Advice on custom work....

[gg_got_a_tesla]

OK, all you folks with awesome knowledge. If I were to want to repaint a Sig Series Model S, SF Bay area, to whom should I take it? How does one even find these places that can repaint as good as factory? They certainly don't seem to be on the web.

Brooks Motor Cars near the Oakland Airport (Brooks Motor Cars San Francisco, Oakland, San Leandro - Auto Body, Body Shop, Collision Repair for Porsche, Aston Martin, Mercedes Benz, Jaguar, BMW, and Volvo - Flash-only website ) - they are primarily collision repair experts and did a wonderful job on a couple of my cars that had some unfortunate run-ins. There was a lot of paint work involved in my case and they had to remove everything that was left and do it over factory-style!

Thorough pros who don't compromise; would highly recommend them. From what I recall of the cost breakdown in my case, a full-sedan paint makeover would probably set you back ~$5K with them.

 

[Lloyd]

Also try Chip Foose in Huntington Beach.

 

[vfx]

OK, all you folks with awesome knowledge. If I were to want to repaint a Sig Series Model S, SF Bay area, to whom should I take it? How does one even find these places that can repaint as good as factory? They certainly don't seem to be on the web.

Trying to clean off some lime green?

 

[dsm363]

Will Tesla offer a custom paint option with the Model S as well? If so, that might be the way to go since it'd be done in the factory.

 

[DrDave]

Will Tesla offer a custom paint option with the Model S as well? If so, that might be the way to go since it'd be done in the factory.

Right now there is no option for custom paint for Model S, just the colors listed.

 

[gg_got_a_tesla]

Yeah, was going to add to my post above. I wonder if custom body shops are aware of painting aluminum vs steel. There must be a solid, technical reason behind Tesla's limited palette for the Model S atleast as of now - it may not be easy to get certain colors right on aluminum?!

 

[DrTaras]

repaint a Sig Series Model S, SF Bay area, to whom should I take it?

Al & Ed's West Hollywood has done a number of Roadsters including a recent repaint of ipdamages whom will be posting pix soon.
Transport for them is a non-issue

 

[DaveVa]

Yeah, was going to add to my post above. I wonder if custom body shops are aware of painting aluminum vs steel. There must be a solid, technical reason behind Tesla's limited palette for the Model S atleast as of now - it may not be easy to get certain colors right on aluminum?!

I think it is likely due to the number of paint bays they have opened in the NUMMI plant. I think at the walkthrough they only had two paint bays open. I'm sure there is significant amount of time/effort associated with switching colors in the paint bays. At one point in time Tesla was talking about a special, eco-friendly, electrostatic dry paint process, but I think that has gone by the wayside.

 

[DrDave]

The difference between the Model S and the Roadster is the Model S will be painted by robots on a paint line (as shown in the video at the October event), rather than by hand/people. It takes a lot more paint to fill a production system than if Tesla were just spraying the cars individually by hand. So if Tesla were to have 20 colors available, that would be a lot more $$ in both material costs and manufacturing set-up. With limited units the first year, it doesn't make sense to have a huge palette initially.

That said, it would be easy enough for Tesla to set up an area for hand application of "personal colors." All they would need is a mixing station and paint booth like a aftermarket/body shop has. Say for a charge of 5-10K let the customer choose exactly the color they want from another vehicle line (Camaro, BMW, etc), or possibly come in and "design their own". If a specific color is that important to a buyer, they would probably be willing to pay for it, and the work gets done at the Fremont plant itself and can be guaranteed by Tesla.

I have not heard of them planning on doing anything like that, but it's a thought.

 

[AnOutsider]

At the October event, didn't they say their paint technique insured very little overspray and thus paint loss? Don't remember the exact numbers though.

 

[DrTaras]

Al & Ed's West Hollywood has done a number of Roadsters including a recent repaint of ipdamages whom will be posting pix soon.

As predicted here is another satisfied A&E customer who turned his Red Roadster into a Yellow Roadster:
2.25 conversion, interior upgrade, and repaint

 

[jcstp]

It's Time to Build Your Model S

No blue sigs. Right. We'd drop back to the R list which would probably mean ~2 month delay.

Though I was told that for $12k they'll paint your car any color you want.

Custom paintjob is available from factory

 

[ToddRLockwood]

Richmond Upholstery, one of the top custom interior shops in the U.S., can be found in Richmond, Vermont, just off Interstate 89. More than one of their projects has turned up at the Pebble Beach Concours, and one of them took a Best of Show there a few years ago. They regularly work with Connolly hides (the same leather used in Ferraris). If you want flawless, showcar quality, I highly recommend them. Phone: 802-434-3888