Model 3 Clear Coat Curing Time & PPF Install?

[Beatsmove303]

Hello -

New to the forum and awaiting delivery of my Long Range Model 3! Happy to be part of the community and making my first post today.

I was told recently by a Tesla advisor that from the delivery date, the clear coat won't be fully cured for ~ 60 days. No one at Tesla has since been able to tell me whether I need wait to have Xpel clear bra installed, or if I can have it installed right away. Honestly, and I think this is pretty JV of them, but they told me to "probably wait a few weeks", or "check on the forums." So here I am!

Guy at the shop here in Denver, which is a high-end and very reputable business, generally recommends protecting your new vehicle ASAP, but he told me to ask Tesla to be sure as he has no intimate knowledge of their clear coat and curing specifications.

Thanks in advance!

ML

 

[03DSG]

Hello -

New to the forum and awaiting delivery of my Long Range Model 3! Happy to be part of the community and making my first post today.

I was told recently by a Tesla advisor that from the delivery date, the clear coat won't be fully cured for ~ 60 days. No one at Tesla has since been able to tell me whether I need wait to have Xpel clear bra installed, or if I can have it installed right away. Honestly, and I think this is pretty JV of them, but they told me to "probably wait a few weeks", or "check on the forums." So here I am!

Guy at the shop here in Denver, which is a high-end and very reputable business, generally recommends protecting your new vehicle ASAP, but he told me to ask Tesla to be sure as he has no intimate knowledge of their clear coat and curing specifications.

Thanks in advance!

ML

I believe your Tesla advisor is misinformed. By the time you have taken delivery you can do paint (actually clear coat) correction, PPF and ceramic on your factory paint as soon as you like.

 

[joebruin77]

I would check the date that your car was manufactured. I believe that is on the sticker on the inside of the driver's door. But in general, you should be fine to get the PPF installed right away. In fact, I think it is a risk to your paint to delay getting it protected by PPF. When I took delivery of my P3D last year, I had PPF installed within 3 days of delivery for this very reason.

 

[dougatconcours]

That's a new one!! We have never had problem with a brand new Tesla. Our shop is less than a mile from the distribution center in Marina del Rey, CA. Our customers usually take delivery and drive straight here. We install PPF same or next day.

Generally speaking on a repaint you should wait. All repaints in California are water based, same as Tesla original paint. Different shops say different curing times...30 days, 60 days, and even 90 days. In our litigious society it's CYA.

We have found the clear coat will pull off during install if you you rush the curing time on repaints, but we have also found if they use a curing oven the time is greatly reduced.

We are comfortable waiting 15 days and haven't had any issues.

Sorry not much help on your question regarding "new curing" from manufacturing. It's definitely a new one I haven't heard yet....