CT vulnerabilities to persistent climate extremes

[dave1215]

Count me as one of those who is neither attracted nor repulsed by the Cybertruck design aesthetics. For many of us it is all about utility (capacities, facing the zombie apocalypse, etc.) and durability (stainless steel, bulletproof, etc.). But other than the exoskeleton and armor glass what exposed materials on the Cybertruck could erode in climates with extreme heat, cold, humidity or dryness?

My 15 year old Range Rover which has been ungaraged for the past five years in a tropical climate has a dashboard with dozens of cracks (yes I could have used a windshield sunshade), peeling headliners and a 3-time leaking sunroof due to rubber tube decay. With most of us expecting to keep our CTs outdoors and exposed to natural elements what maintenance issues could we expect from persistent climate extremes around the country?

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[ajdelange]

All of the above.

 

[Ehninger1212]

Count me as one of those who is neither attracted nor repulsed by the Cybertruck design aesthetics. For many of us it is all about utility (capacities, facing the zombie apocalypse, etc.) and durability (stainless steel, bulletproof, etc.). But other than the exoskeleton and armor glass what exposed materials on the Cybertruck could erode in climates with extreme heat, cold, humidity or dryness?

My 15 year old Range Rover which has been ungaraged for the past five years in a tropical climate has a dashboard with dozens of cracks (yes I could have used a windshield sunshade), peeling headliners and a 3-time leaking sunroof due to rubber tube decay. With most of us expecting to keep our CTs outdoors and exposed to natural elements what maintenance issues could we expect from persistent climate extremes around the country?

My LR3 has the exact same issues.. but it has been garaged its whole life. So I think its just some sort of Land Rover problems. Heck.. My Fiancée's 2016 Range Rover leaked water through the windshield the other day after I washed it.. and she doesnt even have a sunroof! People think Tesla has issues

I'm willing to Bet the CT will stand withstand extreme climates much much better.

 

[Luke42]

I'm planning to keep mine outdoors in the Midwest.

Being outdoors here does cause wear and paint-fade but, other than underbody rust due to salt on the roads, it's fairly non-specific.

I'm not expecting any issues, unless Tesla does worse than the industry average on rustproofing. Most cars are designed for the conditions I encounter and are not garaged.

 

[Dids]

I don't think the compressed paper part of the dash will crack. It is a very durable product and CT doesn't have headliner so that wont be an issue. Sun roof leaks are different than glass roof/ windshield leaks. Sunroof compression rubber seal is much less durable than windshield sealant. If windshield leaks its not usually sealant failure... its paint peeling failure or improperly applied sealant.

 

[TheLastStarfighter]

Land Rovers are known to be among the very least reliable vehicles on the market. I would expect just about anything to last longer and better.

 

[TI4Dan]

Land Rovers are known to be among the very least reliable vehicles on the market. I would expect just about anything to last longer and better.

I have owned a 1994 Discovery 1 for 23 years, still have and still drive it. I never park in a garage, rarely wash but I do take care of it, a few years ago I had the seats and headliner completely redone. I have done so much work on the engine like when I found out the head gasket material used would start to leak coolant (1999) and head bolts were also updated.
I have had better and worse cars than my Disco but it does come down to maintenance, if you are vigilant and do the proper scheduled maintenance also to include a untimely failure like broken door handle. Most folks spend less money on their vehicle as it gets older and this makes sense if you don't plan on keeping it but if you have no replacement plan than keeping up on maintenance is paramount. My personal requirement from my vehicles is simple It has to be able to take me whereever I want to go safely and reliably. I think vehicles that are being used will suffer from problems from time to time and CT will be the same, it has coolant, a water pump and a reduction gear that will need a oil change. I hope I am right about the overal cost of required maintenance for CT is far less than my Disco and diesel truck. I also ride a 45 year old 2 stroke motorcycle and my two last rides were over 600 miles so CT with the lastest materials and serious commitment from Tesla I can't see how you could not own it for the time period you desire.

 

[TheLastStarfighter]

I have owned a 1994 Discovery 1 for 23 years, still have and still drive it. I never park in a garage, rarely wash but I do take care of it, a few years ago I had the seats and headliner completely redone. I have done so much work on the engine like when I found out the head gasket material used would start to leak coolant (1999) and head bolts were also updated.
I have had better and worse cars than my Disco but it does come down to maintenance, if you are vigilant and do the proper scheduled maintenance also to include a untimely failure like broken door handle. Most folks spend less money on their vehicle as it gets older and this makes sense if you don't plan on keeping it but if you have no replacement plan than keeping up on maintenance is paramount. My personal requirement from my vehicles is simple It has to be able to take me whereever I want to go safely and reliably. I think vehicles that are being used will suffer from problems from time to time and CT will be the same, it has coolant, a water pump and a reduction gear that will need a oil change. I hope I am right about the overal cost of required maintenance for CT is far less than my Disco and diesel truck. I also ride a 45 year old 2 stroke motorcycle and my two last rides were over 600 miles so CT with the lastest materials and serious commitment from Tesla I can't see how you could not own it for the time period you desire.

