RPM Tesla Updated Carbon Fiber Spoiler

[salvadorsantan]

Have anyone ordered the updated RPM Tesla carbon fiber spoiler for the refreshed model?

Model S Plaid Performance Spoiler - Real Molded Carbon Fiber

Watching the installation video he mentions that it will NOT work is the car is ceramic coated...how strict can that be? Want to order the matte one!

 

[Mwolfe]

I ordered yesterday and I am supposed to have the car polished and coated tomorrow after several delays. I am considering waiting another week. The tape will bond better to a non coated surface. This is why in the video he uses rubbing alcohol and some elbow grease to prep.

 

[leonwu]

I attached a spoiler to a ceramic coated car with double sided tape - cleaned the car, used adhesive promoter, and then some black silicone to seal off any gaps, been 3k km and it’s still on firmly.

 

[salvadorsantan]

I attached a spoiler to a ceramic coated car with double sided tape - cleaned the car, used adhesive promoter, and then some black silicone to seal off any gaps, been 3k km and it’s still on firmly.

I ordered yesterday and I am supposed to have the car polished and coated tomorrow after several delays. I am considering waiting another week. The tape will bond better to a non coated surface. This is why in the video he uses rubbing alcohol and some elbow grease to prep.

Yeah I think I will go ahead and order...I did my own ceramic coating, so will probably compound and polish that small area along the trunk where it will attach, will be covered by the spoiler regardless.

 

[paulchou]

You can use dawn to remove ceramic coating, and applying 3M adhesive promoter helps as well. I bought a cheap spoiler off ebay ($137), and another $15 or so for the adhesive promoter, 3M double sided tape, and silicon adhesive sealant (to seal the top side b/w the trunk and the spoiler so water/debris may never get in there). It's very sturdy, and the V-style spoiler extends edge-to-edge and looks far better than I initially thought it would.

p.s. I drove a P90D loaner a few weeks ago, the spoiler is about to fall off as the factory install quality wasn't great. I don't think I will have that issue.

 

[Ziddy]

You can use dawn to remove ceramic coating, and applying 3M adhesive promoter helps as well. I bought a cheap spoiler off ebay ($137), and another $15 or so for the adhesive promoter, 3M double sided tape, and silicon adhesive sealant (to seal the top side b/w the trunk and the spoiler so water/debris may never get in there). It's very sturdy, and the V-style spoiler extends edge-to-edge and looks far better than I initially thought it would.

p.s. I drove a P90D loaner a few weeks ago, the spoiler is about to fall off as the factory install quality wasn't great. I don't think I will have that issue.

View attachment 801641

How long did it take for them to ship? Considering the jupiter spoiler

 

[paulchou]

How long did it take for them to ship? Considering the jupiter spoiler

I got it in 4 days from order date. It was shipped out of CA.

It looks exactly like this one here, the workmanship is probably not as perfect. But what do you expect for ~$140, and no one will ever notice it. It came w its own tape, but I opted for wider 3m tape after extensive research.

Initially I liked the half moon type better, but the problem is most don’t extend edge to edge, also I don’t want my LR to look like a Plaid wanna be. The v style one is bigger, initially I fear it might be too “showy”, but it came out just right.

 

[Ziddy]

Yeah i saw they have a V style and a Jupiter lol. Theyre identical? Weird

 

[easymoneysnipe]

I got it in 4 days from order date. It was shipped out of CA.

It looks exactly like this one here, the workmanship is probably not as perfect. But what do you expect for ~$140, and no one will ever notice it. It came w its own tape, but I opted for wider 3m tape after extensive research.

Initially I liked the half moon type better, but the problem is most don’t extend edge to edge, also I don’t want my LR to look like a Plaid wanna be. The v style one is bigger, initially I fear it might be too “showy”, but it came out just right.

Can you post a picture? Is it a good fit because I heard some people saying those spoilers were made for the old Model S and thus they don’t fit properly.

