MIC Paint

[16tablets]

Evening,

Do we know if paint thickness (if that’s the right term) is any better on model 3’s made in China?

I’ve watched and read a number of people complain about stone chips or grit chips which are not as typical with other manufacturers. They happen but not as easily. The majority talk of paint thickness or how “hard” the paint is.

I just wonder if the paint process has been altered with made in China Tesla’s. There seems to be a lot of talk on Berlin having a better paint shop, but I couldn’t see anything for Shanghai.

 

[glide]

Yes. Anything not coming out of California has better paint.

China, Germany, and the other 49 US states are not subject to the crazy regulations that exist in California.

 

[Adopado]

Yes. Anything not coming out of California has better paint.

China, Germany, and the other 49 US states are not subject to the crazy regulations that exist in California.

I'd be surprised if California's relations are any stricter than European regulations (that the UK also still follows despite Brexit). I'm sure they are challenging for manufacturers but they are only crazy if you think it's OK to emit noxious and cancer causing chemicals into the environment!

 

[M3noob]

Evening,

Do we know if paint thickness (if that’s the right term) is any better on model 3’s made in China?

I’ve watched and read a number of people complain about stone chips or grit chips which are not as typical with other manufacturers. They happen but not as easily. The majority talk of paint thickness or how “hard” the paint is.

I just wonder if the paint process has been altered with made in China Tesla’s. There seems to be a lot of talk on Berlin having a better paint shop, but I couldn’t see anything for Shanghai.

When in doubt, PPF*

*Paint Protection Film, e.g. XPEL or 3M

 

[GRiLLA]

I'd be surprised if California's relations are any stricter than European regulations (that the UK also still follows despite Brexit). I'm sure they are challenging for manufacturers but they are only crazy if you think it's OK to emit noxious and cancer causing chemicals into the environment!

California - Microsoft Word - AV1151_Clean 061912.doc (ca.gov)
EU - EUR-Lex - 02004L0042-20190726 - EN - EUR-Lex (europa.eu)

The difference would appear to be in the regulations around Clear Coats, in California they are limited to 250g/L of VOC, in the EU 420 g/L of VOC. The colour coat for both is the same. I can't read the same regulations for China, I see references to 420 g/L but can't be sure.

My personal experience is that my MIA Model 3 has just as good pant as my previous BMW, while there are clearly some people that have had paint issues from new, I'm not noticing any exceptions wear after 14K miles or abnormal stone damage. I do have a ceramic coating applied, but that's just cosmetic rather than really creating protection.

 

[glide]

I'd be surprised if California's relations are any stricter than European regulations (that the UK also still follows despite Brexit). I'm sure they are challenging for manufacturers but they are only crazy if you think it's OK to emit noxious and cancer causing chemicals into the environment!

I can promise you the paint on my BMW is light years ahead of anything coming out of Tesla CA. And I have owned 3 vehicles from Tesla 2015-2021.

There is a market for vehicles with a proper paint job, noxious and cancer causing chemicals aside. If you’re so “green” that you find the pint process offensive, please let us know how you feel about the disposable batteries in the vehicles and heavy metals that must be mined for them. More phony outrage.

 

[nufan]

I too find the paint on my (blue) Model 3 just fine - one year/7000 miles in - no PPF or ceramic coatings. No defects either.

 

[Avendit]

I can promise you the paint on my BMW is light years ahead of anything coming out of Tesla CA. And I have owned 3 vehicles from Tesla 2015-2021.

There is a market for vehicles with a proper paint job, noxious and cancer causing chemicals aside. If you’re so “green” that you find the pint process offensive, please let us know how you feel about the disposable batteries in the vehicles and heavy metals that must be mined for them. More phony outrage.

You've triggered me, so I'll bite.

1) being concerned (as a society) about one thing does not preclude other things - this isn't an either or/ or a one with out the other. Each has their costs and balances to be made independent of each other. You've constructed your own straw man there out of internet rumors and wishful thinking.
2) reduction of the paint chemicals is part of the same journey as reduction and recovery of the heavy metals involved in the car's manufacture. Those same regs apply to the device you typed your statements on, and to the cars. All part and parcel of starting to control and improve how we interact with our planet and health.
3) The number of Tesla's (or even BEV's) that have reached EoL so far must be pretty low. Batteries can be first re-used then re-cycled. Recycling lithium ion batteries is almost as effective as recycling Glass (in terms of energy usage and recovery%, where recycled glass is actually cheaper and more efficient than first use glass), and I hope you do that? Right? Otherwise I guess you aren't really concerned about air quality or any of the other stuff you mentioned, you just brought it up to troll?

