My April 2019 build looks ZOMG PANEL GAPS!!!11!!!!11!
Seriously, looks great to my eyes. No concerns.
Seriously, looks great to my eyes. No concerns.
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Model 3 paint wearing off
It is not within specs. Really. Get a goverment & technical goods inspector to verify it.
Use lawyers if have to. IT IS not normal that black shows behind white....
Friendly reminder: If Tesla says to you "yeah this is within specs" or "yeah this is normal" or "yeah this is normal tear & wear" don't always believe it.
You can surely questionize many things like what are "within specs" ️
I think the paint shop "is off the grid" and it is secret area where only Elon Musk can enter.
Pls ask if you are able to go there? Post your findings!
super20g
Member
Oh, I am sure it is not normal to see through the paint on a 'luxury' car... I remember Elon tweeting a year or so ago saying they would fix paint problems brought to their attn as well. But they told me it is 'within spec' like their usual response but will not respond to what their spec is. I told them I want it independently tested and need to know their spec and they do what they always do on things they do not want to respond to... they just don't respond... Even with the service manager and regional service manager in the email. They only respond when I give them pictures and vin/service records of another member that had their same issue fixed... Then I assume they know if that goes to arbitration/courts they will lose and pay the fees on top of it so they then fix the issue... What a way to do business.
They just did that with the jack points on my car that were all 4 torn apart from improper transport from factory to delivery center. I told them I wanted the jack points repaired and they told me no multiple times, that it is cosmetic, won't affect performance, yada yada. Give them a vin of another member that had the same damage repaired under warranty and magically they then ordered the part because I am sure they knew next step was arbitration or push through the courts and they'd pay fees on top of it... Quite a way to treat your customers... No apologies, no goodwill like the other guy got, car still sitting at service going on a month in 3 days with a drained/dead battery and no ETA on when the part will arrive. Since they declined to fix the thin paint issues, I'll have to find a vin of another owner that had the same work fixed to get them to fix that evidently, which could be done now during the wait for the other part but they will probably drag it out for another service visit that is hours away from home.
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jebinc
Well-Known Member
BOHICA, unfortunately. Driven by "market forces," service and transparency should improve with time, if they are to remain viable.
Tesla's service has been a hit or miss. I had issues with my M3 delivery and it took them 2 months to fix (gaps, wipers going pass the glass and scratching the side pillars, on / off glitches with screen, etc.). My friend who also took delivery of his M3 within a month of mine had problems with the paint and it took them a month to address.
No, it's just paint. I had to return my first M3 due to front passenger door had rubbed out paint there to clear metal. This is my 2nd order and I just started to notice wear there after a car wash. It is definitely not rubbing and I do not an appointment to have it looked it. I may also be noticing spots on the hood where the clear coat is wearing off. Small 1/8" spots. It's not have rock chips and the like since I do have those too.
Just interested if others see what I am experiencing.
pdx_m3s
Active Member
Regardless of how people feel about paint issues or they’re experience with the lack thereof, threads like this are a good thing and should be encouraged. It puts pressure on Tesla to be better, and that’s a good thing for us customers. Clearly there are paint issues with some cars, and the more exposure to the problem, the better likelihood of the issue being remedied. If it scares off a few customers, then so be it... that’s Tesla’s problem, not ours. I don’t know about you guys, but I don’t work for Tesla, they work for me. I have no obligation to cheerlead their build quality in the face of all facts.
FWIW, I have a black SR+ with no obvious paint issues. I love the car. I installed front mud guards the week I got the car to prevent rock chips due to a known design “flaw” (if you want to call it that) with the car (not necessarily a “paint issue”).
FWIW, I have a black SR+ with no obvious paint issues. I love the car. I installed front mud guards the week I got the car to prevent rock chips due to a known design “flaw” (if you want to call it that) with the car (not necessarily a “paint issue”).
CocaineComet on Twitter
Check fremont website. There is new building permit for south side paint shop for re-commissioning!
Does somebody have any info? Unverified sources tell: Tesla bought 50 m $ durr eco paint shop from Detroit !
Durr:
Paint Shop Concepts
Fremont gov:
https://accela.fremont.gov/CitizenA...pID3=001AB&agencyCode=COF&IsToShowInspection=
[QUOTE="KenC, post: 3799216, member: 84873"
Many cars are vertically-sided in order to minimize dirt from blasting the sides of the car. Not the Tesla, it undercuts, so that the bottom part of the rockers and doors are exposed to the dirt being kicked up by the tires. The vehicles that aren't vertically-sided might compensate by putting dark gray plastic covering the exposed rocker areas....
It also doesn't help that the bottom is covered by the battery cover and/or the under tray, like an F1 car. That helps the aero and allows more dirt to be carried by the smoothed airflow towards the back.....
So, the design for aesthetic and aero reasons, make it more likely that the paint on vulnerable areas will get blasted by dirt. I'm not sure any paint, hard or soft would survive that kind of abuse[/QUOTE]
Undertray covers, convex side-sills, and no-flaps -- none are unique or rare to Tesla as these are all common on modern cars (yes, i started paying attention after reading this thread).
And further, my car is AWD with 300hp+, similarly wide 225/245 of very sticky winter and summer tires, curved front sills, front tire extending beyond sill edge, no mudguards or black plastics anywhere.... and this is after 3 alpine winters --- zero paint degradation
So I think the paint process -- selection and execution -- can be done right, without having it wear off within a matter of kilometers....
