Firm That Likened Model 3 To 90s Kia Now More Impressed By The Car

Munro and Associates were critical of the Tesla Model 3’s build quality during the early stages of a teardown, but it's not all bad news
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Sandy Munro of Munro and Associates initially wasn’t impressed by the Model 3 he was tearing down for a benchmarking study. A widely-viewed video released a few months ago saw Sandy point out several troubling details, including wildly inconsistent shut-lines and a random piece of fabric that was glued to one of the doors to make it seal better.

Damningly, he likened the Model 3’s build quality failings to the sort of thing you’d find on a Kia from the 1990s. Ouch.

Now, there’s a new video featuring Munro, and although he seems to stand by his original comments about the fit and finish of the car, he has found some things to like. He’s been impressed by the way the car drove, but what Munro is most taken by is just how profitable the car is.

On his first inspection, Munroe was concerned about the shut-lines, which aren't just large - they're inconsistent too
On his first inspection, Munroe was concerned about the shut-lines, which…

“I have to eat crow. I didn’t think it was going to happen this way, but the Model 3 is profitable,” Sandy concludes. Not only that, but according to the results of his comprehensive tear down, the margin is over 30 per cent. Other cars are achieving this kind of margin, he notes, but none are electric.

We can’t be sure if the long-awaited $35,000 version of the Model 3 will enjoy quite such a healthy margin, but still, this is good news for Tesla. The Model 3 is being relied on to turn the company - which lost cash at an astonishing rate during the first quarter of 2018 - into a profitable one with a long-term future. Let’s just hope the build quality is improving…

Comments

Anonymous

The inconsistency of the original vehicle used is just shocking.

07/17/2018 - 15:16 |
14 | 1
Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

The firm is just impressed by how much Tesla profits from every vehicle sold.

The quality is still bad.

07/17/2018 - 16:35 |
5 | 1
Ben Anderson 1

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

Imagine how bad a newer Model 3 will be with nearly 300 weld points removed so they can send them down the line much faster.

07/18/2018 - 09:18 |
0 | 0
Valanti Demetriades

I wish my opinion of the model 3 can change but im still waiting for it to be delivered after i put my deposit on it over a year ago
-people that put the down payment

07/17/2018 - 15:16 |
24 | 2

Apparently, they’re not meant to arrive in the U.K. (pre-ordered cars) until 2020! I could be wrong though, maybe others will get them
sooner…

07/17/2018 - 15:34 |
9 | 0
Luther Reid

He’s just sucking up to Elon because Elon called him out on Twitter.

07/17/2018 - 15:17 |
57 | 5

If he says anything else negative about it, Musk will call him a pedo.

07/17/2018 - 17:02 |
76 | 0

Like you would know. You don’t know this guy’s thought process

07/17/2018 - 17:22 |
9 | 5
TheMindGarage

The car is profitable, but it won’t bring Tesla back into the black unless they can make enough to cover their fixed costs.

07/17/2018 - 15:23 |
7 | 2

Couple that to Elon Musk’s potential lawsuit

07/17/2018 - 15:35 |
2 | 0

Even if they bring back all the money, what’s the worth of it, if Tesla becomes a meme for unreliable cars. That will make them struggle in future

07/17/2018 - 16:23 |
7 | 1
CannedRex24

So hang on, just cause it’s profitable, he’s sayin it’s better?

Capitalism in a nutshell my friends

07/17/2018 - 15:31 |
21 | 2

Perhaos, but he also liked how it drove.

07/17/2018 - 20:14 |
1 | 0

He’s saying he’s impressed with the profit margin. He still likens it to a low quality piece of rubbish. Take of the edge-lord “evil capitalism” hat, please.

07/18/2018 - 10:04 |
2 | 0
Anonymous

Its put together like a 5 euro fake Rolex, but its profitable, so it must be great, right?

07/17/2018 - 17:14 |
4 | 1
Chewbacca_buddy (McLaren squad)(VW GTI Clubsport)(McLaren 60

As long as it sells like hot cakes, they’ll be alright

07/17/2018 - 17:39 |
1 | 0
Anonymous

Profit from an electric car!

Bob: Nice,don’t care about the expensive battery which i’ll have to replace,because i liek low build quality!

07/17/2018 - 19:47 |
0 | 2
Anonymous

they went from Apple to NoKia

07/17/2018 - 20:01 |
4 | 2
Anonymous

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

They went from apple to Samsung, the quality is somewhat better but the pricing is still quite high and there is a chance that the product will hurt you

07/17/2018 - 21:15 |
5 | 1
Anonymous

So its moved from a 90’s Kia to a modern Kia?

07/18/2018 - 02:14 |
0 | 0

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