3rd Party Dealer Added Complete New Clear Coat

[VigM]

Hi Tesla Motor Club users,

I've been a lurker for a long time and this past week I got to join the Tesla Club! I bought a 2018 Black Model S with 19k miles on it, test drove it, loved it, bought it.

Here is my issue. I bought this car from a 3rd party dealership and they promised (per contract) to remove a few tiny little scratches out of the side and hood (again tiny tiny hairlike scratches caused by them taking it through their carwash).

I found out today that they used a separate third party car restoration company to apply something called "restorFX" to the *entire* vehicle, not just those small spots which needed a touch up. When I called the dealer about it they claimed they wanted to go above and beyond and touch up every little scratch on the car.

Personally I'm skeptical of this new clear coat and that they would do this out of the goodness of their hearts, I'll go see it in person tomorrow morning (they told me it needs to dry overnight). This car is a 2018, I've read that clear coats from the factory can never be beat and to put "restorative" product everywhere, on a 2018, without my permission, seems like a big deal to me.

I'm worried that this clear coat has effectively lowered the value of my new car.
Does anyone here have any experience with things like this or an opinion on my situation?

Thank you all for taking the time to read!
-Vig

 

[cgrubbe]

I'd say check out the car, see what you think, and go from there. Wouldn't hurt to see if they can provide you more information about the process, so you've got some idea what it is. Doubt its a new clear coat, that would be a lot of cost for a dealership to not pass along.

 

[VigM]

Thanks for the reply cgrubble. Looking into exactly what "restorFX" is, I found this info:

"Unlike the traditional cut-and-polish methods, RestorFX treats underlying clear coat issues by fully repairing and restoring damage—not just minimizing or covering it up."
and
"RestorFX is a 2-Part chemical treatment that bonds to the existing clear coat. This means that RestorFX does not peel, flake, wash off, or react with ordinary chemicals."

Looking at their site (don't want to violate any rules by posting it) pricing goes from $599-$699 (online small cars to larger cars).

So the fear I have is that it "bonds" to the existing clear coat (for better or worse).

I'll plan on doing that, looking at the car tomorrow and going from there after learning what the process was exactly (since it's already done either way), I'm probably just being overly paranoid and nervous about this.
Thanks again.

 

[VigM]

I've spent the last few hours scouring through detailing forums and posts all over the internet and gathered the following information (Note, I cannot guarantee that these statements are 100% the truth, but assuming they are, would it worry you about having this done to a new 2018 car without your permission?)

• RestorFx chemically (Polyurethane clear coat) bonds to the existing clear coat permanently and the only way to remove is to sand the product off.
• Process starts with a light buffing/sanding, then liquid chemical compound applied with a microfiber cloth or sponge by hand
• Risk of having a super thin clear coat vs. having the OEM paint corrected and then some. It also might soften the original clear coat
• Alternatively professional paint correction would instead only remove a negligible amount of clear coat.
• Destroying OEM clear coats by compounding or polishing them down is foolish.
• Overall finish of vehicle after a paint correction + coating vs hand applied clear will be significant.
• It's not a correction but a clear coat addition, they are essentially adding another layer of clear to the vehicle
• Susceptible to daily wear and tear and damage from weather and improper care and the sealant is meant to be reapplied every three months

 

[VigM]

Just an update. I picked up the car today from the 3rd party dealership. The coat on it looks really really nice. I'm just going to take it to a separate repair shop tomorrow for a second opinion and an expert pair of eyes on it to be sure.

 

[aerodyne]

I have seen aftermarket clear coats yellow and flake off after a few years.

Not saying this will happen to you...

Consider a car cover, or store in garage whenever possible.

 

[VigM]

Yeah that's the same concern I had aerodyne.
According to the company that applied the additional "clearcoat" they have a lifetime warranty and will fix any issues if they pop up. We'll see about that.

I ended up taking the car to a high end detail shop to get their opinion and to my relief they said that they did a really good job. They looked at it under a bunch of lights looking for issues but said I didn't need to be worried. They also walked me through all the special care a new coat on a black car would take (my next stop was the detailing supply shop to buy cleaning supplies).

So it looks like it was a "nice" thing after all. Time will tell how much it lasts, and then hopefully the company stands by their warranty if anything ever happens.