Does your Model S have any dings or dents from parking lots yet?

[wiztecy]

Love having the Roadster, don't get dings (due to the carbon fiber panels) but you can get an occasional chip if a sharp corner of a door hits. EZ to touch up, I typically park away in food shoping marts where in/out traffic happens allot and where my 1st chip occurred. Came from an overweight woman driving a Nissan SUV that was really beat up beside me. She had no care in the world and just flung wildly the door at the Roadster not giving a damn. Honestly lots of people admire the Roadster and are very careful opening their doors which is nice. But I don't understand the mentality of people, well actually I do with the case mentioned above on why they do that. They don't care about themselves so why should they care about others and their things.

 

[Mayhemm]

Yes, for a certain kind of person (of which there seem to be more and more) a nice vehicle may as well have a big neon target rotating over it.

 

[Bardlebee]

As I am on the verge of ordering, I keep going back and forth on whether I should pony up the 4k for Xpel Ultimate covering my whole car. On one hand it will be safe from most scratches and dings... of course not full on dents. On the other hands... its bloody well 4k+!!

I am already stretching for this car and if it weren't for the TSLA stock I wouldn't even consider it! So that's my background, I am curious if those who have had scratches/dents in their Model S just shrug it off? I my current car, 2008 Ford Mustang V6, I don't really car about the scratches and dents, but I have never been passionate about the vehicle.. or cars in general. Now I am sitting here wondering if I will give the same mental treatment to my new Model S! I wish I could just turn off the switch and say "screw it" to the idea of scratches and not worry about it, but maybe its just because of the newness

 

[kazumi]

I live in a rural area and the road in front of my house is gravel :crying: so within 5k miles, I noticed several tiny but deep chips. I had already anticipated this and got the touch up paint. The color match isn't great, but I touched it up, as soon as temperature was warm enough, just to protect the aluminum.

 

[howardc64]

As I am on the verge of ordering, I keep going back and forth on whether I should pony up the 4k for Xpel Ultimate covering my whole car. On one hand it will be safe from most scratches and dings... of course not full on dents. On the other hands... its bloody well 4k+!!

I am already stretching for this car and if it weren't for the TSLA stock I wouldn't even consider it! So that's my background, I am curious if those who have had scratches/dents in their Model S just shrug it off? I my current car, 2008 Ford Mustang V6, I don't really car about the scratches and dents, but I have never been passionate about the vehicle.. or cars in general. Now I am sitting here wondering if I will give the same mental treatment to my new Model S! I wish I could just turn off the switch and say "screw it" to the idea of scratches and not worry about it, but maybe its just because of the newness

In our case. Parking lot bumps on the model S is certainly more frustrating initially compared to getting them on our utilitarian prius. But at the end of the day, what can you really gain from any mental anguish. So you move on and just deal with it. Fix some. Live with some with what make sense financially.

i will say taking care of the body on the model s is the most challenging ever for me. From paint correction to sealants to wraps to detailer class knowledge on how to wash this car to remove and prevent swirls on the soft paint.

 

[tezco]

Seems like the further I park away from the other cars, the more likely I come back out and find a giant SUV inches from the S!

 

[Mayhemm]

They're driven by conformist drones; You parked there, so it must be a good spot to park. Therefore they will also park there.

 

[wycolo]

> Costs over $500 to replace the nose cone [Mnlevin]

But if you (physically) use a credit card, not so much. Might be time to lock your nose cone!
--

 

[caddieo]

i will say taking care of the body on the model s is the most challenging ever for me. From paint correction to sealants to wraps to detailer class knowledge on how to wash this car to remove and prevent swirls on the soft paint.

Hah! Ditto for me. This is the first car I have owned where (after the usual getting-acquainted period) I have been more concerned about the body than the propulsion system.

 

[blc1017]

As I am on the verge of ordering, I keep going back and forth on whether I should pony up the 4k for Xpel Ultimate covering my whole car. On one hand it will be safe from most scratches and dings... of course not full on dents. On the other hands... its bloody well 4k+!!

I am already stretching for this car and if it weren't for the TSLA stock I wouldn't even consider it! So that's my background, I am curious if those who have had scratches/dents in their Model S just shrug it off? I my current car, 2008 Ford Mustang V6, I don't really car about the scratches and dents, but I have never been passionate about the vehicle.. or cars in general. Now I am sitting here wondering if I will give the same mental treatment to my new Model S! I wish I could just turn off the switch and say "screw it" to the idea of scratches and not worry about it, but maybe its just because of the newness

If you don't go for the PPF, get yourself a paint pen. I've been told by the Fremont SC that chips that go all the way through the paint to the aluminum tend to degrade and get larger unless they are corrected...don't know if that is true or not as I've got PPF on most of my car. Otherwise, like everyone else, I pay attention to where I park, and remind myself that this is my daily driver.

