This Tesla Plaid Owner Calls The Build Quality Trash, Do You Agree?

Is he being nitpicky or reasonable?

Michael Cantu

By: Michael Cantu

Sep 23, 2021 at 4:39am ET

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Most of us are familiar with Tesla's build quality issues. This has been debated for a number of years. In general, Tesla's build quality has improved over time but it's still not very consistent. Some Teslas roll off the production line with zero to just a few issues while others have a significant amount. Many are resolved before customer delivery, but not all the time.

Every automaker is guilty of quality issues, but it seems to plague Tesla more than most. Keep in mind that the build quality issues on the outside (interior and exterior) do not extend to the powertrain underneath. Tesla battery packs and motors are known for their longevity.

The video above was posted by a Tesla Model S Plaid owner who just received delivery of his new and very fast EV. He loves a lot about the Plaid but found several exterior issues:

Delivered a little dirty
Paint gouge on the camera housing located on the driver side fender
Panel gap between the fender and side skirt behind the driver side tire
Pinhole in the paint on the driver side door
Both rear wheel well liners have poor fitment
Clearcoat peeling on the driver side quarter panel
Scratches on both taillights
Paint gouge on the edge of the passenger door

He still took delivery of the Model S because he didn't want to wait a few months for another one. I imagine this would be frustrating, but some of the issues can be corrected at his local service center.

There are normally two sides to this build quality argument. Some will say the defects are minimal and the owner should just enjoy one of the most advanced cars on the road. While others will say build quality issues like that shouldn't exist on a $130,000+ luxury car, or any brand new car regardless of the price.

Both sides have good points, but it comes down to what kind of person you are. The former are the type that will live with the defects because the performance and tech the Plaid provides make up for it. The latter care less for numbers and tech and simply want great fit and finish on their brand new car.

Here is my take on it. I used to sell Toyotas professionally, and it would have been impossible to deliver a Toyota to a customer in the above condition because most came flawless from the factory or close to it. Any flaws we found were always corrected before delivery.