Model 3 UK Radio

[Roy W.]

Good ceramic coating also increases the hardness of the paint, well actually it’s a hard coating on top of the paint. The one I’ve been considering supposedly increases the paint hardness by 2H for each coat, so multiple coats make the paint much harder and so harder to chip. I think when you pay £400-500 to have it done, a lot of that time is spent doing paint correction before applying the ceramic.

The big benefit of PPF is the Expel stuff is supposed to be “self healing”, so small marks and defects will disappear, this effect can be enhanced with gentle heating. The main thing putting me off PPF is the insurance thing.

Decisions, decisions...

 

[RjbT3]

Hi Rajanm. I'm getting the whole car wrapped in clear PPF which I think is a good idea as I already have a very small chip in the lower front door. They use Xpel which apparently is the best on the market...although I guess they're going to say that. But I think Creative FX are one of the best car protection firms in Kent so I don't think they'd use shoddy materials.

Total cost excluding VAT is going to be £2550 but if you just want front end: Bumpers, bonnet, wings, mirrors, lights and pillars it's £1150 excluding VAT. Or they can do front end and sides for £1950

Bloody hell that's expensive! What would a complete re-spray cost?

 

[Yev000]

The one I’ve been considering supposedly increases the paint hardness by 2H for each coat

Which ones is that?

The whole H scare for ceramic coating is a waste of time. If the paint underneath is soft, no thin coat will prevent scratches. It will simply compress with the coat matching the groove, or even break (on a nano-meter scale).

 

[Yev000]

Bloody hell that's expensive! What would a complete re-spray cost?

I know it cost me £500 to repair/respray 2 doors of my Sharan after someone caved the door in at the car-park. And when I save caved in I mean literally.

So probably taking to the same guys to fix some stone chips and scuffs once a year wont be that expensive (if it even bothers you).

Saying that, Tesla paint is supposedly really soft... I think if it's a problem in a year I might consider some protection

 

[Roy W.]

Which ones is that?

The whole H scare for ceramic coating is a waste of time. If the paint underneath is soft, no thin coat will prevent scratches. It will simply compress with the coat matching the groove, or even break (on a nano-meter scale).

This one:
Gyeon Q2 - Syncro Kit

 

[RjbT3]

would be tempted by the convenience of directly streaming spotify from the car i

Apparently, it dips out quite a bit, something to do with buffering not being as effective as it is on a decent smartphone.

 

[RjbT3]

I know it cost me £500 to repair/respray 2 doors of my Sharan after someone caved the door in at the car-park. And when I save caved in I mean literally.

So probably taking to the same guys to fix some stone chips and scuffs once a year wont be that expensive (if it even bothers you).

Saying that, Tesla paint is supposedly really soft... I think if it's a problem in a year I might consider some protection

I agree. I may consider a DIY or professional ceramic coating (if circa. 500 max. But as for clear wrapping at those prices, I really dont see the benefit. If my car looks awful after 18 months - 2 years die to scratches, chips etc. I'll shell out for a full respray of some really hard multicoat black.

 

[RjbT3]

Hang on, I came here to chat Radio's

 

[Peteski]

Apparently, it dips out quite a bit, something to do with buffering not being as effective as it is on a decent smartphone.

Spotify Premium direct from the in-car app has amazing sound quality - much better than bluetooth streaming to the Tesla from your phone. IME it very rarely drops out unless you totally lose signal and the only place that ever happens to me is at home (as we live in a dip where there is no mobile signal). In the past however, there have been serious software issues with the Tesla Spotify, but it has been very stable for the last 6 months or so.

 

[RjbT3]

Spotify Premium direct from the in-car app has amazing sound quality - much better than bluetooth streaming to the Tesla from your phone. IME it very rarely drops out unless you totally lose signal and the only place that ever happens to me is at home (as we live in a dip where there is no mobile signal). In the past however, there have been serious software issues with the Tesla Spotify, but it has been very stable for the last 6 months or so.

Makes sense. Must be using a much better DAC. I think Bluetooth streaming from a smartphone uses the DAC on the smartphone? Plus, isn't Bluetooth compressed data? I'm not an audio expert by any means, but it makes sense that it should be much better.

I have been concerned about some of the comments from UK Tesla owners complaining about Spotify dipping out quite a bit. Not just @BubblegumPete

 

[Peteski]

I have been concerned about some of the comments from UK Tesla owners complaining about Spotify dipping out quite a bit. Not just @BubblegumPete

Obviously you need to have a reasonable signal, but even where we live with massively patchy mobile coverage it rarely drops out. As I mentioned, our driveway is the one place where it does regularly drop out. But we have no mobile signal on any network there, so not surprising really. But maybe the M3 has its own issues as I can only speak first hand for my MX.

 

[Tony Hoyle]

Makes sense. Must be using a much better DAC. I think Bluetooth streaming from a smartphone uses the DAC on the smartphone? Plus, isn't Bluetooth compressed data? I'm not an audio expert by any means, but it makes sense that it should be much better.

It'll use the DAC on the car. It really depends on what codecs the car supports. If it supports a modern codec like aptX or LDAC then you probably won't hear much quality difference over wired. If it only supports something like SBC it'll sound like a pair of lidl earbuds..

 

[MrBadger]

Did I read somewhere that it can't stream from phone via USB? USB only for 'memory stick' and power? If so, another glaring omission especially if Bluetooth so limited.

I have Tidal MQA high resolution masters so far better than Spotify can handle - would rather it did not get mashed by audio system as I understand that its pretty good otherwise although I did have a pretty good relationship with a car audio integrator and think their systems would be much better

 

[Peteski]

Did I read somewhere that it can't stream from phone via USB? USB only for 'memory stick' and power? If so, another glaring omission especially if Bluetooth so limited.

I have Tidal MQA high resolution masters so far better than Spotify can handle - would rather it did not get mashed by audio system as I understand that its pretty good otherwise although I did have a pretty good relationship with a car audio integrator and think their systems would be much better

Yeah I believe so, phone streaming via bluetooth only and it's not great. Sound quality is way down on the built-in Spotify (using lossless files or not) and you have very limited control over track selection via the car screen. I'm presuming here that it's much the same on the 3 as it is on our X. I'm not bothered really as I will just use the convenient Tesla Spotify as I do in my X. But SR+ owners won't have that option.

 

[Grymbok]

Yeah I believe so, phone streaming via bluetooth only and it's not great. Sound quality is way down on the built-in Spotify (using lossless files or not) and you have very limited control over track selection via the car screen. I'm presuming here that it's much the same on the 3 as it is on our X. I'm not bothered really as I will just use the convenient Tesla Spotify as I do in my X. But SR+ owners won't have that option.

The manual definitely says you can plug in a USB media volume. May not be able to address a phone but you can have files from a memory stick or SSD at least.

 

[Roy W.]

The manual definitely says you can plug in a USB media volume. May not be able to address a phone but you can have files from a memory stick or SSD at least.

This video has got some good info about the M3 Premium audio, and using files played back from a memory stick:

 

[Peteski]

The manual definitely says you can plug in a USB media volume. May not be able to address a phone but you can have files from a memory stick or SSD at least.

Yes you can do that. Haven't tried playing music that way but probably a good solution for those without built-in Spotify or in very weak signal areas.