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RPMTesla door handle extensions

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sleepydoc

Well-Known Member
Aug 2, 2020
5,483
9,563
Minneapolis
I just saw these on RPMTesla. They seem like they would be a nice solution to the Model Y's awkward door handles. Has anyone tried them and what was the experience?

 
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Ok - I ended up installing and buying them so here's my review...

They're about $50 on sale from RPM Tesla. For that sum you get 4 handles with adhesive film already applied, 2 alcohol wipes to clean the handles and 2 3M adhesive primer pads. $50 seems pretty pricey for essentially 4 pieces of molded plastic and double sided tape, but I paid it so I can't say too much.

Installation is straightforward - you clean the door handle, wipe it with alcohol, wipe it with the primer, then remove the adhesive backing and press the handles in place. You need to have a steady hand because once they're stuck in place they can't be easily moved. I'd suggest test fitting them ahead of time so you know exactly how you're going to place them.

The instruction video on RPM Tesla suggests taping them in place for 24 hours. I simply applied firm pressure for 30-60 seconds and let them sit overnight and haven't had any issues so far. One warning/tip - if you don't place them far enough forward then the rear edge will catch on the door panel as it the rear of the handle rotates inward (you can actually see this on the video.)

They fit perfectly and at first glance look like they came with the car. The matte black finish matches perfectly but they are also available in white, gloss black and carbon fiber finishes.

After using them for a couple of months I'm generally happy with them. It actually took a bit to adjust to pulling out like you normally do vs pushing in with your thumb. Now that I've gotten used to it I barely notice it. It's not quite the same as traditional door handles since they rotate rather than the entire handle pulling out, but if you pull on the front part it works about the same. RPM Tesla markets them as 'anti freeze' door handles. I've never had my door handles freeze before so I can't say if they work for that purpose or not.

I bought them to make it easier to open the handle with either hand or with just a finger if your hands are full and they work perfectly for that. My elderly parents also consistently had problems figuring out the stock Tesla handles and can operate these without an issue.

The one minor quibble I have is that the finger hole is a bit small (I have large hands) and the piece of plastic on the bottom/back of the handle extends the entire length and is a bit thick so your fingers will tend to catch on it as you grab the handle. (I tried to show this in the 3rd picture) It's not a huge deal but a minor annoyance. I haven't tried using these with thick gloves, either - I'm not sure if the hole would be too narrow to get your gloved (or mittened) finger through. In all fairness, though, you could still push on the rear part of the handle just like you would the stock handle so it's not actually any worse in that regard.

I haven't tried removing them and I don't know if you can get replacement adhesive to re-apply them. They hint that you can in the video but I don't see it on their site so I'd verify before removing them.

Overall I'm happy with them - they look nice and do what I wanted.

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Nice review. Can you post some pics of the car from a 3/4 view and down the side from slightly further away, so we can get a better idea of how it looks on the car?

There's a few vendors that sell these same door handles. You can get them on Amazon for $38 shipped, or a few bucks cheaper on Ebay for a gloss or satin black. You can find them for half the price on sites like AliExpress but you'll need to wait a month to get them.
 
Ok - I ended up installing and buying them so here's my review...

They're about $50 on sale from RPM Tesla. For that sum you get 4 handles with adhesive film already applied, 2 alcohol wipes to clean the handles and 2 3M adhesive primer pads. $50 seems pretty pricey for essentially 4 pieces of molded plastic and double sided tape, but I paid it so I can't say too much.

Installation is straightforward - you clean the door handle, wipe it with alcohol, wipe it with the primer, then remove the adhesive backing and press the handles in place. You need to have a steady hand because once they're stuck in place they can't be easily moved. I'd suggest test fitting them ahead of time so you know exactly how you're going to place them.

The instruction video on RPM Tesla suggests taping them in place for 24 hours. I simply applied firm pressure for 30-60 seconds and let them sit overnight and haven't had any issues so far. One warning/tip - if you don't place them far enough forward then the rear edge will catch on the door panel as it the rear of the handle rotates inward (you can actually see this on the video.)

They fit perfectly and at first glance look like they came with the car. The matte black finish matches perfectly but they are also available in white, gloss black and carbon fiber finishes.

After using them for a couple of months I'm generally happy with them. It actually took a bit to adjust to pulling out like you normally do vs pushing in with your thumb. Now that I've gotten used to it I barely notice it. It's not quite the same as traditional door handles since they rotate rather than the entire handle pulling out, but if you pull on the front part it works about the same. RPM Tesla markets them as 'anti freeze' door handles. I've never had my door handles freeze before so I can't say if they work for that purpose or not.

I bought them to make it easier to open the handle with either hand or with just a finger if your hands are full and they work perfectly for that. My elderly parents also consistently had problems figuring out the stock Tesla handles and can operate these without an issue.

The one minor quibble I have is that the finger hole is a bit small (I have large hands) and the piece of plastic on the bottom/back of the handle extends the entire length and is a bit thick so your fingers will tend to catch on it as you grab the handle. (I tried to show this in the 3rd picture) It's not a huge deal but a minor annoyance. I haven't tried using these with thick gloves, either - I'm not sure if the hole would be too narrow to get your gloved (or mittened) finger through. In all fairness, though, you could still push on the rear part of the handle just like you would the stock handle so it's not actually any worse in that regard.

I haven't tried removing them and I don't know if you can get replacement adhesive to re-apply them. They hint that you can in the video but I don't see it on their site so I'd verify before removing them.

Overall I'm happy with them - they look nice and do what I wanted.

View attachment 797964View attachment 797965View attachment 797966
Thank you so much for the detailed review and pics. I’m getting them for my guests; they’re always trying to figure out how to open the doors!! Much appreciated
 
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