Many cars are vertically-sided in order to minimize dirt from blasting the sides of the car. Not the Tesla, it undercuts, so that the bottom part of the rockers and doors are exposed to the dirt being kicked up by the tires. The vehicles that aren't vertically-sided might compensate by putting dark gray plastic covering the exposed rocker areas....
It also doesn't help that the bottom is covered by the battery cover and/or the under tray, like an F1 car. That helps the aero and allows more dirt to be carried by the smoothed airflow towards the back.....
So, the design for aesthetic and aero reasons, make it more likely that the paint on vulnerable areas will get blasted by dirt. I'm not sure any paint, hard or soft would survive that kind of abuse[/QUOTE]
Undertray covers, convex side-sills, and no-flaps -- none are unique or rare to Tesla as these are all common on modern cars (yes, i started paying attention after reading this thread).
And further, my car is AWD with 300hp+, similarly wide 225/245 of very sticky winter and summer tires, curved front sills, front tire extending beyond sill edge, no mudguards or black plastics anywhere.... and this is after 3 alpine winters --- zero paint degradation
So I think the paint process -- selection and execution -- can be done right, without having it wear off within a matter of kilometers....
Attachments
I installed my PPF DIY 3M Scotchguard (the highest quality available on the website) from invisiblemask during the weekend on my Pearl White Model 3, and it went through the massive rain test yesterday.
The installation itself wasn't too bad, I installed the splashers (behind the rear wheels) to learn how to put on the PPF before installing the big rockers PPF as they are inexpensive and not so mandatory to replace if I screwed up badly. I had trouble wrapping around the edges, so I had to manually cut to have it adhere properly on. It turned out okay with some stretch marks. So I proceeded the next day on my rockers. The right sided one also went okay, and I dealt better with the edges near the wheel. Unfortunately, the edges right below the door didn't seem to fully stick, so I followed the recommendations on the videos of the website and all seemed great and beautiful, barely noticeable once the whole installation was completed. The left rocker was the best installation I've done in my quite young "PPF amateur installer".
Then came the rain test, construction roads in Montreal.
Today, I went out to see how my PPF handled the rain, dirt, rocks, debris from driving around the city, on the bridge, more constructions, bumpy poorly maintained roads, you name it for those familiar with Montreal.
The edges I was concerned on my right rocker didn't fully stick despite 24 hours in the garage, and 72 hours after installation. There were visible black lines from debris caught on the PPF edges (not the entire PPF length) on both sides, even if the left rocker section was best installed and no noticeable edge non adherence seen.
Honestly, I have a hard time believing the PPF I installed will last me more than 2 years at most without noticing it. I can already imagine the color change of the plastic depending on the angle I inspect.
I hope any of you out there who did it DIY have a better outcome than mine (maybe on a black tesla, it won't be noticed at all).
IMO, I wouldn't invest this 225$CAD I spent on the Rockers and Splash PPF. I would just use it on good quality mudguards. As my family warned me, if there were more scratches on the car paint, it's just easier to have the entire car repainted in the future future.
FYI, my Model 3 is an April 2019 production, and I already have a 1 x 0.5 cm paint damage on the rocker behind the Left front wheel after 7000km, including 1 road trip to Toronto. Winter is coming.
TL;DR : IMO, skip PPF, go for mudguards ASAP, or have your PPF installed professionally and customized/manual cutting for best results (NOT KIT INSTALLED).
The installation itself wasn't too bad, I installed the splashers (behind the rear wheels) to learn how to put on the PPF before installing the big rockers PPF as they are inexpensive and not so mandatory to replace if I screwed up badly. I had trouble wrapping around the edges, so I had to manually cut to have it adhere properly on. It turned out okay with some stretch marks. So I proceeded the next day on my rockers. The right sided one also went okay, and I dealt better with the edges near the wheel. Unfortunately, the edges right below the door didn't seem to fully stick, so I followed the recommendations on the videos of the website and all seemed great and beautiful, barely noticeable once the whole installation was completed. The left rocker was the best installation I've done in my quite young "PPF amateur installer".
Then came the rain test, construction roads in Montreal.
Today, I went out to see how my PPF handled the rain, dirt, rocks, debris from driving around the city, on the bridge, more constructions, bumpy poorly maintained roads, you name it for those familiar with Montreal.
The edges I was concerned on my right rocker didn't fully stick despite 24 hours in the garage, and 72 hours after installation. There were visible black lines from debris caught on the PPF edges (not the entire PPF length) on both sides, even if the left rocker section was best installed and no noticeable edge non adherence seen.
Honestly, I have a hard time believing the PPF I installed will last me more than 2 years at most without noticing it. I can already imagine the color change of the plastic depending on the angle I inspect.
I hope any of you out there who did it DIY have a better outcome than mine (maybe on a black tesla, it won't be noticed at all).
IMO, I wouldn't invest this 225$CAD I spent on the Rockers and Splash PPF. I would just use it on good quality mudguards. As my family warned me, if there were more scratches on the car paint, it's just easier to have the entire car repainted in the future future.
FYI, my Model 3 is an April 2019 production, and I already have a 1 x 0.5 cm paint damage on the rocker behind the Left front wheel after 7000km, including 1 road trip to Toronto. Winter is coming.
TL;DR : IMO, skip PPF, go for mudguards ASAP, or have your PPF installed professionally and customized/manual cutting for best results (NOT KIT INSTALLED).
jebinc
Well-Known Member
Yep, I agree. Mud guards are the better DIY way to go. I tried both the molded Chinese ones and the group buy with Tsolutions.
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