Reduce, reuse, recycle. Less VOC is the first of these. If that balance of harm vs thickness of paint isn't to your taste, put some PPF on it.

 

[browellm]

f that balance of harm vs thickness of paint isn't to your taste, put some PPF on it.

Framing it as a matter of taste is somewhat disingenuous though, and I only mention that since you raise the issue of strawman arguments further up the post.

The question is whether the paint job is fit for purpose. Anecdotally, the jury is out. And if it isn't fit for purpose and provide adequate longevity under "normal" driving conditions, then suggesting aftermarket fixes at cost to the driver isn't really an acceptable solution.

It is worth noting that in Musk's recent interview with Sandy Munro, he does acknowledge paint issues right up until December last year.

 

[Adopado]

It is worth noting that in Musk's recent interview with Sandy Munro, he does acknowledge paint issues right up until December last year.

Indeed. Elon commented that some of the issues related to their line not properly taking account of drying times. Clearly there’s more to it than just that but was an acknowledgement that they had modified production to take account of it.

 

[Peteski]

I haven’t had any unusual stone chip issues with our white MX over 40k miles. It’s actually been very good. Better than my lower mileage 911. I know the white (and red) are multi-coats, so maybe better than the others? I’m not convinced MIC cars will use different paint specs either.

 

[Drew57]

Seeing chips along the sides of a few Teslas prior to ownership, I decided to add aftermarket mud flaps & a clear 100mm ppf strip along each sill below the door. These were ordered before the car arrived and all installed the morning after delivery

Since then I have had one small grey patch appear on the drivers door, a tiny chip on the nearside nose and another from a stone which hit the bonnet at speed - all easily rectified with PPSW touch up paint.

In spite of the mud flaps there are a few scuffs and spots of tarmac on the ppf strips so I'm glad I did this & will only remove when it's time to sell the car.

 

[16tablets]

Thanks for all the comments, doesn't appear to be a clear answer yet.

I have planned to get ceramic coating (for cleaning) and some PPF but I didn't want to go ahead with the expense if the MIC models had a "better" finish. As the car doesn't arrive until March, I wondered if anyone had further info.

It's good to hear some people have had good paint experiences and I did see the Sandy/Elon video were he did admit they'd "cut the drying time by a minute to speed up production and this had harmed the paint quality".

I've never "babied" a car or even had a second thought about the paint being an issue but comments on here, Reddit and youtube highlight concerns around paint issues from owners. I've never had paint issues with previous cars BMWs and VWs, even with salt gritters passing by which many Tesla owners have mentioned caused them damage.

Anyway thanks again and if anyone does hear anything, please let me know

 

[Durzel]

No one knows for sure really how much better MIC paint will be, as I don't think anyone has actually got a MIC car in the UK yet? I guess they're not far off though.

 

[AlexMasters]

My paint coat was thick enough (120-140 microns) but I had issues with the clearcoat that are going to require a repaint. There is pitting in the clearcoat, obvious once my detailer had pointed it out at 60 days after delivery, so that's not a durability issue - just a production defect. I wonder how consistent the paint thickness is between cars. Mine is painted in MSM, if that makes difference. The new clearcoat will be Glasurit, which is good stuff if well applied, and it will be because I know the body shop.

 

[Adopado]

There is a market for vehicles with a proper paint job, noxious and cancer causing chemicals aside. If you’re so “green” that you find the pint process offensive, please let us know how you feel about the disposable batteries in the vehicles and heavy metals that must be mined for them. More phony outrage.

Wow, that was a surprise!

There’s me thinking that regulations to make paint less harmful might not be bad thing...

 

[Peteski]

Thanks for all the comments, doesn't appear to be a clear answer yet.

I have planned to get ceramic coating (for cleaning) and some PPF but I didn't want to go ahead with the expense if the MIC models had a "better" finish. As the car doesn't arrive until March, I wondered if anyone had further info.

It's good to hear some people have had good paint experiences and I did see the Sandy/Elon video were he did admit they'd "cut the drying time by a minute to speed up production and this had harmed the paint quality".

I've never "babied" a car or even had a second thought about the paint being an issue but comments on here, Reddit and youtube highlight concerns around paint issues from owners. I've never had paint issues with previous cars BMWs and VWs, even with salt gritters passing by which many Tesla owners have mentioned caused them damage.

Anyway thanks again and if anyone does hear anything, please let me know

Maybe you just never looked that closely at other cars. None of them are immune from stone chips. Ceramic coating for easy cleaning (adds no stone chip protection) and PPF are all the rage now for all premium cars. Porsche dealerships routinely re-spray front bumpers and bonnets on their used stock of mostly low mileage cars under 4 years old. Just sayin...