 

[Hayseed_MS]

No pics yet?

 

[MikloVL]

I have an oem plaid spoiler on my 2018 MS and it fits perfect so if RPM makes it exactly like the plaid then fitment shouldn’t be a problem.

 

[paulchou]

Can you post a picture? Is it a good fit because I heard some people saying those spoilers were made for the old Model S and thus they don’t fit properly.

Yes it's a good fit - or as good as the OEM one. 2021 trunk design is the same as previous gen. There's a picture above, or Google "trunk spoiler here at TMC for more pictures of mine.

No pics yet?

There's a picture above (#5), additionally, you can search "trunk spoiler" here at TMC for much detailed discussion on spoiler fit/installation. I posted several pictures there as well.

 

[Hayseed_MS]

Yes it's a good fit - or as good as the OEM one. 2021 trunk design is the same as previous gen. There's a picture above, or Google "trunk spoiler here at TMC for more pictures of mine.

There's a picture above (#5), additionally, you can search "trunk spoiler" here at TMC for much detailed discussion on spoiler fit/installation. I posted several pictures there as well.

That is the Jupiter spoiler. I am asking about the Plaid oem style that has the link in the OP.

 

[salvadorsantan]

No pics yet?

Ordered past Saturday, RPM ship it just yesterday....like, slow mofos, getting here on Wednesday. Will report back.

 

[Mwolfe]

Ordered past Saturday, RPM ship it just yesterday....like, slow mofos, getting here on Wednesday. Will report back.

I also received a shipment notification. Slow shipping, but only because now our expectation is 1-2 days when we order something. Mine should be here Wednesday.

 

[silentsnow31802]

Received my matte spoiler yesterday and installed same day. I taped it to the car after install and let it sit for 24 hours.

I can compare this to an OEM one as I have had a brand new never installed spoiler that I installed it myself.

The RPM one is MUCH lighter. It feels hollow while the OEM one is not.
My RPM one came with a minor blemish on the inside that I decided to file down a little before install. It was a small bubble.
The center fits tight to the trunk lid while the edges are not quite there. As if the curve is not tight enough but its very close.
The right side edge, I could not for the life of me get to sit closer to the trunk lid than it does. There is a noticeable gap that will not push closer to the body no matter how hard I try.
Installation was straight forward. The OEM one has two datum pins that you pre install to help line things up while the RPM one is just stick and go. The OEM one is very easy to install and installed perfectly my first try. The RPM one was a bit finicky as you have to line up not only the top but the bottom as well since it sits on the lip of the trunk. The pre refresh spoilers just attached to the top so you just had to press down.
I dont know if its my fault on the install or if its the curvature not being perfect with the trunk but the area between the center and the edge is up above the trunk a slight bit. I can push it down tight by hand but it springs right back up. It looks like its sorta floating between the center and the very far edge that didnt sit flush.

I hope all that made sense. Im terrible at explaining things. Hopefully the pictures help show what I was trying explain.

 

[Hayseed_MS]

Received my matte spoiler yesterday and installed same day. I taped it to the car after install and let it sit for 24 hours.

I can compare this to an OEM one as I have had a brand new never installed spoiler that I installed it myself.

The RPM one is MUCH lighter. It feels hollow while the OEM one is not.
My RPM one came with a minor blemish on the inside that I decided to file down a little before install. It was a small bubble.
The center fits tight to the trunk lid while the edges are not quite there. As if the curve is not tight enough but its very close.
The right side edge, I could not for the life of me get to sit closer to the trunk lid than it does. There is a noticeable gap that will not push closer to the body no matter how hard I try.
Installation was straight forward. The OEM one has two datum pins that you pre install to help line things up while the RPM one is just stick and go. The OEM one is very easy to install and installed perfectly my first try. The RPM one was a bit finicky as you have to line up not only the top but the bottom as well since it sits on the lip of the trunk. The pre refresh spoilers just attached to the top so you just had to press down.
I dont know if its my fault on the install or if its the curvature not being perfect with the trunk but the area between the center and the edge is up above the trunk a slight bit. I can push it down tight by hand but it springs right back up. It looks like its sorta floating between the center and the very far edge that didnt sit flush.

