Asking service center not to detail my car?

[kopi]

Configured a Model 3 last week and currently waiting for a VIN. Is it reasonable to ask the service center not to wash or do any detailing on the car before I pick it up? I'd much rather carefully do everything myself when I bring it home to make sure there won't be any swirl marks or other defects that need paint correction. I guess I would want them to remove the plastic so I can inspect the car for manufacturing defects, though.

What do you guys think? Is this a common request? Has anyone here done this?

 

[mal_tsla]

I suggest planning paint correction anyways for new cars. It's never perfect, even if they don't touch it.

So, I would let them clean the car up, so it is easier for you to inspect (removing plastic leaves adhesive residue that presents like scratches until you clay it off), and then polish the paint to perfection after.

 

[JPP]

You can try---FWIW years ago when I picked up my wife's 2015 S70D, I wanted to bring it right to Joe T @ OCDetailing and to not have anything done before delivery. Tesla wanted me to sign a release which stated that paint/finish defects were then my problem. I declined, and Tesla did their pre-delivery bit and Joe had to go back and work on the paint prior to OptiCoat Pro.

 

[oripaamoni]

Configured a Model 3 last week and currently waiting for a VIN. Is it reasonable to ask the service center not to wash or do any detailing on the car before I pick it up? I'd much rather carefully do everything myself when I bring it home to make sure there won't be any swirl marks or other defects that need paint correction. I guess I would want them to remove the plastic so I can inspect the car for manufacturing defects, though.

What do you guys think? Is this a common request? Has anyone here done this?

I have the same concern.... Not sure what to do, been going back and forth on the options.

 

[NewTMSMan]

I would not skip letting them detail the car, even though I would have paint correction done after that. You will have trouble seeing any issues that they may need to correct if they don't clean the car properly. I had an issue a few years ago with a Volvo I bought that I asked not to have detailed and when I took it to my detail guy for paint correction and film it turned out the paint had issues and I just thought it was dirty. Had a hard time getting them to agree to fix the problem, so now I just let them screw the paint up a little at the dealerships and accept that my guy will fix what they do and that way I can inspect the car better before taking delivery.

 

[BerTX]

I ask them not to wash the car after service and have never been successful at getting that wish granted.

 

[Nikki's Dad]

Just took delivery of my MS. Was very clear I didn't want any detailing. They had no issuing honoring my request. Just be clear with your local delivery specialist.

 

[Rik59]

My Model X was washed before delivery and arrived with tons of scratches. Took the detailer hours of work to prepare the car for coating and wrapping.
Just received it back from servicing. My detailer said someone washed it with a brush and scratched the hell out of it, applied wax everywhere, including on the black wheel protectors, and then buffed the car to try to hide the scratches. In some spots, the ceramic coating is completely gone.
Motto: leave the car washing to the professionals, i.e. not Tesla car washers.
If they wash it again, against my instructions, Tesla will receive a bill for repairs from me.

 

[liuping]

Just took delivery of my MS. Was very clear I didn't want any detailing. They had no issuing honoring my request. Just be clear with your local delivery specialist.

Last time my wife's Model 3 was in, we requested no wash when we dropped it off, "no wash" is supposed to be in our permanent file and I replied "Please do not wash it" when they texted me saying it was ready and they specifically asked "Would you like us to send the vehicle through the wash" .

When we picked it up it was washed.

Fortunately it has a full xPel wrap and that offers decent protection. Everything else was great and I really like the San Diego Service Center, but the wash thing is annoying.

 

[mal_tsla]

The only way to keep service from washing your car is to put a post it note on the speedometer area that says NO WASH.

That goes for all brands that wash cars as part of service visits

 

[CBPfromTN]

Configured a Model 3 last week and currently waiting for a VIN. Is it reasonable to ask the service center not to wash or do any detailing on the car before I pick it up? I'd much rather carefully do everything myself when I bring it home to make sure there won't be any swirl marks or other defects that need paint correction. I guess I would want them to remove the plastic so I can inspect the car for manufacturing defects, though.

What do you guys think? Is this a common request? Has anyone here done this?

I asked them to NOT wax my Model S, but they did that anyway. I drove it straight from the dealership to an auto detailer whose specialty is applying Opti Coat Pro Plus so I believe he had some extra work to do because of this. He found scratches, swirls, glue from the protective wrap that had been on it and quite a few things, even though he said it wasn't enough or BAD enough to send back to the dealership. Anyway, he was able to get out ALL of the imperfections that he said were all fairly typical for a brand new car and he then applied the Opti Coat Pro Plus on it and it is absolutely stunning! (I am not qualified, personally, to be able to inspect a car to the extent that my detailer did so I felt very confident having him do it and I am so glad I did.....and it DID take using some very strong LED lights on every square inch of the exterior to see everything that needed to be corrected, so be sure you do that if you can.) Good luck!

 

[Supertester777]

The only way to keep service from washing your car is to put a post it note on the speedometer area that says NO WASH.

That goes for all brands that wash cars as part of service visits

Where is the speedometer on the M3?

 

[fseir]

Where is the speedometer on the M3?

I’d just stick it to the HUD.

 

[oripaamoni]

The only way to keep service from washing your car is to put a post it note on the speedometer area that says NO WASH.

That goes for all brands that wash cars as part of service visits

ya, countless times the audi dealer messed this up, even with a large sign hanging from the mirror

 

[boaterva]

The only way to keep service from washing your car is to put a post it note on the speedometer area that says NO WASH.

That goes for all brands that wash cars as part of service visits

This is what I do. PostIt next to the MCU. And in the file. And it's wrapped.

For the OP, I'd let them do the usual and then let your guy do what he has to. Better to get all the transit stuff off, sigh....