General Build Quality of Teslas

[CAF]

Tesla's build quality is generally inferior to cars half the price. That is just a reality we need to live with because Elon Musk has shown absolutely ZERO desire to improve the initial quality of the vehicle. Well, there was that one time he crawled into a sleeping bag on the Model X production line to supposedly "ensure quality", but then you have to wonder what went so wrong as to require the CEO to sleep on the manufacturing line to ensure his employees do their damn jobs.

You cannot compare Tesla's build quality to vehicles in the same price range, it's absolutely no contest. Put a Model S up against a BMW 7 Series or a Mercedes S Class and the Tesla will lose every time. Remember that you have a $30,000+ battery strapped to your vehicle, so Tesla has to make compromises elsewhere. ICE vehicles don't have to make that tradeoff.

Tesla is also notorious for pushing problems downstream to owners in order to make their quarterly numbers. Cars regularly get delivered with water leaks, poor seals, panel and chrome misalignments, and one unlucky owner received a vehicle with a broken A-pillar that was missed by everyone at Tesla - including those who prepped the car for delivery!

Tesla is having great difficulty understanding the word "quality".

My personal experience is different. The last Mercedes I bought (2012) had terrible build quality. The driver's door was not properly aligned; the trailing edge stuck out when closed. The A/C outlet in the back seat fell out onto the floor. Then began a litany of mechanical problems which never ended until I dumped the thing. Mercedes are nothing more than German Buicks, in my opinion. Mediocre performance, mediocre quality.

On the other hand, my 2016 Porsche was pretty darned near perfect. Porsche initial build quality is often rated the best in the industry, probably the only German brand to rival the best Japanese manufacturers, and after three cars I would agree. I've also had a slew of BMWs: 3s, 5s and 7s (what can I say; I like German cars). We traded in an Audi A5 for our Tesla S. Overall, I would rate our Tesla as representative of BMW build quality; not the best of high end quality marques, but certainly not the worst.

 

[democappy]

Hey, now... it's not a real Tesla unless the chrome trim is misaligned

I laughed, but I also cried a little inside

I have gotten used to the trim not being aligned quite right. The service center fixed all the other small issues I had with build quality for free, but they never could really get all the trim to be perfectly aligned.

 

[Skipdd]

2015 Model S here, I don't have any of those issues. So those are below Tesla's quality standards at least from my point of view. If I was you, I'd politely request the service center to address them.

Out of curiosity, did you get a CPO or Inventory car? Mine was brand new (14 miles on the odo when I picked it). In my ownership experience, I feel that you do need to "baby" this car a bit. But if babied properly it stays good (so far for me at least)

My definition of baby'ing,

- I don't do any hard accelerations
- Don't slam doors, handle everything delicately.
- take super duper care of the exterior and interior from a washing/waxing maint. point of view, including all seals and leather. The car has a LOT of rubber seals, and once those dry off, (6-8 years), replacing all of them will be $$$$$, best to just never let them dry off.
- Always avoid potholes, eyes on the road big time!
- Park far away from every one
- etc.

Where's the fun in that?. Agree on #3, but not as diligent as you. Try to do the last one but not always possible. Don't really slam doors either. But no hard accelerations? No can do.. Avoid potholes, I think we live in the same general area - you need to give me your secret for that one. It's not my eyesight, that's 20/20 now..ah maybe it's the speed. Oh well.

 

[TrevTremaine]

Tesla's build quality is generally inferior to cars half the price. That is just a reality we need to live with because Elon Musk has shown absolutely ZERO desire to improve the initial quality of the vehicle. Well, there was that one time he crawled into a sleeping bag on the Model X production line to supposedly "ensure quality", but then you have to wonder what went so wrong as to require the CEO to sleep on the manufacturing line to ensure his employees do their damn jobs.

You cannot compare Tesla's build quality to vehicles in the same price range, it's absolutely no contest. Put a Model S up against a BMW 7 Series or a Mercedes S Class and the Tesla will lose every time. Remember that you have a $30,000+ battery strapped to your vehicle, so Tesla has to make compromises elsewhere. ICE vehicles don't have to make that tradeoff.

Tesla is also notorious for pushing problems downstream to owners in order to make their quarterly numbers. Cars regularly get delivered with water leaks, poor seals, panel and chrome misalignments, and one unlucky owner received a vehicle with a broken A-pillar that was missed by everyone at Tesla - including those who prepped the car for delivery!

Tesla is having great difficulty understanding the word "quality".

Here, I'll list out a litany of problems that I've had with a BMW 5 series touring: orange peel paint, engine: (fuel injection (x4), pump (x2), lines, plugs, ignition), telemetry module, sunroof that leaked into the trunk and into the well where the spare tires and electronics are stored, window lifts, trunk lift, suspension, battery failure, software update failures (at the dealer). The car was in on average every 6 months for something major, probably for close to 3 months off the road in total. This all occurred within the first 3.5 years before I got rid of it. Oh, and it took 6 MONTHS to take delivery. Part of the joke was that the dealer told me after the second round of fuel injectors to only use Shell gas because alcohol in the fuel of other gas stations caused the ceramic linings to break down.

