Being Too Picky? Consumer Reports Claims The 2018 Tesla Model 3 Isn't "Fully Baked"

I would really hate not having a key fob

We've been saying all along that TESLA is half-baked - now CR agrees.

That's the best Ben & Jerry's flavor! Lots of cookie d'oh & fudge! ;)

But in hot weather - the Ben AND Jerry's melts all over you before you can eat it all up

When you introduce a car a year ahead of it being ready...

what you guys don't understand is that you never deploy the Release Candidate, but wait for the first service pack to come out typically around 18 months after the software... errr car is released.

My Model 3 was built in June 2018, and I don't have any problem addressed by CR. The only "problem" I encountered was a flimsy/loose screw anchor for the rear license plate that was fixed in a minute.

It's clear that the speed of improvement at Tesla is happening fast - even faster than updating an outdated article at CR. The paradigm for car making has changed indeed.

True. Most of CR's complaints have already been addressed by Tesla.

Did you get a photo of your car inside the tent it was made in. AKA a certificate of authenticity :)

Let me add that I took delivery of a Model X just before you got your 3, and it had a single defect....exactly the same problem reported on the license plate screw anchor! Probably the same guy shifted to the 3 line after working on the X. The car has been lovely. Son has a 3 on order. We are convinced.

https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/8f8e4b5a4e0c116e263e909f13dbb12d4906d8d6fa35e628678568f754b782a0.jpg

The ones to be assembled in the tent (General Assembly GA4) are the Performance Model. I have a test drive tomorrow and can't wait!

In the meantime, have a read of Road & Track article track test:

https://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/road-tests/a22625274/tesla-model-3-performance-track-test/

The juicy bits:

"Our testing measured a 0-60 time of 3.51 seconds, 0-100 in 8.84, and a quarter-mile of 12.07 seconds at 114 mph. Keep the pedal nailed, and you'll pass 120 mph in 13.69 seconds, on your way to a 155-mph top speed"

"The braking is prodigious, too, with 60-0 and 80-0 distances on par with a BMW M3 on carbon ceramics."

About Track Mode: "It also gives the Model 3 Performance a nifty trick no other Tesla can do: Lift-throttle oversteer, coded right into the software. In Track Mode, the regenerative braking is increased significantly—up to 0.3g of deceleration, compared to a max of 0.2g in street trim. When you lift in a corner, the regen tosses all the weight forward, loading up the front axle. The rear tires, now regenerating under much less weight, break loose. The stability control looks the other way. Presto! Oversteer."

Parting shot from the R&T article on the Performance Model 3:

"What they've created along with the entire Tesla team is the world's first electric sport sedan with bonafide race track chops. That's important for electric car technology, for motorsports culture, and for the future of the automotive hobby as a whole."

I truly marvel at the number of profiles that SanJoseDriver maintains on here to earn his money as a Tesla cheerleader.

Yes Matt - I hope he is getting PAID as much as Boris Trump is getting paid by the Russians and Saudi.

@MDarringer: you're like a little stray dog begging attention. When I kicked you around you said "leave me alone", but you still can't resist getting near me.

I don't know what SanJoseDriver got into you and get you so obsessed with him - but I ain't him, don't you get it. I'm sure you think highly of yourself, but your opinion isn't worth a damn to me.

So now you're plagiarizing me in an attempt to get at me? Funny how you respond to what I say to CarlosLassiter. Are you forgetting to toggle back and forth between your fake profiles here?

You're now in my ignore bucket.

Lemmings...at this point if they own their Tesla, its their own fault.

If you really want to drive a Tesla - LEASE it. Consult your lawyer but if the company can no longer support it, the product will fail the implied warranty of merchantability (i.e. that it will generally function) and you can just turn it back in.

You can't seriously think Tesla is going under. Right?

Actually - I believe that TEsla will have to be bought out within 2 year - they have a severe disadvantage in the marketplace over the next two years - just when other manufacturers are going to bring out competitive product - they will have lost their TAX credit incentive - Making their cars $7500 more than the first 200,000 usa sold cars of other manufacturers - and GM and NISSAN will have the same problem.

While this may not be a problem for those who have money - but then Tesla's higher line cars are going to need replacement - because they have been out for their cycle (6-8 years) - again requiring Tesla to re-tool. And real PREMIUM manufacturers will have NEW product to go against Tesla's aging lineup.

Add in - I doubt ANY of the other manufacturers will even dare to put out such a minimalist interior as the Model 3 has - and the fact that the people who made deposits for the Base model 3 and now will not qualify for the tax break who will likely cancel orders - and that outflow of money - and you can see a Wall forming in front of Tesla that they will not have the resources to climb.

Exactly Tom M!

Tesla will become like the Atari of automakers - a great innovator at launch but quickly eclipsed by better funded/deep pocketed rivals who beat them at their own game. Atari is now only a logo printed on "retro" t-shirts.

Save your Tesla memorabilia folks...in the days when the vehicles are long gone, the 'swag' will be all that remains.

Lease your Tesla, trust me.

I'm sure some of the Tesla criticism is warranted, but there are guys on this board who seem to have made it their life's work to root for this innovative American co. to fail.

The only logical explanation is that they are ludites, or they are in some way, shape or form Tesla competitors.

If a vocal subset of this board went around saying (for example) that Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Mitsubishi are not long for existence in the US market due to their obvious problems, I postulate that the same voices of reason who question Tesla's long-term viability would also be agreeing that (for factual, rational reasons), those brands (Alfa, Fiat, etc) are likely in a death-spiral.

In contrast to Tesla, rational people are pretty much on board by citing facts to question Alfa/Maserati/Fiat/Mitsubishi business case and longevity in the US market.

However, with Tesla, when the same rational arguments are made (i.e (a) Tesla has never been profitable, (b) Tesla has unfairly benefited from Govt subsidies that are going away, (c) Tesla quality is generally lousy, (d) Tesla resale values are artificially propped-up by the company, (e) the Tesla "customer deposit" is perhaps a scam because the people who put down a deposit for a "cheap" Tesla will likely never be provided an opportunity to order one, (f) Tesla has a major cash flow problem every 9 months or so that it has to solve by issuing more stock or taking on more debt, (g) etc. etc. etc. etc.) those Tesla supporters whine and cry "unfair" or "mean" about those who dare highlight these factual Tesla issues THAT HAVE NEVER BEEN SURMOUNTED BY OTHER AUTOMAKERS WHO SURVIVE FOR THE LONG TERM.

Thoughts?

What's so innovative about Tesla. Their technology is no more advanced than what Nissan and GM have.

As for Fiat (definitely a death spiral) and Alfa Romeo (the same path unless it can quintuple its sales) are wildly unsuccessful.