 

[bareyb]

I finally got the nerve to do some homegrown paint correction on my own car the other day. There were a couple of surface scratches that were there from the Factory. I'm happy to report that even with a fairly mild abrasive (Meguiar's Polishing Compound), the scratches buffed right out without a trace.

 

[darthvdr]

I have stayed away from parking in dense areas. Plus, it's nice to walk a little bit further for the benefit of being more active.

 

[brianman]

They're driven by conformist drones; You parked there, so it must be a good spot to park. Therefore they will also park there.

Yes. This is why I park near open flames. To bait the ICE vehicles.

- - - Updated - - -

buffed right out

So it's true! ("That'll buff right out.")

- - - Updated - - -

I feel bad for the bird here too, but this quote from this source made me laugh:

the only "ding" that I have experienced so far was a bird apparently flying into the side of the shiny reflective car

 

[kevincwelch]

I finally got the nerve to do some homegrown paint correction on my own car the other day. There were a couple of surface scratches that were there from the Factory. I'm happy to report that even with a fairly mild abrasive (Meguiar's Polishing Compound), the scratches buffed right out without a trace.

My advice: don't get started doing this sort of correction. Once you start, then you start buying other detailing products, and then detailing equipment, and before you know it, you're spending money on garage updates that make it easier to do detailing work!

 

[Nikoli]

I always use Google maps to scope out unfamiliar parking lots in advance. If they don't pass we drive a different vehicle. (Even if the current S in the garage is a loaner)

 

[kevincwelch]

Commandments to live by:

Thou shall not park close to the door.
Thou shall not park next to the shopping cart return
Thou shall not park next to a 2 door car.
Thou shall not park next to a car that havest rust.
Thou shall not park next to a car with booster or infant seats.
Thou shall not park next to a pickup truck.
Thou shall not park next to another car unless it is of equal or greater value.
Thou shall not consume two parking spots except when minutes before closing and at least 1/4 mile from door.
Thou shall not park next to any car with Confederate flag.
Thou shall not park next to Fisker, lest you smote with flame.

 

[huntjo]

Commandments to live by:

Thou shall not park closet to the door.
Thou shall not park next to the shopping cart return
Thou shall not park next to a 2 door car.
Thou shall not park next to a car that havest rust.
Thou shall not park next to a car with booster or infant seats.
Thou shall not park next to a pickup truck.
Thou shall not park next to another car unless it is of equal or greater value.
Thou shall not consume two parking spots except when minutes before closing and at least 1/4 mile from door.
Thou shall not park next to any car with Confederate flag.
Thou shall not park next to Fisker, lest you smote with flame.

Epic!

 

[gglockner]

Commandments to live by:

Thou shall not park close to the door.
Thou shall not park next to the shopping cart return
Thou shall not park next to a 2 door car.
Thou shall not park next to a car that havest rust.
Thou shall not park next to a car with booster or infant seats.
Thou shall not park next to a pickup truck.
Thou shall not park next to another car unless it is of equal or greater value.
Thou shall not consume two parking spots except when minutes before closing and at least 1/4 mile from door.
Thou shall not park next to any car with Confederate flag.
Thou shall not park next to Fisker, lest you smote with flame.

Awesome. I'd add:

Thou shall not park in space marked Compact.

 

[bareyb]

My advice: don't get started doing this sort of correction. Once you start, then you start buying other detailing products, and then detailing equipment, and before you know it, you're spending money on garage updates that make it easier to do detailing work!

Ha! Too late… I buffed it out with my new Griot's Buffer and my Chemical Guys' Micro Fiber Towels. I have also migrated to the "Two Bucket System" for washing my Car now that I no longer trust the local Car wash to not scratch my baby. My Garage looks like a detail shop.

 

[Mayhemm]

This friggin car took over my life. I have never been so OCD about a car. I am paranoid beyond belief and will not drive anywhere "optional". Makes me wish for an ugly but efficient and fun car so I don't have to keep trying to keep it looking so beautiful. However, as unbelievable as this may sound, the only "ding" that I have experienced so far was a bird apparently flying into the side of the shiny reflective car when I was stopped at a traffic light one morning. I am not kidding. It broke my heart. Not for the little ding in the door, but for the poor bird.

So maybe birds aren't so smart after all...*queue rimshot*

@kevincwelch: makes more sense than the real commandments. Though, in my town, it basically means my garage is the only place I'm allowed to park...