"I have done so much work on the engine" That's kind of the point. Reliable cars need less work. Though a '94 Anything will probably need a lot of TLC to stay on the road.

Early indications are the Tesla's are pretty good for reliability, we'll see if that holds up as we get more data.

 

[Ehninger1212]

Land Rovers are known to be among the very least reliable vehicles on the market. I would expect just about anything to last longer and better.

While I cant speak for the reliability of the materials.. My Land Rover has actually been one of the MOST mechanically reliable vehicles I have owned.. It put my Jeep to shame and my Fathers 2018 Chevy interior is already falling apart.

 

[Ehninger1212]

I have owned a 1994 Discovery 1 for 23 years, still have and still drive it. I never park in a garage, rarely wash but I do take care of it, a few years ago I had the seats and headliner completely redone. I have done so much work on the engine like when I found out the head gasket material used would start to leak coolant (1999) and head bolts were also updated.
I have had better and worse cars than my Disco but it does come down to maintenance, if you are vigilant and do the proper scheduled maintenance also to include a untimely failure like broken door handle. Most folks spend less money on their vehicle as it gets older and this makes sense if you don't plan on keeping it but if you have no replacement plan than keeping up on maintenance is paramount. My personal requirement from my vehicles is simple It has to be able to take me whereever I want to go safely and reliably. I think vehicles that are being used will suffer from problems from time to time and CT will be the same, it has coolant, a water pump and a reduction gear that will need a oil change. I hope I am right about the overal cost of required maintenance for CT is far less than my Disco and diesel truck. I also ride a 45 year old 2 stroke motorcycle and my two last rides were over 600 miles so CT with the lastest materials and serious commitment from Tesla I can't see how you could not own it for the time period you desire.

Yeah.. the disco's are pretty hit and miss.. The LR3 has been a tank.

 

[Blue Steel]

Sometimes I'm super glad to live in the Portland area. The worst environmental issue I've faced was my Infiniti G35 developed moss on the driver side rubber window seals. That happened to be the side facing north when parked in the driveway.

 

[TheLastStarfighter]

While I cant speak for the reliability of the materials.. My Land Rover has actually been one of the MOST mechanically reliable vehicles I have owned.. It put my Jeep to shame and my Fathers 2018 Chevy interior is already falling apart.

Yeah. Chevy Luninas were known for being absolutely dreadful when it comes to reliability, but I had a friend that had one and it lasted for generations. Blind squirrels get nuts from time to time. Part of me thinks a lot of reliability "data" is heavily impacted by ownership demographics. Are Lexus's reliable or are the owners of big, cushy sedans old and take care of their cars? Do jeeps fall apart because of poor build or poor treatment. Dodge's have skyrocketed from awful to great in reliability, but is that because the target market for big muscle cars went from kids cruising the strip to old men reliving their youth from the cozy suburbs? Good questions.

 

[Mini2nut]

Let’s see. The stainless steel exterior is going to get HOT to the touch in the sun but no worries about paint degradation since it has no exterior paint. This is one of my favorite features of the Cybertruck. No waxing, polishing, etc.

I think the only sections on the exterior that may need attention are the plastic fender flares, rubber window seals, front and rear bumpers and mirror caps if Tesla decides to use some form of plastic for the parts.

I think the interior will require the typical upkeep as any other vehicle. I don’t know what type maintenance will be required for the paper composite dashboard if it’s used on the production truck.

I can’t wait to see the production version that will be compliant with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS). I am particularly interested to see the final exterior design, windshield wipers, mirrors, steering wheel, exterior lighting, door handle material choice, dashboard and wheels designs for the three different models.

 

[firsttruck]

Count me as one of those who is neither attracted nor repulsed by the Cybertruck design aesthetics. For many of us it is all about utility (capacities, facing the zombie apocalypse, etc.) and durability (stainless steel, bulletproof, etc.). But other than the exoskeleton and armor glass what exposed materials on the Cybertruck could erode in climates with extreme heat, cold, humidity or dryness?

My 15 year old Range Rover which has been ungaraged for the past five years in a tropical climate has a dashboard with dozens of cracks (yes I could have used a windshield sunshade), peeling headliners and a 3-time leaking sunroof due to rubber tube decay.

The fewer seals the better.

Full glass roofs will have higher long-term costs too compared to welded in solid metal roof. For durability and minimal TCO, want cold rolled stainless steel roof.

 

[Mini2nut]

It would be nice if Tesla offered the option of Armor Glass or a steel roof. I doubt if it will happen for production reasons but I think Elon will insist on making the Cybertruck float like a boat for some period of time per his apocalypse ready mantra.

“Yes. It will even float for a while," Musk tweeted.