedes AMG C63 S for four years. Just got rid of it and got my first Tesla - A model 3 performance. The things you point out are indeed bothersome, but my Mercedes, at close to 50% more expensive than the my Model 3 Performance, had issues too...the eco mode never worked (where it was supposed to shut off at lights), the battery would drain unnecessarily and was never resolved, the service center ordered the wrong tires and kept the car for 2 weeks until they got their shit together, the entertainment center would just shut off on its own randomly and would not start again until it decided, it was ridiculously expensive to operate - went through fossil juice like it had hole in the tank, every time I took it in it cost me $2k or $3k USD, had to buy Z-rated tires 2 - 3x per year ($450 USD per tire), went through brakes as if I drove around with the parking break on all the time, and worst thing about it - my model 3 performance would smoke the shit out of it along with almost anything else on the road in a red light race (with the exception of perhaps a Porsche Turbo S, and all that performance for a fraction of the cost). Yeah, there are some things on my model 3 that I'm not so keen on...the interior lacks a bit compared to the European and American autos...but these things are inconsequential to me. The Model 3 Performance IMO is a feat in engineering technology...it's an incredible car to me. Any other issues to me are meaningless so far. Simple things like being able to send directions from Google Maps on my Android to my Tesla, which my Mercedes wasn't even vaguely close to doing. The fossil juice cars are so far behind from a technology standpoint it's not even close. And the recent bump in range just showed how the traditional car companies are likely not going to catch Tesla. Tesla is a pure-play EV company...not a petrol car company that was caught flat footed and now trying to build EVs. To me it feels like the 90s when the Blackberry came out and then the real phone competitors were Ericson and Nokia...then along came along two tech companies named Google and Apple that upended the whole industry. I'm a month in on my Model 3 - I'm anxiously awaiting the Plaid to come out and hopefully can get my hands on that one next year if it's out.
It's so refreshing to see an honest, straightforward review like this. Thanks so much!
Sorry to hear this James. We rarely hear a negative review by you. I wish you all the best and I hope your situation gets resolved. Actually, it is also making me seriously think about not getting a Tesla M3.
Hm. Dont let your choice depend on a single video of a guy who had some bad luck. I was lucky and got that same car. Still, after a year the best choice I have ever made.
@@Hermanbrood26 Thank you. Point taken. I stand corrected 🤗
@@kurriedone741 But also don't let your choice be swayed by just one comment. LOok for it yourself. Find things out that are really common and decide if those are concerning for you. If you think the tech is the only good thing about a Tesla. You might want to reconsider. Because the value of a Tesla is only in the tech and performance, the rest is basically below avg. And in a few years we will have electric BMWs, Mercedes and Audis in the same price range, with better build bodywork and interiors, but similar performance and tech (though less gimmicks)
@@Astke Hello, thank you. Very good points. I appreciate it because at the moment I am driving a BMW I3. I had a mark 1 Nissan LEAF for four years. I definitely can see the difference between the two and the amount of progress made as far as build quality and battery. Thank you for taking the time to write to me. Have a good day 🤗.
Hope berlin production will address these kind of quality issues
This is the problem with Tesla. Unlike the major German brands, who have been building cars for years (and with that have learnt a LOT of lessons), Tesla are still very new to this game. The price you pay for a Tesla is much more than you would pay for an Audi, BMW or Mercedes, but the build quality and aesthetics are nowhere near. Tesla are more akin to VW, Peugeot, Renault, Citroen in terms or aesthetics and build quality, but their price is more akin to Porsche!
I had the eGolf and I drove the Tesla first. I can surely tell you that the build quality is nowhere near VW more like an older Cadillac with a few miles on the clock. Typical american build quality I'm afraid.
I fully understand how you feel, I’d be the same. Good luck with what ever decision you make James. Shouldn’t be feeling the way you are on a car costing that much dosh.
