119 Miles And Paint Chipped Already

[Jasian22]

With 2022 seeming to be a huge year for Tesla in the UK, I think a lot of people will be picking up paint chips in their first year... Me unfortunately being one of them.

119 miles on the odometer and somehow I've managed to pick up a paint chip on the rear bumper just below the lip where the panel curves back in.

As far as I know, paint chips isn't a warranty item for Tesla so am wondering what options I have to fix this paint chip.

The paint chip is about 1.5mm^2.

Model 3 RWD 2022, Pearl White Multi-Coat.

TIA.

 

[Rooster6655]

Looks a little strange thing to happen to the rear bumper as a stone chip, the front I could understand.

It’s possible although may sound extreme that it was like that when you picked it up and a temporary fix was actually used to cover it up when you picked the car up and now it’s showing or has come off.

I had something similar happen after a new bumper installed within a few hundred miles, then nothing for the next 30k miles, of course extreme hard to prove though

 

[Jasian22]

Looks a little strange thing to happen to the rear bumper as a stone chip, the front I could understand.

It’s possible although may sound extreme that it was like that when you picked it up and a temporary fix was actually used to cover it up when you picked the car up and now it’s showing or has come off.

I had something similar happen after a new bumper installed within a few hundred miles, then nothing for the next 30k miles, of course extreme hard to prove though

I agree yeah, it seems strange that the paint has been removed all the way to the primer, as a normal scratch or any kind of scrape I'd normally expect to see some paint underneath.

 

[Regulo]

Parked anywhere without Sentry on? Seems unlikely to be a stone chip there, and a very hard, sharp impact to go right through like that. Your only realistic option is your local "Chips Away" or similar outfit.

 

[Adam675]

I have a 2022 RWD as well and somehow I have four paint chips three of which are on the rear door they look like stone chips but they don't seem to be located in the danger zone for stone chips, didn't realise how delicate this paint must be.. straight to the primer like yours. I would consider PPF but to cover the entire cost would be like £4k

 

[SR-Plus]

I wouldn’t worry about it. How many people on here got themselves worked up about a few dings / chips here and there (me included) only to trade it in and buy an upgraded M3 or switched to a MY. The buyer, in my case Arnold Clarke via Motorway, just gave the whole car a 2 second glance and did the paperwork.

 

[Rirawin]

I'll join the club. Less than 2 months old, just over 1000 miles and I have this, a minor scuff on the same rear bumper and a scuffed alloy. Will collect a few more before getting it all looked at in one go.

 

[Irata]

Welcome to the club, wait until you've done a fair few thousand more miles as there is plenty more to come.

 

[HenryT]

I had two repaired, one front one back much bigger than yours for around £200. Perfect job.

I'd leave it until you've got a few more or wheel dings to repair at the same time.

 

[GlynG]

Get yourself a Chipex kit - all the stuff you need - two bottles of paint included (part one and part two) plus instructions on how to do it. If you take your time you will be able to pretty much make the mark invisible.
The chipex instructions tell you to first clean the area with a fluid they supply in the kit, then with there little sponge type applicator sticks to apply paint number one into the chip - if its quite deep then smudge it over with a finger (using a glove which is supplied) then you use a pad and a material sheet (supplied) with their liquid to gently rub over the paint about 20 seconds after applying using no pressure, what ive found best is leaving the paint to dry about 10 minutes then use the applicator and liquid over the top of the chip with a little pressure and although its slow to flatten down because the paint is much dryer it does so without pulling the paint back out of the chip.
Continue to do this until the paint in the chip is about level with the paintwork around it - then use paint number 2 for a perfect colour match - and do the same process again. You may need to apply paint two twice but I haven't. You keep rubbing the pad and keep it wet with the liquid for quite some time and you will see the chip almost disappear completely.
Looking at your chip I would estimate about an hours work in total.

My Chipex kit is a year or so old now, but i received a leaflet inside the box - its says Take a before and after pic of the chip, upload the pictures and write a review and they send you a free Chipex kit of your colour choice - don't know if that's still on offer though.

 

[Jitm]

I had two repaired, one front one back much bigger than yours for around £200. Perfect job.

I'd leave it until you've got a few more or wheel dings to repair at the same time.

Hi Did you use Tesla remote repair for this?

 

[HenryT]

Hi Did you use Tesla remote repair for this?

Nope - it was a 'smart' repairer. Did a great job.