I hope all that made sense. Im terrible at explaining things. Hopefully the pictures help show what I was trying explain.

View attachment 804904View attachment 804905View attachment 804906View attachment 804907View attachment 804908View attachment 804909View attachment 804910View attachment 804911View attachment 804912

Great explanation and pics - thanks.

You did not instill confidence on the RPM one for me. Those gaps would drive me nuts. Are they bad enough that debris will get caught in there and also a weak point for detachment while driving?

Is it worth the savings over the OEM?

 

[paulchou]

Received my matte spoiler yesterday and installed same day. I taped it to the car after install and let it sit for 24 hours.

I can compare this to an OEM one as I have had a brand new never installed spoiler that I installed it myself.

The RPM one is MUCH lighter. It feels hollow while the OEM one is not.
My RPM one came with a minor blemish on the inside that I decided to file down a little before install. It was a small bubble.
The center fits tight to the trunk lid while the edges are not quite there. As if the curve is not tight enough but its very close.
The right side edge, I could not for the life of me get to sit closer to the trunk lid than it does. There is a noticeable gap that will not push closer to the body no matter how hard I try.
Installation was straight forward. The OEM one has two datum pins that you pre install to help line things up while the RPM one is just stick and go. The OEM one is very easy to install and installed perfectly my first try. The RPM one was a bit finicky as you have to line up not only the top but the bottom as well since it sits on the lip of the trunk. The pre refresh spoilers just attached to the top so you just had to press down.
I dont know if its my fault on the install or if its the curvature not being perfect with the trunk but the area between the center and the edge is up above the trunk a slight bit. I can push it down tight by hand but it springs right back up. It looks like its sorta floating between the center and the very far edge that didnt sit flush.

I hope all that made sense. Im terrible at explaining things. Hopefully the pictures help show what I was trying explain.

View attachment 804904View attachment 804905View attachment 804906View attachment 804907View attachment 804908View attachment 804909View attachment 804910View attachment 804911View attachment 804912

The gap is a common well documented "feature", even on OEM spoilers. Typically what happens is you have a slight rise at the extreme end of both edges - yours looks a bit more severe. And given the bowl shape formed by the trunk and the spoiler, debris/dirt/water will get trapped in there if the seal is not perfect, thereby weakening the bond over time. I've heard stories about OEM spoilers falling off and also driven a P90D loaner myself with flapping spoiler.

Also, it seems there's only one double-sided tape in the middle that came with it? I thought the RPM ones usually came w/ two 1/4" double sided tapes along both edges? Many ppl (including me) bought and applied generous amounts of 1/2" tapes all over the backside, along w/ a good dosage of adhesive promoter.

During my installation I was overly wary about the risen edge that I pushed down the far edges down so hard and ended up having a paper thin gap about a quarter way down instead. doh! If I were to do it all over again I'd carefully push down the middle first and then push out on both sides.

The solution - assuming it's on structurally tight - is to use a bit of silicon RTV sealant to seal the edge. Most ppl only seal the very end of the edge - I ended up sealing the entire top side. The silicon RTV solution seems to work well for me so far, aesthetically and practically.

 

[drunkenbuda]

Received my matte spoiler yesterday and installed same day. I taped it to the car after install and let it sit for 24 hours.

I can compare this to an OEM one as I have had a brand new never installed spoiler that I installed it myself.