Really feel for you chap, I know how gut wrenchingly frustrating and disheartening this sort of thing can be. QA/QC in the UK needs a huge overall IMHO, the business is very much now driven by accountants/spreadsheets/number and the WS attitude - live from qtr to qtr.I also feel that there are too many people who are afraid of Elon to tell the truth and to give the bad news and this is a side affect of his mamagement style and attitude. I do hope that with Giga-Berlin this will change a little and a more focus on QA/QC will return rather than “hitting the numbers”. Quarterly pushses will always drive this sort of behaviour and he si reqarding this without seemingly being informed of the consequences. You look back at his older vids and he was much more interested in delivering the right customer experience, attention to detail, getting it fixed and prioritising the customer where he understood that the numbers would come if you go the product and experience right … now he seems too interested on naming his kids with some random computer code core dump and deciding that he needs less material things in his life …. sometimes I think he needs a slap from his mom….
Hi James, been following you and Kate for some years and now a Tesla owner partly because of you guys, Ben and EVM. Our Model 3 performance is just an awesome car, we have honestly had no issues and driven from Buckingham to Paris on the spur of the moment with absolute confidence. Having said that I do not have experience of Tesla service and will report such when I do. Having had a 40kw leaf and lived the Rapidgate nightmare, which my local dealer basically denied all knowledge of, we got rid of that early to buy our Tesla. No regrets from me and looking forward to the model Y. I think my point is, stick with it.... because there are no other BEV cars out there yet that can live with the efficiency, usability and infrastructure.
I dont see the advantage personally in buying the performance over the AWD. You get a faster speed. But the AWD long range is very fast and you can even buy a performance upgrade for it. The performance gets an underline under the "dual motor" better brakes (which according to after-market companies aren't that good for a track anyway) and a slightly faster top speed, wheels that'll break on potholes because of the narrow tyres, and worse range. save £10k and get the AWD. You'll also feel £10k richer.
I 100% agree with everything you’ve just said. I made a mistake going for the P model. 🤦♂️
This would be my attitude if my car had the same issues. So far, it has stopped me from buying.
Thx for the video!
My Dad's 2004 Prius had an issue with condensation in all of the lamps. Not sure what I was thinking but had put a couple of pads in it to absorb the excess moisture thinking maybe that it was the seals around the lamps themselves that were leaking, there was nearly 250,000 miles on it at the time. Turned out there was a leak in the roof!
Though if the seals on the lamps were leaking not sure what a couple of bags of calcium choride could have done to help it!!!!
I feel your disappointment. But in perspective its a) leaking light bay, poorly fitting spoiler c) motor whine which appears to be getting better?
payment system will sort itself out in due course.
Sorry for your troubles I totally understand how you feel, there is no excuse for it.
This has probably been said a 100 times already James, but Tesla have had a chance to fix the faults and failed, therefore under the 2015 Consumer Rights Act you can reject the car within 6 months of purchase and get your money back.
You could of course also contact Tesla UK and complain that the Milton Keynes service centre have failed to rectify the faults and give them a chance to fix it at another service centre, give you loan car until it is repaired to your satisfaction. Tesla's reputation is on the line here.
I’ve had three Tesla and two Model 3 Performances. Never had any issues except for driver seat making weird sounds which tightened the bolts . Sorry to hear that from over the pond!
I won't even _think_ of owning (or leasing) a Tesla until they start making them in Germany. But even that is not a guarantee. The culture of quality control and importance of post-sale customer experience takes time to build.
Your experience is different from mine with the same car. However, that said I can totally empathise with your feelings and current state of mind about how you feel about the car. The boot leak and rear lights fogging is not something you would probably pick up on during pre delivery inspection. Same with the motor whine. However they are easy fixes, so shouldn't need to be returned to fix it a second time. The spoiler would have been spotted and agree with you about the poor repair job they have done. I took mine off and re-fitted it myself as I knew I would do a better job as I has time on my side.
Hi James I know how you feel. I bought a new BMW M3 back in 2016 cost me a lot of money on repayments. Had issues with the suspension from the moment I left the show room but BMW were not at all helpful. Palmed me off with a 1.6d shitbox whilst they had my car in for several weeks at a time saying nothing was wrong with the car!? Anyway finally sorted it. Split shock absorbers. Couldn't take too the car and sold it 16 months later for massive loss. We've been very lucky with our M3P had it 12 months now with zero issues. Love it. Sounds like you have a lemon, hand it back if I were you.