Another BMW had window lift failures, engine problems, fuel pump, and some other stuff.

BMW has a reputation to get rid of them before the warranty runs out because such failures are imminent and expensive, not to mention the rapid decline of value once the warranty is out that reflects this situation. But, hey, that's all secondary because it's pretty.

I'm also damned sure if you look around Mercedes gets the same problems with some models, even the higher end ones.

I won't say that Tesla doesn't have problems of it's own, but PLEASE stop the BS that Mercedes and BMW are without tarnish. So far, I've had no problems with either of mine.

 

[Petra]

I feel like there are two discussions happening in response to each other: one where people are talking about initial/build quality from a fit, finish, and materials standpoint and another where people are focusing on mechanical and electronic failure... and, somehow, the two are being conflated despite being very different topics.

 

[Max*]

I feel like there are two discussions happening in response to each other: one where people are talking about initial/build quality from a fit, finish, and materials standpoint and another where people are focusing on mechanical and electronic failure... and, somehow, the two are being conflated despite being very different topics.

They are not different topics, they are closely related and both fall under the umbrella of build quality.

If the initial build quality looks spectacular from afar, but weeks/months down the road the car starts having mechanical and electronic failures, would you not attribute that to Tesla having being build poorly?

At the same time, what are the chances that the initial build quality is horrendous, but everything else like the mechanical and electrical components will outlast the owner? Not that high.

 

[Pezpunk]

My Semptember 2016 P100D has been 100% flawless. Either their processes are improving, or it received special attention due to being one of the first P100D's. (Or I got lucky)

 

[Altes]

• I had a major water leak into the lower trunk area which took a week to find and fix (only discovered after mold was forming!!)
• Interior plastic trim at rear seat lower doesnt fit flush, 3/8" gap due to design flaw in plastic piece (well documented here in forum)
• front door interior gaps are huge compared to other vehicles i have owned (again, design flaw)

Overall I would rate it middle of the pack, definitely not luxury car attention to detail

 

[D.E.]

I have the same question as I am taking delivery next wk. When you take delivery, do you get to drive it and then sign off for acceptance?

They wouldn't let me drive it until we'd done the paperwork and I'd paid. Just before I paid, we found the little slider door in the console didn't slide properly. Then I paid and found it was my car at that point, so my first trip was the 100 foot drive to the service department for my first warranty repair.

That done, the car is fantastic

 

[riemannh]

I laughed, but I also cried a little inside

I have gotten used to the trim not being aligned quite right. The service center fixed all the other small issues I had with build quality for free, but they never could really get all the trim to be perfectly aligned.

I have never noticed misalignment in the chrome trim on my car (nor the alignment of the hood with the quarter panels). After reading these posts, I will do my damnedest to to not look too carefully. I would guess this is one of those things that you can never "unsee."

 

[Petra]

I have never noticed misalignment in the chrome trim on my car (nor the alignment of the hood with the quarter panels). After reading these posts, I will do my damnedest to to not look too carefully. I would guess this is one of those things that you can never "unsee."

Don't ever let me near your car... I can guarantee that I'll manage to find something.

 

[cab]

The bigger problem here isn't the issues per se, but the fact that it is FIVE YEARS LATER and the issues are still all over the board with very much a "hit or miss" aspect to them. The Model X doesn't appear to be any better (by many accounts, it is worse). This all suggests:

1. They just can't quite get the manufacturing "details" nailed down OR...
2. They could, but just don't have the time, money or desire to focus on it (and since sales are good...why bother)
3. Both a and b

The reality is that this last 20% of manufacturing perfection is likely a grueling slog with high effort and dollar investment to get progressively smaller gains. THIS is actually where Tesla will suffer once other auto makers actually start to produce big battery EVs. Suddenly, the competitors will offer equivalent cars that don't have these niggling issues. Heck EVs already feel more "similar" than different when you drive them all (Teslas being distinguished mostly by having big, high voltage batteries which generally translates to "quicker").

Of course Tesla's goal seems to be to create demand for EVS (which they have done), which will create demands for "EV energy" and Tesla is positioning themselves not to be the next Mercedes or Toyota...but to be the next Exxon. He who controls the spice...

 

[David29]

Each time I have dipped into a thread like this -- and there are many -- I conclude that I have been doggone lucky. My Model S 70D (August 2015 fabrication, September 2015 delivery) had a couple of loose door gaskets that I noticed after a couple of months, and that is it for initial build quality issues. There are no misaligned chrome pieces, at least to my eyes.

Now at just over 19,000 miles, I am starting to hear a "graunch" sort of sound when i turn the wheel -- something in the steering assembly or possibly in the front suspension. Just slightly annoying. Not sure this counts as initial build, though.

