Welcome to Tesla Motors Club
Discuss Tesla's Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, Cybertruck, Roadster and More.
Register
This site may earn commission on affiliate links.
Couple more thoughts. Obviously, the cars with the most rocker damage are going to be AWD, dual-motor models, since the front wheels are going to be acting as drive wheels in slippery conditions. And, I have a feeling those snow tires with the biggest block treads, ie the biggest voids, are likely to throw up more debris, along with gripping the snow the best. If you look at some of the sandblasted pics of the rear wheel well, you can actually see the tread block spacing in the paint pattern.

I was just thinking this, because I live in snowy/sandy Maine (believe me, my little town loves to throw down tons of sand), and my car came thru with a minimal amount of damage to the rockers, relative to the pics from others. I didn't swap to snow tires, yet, as I wanted to set a snow performance baseline with the OEM all-seasons before getting snows for next Winter. I'm just thinking that the vehicles with the worst damage were ones with the biggest block snow tires, on AWD models.
 
Ha, another thought. If I hadn't done the full doors PPF, and was only interested in protecting my Model 3 from sandblasting from the tires, I would consider a rocker package from carprotectionpros 2018-2019 Tesla Model 3 3M Pro Series Clear Bra Rocker Panels Paint Protection Kit

That includes the rocker panels, AND the areas low on the doors, below the seam. That lower door area also gets blasted if you look at the pictures people have posted. It's $200 for 3M Scotchgard, and $40 more if you want Xpel. The only piece missing would be a piece behind the rear wheels. They also have that for $50. Protecting those areas, means not having to get the mudguards. So, $250 should get you full protection from road rash and sandblasting, and looks like a DIY project that most people should be able to handle.
 
Ha, another thought. If I hadn't done the full doors PPF, and was only interested in protecting my Model 3 from sandblasting from the tires, I would consider a rocker package from carprotectionpros 2018-2019 Tesla Model 3 3M Pro Series Clear Bra Rocker Panels Paint Protection Kit

That includes the rocker panels, AND the areas low on the doors, below the seam. That lower door area also gets blasted if you look at the pictures people have posted. It's $200 for 3M Scotchgard, and $40 more if you want Xpel. The only piece missing would be a piece behind the rear wheels. They also have that for $50. Protecting those areas, means not having to get the mudguards. So, $250 should get you full protection from road rash and sandblasting, and looks like a DIY project that most people should be able to handle.

Thanks Ken for the helpful posts!!!
Nice change from the Tesla bashing some people have enjoyed over this issue.

Just wish to highlight that this sandblasting and lack of mud guard was also an issue on the Roadster and Model S.
Both were also very aerodynamic designs to improve range. I was actually forewarned on this at Tesla store originally.
Probably too much dilution of knowledge in the Service Center to happen for Model 3.
People learned to protect their car...very often on this forum with helpful posts like yours.
I know I did.
 
These looks pretty cool. Got any pics of yours installed?
Here are some pics of my carbon fiber mudguards. The backside is glossy, while the frontside is uncoated. They don't complete stop road debris, but they do cut down alot that would damage visible areas of your paint. PPF on your rockers would make a complete solution.

You use the one existing nylon fastener, and 3M's red adhesive tape. Heat it up with a heat gun or hair dryer. It's real solid. I put the tape on the car, first, rather than on the mudguard, as I didn't want the tape to show, if I placed the tape in the wrong place.

No extra noise or highway range hit that I can tell.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_1792.jpg
    IMG_1792.jpg
    1.4 MB · Views: 467
  • IMG_1906.jpg
    IMG_1906.jpg
    1.4 MB · Views: 449
  • IMG_1911.jpg
    IMG_1911.jpg
    1.5 MB · Views: 430
  • IMG_1909.jpg
    IMG_1909.jpg
    1.4 MB · Views: 442
  • IMG_1940.jpg
    IMG_1940.jpg
    1.3 MB · Views: 448
  • IMG_1936.jpg
    IMG_1936.jpg
    1.4 MB · Views: 430
I'll say it again.....environmental regulations. Last time I checked the EPA doesn't pass laws in Europe. Until Tesla makes vehicles in a location without these types of restrictions you can expect softer paint.
If you decide not to PPF your car that is your decision.

Kilotango74 is correct. California regulations on chemicals are very extreme. What you are permitted to use and even how much of what you use at a time. This doesn't mean the paint jobs are terrible, but the best chemicals for hardness are usually the worst for you haha.
I work in aerospace composites and have had to stop using many chemicals over the years as regulations increase.
we are required to keep track of all chemicals used and amounts sprayed ect that contain any VOC (volatile organic compounds). If you ever try to purchase paint products online. Notice that they will have a CA compliant version or just not sell to California. Even plastiDip has a CA permitted use version.

https://www.dipyourcar.com/collections/california-car-kits

590EABF0-FB1A-44FF-A83A-AB09EB9518B2.png
 
  • Informative
Reactions: TheMrX
Seems to me that an enterprising auto body shop owner would set up a paint shop just barely over the border from California, in Oregon or Nevada or Arizona, and paint the cars with the good paints that California doesn't allow because they are more interested in saving the environment than letting cars have good paint jobs.

