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Featured Tesla quality

Discussion in 'Tesla' started by Lee Jay, Feb 3, 2020.

  1. iplug

    iplug Senior Member

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    It’s easy to be sympathetic with the allure of H2. Most of us would probably love for the economics and technical/engineering parts to work out much better than they have.

    Would be a great additional “tool” to have. Even someday may have a practical application with very large vehicles and renewable energy storage (using otherwise “free” curtailed solar and wind power).

    Alas, the forecast for the lighter duty vehicle segments remains grim.
     
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  2. orenji

    orenji Senior Member

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    Don’t forget Plug. But I would wait it out, until December.
     
  3. jzchen

    jzchen Newbie!

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    I guess the bottom line for me is, with it's massive size/wealth, Tesla should be able to resolve it's quality issues. I guess I'll find out if we actually get one...

    moto g(7) power ?
     
  4. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    Part of the issue is actually Tesla's direct sales model with shipping when ordered. When a traditional car company starts making a new model, the first cars off the line, which are more likely to have issues, get shipped to dealers. Which means the cars can get a look over by the middleman before it ends up in the buyer's hand. For any preorders, the company ships cars produced later, after the workers have had some practice with the new model, and any production line issues are solved.

    Hopefully, Tesla will 'mellow' some, and not feel pressured to ship cars as soon as possible to allow better inspections before shipping.
     
  5. Zythryn

    Zythryn Senior Member

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    Thanks, that makes it much easier to follow you.
    That writing on the wall has been there for at least 100 years. Every once in a while it is correct and we have anything from a mild recession to a severe depression.

    You may be correct, just as the writing on the wall is correct every once in a while.

    However, staying out of the market anytime “the writing is on the wall” leads to not being in the market at all.
    It also has nothing to do with the whole discussion on Tesla quality.
     
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  6. jzchen

    jzchen Newbie!

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    We actually “got lucky” with respect to my wife’s Model Y order. I believe she put her reservation in the first or 2nd day. The 5 seater was released first, the 7 seater has yet to be released, not even the final ordering step. (Supposedly the 7 seater is to be released in 2021). I’m pretty sure my wife would return the car if the glass roof popped off on the way home like it did on that one family. It is nice that Tesla still has the 7 day/1000mi return policy.

    They have showrooms that could do PDIs like a traditional dealership, but since they aren’t independent franchises with their own reputation on the line I guess defects can slip through the cracks easier.
     
  7. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    There is another facet of the Tesla quality matter. Consider decades ago when Honda began its rise some 4 + decades ago. Their quality was dialed in, which made GM's glaring lack of quality much greater. Sad to say, Tesla's competition doesn't yet have all of Tesla's specifications (quickness, price, massive charging infrastructure, range, etc). Once (or if) that happens, people will vote with their wallets, based on quality, which is then, the deciding factor. When all facets are considered together? Tesla still remains the only game in town .... warts or no warts.
    .
     
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  8. mikefocke

    mikefocke Prius v Three 2012, Avalon 2011

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    Have you ever bought a perfect car? I haven't and I'll bet over the span of 62 driving years I've bought 40 cars for my family. My last 3 Toyotas have been the closest with 1 defect each.

    And even dealer's inspections before customer delivery are suspect. My car the dealer was supposed to reset the tire pressure. Didn't happen so I took delivery with 14 extra PSI in each tire.
     
  9. El Dobro

    El Dobro A Member

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    When I bought the PiP, it looked like Freddy Krueger took the window sticker off the window. It took the dealer three weeks to get me a new window.
     
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  10. orenji

    orenji Senior Member

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    Are you comparing Tesla quality to Honda? Please tell me your not?
     
  11. Zythryn

    Zythryn Senior Member

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    Would it surprise you Orenji that some specific models of Tesla’s have a higher reliability than some specific models of Toyota?
     
  12. orenji

    orenji Senior Member

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    Yes that would. But how would compare when Toyota builds thousands of more cars per year.
     
  13. Zythryn

    Zythryn Senior Member

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    Well, that is a good question, and something we need to agree on.
    So, how would you measure the quality of the two brands?

    It seems to me, the two could be compared if you normalize the results. For example, have a ratio of ‘issues per 100,000 cars built’. That way it doesn’t matter if a company makes 100 thousand or a million cars, the rate would be the same.
    The number of cars doesn’t really matter, you could express the ratio per 1,000 cars as long as both sides of the equation us the same formula.

    I would suggest excluding hand built cars or prototypes.

    Any other suggestions?
     
  14. orenji

    orenji Senior Member

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    I think the buyers have spoken and is why Toyota has a great following. Tesla comes out dead last in quality. This is a big issue for individuals who buy any new car. Tesla up to now had no competition but now with more choices for EV, Tesla really needs to improve.
     
  15. Zythryn

    Zythryn Senior Member

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    Actually, according to what I can find, Cadillac is dead last, followed by Alpha Romeo, Acura, Volkswagen and Jeep. Out of 30 brands rated, Tesla came in at number 23. Toyota as a brand is exceptional, at number 3.
    Of course, individual models and years fluctuate.

    To me, safety is a bigger issue than reliability. Reliability is a factor, just not nearly as much.
     
  16. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    Bought March 26, 2019, our Tesla Std Rng Plus Model 3:
    • 29,967 miles
    • software 2020.40.8 loaded yesterday on the driveway
    • paid off October 2019 from a profitable TSLA stock sale
    • $0.027 / mile electricity cost around town for what I pay
      • ~ 1/3 town miles are free, not part of above
    • $0.030 - $0.035 / mile on the highway
    • Autopilot avoided at least five potentially disastrous accidents
    Best car we've ever owned.

    Bob Wilson
     
    #276 bwilson4web, Oct 24, 2020
    Last edited: Oct 24, 2020
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  17. iplug

    iplug Senior Member

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    Quite right and fits very well with the data you pointed showing Tesla sales are up while others are down.
     
  18. orenji

    orenji Senior Member

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    JD Powers initial quality report.
     
  19. orenji

    orenji Senior Member

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    Relative to a few hundred thousand sales vs millions of sales. Tesla has a long way to go still.
     
  20. orenji

    orenji Senior Member

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    Glad your enjoying your Tesla. But what about the ones that wish they had bought another make? I have 3 friends in that boat.