Hi James. It’s really sad you feel this way. My M3 LR AWD has been in twice for unrelated problems. First time to Heathrow with a bonnet alignment problem just after I got it. The about a month ago with a squeaking front left suspension after about 10000 miles at Leeds service centre. On both occasions the service was great and the repairs were spot on. Hopefully next time you won’t get the Friday afternoon fix
This is Bad.. but lets be VERY honest here... has anyone ever had a really good top notch finish, panel fit etc.. from a car that was made in the USA? I really struggle to think of any. Most US manufactured cars have failed in the UK market. Usually down to build quality... TESLA is just the latest..
I see a fair few Teslas around here and the fit and finish is really not good... yet people appear happy to turn a blind eye?
Better tech will only get you so far... remember Betamax and Video 2000... both were technically better than VHS.. but VHS won the battle. The EV marketplace is the new tech battleground.. there will be winners and losers. TESLA make great batteries.. but they are not the best at manufacturing cars..
Reject the car.. or live with niggling regret
Yes, my 2012 Honda Pilot was built in Alabama and it has outstanding build quality. Did not have one issue at time of purchase or in the eight years and 128K miles since.
Yes, I agree. I don' tlike owning American cars since I feel they are of lower quality than Japanese cars. I don't like that Tesla is American and I'd rather not buy it for that reason. But you have to deal with what you've got.
I'm inclined to agree with you, but only partly. I wholly agree that the main reason American cars fail in Europe is because of build and finish quality. Just look at the Germans, they use far superior materials, aesthetics inside are SO much better and the whole ergonomic driving experience trounces what the American's provide. That said I have a BMW X7 which was built in the USA - the quality is exceptional. I guess the point is that the design is German, but the labour and assembly is American.
In America we have “Lemon Law”. I believe the UK has something similar.
Murphy's law?
@@savedfaves The specifics are different in every state but basically if the car spends x number of days, hours, or weeks in a shop under warranty the manufacturer is legally bound to buy it back or exchange it. It can get messy and most people end up hiring a lawyer.
Persevere, I have had more annoyances with my iPace than my Tesla. If you are planning on handing the car back at the end of the PCP then chill, though the spoiler is a little poor; I would quietly talk to MK SC and not publicise these issues so openly. Honestly what car will be better as an EV? My recommendation is to pre order a Tesla Model S Plaid, yes it will have issues but so what.
James I not able to buy a new electric car at the present time however I love this car however I am put of by the poor build quality interns of owning a second hand one further down the line.The only real advantage Tesla have is the supercharger network.
If I was to buy new now I think maybe Mini or a 2008or may be a Hyundai
I'm sorry to hear you've had so many problems. I wonder how common cases like this are
I've had one the same as James the rear lamp condensation, same unit as James too, a Tesla Ranger came out to me in my case and all ok, disappointing that James didn't get the same service as I on that bit of work.
Geoff Jones I’ve had 2 rear nearside light clusters replaced, both times at home - no problem really but slightly annoying - great car otherwise
The sad thing is im seeing this more and more on the owners groups. Still people posting weekly about collecting cars with all sorts of niggles , then the hassle of trying to get them fixed .
Ive had a mixed bag of experiences with Tesla service centres , some great with very good coustomer service . some bad with faults left half finished or not addressed at all . have had them Fix one thing that lead to something else not working. The service centres are getting busier and the level of service is suffering.
I agree in your circumstance James. Sell the car and get something better for you.
The car's not his to sell. He's on a PCP which means the car belongs to the finance company until all payments under the agreement have been made. If he can't get the Tesla Service Centre to take the issues seriously he's got to get the finance company involved if he wants to get shot of the car. The problem with that is Tesla are very likely to be his finance company too!
Great honest video. I deliberated long and hard over a M3 and a Macan. Cancelled my £1k deposit and eventually bought the Macan. As much as I love battery cars, and have and still own a Nissan leaf, the build quality of the Tesla just doesn’t appeal. The Macan on the other hand is a phenomenal car. Perfect, and I mean perfect, build quality. It’s quiet, quick, reliable.... and so on. What a real shame Tesla can’t get build quality right. Or listen to customers who really want a heads up display and a few buttons here and there. Polestar anyone?