Don't any other automakers build their cars in California? And if so, do they have these paint problems?
 
Seems to me that an enterprising auto body shop owner would set up a paint shop just barely over the border from California, in Oregon or Nevada or Arizona, and paint the cars with the good paints that California doesn't allow because they are more interested in saving the environment than letting cars have good paint jobs.

Don't any other automakers build their cars in California? And if so, do they have these paint problems?

As I mentioned earlier, California does not require the use of water based clear.
However this does not mean Tesla doesn't use it. Only Tesla can tell you theat.
 
Here are some pics of my carbon fiber mudguards. The backside is glossy, while the frontside is uncoated. They don't complete stop road debris, but they do cut down alot that would damage visible areas of your paint. PPF on your rockers would make a complete solution.

You use the one existing nylon fastener, and 3M's red adhesive tape. Heat it up with a heat gun or hair dryer. It's real solid. I put the tape on the car, first, rather than on the mudguard, as I didn't want the tape to show, if I placed the tape in the wrong place.

No extra noise or highway range hit that I can tell.

I have these on order. They've already raised the price on them, so they must be getting popular as word gets out about rocker paint damage from road grit.

Were you able to use the existing nylon fastener on the rear guards? Another member here mentioned that he had to buy longer fasteners for the rear wheel wells because the existing ones were too tough to get back in.
 
I have these on order. They've already raised the price on them, so they must be getting popular as word gets out about rocker paint damage from road grit.

Were you able to use the existing nylon fastener on the rear guards? Another member here mentioned that he had to buy longer fasteners for the rear wheel wells because the existing ones were too tough to get back in.

No problem using the original fastener, but I had to use a hammer to provide some leverage to pop the plastic rivet-type fastener. No, I didn't hit it, but used the hammer pressed against the tire as a lever to apply enough pressure to squeeze it back in. The instructions actually recommend something like that.

As I mentioned earlier, I put the one fastener in and secured it while the guard was hanging down. Then applied the 3M tape to the wheel well, where I wanted it, then heated it, then rotated the guard into place, and squeezed tight, then applied more heat. It's totally solid. I did it that way as opposed to the recommended way of putting the tape on the guard first. Since I didn't want any tape showing that I'd have to trim off with an exacto, I did it my way, no tape to trim.
 
So.. Model 3 Performance Black owner here (and I am in Belgium, Europe), I can see those kind of defect are coming to my car as well (14000 km). Honestly, yes, it'd be nice to get this fixed eventually.

But on the other hand, I had a Red Honda Civic a couple years ago and the paints was wearing off way faster than the Tesla paint (I had some rock impacts on the hood after only a couple hundreds KMs) and Honda never did anything to fix those even though it became widely known that the paint was really weak on that model.

This does not really prevent me from enjoying the car :)
 
This is now costing sales in Finland, but of course, if problem stays there, it does not matter Tesla.
It’s a shame that Tesla is so slow to resolve this problem. However, if I were in the market for a new vehicle, this issue wouldn’t stop me from buying the car. I’d just buy it, put on the $200 worth of PPF or mudguards, and submit a bill to Tesla, and wait for their response. That can take time, but during that time I would enjoy driving the car.
 
It’s a shame that Tesla is so slow to resolve this problem. However, if I were in the market for a new vehicle, this issue wouldn’t stop me from buying the car. I’d just buy it, put on the $200 worth of PPF or mudguards, and submit a bill to Tesla, and wait for their response. That can take time, but during that time I would enjoy driving the car.
200$ of ppf ? Maybe if you install it yourself...
 
I also have that paint problem on mine.

25k KM
Vin 759xx
LR RWD
red

I’ll try to go to my service center to see what they have to say about this.

Rocks chips and abrasion are a thing, but the paint peeling off the rocker panel is anything but normal!

2nd pic is the rocker panel peeling off

661424A5-DBCA-45E0-95DA-9392EFC59F90.jpeg
76BC5239-E437-45B2-98DB-4DDA0CE50E03.jpeg
 
200$ of ppf ? Maybe if you install it yourself...
Yes, as I pointed out above, Model 3 paint wearing off you can get 3M Scotchguard Pro PPF for the rockers, and the lower-door area for $200. More for Xpel, etc. It is a DIY project, but luckily, the rockers, and the parts of the lower door are very flat and easy to do, except for requiring you to lie on your back to install.

The alternative is to get the mudguards from Boutique - Antirouille Bolduc for like $150CA, or the carbon fiber ones from protectmytesla.com. I have those, but they still require some PPF on the rockers for complete protection. The Bolduc mudguards are larger and provide more coverage.