The RPM one is MUCH lighter. It feels hollow while the OEM one is not.
My RPM one came with a minor blemish on the inside that I decided to file down a little before install. It was a small bubble.
The center fits tight to the trunk lid while the edges are not quite there. As if the curve is not tight enough but its very close.
The right side edge, I could not for the life of me get to sit closer to the trunk lid than it does. There is a noticeable gap that will not push closer to the body no matter how hard I try.
Installation was straight forward. The OEM one has two datum pins that you pre install to help line things up while the RPM one is just stick and go. The OEM one is very easy to install and installed perfectly my first try. The RPM one was a bit finicky as you have to line up not only the top but the bottom as well since it sits on the lip of the trunk. The pre refresh spoilers just attached to the top so you just had to press down.
I dont know if its my fault on the install or if its the curvature not being perfect with the trunk but the area between the center and the edge is up above the trunk a slight bit. I can push it down tight by hand but it springs right back up. It looks like its sorta floating between the center and the very far edge that didnt sit flush.

I hope all that made sense. Im terrible at explaining things. Hopefully the pictures help show what I was trying explain.

View attachment 804904View attachment 804905View attachment 804906View attachment 804907View attachment 804908View attachment 804909View attachment 804910View attachment 804911View attachment 804912

Nice! I'm going to order a matte spoiler myself. Quality looks good from the pictures but that gap at the end........damn.

 

[silentsnow31802]

Great explanation and pics - thanks.

You did not instill confidence on the RPM one for me. Those gaps would drive me nuts. Are they bad enough that debris will get caught in there and also a weak point for detachment while driving?

Is it worth the savings over the OEM?

Debris will for sure get caught over time. I dont think it will be too bad though. The tape used to attach it is VERY strong. I am not worried about it falling off at any point.

At this point I would say its worth the savings over OEM. Especially since (as far as im aware) you cannot even get an OEM one right now. The issues are not that noticeable unless you already know they are there or you look very closely. This might be different on a different color car though.

The gap is a common well documented "feature", even on OEM spoilers. Typically what happens is you have a slight rise at the extreme end of both edges - yours looks a bit more severe. And given the bowl shape formed by the trunk and the spoiler, debris/dirt/water will get trapped in there if the seal is not perfect, thereby weakening the bond over time. I've heard stories about OEM spoilers falling off and also driven a P90D loaner myself with flapping spoiler.

Also, it seems there's only one double-sided tape in the middle that came with it? I thought the RPM ones usually came w/ two 1/4" double sided tapes along both edges? Many ppl (including me) bought and applied generous amounts of 1/2" tapes all over the backside, along w/ a good dosage of adhesive promoter.

During my installation I was overly wary about the risen edge that I pushed down the far edges down so hard and ended up having a paper thin gap about a quarter way down instead. doh! If I were to do it all over again I'd carefully push down the middle first and then push out on both sides.

The solution - assuming it's on structurally tight - is to use a bit of silicon RTV sealant to seal the edge. Most ppl only seal the very end of the edge - I ended up sealing the entire top side. The silicon RTV solution seems to work well for me so far, aesthetically and practically.

The OEM one I installed on my old S did not have these gaps. I was actually surprised at how well it fit.

Yes there is only the single strip of tape. I dont have experience with other RPM spoilers but I know the OEM one has two strips. I feel like if the product is sold with 1 strip I should not have to add more. That would be ridiculous. I paid good money for the spoiler and I shouldn't have to alter it to get it to attach properly.

I pressed down from the left side and when from there to the right so any gaps were part of the spoilers construction and not from doing the edges first. I do agree with you about going from the center out though. I believe this is how I did my OEM install on the older S.

Nice! I'm going to order a matte spoiler myself. Quality looks good from the pictures but that gap at the end........damn.

Aside from the small bump I had to file down the quality seems decent. You can tell its actual carbon fiber by the weight. It is incredibly lite. The gaps are the only issues I have which realistically aren't THAT bad. Hopefully the later runs of the spoiler will address this issue. Would be nice if they used two smaller strips of adhesive rather than the single large one as stated above. well see how it lasts for the long run!