Scratch (shopping cart type), no ding, back bumper - kindly suggest

[AJ..]

Dear fellow Tesla owners - kindly suggest ways to fix the paint scratch issue (back passenger side, length of about dollar bill) - is paint shop the only solution (or suggested option.. it’s Black M3)?

I’m totally new to this issue of getting paint (rather scratch fixed). It’s not a dent thankfully. I’m as it is unfamiliar with body shops.

I would appreciate any guidance on what works best (esp for Tesla but keen to listen on general ideas given the shopping cart instances seem quite common - I have another SUV that I haven’t bothered fixing but Black color on Tesla makes it jump out)

Regards

 

[Birdsfan]

Picture would help, first suggestion without seeing anything is take to a good body shop and let them do paint correction if only in the clear coat. Tesla does have a paint kit which I've used on my rocker, worked out pretty good. I like the syringe method to apply paint from a kit.

 

[afadeev]

Dear fellow Tesla owners - kindly suggest ways to fix the paint scratch issue (back passenger side, length of about dollar bill) - is paint shop the only solution (or suggested option.. it’s Black M3)?

All depends on the depth of the scratch.
If it's just clearcoat - the edges can be buffed out to near perfection.
If the scratch goes through the clear coat and into base coat - it can be made better, but will still be visible.
If all the way through the base coat - you will need to touch up with new paint, and it will never be perfect unless you respray the entire panel.

I would appreciate any guidance on what works best (esp for Tesla but keen to listen on general ideas given the shopping cart instances seem quite common - I have another SUV that I haven’t bothered fixing but Black color on Tesla makes it jump out)

Please post pics so that we can assist further.

a

 

[charlieaf92]

Yes you need pictures to really get a clear answer. All that have responded are 100% correct. If you're not comfortable potentially wet sanding and buffing, take it to a good local bodyshop and ask them to take a look. As a general rule of thumb, if you drag your fingernail across the scratch and it 'catches' then it is probably through the clear coat (but not necessarily). Another trick I've heard is that if you spray water on it, and the scratch vanishes, then it is just in the clear and can be totally removed with some buffing and maybe wet sanding.

My wife had a nasty scratch on the hood of her Range Rover (happened at the dealer during an oil change ) and I was able to remove it completely.