Small dent: Can’t un-see this now!

[FrozenCanuck]

I just got home from my scheduled Model Y delivery. The car is awesome. But I now see a very small dent in the panel right behind the headlight. It’s small, but it’s SUPER obvious in light and I can’t un-see this. I hate to be that guy, but this should not be considered acceptable.

What have your experiences been with stuff like this? I don’t want Tesla telling me to take it to a body shop to buff it out, destroying the factory paint.

I’d like to ask for a new panel entirely.

 

[Tha_Ape]

I'd be miffed if I were in your shoes, but it's fixable.

New panel means the paint won't match unless you want them to respray the neighboring panels.

A body shop can probably fix that while you wait. The other option is to reject it :/

 

[Pianewman]

Is it a dimple, or a protruding dent? In either case, a good paintless dent repair person can fix that with zero long-term issues.

Service Center service is spotty within the Tesla network, and unless you hear from a local person that you can trust your SC, I wouldn't bother going to them.

A new panel? Nope, don't go there. You're opening up a whole can of worms over a trivial dent that a PDR shop can fix.

Good luck!

 

[FrozenCanuck]

Is it a dimple, or a protruding dent? In either case, a good paintless dent repair person can fix that with zero long-term issues.

Service Center service is spotty within the Tesla network, and unless you hear from a local person that you can trust your SC, I wouldn't bother going to them.

A new panel? Nope, don't go there. You're opening up a whole can of worms over a trivial dent that a PDR shop can fix.

Good luck!

Thanks you. This is a totally new area for me so I have no experience with little dents. It's protruding slightly not an inwards dent.

 

[FrozenCanuck]

I'd be miffed if I were in your shoes, but it's fixable.

New panel means the paint won't match unless you want them to respray the neighboring panels.

A body shop can probably fix that while you wait. The other option is to reject it :/

Thank you - I am learning from you and another reply that a new panel isn't a great idea. Now that I understand the explanation I think I agree. Especially if their are paint-free dent repair options. I don't even need this to be perfect, but if they can reduce the visibility of the problem significantly, I'd be happy.

 

[Pianewman]

Protruding dent will be easier than pulling out a dimple.
I hope you can find a good body shop. Looks very simple.

 

[TeslY]

I think (from last time I took delivery) they mentioned I can use the app and upload pictures and put in “at delivery” blah blah blah and they fixed it for me.

 

[240vPlug]

Open a service request immediately and mark it as at delivery. If you wait Tesla may not cover the repair. If Tesla will not fix try a trusted local PDR shop. I have had PDR countless times over the years. They will know right away if it is or isn’t fixable with PDR.

 

[Pianewman]

PLEASE ignore Tesla SC. Please. They've got enough back-log of serious repairs to deal with.

Super easy for a PDR. In fact, he/she will have you face away from your car, give it a rap with a plastic mallet or a brass ball peen hammer, and...done...(I'm joking, of course!)