James I feel for you. As a big promoter of evs and having a reasonably large youtube channel in this sector I would have thought you might get better service than your average Joe. Maybe we are now seeing why a legacy automaker could be a better option and im saying that with a heavy heart.
and the rest of should accept to be fobbed off from dealers when we have issues?
@@spikebmth I've only once bought a new car in 35 yrs of driving and that cost £5600 . It had no basic manufacturing problems like James tesla has. Neither has any car I've owned. I'm sympathetic to James and his experience. Do you own a model 3 and have you ever had an experience like his with any vehicle?
@@ImplyDods Yes, we have rejection issues with a Hyundai Kona.
@@spikebmth sorry Spike for being a bit thick but whats rejection issues?
thats fine but theres nowhere to supercharge the competition, theyve only just woken up, they are years behind on charging infrastructure lets be honest. its ok having a fancy porsche taycan or jag but the charging options are shit.
I’ve got the same car and so far the only issue I have is a creak coming from the lids on the center console. It’s an epic car but I get why you’re frustrated. Don’t bin it, they have a duty to fix it, keep asking them.
For every person with a bad experience with Tesla there’s hundreds that have a great one and have no issues. Aside from a few tiny scratches and a small dent from delivery (which they all fixed) my Model 3 is awesome and Tesla service has been great and easy to deal with.
Sorry, but the stat's do not agree with your experience. It's documented that 40% of Model 3's have faults reported in the first month. I'm not a Tesla hater... they are just the facts!
Sorry to hear about the problems James - hope a solution is found soon.....
Have you sorted this yet? Have you looked into whether you have grounds to reject the car with the finance company perhaps?
James, since you posted this video, did Tesla correct the deficiencies you mentioned?
Sucks that you have had a bad experience. Had an M3 LR with some initial faults (scratches on the steering wheel, some paint chips) but was fixed within 1st month of ownership by Tesla. Since then not a single fault or issue, not even a squeak in the car, all panels super well aligned, etc. Had to sell it in Q2 (thankfully with no loss), but ordered an AWD for Q4 now - hope to remain lucky on the build quality, because these are just so good. Not even sure what alternatives are there realistically (all the similar sized electric cars from competition suck in comparison, including Polestar 2; all the larger ones like EQC and E-Tron have either horrible outdated tech or real bad Wh/Km).
As a fellow performance 3 and stock holder. Really disappointed if this service center is treating you like that. Get rid of it. Need to file a complaint on thay service center.
Tesla should take note - that was mighty important feedback. A previously supportive customer who had a great experience with a Model S, and has wide experience of driving EVs, gives a big thumbs down to ownership of the Model 3. Great car, let down by poor build quality and customer service. I fully understand how you feel James, and seeing that would drive me away from Tesla.
James. Oh dear! It's kind of distressing to see you so disappointed in your car like this. Ok, put it into perspective - they are relatively minor issues and they certainly don't do Tesla any favours in the quality control department. But it is a superb car in most other respects including performance and above all else SAFETY. How long is your lease for? You could put up with the leaky light/boot and whirring motor and keep banging on the TSC's door to get them to fix it properly - and I mean physically bang on their door too and ensure that the manager knows. Your social media presence will certainly attract their attention if it hasn't done already. If you continue to get poor service or are not completely happy you could simply keep the car until the end of your contracted term, hand it back to Tesla and wash your hands of it then. If you really want rid of it now you have to get your finance company involved (I'm guessing that's Tesla Finance?) and fight the fight through them but that won't be easy either. For my two'pennorth, if I was in your shoes, I'd keep it/get it fixed and make a few videos about Tesla's QC issues in the UK and put pressure on them to improve that way. Whatever you decide to do, I hope you get things resolved to your satisfaction. Love yours and Kate's input and contribution to the whole EV subject btw and also love the drives around the Leicestershire countryside - I grew up around those routes :-)
if you take it back or a phone call to tesla explaining the issues they should put you in another one as this may have issues with the car itself, RR did it with myself but i soon got rid of the car i owned at the time anyway.
