Scratch on Model 3 - Can I fix it myself?

[NYHeel]

I had my car parked in Manhattan a few weeks ago and it looks like my rear bumper has a license plate screw scratch. It's about an inch wide and shows black on a white car so it's obviously gone through the paint. It's not terribly deep but you can certainly feel the imprint.

Just wondering how much it would cost to fix. It's really minor but it's also annoying me. But it seems easy enough to fix on my own with a good kit. Is there a recommended kit to use to fix this? It's possible I could avoid even sanding it down since it's somewhat superficial but I don't mind doing it correctly.

 

[Alpha Motoring]

This looks like the perfect candidate for Dr. Color Chip, which you can find here:

Home - Dr. ColorChip

drcolorchip.com

I don't advise sanding with touch up if you don't know what you're doing. The last thing you want is to burn through the paint in the surrounding area. Dr. Color Chip is easy to use for anyone as well.

 

[NYHeel]

This looks like the perfect candidate for Dr. Color Chip, which you can find here:

Home - Dr. ColorChip

drcolorchip.com

I don't advise sanding with touch up if you don't know what you're doing. The last thing you want is to burn through the paint in the surrounding area. Dr. Color Chip is easy to use for anyone as well.

Thanks for the recommendation. This is what I was looking for. Now to figure out which version to get and how to actually use the thing.

Plus I need to figure out how to actually clean a car. I’ve never hand washed any part of a car before in my life. It’s a pretty small area to clean so it shouldn’t be too bad. That also gets me to the issue of what kind of car wash places are safe for the car. We used to occasionally go to a drive through car wash but I think the brush wash places are not recommended for Teslas.

 

[stopcrazypp]

Thanks for the recommendation. This is what I was looking for. Now to figure out which version to get and how to actually use the thing.

Plus I need to figure out how to actually clean a car. I’ve never hand washed any part of a car before in my life. It’s a pretty small area to clean so it shouldn’t be too bad. That also gets me to the issue of what kind of car wash places are safe for the car. We used to occasionally go to a drive through car wash but I think the brush wash places are not recommended for Teslas.

Manual specifically says:

If washing in an automatic car wash, use touchless car washes only. These car washes have no parts (brushes, etc.) that touch the surfaces of Model 3. Some touchless car washes use caustic solutions that, over time, can cause discoloration of decorative exterior trim. Avoid exposure to soaps and chemicals above pH 13. If unsure, check the product label or ask the staff at the car wash. Damage caused by improper washing is not covered by the warranty.

Model 3 Owner's Manual | Tesla

 

[MikeyC]

For me at least, there is one exception to the car wash recommendation. If you have a Tommy Wash style car wash, they should be fine even though they touch the car. I've used one of the two in my area dozens of times and there's not even a single micro-scratch anywhere on the car. I think the touchless ones can actually be harsher on the car (and sensors) than a Tommy Wash.

Mike

 

[NYHeel]

Manual specifically says:

Model 3 Owner's Manual | Tesla

I actually saw the manual language. My lack of clarity is more on what the local car washes actually are. I've just never really cared before. I know there's a hand wash place relatively close but not sure what the other car wash places are actually doing.

I'm going to order the Dr. ColorChip. The only annoying part is that the pearl white isn't a perfect match but I'll survive. They have multiple versions so just need to figure out which version to buy.

 

[MikeyC]

Check out this thread:

Pearl White Paint match PPSW FOUND!

Short and to the point: Dupli-Color 070 Toyota White Pearl vehicle touch up DOES seem to match the PPSW paint code. Will it match for large repairs versus a rock chip or the like? Maybe not. But for my 2014 Pearl White Model S, it matches more than good enough, and once dried is invisible...

teslamotorsclub.com

Looks like people tried it on the Model S. Is it the same pearl white they use on the Model 3? I would think so.

Mike

 

[NYHeel]

Check out this thread:

Pearl White Paint match PPSW FOUND!

Short and to the point: Dupli-Color 070 Toyota White Pearl vehicle touch up DOES seem to match the PPSW paint code. Will it match for large repairs versus a rock chip or the like? Maybe not. But for my 2014 Pearl White Model S, it matches more than good enough, and once dried is invisible...

teslamotorsclub.com

Looks like people tried it on the Model S. Is it the same pearl white they use on the Model 3? I would think so.

Mike

Excellent and really good to hear. I'm going to give it a try. I'll watch some videos to get a feel for how to best use this in the case of scratch vs. a chip.

 

[NYHeel]

So I used the Dr. ColorChip on the scratch. I even did about 7-8 applications and it now just looks like a white scratch. But it still looks like a scratch. I think it was just too deep for the Dr. ColorChip to really work. On the positive side it’s at least white now vs black so there is some improvement but it is still very noticeable. I think if I want a better fix I’d probably have to do some level of sanding.

Here’s a picture of the result. The original is in the first post.

 

[father_of_6]

Does Tesla's own paint repair kit not match?

Paint Repair Kit

Cover up paint chips from road debris and rocks with the Tesla Paint Repair Kit. Application is quick and allows users to easily fill in paint chips to a smooth surface within a few simple steps. This paint system is a two stage process of applying paint to cover the defect and then blending the...

shop.tesla.com

 

[NYHeel]

Does Tesla's own paint repair kit not match?

Paint Repair Kit

Cover up paint chips from road debris and rocks with the Tesla Paint Repair Kit. Application is quick and allows users to easily fill in paint chips to a smooth surface within a few simple steps. This paint system is a two stage process of applying paint to cover the defect and then blending the...

shop.tesla.com

Apparently Tesla's own kit is basically identical to the Dr. ColorChip one. But my issue isn't color. The match looks good. It's that the paint touch up doesn't fill the scratch. It likely needs to be sanded and smoothed out. I think Dr. Colorchip and the paint repair kit is really more for fixing rock chips.

 

[XPsionic]

Apparently Tesla's own kit is basically identical to the Dr. ColorChip one. But my issue isn't color. The match looks good. It's that the paint touch up doesn't fill the scratch. It likely needs to be sanded and smoothed out. I think Dr. Colorchip and the paint repair kit is really more for fixing rock chips.

Yeah, the scratch is tiny, so you can use a bit of 800-1000 grit sand paper and lightly sand it down, then use more touch up paint on top, let it dry completely, then sand it down with 2000-4000 grit sand paper.

Check out this video for tips and tricks.

 

[NYHeel]

Yeah, the scratch is tiny, so you can use a bit of 800-1000 grit sand paper and lightly sand it down, then use more touch up paint on top, let it dry completely, then sand it down with 2000-4000 grit sand paper.

Check out this video for tips and tricks.

I think I’ll give this a try. Do you think the Dr ColorChip Sealact blending solution will work as a clear coat or should I get some clear coat for the car?

 

[XPsionic]

I think I’ll give this a try. Do you think the Dr ColorChip Sealact blending solution will work as a clear coat or should I get some clear coat for the car?

for your small scratch, the blending solution will be fine

 

[Willy’sEV]

What about buying the Tesla touch up paint?