Tesla Paint is the most delicate automobile paint I've ever seen

[Mr X]

Big deal.

It's paint, its going to happen. Outside elements cannot be stopped.

I hand wash my dad's Diamond White Volt and it has swirls and scratches all over but i never notice it unless im super close and even then it doesn't look bad in any way. As long as the car is clean it looks good.

 

[nagerseth]

That's why you should get it dipped. Mines going in next week to get dipped. Should look sexy after. I'll post some pics.

 

[fluxemag]

I wash mine at the $6 drive through...but that's why I buy plain white cars. Wax it once a year and you're all set.

 

[supratachophobia]

For those of you who have black cars, I just started a thread on how bad my paint has gotten. I can live with swirls and micro-scratches to most extents, but I'm having flaking down to the metal. It was only after a paint-shop telling me that it shouldn't look that way after only 10 months that made me think there was something out of the ordinary.

Hood Paint Deteriorating

 

[Tony Lin]

Appreantly I heard blue and black have the worse paint job

 

[SeminoleFSU]

My car was in horrible shape when I got it and since I took delivery/possession of the car in the dark (due to them being late getting it ready that day) I missed all of the problems with the paint during my walk-thru. I ended up having a full paint correction done and almost a full suntek wrap... cost me a TON of money, and was probably my single biggest disappointment with the car and how Tesla handled the issue (refused to help with any of these problems) didn't make things any better. Here's a write up from the guy who did the work to fix the problems. He did a fantastic job, and I would highly recommend him to anyone considering this type of work in GA.
Tesla Model S: Professional Car Detailing, Paint Correction and Clear Bra Installation | Ask a Pro Blog

 

[Bon Scott]

He would naturally want you to think that, wouldn't he, if he is selling OptiCoat?

As the old saying goes, ask a barber if you need a haircut, and you will be getting a haircut!

 

[Bon Scott]

Just got my 70D in Obsidian Black Metallic, and it is drop dead gorgeous. While I'm sceptical of some of the more cynical comments on this thread (yet appreciative of all perspectives!), I think I'll err on the side of caution and get some kind of protection. I couldn't bear to see it prematurely damaged/degraded!

 

[SeminoleFSU]

Just got my 70D in Obsidian Black Metallic, and it is drop dead gorgeous. While I'm sceptical of some of the more cynical comments on this thread (yet appreciative of all perspectives!), I think I'll err on the side of caution and get some kind of protection. I couldn't bear to see it prematurely damaged/degraded!

I would advise a full frontal wrap with Suntek or some other clear film. You won't be sorry

 

[JPP]

Just got my 70D in Obsidian Black Metallic, and it is drop dead gorgeous. While I'm sceptical of some of the more cynical comments on this thread (yet appreciative of all perspectives!), I think I'll err on the side of caution and get some kind of protection. I couldn't bear to see it prematurely damaged/degraded!

I had Joe T (posted above-my local expert) correct and protect my wife's new Obsidian black S70D. We picked it up at Fremont and immediately drove it to him. He selected cQuartz for this car/color (and OptiCoat Pro 2 years ago for my multi-coat red).

 

[Sosius]

Big deal.

It's paint, its going to happen. Outside elements cannot be stopped.

I'm with you, brother. The only painful scratch, chip or dent is the first one... I park mine outdoors under oak trees at home and on the street during work hours.

FWIW, I am very happy with the quality of the paint on my June 2015 delivery car. I've been using waterless products without incident, and added a coat of Jet Seal this weekend. The only scratches on my car were caused by my 8-year old son, who was wearing a bracelet he made out of a bike chain when he tried to help me wash the car the first time. He made 2 smallish scratches on the hood that you really have to work to see. I didn't get mad at him since it was an honest mistake and his intentions were good. After all, it's just a car. A freaking awesome quasi-spaceship on wheels, but just a car. To put it another way, if the car is a forest of awesomeness, the scratches are just a couple of tiny saplings that you would never notice if you weren't crawling on your hands and knees, if you get my drift.

 

[ken830]

Every car forum I've ever participated in believes that their car has the softest paint ever. Just glancing through the first few pages of a Google search will show that Mercedes, Audi, Toyota, Alfa Romeo, Lexus, BMW, Tesla, Nissan, Chevy, Dodge, Ford, Vauxhall, Honda, and Subaru all have "the softest paint anyone has ever seen", or that "<your band here> is known to have the softest paint".

Personally, I think everyone feels better about swirl marks when they know it's not their fault -- it's just the softest paint ever seen by mankind.

 

[tinm]

Some mystery scratches on the left front and rear doors of my car. FYI I use soft microfiber towels only and hand-wash the car. I have no idea what they use at the service centers, which have washed my car many a time....

(1) Driver's door scratches. These have been here since the beginning as far as I can tell.

(2) Rear left door scratches above handle. I NEVER use this door, it rarely is ever opened.

 

[cryptyk]

I'm having the delivery folks skip washing the car. They let me know that the car would be filthy because it's being trucked down the California central valley and recommend that I at least have a basic wash done. I politely declined. I'm taking it from the service center directly over to my detail guy for the first wash. I just trust him more.

I've always told service managers to mark my car as no-wash whenever I take it in.

 

[davidc18]

+1 on never letting the SC wash the car.

 

[sorka]

That looks exactly like spinning brushes from a car wash. Tell me you've never taken your car through a car wash that actually has brushes that touch the paint!!!

 

[tinm]

I've never taken my car into a car wash. HOWEVER, the service center did. Just before delivery. In 2013, back when they didn't know what they were doing.

 

[AmpedRealtor]

My SC always washes my car and it always looks flawless. They take it to a touchless car wash. I would not think there is anything wrong with this. I appreciate it, actually. Here in Arizona, where it rains like twice a year, it's nice to know that it went through a lot of water at a touchless and didn't have any leaks.

 

[sorka]

The problem with a touchless car wash is that it's not thorough enough to get everything. It takes time for the pre-soak to work at freeing up dust and dirt on the paint surface.

So even if the workers who are drying the car use microfiber towels that have been properly washed and have never been used on the wheels(brake dust never completely comes out when you wash a towel) the left over debris will add swirls over time as the car is dried. There's no way around it. If you take your car to ANY car wash, you will eventually have noticeable swirls. If your car isn't black, it may not be as noticeable or you just may not car enough which is fine. But I guarantee you if you let me look at your car that has been through any car wash at least once, I have swirl finder light that that will illuminate the swirls that are there.

 

[docrice]

It's important to keep in mind that it's not just the washing process that potentially creates swirls and micro-scratches, but also drying. Any physical contact with the paint surface means risking microscopic grit to get smeared across the surface.

I try to blow-dry when possible, assuming there's not a lot of airborne or other ground objects that can kick up through forced air. I put in effort to never touch the paint unless I have to very gently glide a wash mitt to remove bonded dirt not removed by pressure washing. If it doesn't come off with a gentle mitt pass, then likely I have to resort to claying and tar removers in lower areas.

This is why I got a full wrap. I'm less worried about permanent swirls and etchings in the clear coat given the extra margin for error and slight elasticity with paint protection film. I can be a bit less paranoid now since factory clear doesn't have to be thinned by polishing paint defects out. As odd as it sounds, I don't trust the Tesla factory folks with the finished paintwork after delivery. I had a wrap done precisely because they put in swirls (less than a few days after I had a full detail done by a third-party) while they were doing an inspection due to a 12V battery failure.