--- title: "Elon Musk: “Criticisms Were Accurate” About Tesla Build Quality" description: "Tesla CEO Elon Musk told manufacturing expert Sandy Munro in an interview that his \"criticisms were accurate\" about the company's quality control." date: "2021-02-03" modified: "2021-02-03" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/elon-musk-criticisms-accurate-tesla-build-quality" categories: - "Advanced Transport" - "Elon Musk" - "Future Society" - "Tesla" - "The Industrialists" tags: - "elon musk" - "tesla" - "the digest" --- # Elon Musk: “Criticisms Were Accurate” About Tesla Build Quality ![Tesla CEO Elon Musk told manufacturing expert Sandy Munro in an interview that his "criticisms were accurate" about the company's quality control.]() *\Image: Tesla\* ## Quality Control Auto manufacturing consultant Sandy Munro, a former Ford engineer, has never minced words in his reviews of Tesla's quality control. In a now-famous [review of the company's Model 3]() uploaded to YouTube in 2018, the critic likened the fit and finish issues of Tesla's vehicles to "flaws we would see on a Kia in the '90s or something." He also described panel gaps — misaligned pieces of the car's exterior — so large that "you can see 'em from Mars." Now, Musk has responded by inviting Munro to Boca Chica, Texas, near SpaceX's Starship testing grounds, for a one-on-one, 45-minute chat — and, astonishingly, Musk seems to agree with Munro. "I thought your criticisms were accurate," Musk told Munro in the interview, uploaded to the critic's personal YouTube account. https://youtu.be/YAtLTLiqNwg ## Vertical Climb Mode Tesla has garnered a reputation for the [rough state of its cars]() that roll off the production line, despite their considerable price tags. Countless customers have pointed out patchy paint jobs, panels that don't fit together, and in one extreme case a [roof that blew off on the highway](). "It took \[Tesla\] a while to iron out the production process," Musk said, describing how the company went through "vertical climb mode" to "get everything right." But Musk also noted that his company has been able to iron out most of the kinks in recent times. "We actually did improve gap and paint quality quite a bit towards the end of last year," the CEO told Munro. Musk also discussed the difficulties of joining gaps, from sealing, riveting, spot welding and resins to making "dissimilar alloys" stick together. "Frankly, it looks like a bit of a Frankenstein situation when you look at it all together," he admitted. **READ MORE:** [In Epically Nerdy Interview, Elon Musk Discusses Build Quality Problems With Engineer Who Compared Model 3 To 'A Kia In The '90s']() \[*Jalopnik*\] **More on Tesla:** *[Ford VP Throws Serious Shade at Tesla's Lack of Quality Control]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()