I don't understand. These are minor issues. I had an Audi, brand new. Paint problems on the rear end, and mighty problem with the engine (burning oil). Transmission software bad which made it go crazy in traffic jams, spinning wheels when accelerating from stand still because of too much torque (solved with a sw update).
I assume you didn't accept that either!?
@@HenriZwols Tesla Fan Boy... Audi Fan Boy... pretty much the same thing it seems... obviously don't know when they're being ripped off!
I have similar issue with condensation on my 18 yrs old Mazda Bongo Friendee - never bothered to ask Mazda to fix this and found solution... drilled small hole at lense bottom so any condensation drips away
UK law on cars - 30 days to return a car with a major fault (no questions asked) then next phase is 31 days to 6 months - if the car has a problem the dealer has one chance to fix it or you can return it.
www.motoreasy.com/magazine/258/Know-Your-Rights-How-To-Reject-A-Faulty-New-Car#:~:text=What%20Are%20Your%20Rights%20When,one%20chance%20to%20fix%20it.
Definition of the major fault the sticky bit...sagging roof lining and water ingress in boot would be tough...but more fundamental/serious problems should hold sway.
Unfortunately this happens with all Manufacturers not just Tesla. I've had my Performance Model 3 for over 2 years now and have had zero issues. I have 33,000 Kms. I've done a couple of tire rotations. One at service dept. and one by Tesla mobile. Both times it was a great experience . Booked appointments on the Tesla App and everything went without a hitch. Maybe you could Tweet Elon about your issues. He has 23 million followers on Twitter. I'm sure he wouldn't like the experience you have had to get around a bigger audience. He will straighten out any issues you are having with Tesla Service I'm sure. Give it a try.
Drivers door seems pretty badly misaligned too.
its not, the driver door is fine. It was just slightly open. Look at 2:39
Food for thought, thanks for your honesty
Averaging 258 that’s exactly what I get in my standard range plus and I live in a warm climate and drive it easy damn Kate is a good ev driver
Can I ask a silly question? Why did you get rid of the Model S if you liked it so much? Model S versions maybe because they cost more Telsa has better quality control?
I agree you have some real issues. I have a M3+ and would give anything for a performance. But your steering wheel is on the wrong side and besides I couldn't afford it. Mine is a 2020 I got last October. I have not had one issue. I'm not rubbing it in. Just don't give up on Tesla.
Ouch. For us, a £12k car was a big investment, my spouse had saved a long time and paid cash. Now, being the mechanically-minded one, I noticed one of the panels was slightly out of alignment. I hummed and hawed and finally decided not to say anything, knowing the wife would not notice herself. Where I drew the line was after a year of topping it up with coolant, I realised smells inside from aircon, a juddering clutch and the leaking coolant were all related. THAT I told her about, having sat on it for a year.
She was happy, but at the point there was going to be a drive with our daughter to Glasgow Uni 250 miles away, and I would not be there, I realised we had to get it fixed. Long made short, it was a plastic moulded housing full of coolant deep in the guts of the engine bay, that was warped, got replaced, and I'd say MOSTLY cured, up to press. It may well be returning a smidge, but I will monitor this.
The repair was £250 or so from a very good garage - exceptional - called Howarths in Mirfield, West Yorkshire. Now, I could have decided to go in early, after three months, to the dealership, and started the whole discussion and handing the car in for them to look at, and all that malarkey that follows. Indeed, I should have done that - but that would be in an ideal world, which we don't possess!
So having much experience of this in the past, I opted to stick it out, maintaining the car until the point too much coolant was being used up (became clear it was weather/temperature dependent - hot weather no leaks, cold weather, leaks). I honestly wouldn't dream of taking it back to the dealer for what was an intermittent fault, of weird origin, for many reasons, but here's what one dealer told his customer - that it was a warped cylinder head, and that they'd replaced this and done a load of work associated, under warranty. Hmmm.
