Scratched my wheel cover bad, what should I replace it with?

[paulrberg]

While turning right, I touched the curb with my back right wheel cover. It left quite a mark on the cover, here's a photo:

What should I buy as a replacement? I found the Model 3 Aero Wheel Cover in the Tesla Shop, though I'm not sure if that would help. The scratched part is on the circumference, not on the frame itself.

 

[MikeyMikeD]

Have you tried removing the aero cover and seeing what it looked like. If the damage is only to the aero cover, then the purchase of a replacement cover would fix everything. For rim rash, there are several threads on here about paint kits you can use to patch/cover.

 

[BigNick]

You might be able to get away with using some fine grit sandpaper to smooth the scratches on the aero cover, it depends on how deep the color goes into the plastic.

 

[glide]

While turning right, I touched the curb with my back right wheel cover. It left quite a mark on the cover, here's a photo:

View attachment 744913

What should I buy as a replacement? I found the Model 3 Aero Wheel Cover in the Tesla Shop, though I'm not sure if that would help. The scratched part is on the circumference, not on the frame itself.

That looks like you scratched the actual wheel, not the cover.

 

[MaskedRacerX]

@glide Yeah, I haven't looked at that style wheel up close, but this:

Definitely looks like the wheel lip that's damaged (I assume the aero covers fasten to the center of the wheel and kind fit "inside").

@paulrberg Take off the cover, I think that will clarify for you where the damaged occured. You could definitely clean up the wheel a bit, use some different grit sandpaper, down to some kind of super fine wet paper. There are people that can fix a wheel like that to look nearly new, but you'd need to research your area - or maybe even connect with a good DIY-er that might give you a hand for a 6-pack

 

[EVJAutoJunkie]

I've scratched mine twice after parallel parking really close to a curb on a busy street. I somehow never managed to do that with two previous cars at the exact same spot, but I did it with my car on day one and two. I chalked it off to this cover just being prone to scratches.

At this point, you don't know if/when you'll make your next scratch. I'd recommend dealing with it and scrape off as much as you can for now. If you can go a few more months without another scrape, you can consider replacement covers then. Otherwise, you'll end up having to buy several covers for every little nick.

 

[Biscuitman]

The Model 3 is an especially wide car, it is easy to do, I have found.
You are not alone my friend!

 

[pipp]

from Amazon.com, Dupli-Color AFM0360 Dark Shadow Gray Ford Exact-Match Scratch Fix All-in-1 Touch-Up Paint - 0.25 oz.

I don’t know if you can access Amazon products from Romania but this one is not too expensive and the color is right. Wish they provided more paint per bottle.…My rash was a little bit less than yours so I went the lazy route and didn’t sand the surface. It’s good enough so that a person would have to focus in on the rim in order to notice the rim was touched up a bit…
EDIT: This isn’t something I found, but was mentioned in another rim rash thread.

 

[paulrberg]

Definitely looks like the wheel lip that's damaged.

Yeah, you and @glide are right. I've just seen how the wheel looks like when the cover is taken off at minute 1:33 of this YouTube video, and my scratch is definitely on the wheel, not the Aero Cover.

The Model 3 is an especially wide car, it is easy to do, I have found.
You are not alone my friend!

Thanks for the support! It's comforting to know that I'm not the only in this situation.

I've scratched mine twice after parallel parking really close to a curb on a busy street. I somehow never managed to do that with two previous cars at the exact same spot, but I did it with my car on day one and two.

Haha exact same story here! I've been making this right turn for over 3 years now, with my good old Volkswagen Passat. Never ever touched the curb with that car. But it only took me 2 months with a Model 3.

from Amazon.com, Dupli-Color AFM0360 Dark Shadow Gray Ford Exact-Match Scratch Fix All-in-1 Touch-Up Paint - 0.25 oz.

Thanks @pipp! I will order it. Amazon doesn't always ship directly to Europe but if need be I can use a package forwarding service.

I'll see what people I can find in my local area to help me fix this. Thanks for your help, guys! Really appreciated.

 

[TLLMRRJ]

Check youtube. There's 100's of DIY's on fixing curb rash, and there's zero difference between a Tesla wheel and any of the others that they may be showing in their videos when it comes to repairing curb rash.

 

[delfonique]

Google rimetrix orbital I was one of the first ones to get them last year and absolutely love them

 

[delfonique]

Orbital Wheel Covers for Tesla Model 3

World’s first aftermarket wheel cover for Tesla Model 3. Designed and made in USA.

rimetrix.com

 

[firstkill]

I wouldn’t bother with DIY if your not stocked with the basics. A mobile guy can come for like 100 bucks per wheel

 

[kevinhanff]

www.zinkwheels.com

I scratched mine (the wheel, not a cover) and ”fixed” it with one of their kits. Challenged my wife to tell me which wheel and where the scratch was - and it was VERY obvious pre-fix - and she couldn’t find it.
YMMV of course.

 

[afadeev]

While turning right, I touched the curb with my back right wheel cover. It left quite a mark on the cover, here's a photo

This looks like a classic case of curb rash.
It is purely cosmetic surface scrape of the wheel lip, with no effect on performance or handling.

What should I buy as a replacement?

Nothing!

If the curb rash look bothers you, you can find plenty of wheel repair shops that will repair the surface imperfections and re-spray the wheel.
If you are a DIY kinda guy, there are tons of kits on the internet and tutorials on YouTube. Most involve cleaning the area of the scratch, filling in the ruts with epoxy clay, sanding the results and repainting the wheel with a spray can.
BTDT when I was younger. Now I just don't care that much about the wheels anymore ;-)

DIY Results: Curb Rash Repair

www.bimmerfest.com

Wheel Scuff Repair on Alloy Wheels | How-to Guide

Guide to Wheel Scuff Repair on Alloy Wheels - Guide To Wheel Scuff Repair by NASAracer @ Auidworld.com | 11-3-2005 Well, there I was...backing into a parking space against a curb and I was in a hurry and I heard it...SCRAPE! One fraction of a second...

www.autopia-carcare.com

In all likelihood, this will not be your last curb rash experience. Do not over-react.
Most importantly, don't waste your money on a replacement wheel!

HTH,
a