In my mind, the quality of the materials is a separate but related topic. To me, as a former Mercedes owner, some of the Tesla interior materials pale in quality compared to Mercedes or many other brands. To me the most glaring example is the door covering materials (upholstery). I paid extra for the upgraded interior, supposedly with extra leather surfaces. But whatever is on the doors is flimsy, has scratched too easily, and looks unimpressive. But I knew that from the cars I saw before ordering, and although disappointing I accept it. Most of the other interior materials are acceptable. Everyone likes the Alcantara dash and roof liner materials, and the seats look fairly good (although they are not very comfortable and do not look or feel as tufted, soft, and luxurious as on a Benz, say). But they aren't bad material quality. As I said, I knew what I was getting so the interior materials are "OK."

 

[riemannh]

The reality is that this last 20% of manufacturing perfection is likely a grueling slog with high effort and dollar investment to get progressively smaller gains. THIS is actually where Tesla will suffer once other auto makers actually start to produce big battery EVs. Suddenly, the competitors will offer equivalent cars that don't have these niggling issues.

This is a really interesting point that I hadn't considered WRT the hardware on the cars. Based on my limited experience working in an "old school" aircraft engine manufacturer they had us software folks literally shadowboxing our staplers to comply with their 6-Sigma (used as reference only, not necessarily the program this firm used) production quality assurance policies. They were obsessed with detail and everything took forever (good, when you're making jet engines, I suppose). On the other hand, most of my work has been in smaller consulting firms and I've seen a lot of crazy *sugar* go out the door with the mentality of "eh, it probably doesn't matter much" or "we'll fix it later - they won't notice it for a while" or, at best, "It's probably OK, but we'll fix it when it breaks."

I'd not be surprised if the "fail fast" mentality carries over a bit to Tesla and results in some crazy crap happening on the engineering and production side as well as the software side. (e.g. the indications that there has been no production beta of the Model 3.)

 

[FloridaGary]

I have a Dec 2015 Model S and no issues. My only complaint is the driver side floor mat bunches up. Every time I bring my car in for the 5k mile tire rotation, they replace my mats.

 

[SocalMS]

I'd like to hear opinions on the build quality of Teslas versus other comparable luxury/high-end vehicles. I'm surprised by a few things on my new 2017 Model S that I didn't expect from this type of car. It looks like a lot of things were just rushed. I'm sure if you stare at anything long enough, you'll find issues.

- the seal/gasket on the left rear window wasn't pressed firmly when glued so you can see air bubbles through the glass
- the chrome trim with the Tesla logo on the trunk is already loose on one end, not glued properly
- the driver's side seal on the window occasionally lets a few small drops of water in when washing car
- the hood aligns with the left quarter panel but not quite on the right quarter panel
- lastly, condensation is leaking into the car and there is a pool of water on the front passenger and front drivers carpet

Sorry to say.. this is a known issue w/ (at least recent builds)... quality is an issue...

Be patient and enjoy your loaner car...

 

[davidc18]

Have two so at times double the trouble but mostly double the fun.

 

[Buddyroe]

Folks - this is a company that has been manufacturing cars for less than 5 years. I'd be willing to best the Model T was a POS for several years.

Tesla is in its infancy. Even now, every owner is an early adopter. For now, Tesla gets a pass. It won't last much longer, but for now, they do.

Just ask yourself one question. Do you want to go back to your old ICE car? If you answer "no", then STFU and enjoy your Tesla because not all of us can afford one. I've never even sat in one. I look EVERY single damn day trying to find one I can afford. I just want to experience it. If you have one, count your blessings and stop whining. Otherwise, drive to the BMW dealership and trade it in.

 

[Sawyer8888]

I had a laundry list of minor issues in the first month of ownership. The failed A/C was probably the most annoying.

3 visits to the service center in the first month and now 2 1/2 months in I already know I have to go back for round 4 to correct the dash again and a failed seal on my body-colored roof as well as question a seal on the driver's side passenger door.

Love the battery and performance, but I completely dislike the fit and finish.

 

[mkspeedr]

Folks - this is a company that has been manufacturing cars for less than 5 years. I'd be willing to best the Model T was a POS for several years.

Tesla is in its infancy. Even now, every owner is an early adopter. For now, Tesla gets a pass. It won't last much longer, but for now, they do.

Just ask yourself one question. Do you want to go back to your old ICE car? If you answer "no", then STFU and enjoy your Tesla because not all of us can afford one. I've never even sat in one. I look EVERY single damn day trying to find one I can afford. I just want to experience it. If you have one, count your blessings and stop whining. Otherwise, drive to the BMW dealership and trade it in.

I am a huge Tesla fan and usually Tesla bias but I seriously dislike like the startup excuse. That is an overly used excuse in my daily job function. The quality of the Model S should be on a strong upward trend. I am pricing a new model X with $175K sticker. $200K for an SUV is a lot of money - it needs to be worth $200K.