I don't believe that story. I think, the dealership swapped out the warped plastic coolant moulding, and it's a well-known fault with this car. I think, they told a story to make the customer think they are the best dealership in history and would go to the ends of the earth to fight the customer's corner. This is much more likely and has a basis in selfish behaviour than the version sold to that customer.
My usual experience with weird/hard to find/intermittent faults, is they tend to result in fobbing-off to the max, unless it's an actual breakdown issue, which is not the sort of fault I am on about. I am thinking of the injection Cavalier I got, that had what I now know to be an air mass meter failure, such that the car was impossible to drive 'nicely'. It simply did not respond properly to the throttle/accelerator. This is a QUALITATIVE fault, and really you are dependent on the liable party, being amenable to the idea it really does need fixing, and it is squarely theirs to fix.
Turning to your own car then, that I could buy about 5 of my wife's cars for the price of, the condensation rear moulding, you have to stop the water getting in, and/or definitely allow a small hole for it to get out. Of course, this issue is a well-known one, that some Teslas have a weird design of rear lip that when the boot/trunk lid went up, it poured water into the boot.
The stupid plastic moulded trim that was stuck on with double-sided window tape, is in the same boat as the stick-on number plates. The go-for guy about the dealership was given this job for my wife and put the number plate on squint. Again, I did not advise the wife of this, and fixed it myself, with double-sided window tape. It's still on now, after five years. I carefully pre-curved the alum-backed number plate (tag) so it was a perfect fit to the curve of the car body at the front, and it fit perfect when I put it on finally. Flat and flush. Your little spoiler, is not the precise fit it needs to be, or 'weak' enough it needs to be, flexible enough, to allow even really good sticking tape, to hold it tight on.
Now, your whine that I assume you have noted is motor-speed dependant not vehicle speed dependant, obviously could be anything , and it's all quite likely to amount to replacing the electric motor, or as good as. IE getting down to the thing and it being dismantled at that point - that's an axchange job and the factory takes the motor back. Oh hang on - for your car, the motor speed varies constantly in proportion to the vehicle speed, I forgot! But I still take it, you have sussed it's the motor.
So, you don't mention the door not quite fitting in alignment, which I could see clearly in the video at the driver's side. That's a small kindness on your part, really it is. If my wife's £12,000 French ICE car had that, I'd probably have told them to fix it before we even would take delivery.
Others seem to know the form on this one, and advise guided by what they know, but my own view is, the inconvenience of repeated returns, is problematic for two reasons: ONE it is indeed a PITA, out of all proportion to the results achieved; TWO your view of the automaker and the whole support system, takes a massive knock.
And, we haven't even mentioned, the pinch bolts missing their nut on the lower front arm (wishbone) on some recent EVs let go to customers, by this same supplier, Tesla. A borderline criminal act - I mean, in the 1980's a lawsuit was won against Porsche for not warning buyers who crashed the car, that it was in fact rear-engined and prone to more sudden 'letting-go' than the owner might be used to.
Absolutely feel for you - as a guitarist said to me once however - it pays to get enjoyment from things that are less subject to the vagaries of the outside world. I paraphrase, I think he said my motorbike was obviously my pride and joy, and little oiks would be prone to f$$$ing around with it, where his guitar never got left alone outside, but you get the idea.
It's a negotiation it seems to me, a return is proportionately more straightforward, the less weeks since you took possession, and the fewer miles you put on it, and the more immediately you advised the supplier of the problems, and the more times they've been given reasonable access and tried and failed to rectify, and of course, the more serious the issue. So, I'd bet your biggest stick of all, is simply they want you back onside, because all of your issues could be trivialised by a cynical party James.
Not at all fairly of course, but this can result in dragging things on - note the points above about what stuff makes returning the vehicle easy or hard. Good Luck, this is not deserved.
Sad to see you guys having so many issues. I umed and ahed about going m3 or kona to replace my i3 rex. Went kona premium se on lease in the end. Love the car but seeing this makes me more relieved. I'll wait a few years till the kinks are ironed out. I dont do enough motorway driving to pay the extra for the super charger. I'm in to the 3rd week on one charge. still driving to work and still have 70 miles range left 😂.
