Delivered less than one month. Already many chips on bumper!!

[wolfwolf]

Hi guys,

Just got my mode 3 black delivered less than a month ago. Drives less than 950miles. Only on routine route back to work like what I had with my older vehicle. Today I noticed a few rock chips at the bumper. I live in the city and don’t expect a lot of sand or rock on the way to my work place. The paint quality seems very inferior.

Has anyone had this problem and successfully got Tesla yo fix it? In the long run, I’m pretty sure this paint won’t last long.

Advise greatly appreciated. I don’t want to pay extra for more work to protect the paint, as I expect this brand new paint to at least resist normal road conditions.

 

[kengchang]

Wear and tear is not warranty item

 

[Wennfred]

Can you post pictures? I had by front end & rocker panels wrapped to prevent paint chips etc.

Fred

 

[GuyDude]

It’s a bumper.... if you are worried about it then get it wrapped or coated. Enjoy the car

 

[Mironski]

Hey guys, be serious... rockchips in the bumper... My two Subaru Impreza 2015 are peppered with rockschips... is it Subary's fault? Ahahahahahahah! Class action!

I wrapped my TM3 'cause I do almost 40k miles/year mostly highway. Bumper has been attacked (25k miles done already), but the wrap did its job.

Common, let Tesla out of these futile discussion.

 

[UngaBunga1989]

I really cannot believe that you are attributing this to "inferior" paint. If you were worried about rock chips on your bumper you should have gotten the front of the car wrapped (as many of us have done). The paint on the Tesla is no more or less prone to being damaged by rocks than any other paint...

 

[banned-66611]

Might be worth asking an independent paint expert to look at it. If it's getting excessively damaged then the clear coat might be too thin, something like that. If the original paint was bad it might have been stripped and repainted, but then not finished properly.

 

[Matt L]

Go get it wrapped if you want it to stay looking new.

 

[KenC]

Need pics. Chips in the bumper may seem more common since the bumper has no grill like other cars.

Hi guys,

Just got my mode 3 black delivered less than a month ago. Drives less than 950miles. Only on routine route back to work like what I had with my older vehicle. Today I noticed a few rock chips at the bumper. I live in the city and don’t expect a lot of sand or rock on the way to my work place. The paint quality seems very inferior.

Has anyone had this problem and successfully got Tesla yo fix it? In the long run, I’m pretty sure this paint won’t last long.

Advise greatly appreciated. I don’t want to pay extra for more work to protect the paint, as I expect this brand new paint to at least resist normal road conditions.

 

[lolder]

Someone did a paint thickness comparative analysis between Teslas and other manufacturers and there was little difference in similar classes of cars. It's a "bumber" even though it's painted like bodywork.

 

[SammichLover]

Can you post pictures? I had by front end & rocker panels wrapped to prevent paint chips etc.

Fred

Good call there. I found the rockers, at the back end of them, far more vulnerable to chipping than the bumper.

 

[duanra]

However some batches are not as good as others. So yes there might be paint issues. However talking to the technician who wrapped my car, nowadays paint quality is not as good because of environmental regulations. It is good news for the wrapping business.

 

[Runnergirl]

While I agree Tesla paint doesn't seem 'inferior', I'd like to share our experiences with a Pearl White Model 3 and a Blue Model 3-- NIGHT AND DAY differences!

I have washed them both, back to back in an afternoon and the pearl white paint is smooth as glass and dirt just wipes off easily when washing. There's something FAR different going on with my husband's blue paint. It's more pourous and grainy and you have to really apply a lot of rubbing pressure to get it clean.
It seriously takes me minutes to wash my white, and twice as long to wash his. And then after they dry, my white is glossy and shiny and his is dull and still has many dirty spots that I have to go back over again!!
The most telling difference is just running your hand over the wet hoods: white is smooth as glass; blue feels sandy or gritty (when clean).
Seriously a HUGE difference. I quit washing his because it's too timely and exhausting.

 

[kengchang]

While I agree Tesla paint doesn't seem 'inferior', I'd like to share our experiences with a Pearl White Model 3 and a Blue Model 3-- NIGHT AND DAY differences!

I have washed them both, back to back in an afternoon and the pearl white paint is smooth as glass and dirt just wipes off easily when washing. There's something FAR different going on with my husband's blue paint. It's more pourous and grainy and you have to really apply a lot of rubbing pressure to get it clean.
It seriously takes me minutes to wash my white, and twice as long to wash his. And then after they dry, my white is glossy and shiny and his is dull and still has many dirty spots that I have to go back over again!!
The most telling difference is just running your hand over the wet hoods: white is smooth as glass; blue feels sandy or gritty (when clean).
Seriously a HUGE difference. I quit washing his because it's too timely and exhausting.

All cars are easy to clean once a proper sealant/wax layers are built. Mine is blue, cleaning it is easy just like other car I had.

 

[Runnergirl]

All cars are easy to clean once a proper sealant/wax layers are built. Mine is blue, cleaning it is easy just like other car I had.

Our blue has a grainy texture. All the wax in the world won't fix this. It was like this from day one. Just saying we have a side by side comparison and there's a difference.

 

[SammichLover]

All cars are easy to clean once a proper sealant/wax layers are built. Mine is blue, cleaning it is easy just like other car I had.

Well you aren't touching the paint anymore, so yeah the paint isn't going to have any meaningful impact on it.

Unless it was really rough prior and whatever you have overtop of it isn't thick enough to smooth it all out.

 

[SammichLover]

Our blue has a grainy texture. All the wax in the world won't fix this.

Are you talking about the metallic flecks in the Deep Blue Metallic paint? Or is it actual surface? Have you tried a clay bar some other polishing approach? (In a little, out of the way corner)

 

[duanra]

To Runnergirl
According to the people who wrapped my car, some cars are better painted than other which is regrettable.
So it might be the case of your husband blue car ?

 

[Runnergirl]

Are you talking about the metallic flecks in the Deep Blue Metallic paint? Or is it actual surface? Have you tried a clay bar some other polishing approach? (In a little, out of the way corner)

Yes it's the surface. Metallic flakes are a visual difference. This roughness can be felt easily- more so when car is wet and clean. It's almost like the smoothest grain sandpaper. Even water runs/ beads up differently on the two cars. Our blue is clearly different than the white. We havent tried the clay bar. It's worth a try. I firmly believe the Pearl White "multi coat" is just that MULTI coats, where the blue feels like a base coat. White feels thicker/harder and definitely smoother.

 

[Runnergirl]

To Runnergirl
According to the people who wrapped my car, some cars are better painted than other which is regrettable.
So it might be the case of your husband blue car ?

Yes I agree. He had an early build and I think it's just a symptom of an early adopter maybe.. . We love them both and drive them daily and don't talk about their flaws in front of them