I would rather take panel gaps and paint chips than faulty battery or motors. Most sources would agree that small cosmetic defects aside, Tesla has the quite good drivetrain and battery reliability.
In Germany, TÜV (Mandatory inspections in Germany), placed Tesla Model 3 for 111th in reliability, just behind Dacia Logan which was in the second last place, when the first mandatory inspections in 2023 started.
You can find many sources about this, here one example:
It really depends on the model. When a company produces 2 million cars a year and has a shitload of models in their lineup, some are going to be problematic.
For gasoline engine, for example, the B48 engine is highly reliable [1]
I'm one of those "oddballs" who'll never ever buy a new car because to me buying a new car is deciding to be a guinea pig. I buy cars that are 3 to 5 years old, once it's known if the model is a reliable one or not.
Take, say, a used 4-series "Gran Coupé" with the B48 engine. It's a complete bargain, ultra-reliable and one heck of a sweet ride. I drive higher-end stuff but we picked that for my wife two years ago and it's really a good car.
Perhaps I’m the odd one out but I haven’t had any issues in 20 years of BMW ownership across two continents. Never had to do anything except routine service and consumables. One 3-series diesel in Europe made it to 220k miles before I sold it, and it’s likely got another 10 years of daily driving in it.
You're not the odd one out. BMWs cars generally have less faults that most other brands, but as with all brands, the number of faults varies greatly based on the model.