If you’ve ever watched Sandy Munro Chanel, he doesn’t rate the model 3 in his tear down in fact only the model Y received his high praise. I really feel for you and your situation and I’m sure somebody better qualified than me will give you the right advice. I’m just glad now that I opted for the Kia Nero 4+ instead of the Tesla which was on our short list.. I hope you get it sorted soon.
The spoiler doesn’t come standard with the performance correct? If so, are you supposed to fix that if you didn’t install the spoiler correctly?
It comes as standard
The original Performance came without it, and they supplied it loose to purchasers later for them to fit themselves. New ones come fitted. apparently
Centre deficiencies.
Just sell the car and put it all behind you.
Personally, I have the exact same model and trim and I love it despite having the same tail light and spoiler issues. The service centre fixed it and I consider it a small price to pay for a car which is a dream to drive and blows 2x more expensive cars away.
Mine was delivered on the 28th of September and they couldn't get it off the trailer because it wouldn't engage into reverse. Also, the trim was hanging off the b pillar so god knows who checked it over before it left wherever it came from. Since then no-one from Tesla has called me and I've emailed and rang numerous times to be fobbed off about when it will be ready. Customer service is terrible considering its a 50k long range Model 3. Very disappointed.
This is making me feel like I need to take the Model Y off my list of possible replacements for my current car. Give them a second chance to put right but make sure you state your intentions to reject the car if not resolved. If you successfully reject it, the full purchase price is returnable, so on PCP I believe that you get back the capital element of payments, just not any interest.
My best mate got the model 3 soon after they became available. I was a little jealous....
Unfortunately he has had lots of issues and has now sold it and purchased another popular brand of ev car.
I am about to make the ev leap and will definitely be given this a miss.
Keep your wife happy, keep it! Ask that they dry fit a few different spoilers to see what fits best! Carbon is never identical.. Demand they order a new boot and replace it instead of complaining on the internet. That will fix your condensation problem. Drivetrain has a hefty warantee, and it has two motors, drive it hard and get the motor replaced if it has any problems beyond what you think you hear.
James Pollock just swap the car for a new one
All those things can and I’m sure will be fixed, mobile service can do the spoiler and light can’t they? It’s a great car, but yes quality is highly variable. I think the good points outweigh the bad in most cases, however the M3P is at a price point where it is harder to forgive than it is with an SR+.
TESLA are allowed 3 attempts to rectify the faults, if they don`t rectify it by the 3rd attempt you can refuse it under the consumer good`s act. SIMPLES.
Depending the country you live in. In EU this doesn't exist.
@Wooly Chewbakker well in this case I'm GLAD I'm misinformed, so James can hand this piece of crap back to the cowboys who built it ! YEE HAH 🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗
@Wooly Chewbakker Very helpful, thanks, We have an issue with our new Kona. We made same mistake, allowing Hyundai to attempt a repair, they are still trying to repair a related issue, with our delivery issue (we didn't notice until 4hrs after pick up).
@Wooly Chewbakker great advice my furry friend, sounds like James should be a very happy man soon or is he in for a long fight....ding, ding 🤔🤔🤔
With Tesla, I was always concerned that, if an owner had a problem, the absence of a dealer network would mean getting the problem sorted would be far harder...great video and speaks of the fact that Tesla's increased production has caused a decline in quality?
What is going on at Milton Keynes SC? They haven't bothered to fix it properly and clearly no one has checked the technician's work. I love the comment about being unable to test it at high speed - because the M1 isn't near Milton Keynes at all is it?
MANUFACTURING QUALITY CONTROL IS AN ISSUE AT THE TESLA FACTORY !
I'm Done with my Model X. Tesla should focus on quality than quantity. The quality of Model X sucks 🤢
This was hard to watch, you are usually very upbeat about Tesla's so hopefully Tesla are watching and will take these issues seriously and get their act together regarding build quality and after sales service. I'm a potential model 3 or Y buyer but it's not gonna happen till they have a better reputation.
Hi James I'm gutted for you will you go back to the I pace or a m s