To repaint or not to repaint

[5513MKII]

Delivery went well for my AWD Blue/White. Quick first service appointment to take care of some basic issues - equal parts user-friendly and slightly frustrating, but no biggie.

The one questionable area is on the edge of the hood, midway between the T logo and the headlight...on the edge, there's a jagged, ripply kind of spot. It's barely noticeable when closed, and feels worse than it looks. Probably 2-3 inches long.

They first said they might sand it down, but were concerned (as was I) that this wouldnt look great or would create spot touchup issues.

They have also offered to repaint the entire hood - sand down, repaint at the collision center, the whole nine yards. My concern is matching - the rest of the paint and the hood paint match and condition is excellent, and I'd be concerned that the cure is worse than the pain in this case

The issue is enough to bug me a little, but it also looks fine when closed. The first two photos are the edge with the hood open, the third and fourth show it from the front (though the light catching it makes it look more noticeable than it is) and the fifth is from above. It's not NOT noticeable, but it's also not like OMG.

I'm sure some of you will say "YOU SHOULD HAVE REJECTED, TESLA WILL NEVER LEARN UNLESS YOU DO!" but I honestly don't care that much...however I do have a decision to make and since it costs me nothing, I figure i should make the better one.

 

[newtnyc]

Do you have the option of getting a new hood altogether? Perhaps there is a better chance of reducing paint mismatch.

 

[Protect1989]

Have them fix it.

Even if its not noticeable to many people, YOU know it exists and you will see it every time you look at your car. It will always bug you. The paint is new enough that matching it shouldnt be a big deal.

 

[Kelr316]

Should be an easy fix for a reputable body shop

 

[CaliX]

I would repaint. It would bug me as long as I owned the car.

 

[raggedy]

A reputable body shop will blend the paint into the fenders and bumper so you'll get a really great looking match.

I'd be more concerned with just getting a pre-painted hood and having them slap that on. There could be a variation in shade with a pre-painted piece. Having a shop blend it into the rest of the surrounding panels is the best way to ensure a good looking match.

 

[gundarx]

I would insist on a new pre-painted hood straight from Tesla. Otherwise Tesla at their convenience may use touch-up paint on the corner or do spot repair without clearcoat on top, as they have on chipped corners of my fenders- polishing will eat it right up. If they try to repaint with body shop, the orange peel will be very rough compared to your OEM finish, you will have rock chipping / scratching issues for a while as the paint is softer while curing, and cannot wax or coat it for up to 90 days, and if you want PPF to protect it, you will wait as it’s collecting rock chips. And good luck expecting a good finish without dust nibs or fisheyes- my local Tesla does spot repaints in a plastic shrouded tent in a windy customer parking lot, leaves their polishers on the parking lot floor and eagerly uses the polisher with heavy compound and lots of pressure to buff off customer paint concerns to try to eliminate the problem right away- no detail spray, paint prep, paint depth gauge. Amateurs. Repaint also runs high risk of overspray winding up in other parts of your car like glass, rear hatch, wheels, etc.

 

[5513MKII]

Do you have the option of getting a new hood altogether? Perhaps there is a better chance of reducing paint mismatch.

What they told me is that they would ship a blank and it would be painted on-site at the local collision center anyway, so new hood, old hood, I dont think it really matters. I did ask if they could send me a factory-new blue hood but was told this is how it would work.

 

[raggedy]

I do agree with gundarx as far as letting Tesla repaint. I wouldn't trust a Service Center to try to fix this.

I have seen the standard recommendation of 60-90 days to let paint cure bofore waxing. As for orange peel effect, that's debatable since I've seen good body shops turn out finishes that look as good as a factory finish, and besides that, we've seen some examples of some really bad orange peel on MYs straight out of the factory. hahaha

Will your SC give you the option of getting a pre-painted hood, and if it doesn't match your fender and bumper shade, give you the option to have your hood fixed professionally at a real body shop?


(I was typing as you were just sending your reply)

 

[5513MKII]

I would insist on a new pre-painted hood straight from Tesla. Otherwise Tesla at their convenience may use touch-up paint on the corner or do spot repair without clearcoat on top, as they have on chipped corners of my fenders- polishing will eat it right up. If they try to repaint with body shop, the orange peel will be very rough compared to your OEM finish, you will have rock chipping / scratching issues for a while as the paint is softer while curing, and cannot wax or coat it for up to 90 days, and if you want PPF to protect it, you will wait as it’s collecting rock chips. And good luck expecting a good finish without dust nibs or fisheyes- my local Tesla does spot repaints in a plastic shrouded tent in a windy customer parking lot, leaves their polishers on the parking lot floor and eagerly uses the polisher with heavy compound and lots of pressure to buff off customer paint concerns to try to eliminate the problem right away- no detail spray, paint prep, paint depth gauge. Amateurs. Repaint also runs high risk of overspray winding up in other parts of your car like glass, rear hatch, wheels, etc.

All of those points are why I am probably leaning toward just leaving it - the surface and match is otherwise perfect...so if I am at an A minus, I wouldn't forgive myself for dropping to a B in pursuit of an A plus.

 

[5513MKII]

I do agree with gundarx as far as letting Tesla repaint. I wouldn't trust a Service Center to try to fix this.

I have seen the standard recommendation of 60-90 days to let paint cure bofore waxing. As for orange peel effect, that's debatable since I've seen good body shops turn out finishes that look as good as a factory finish, and besides that, we've seen some examples of some really bad orange peel on MYs straight out of the factory. hahaha

Will your SC give you the option of getting a pre-painted hood, and if it doesn't match your fender and bumper shade, give you the option to have your hood fixed professionally at a real body shop?


(I was typing as you were just sending your reply)

With some of the white issues and the fact that they probably have been making changes to the paint line, it honestly concerns me a bit to think that i'd put a new hood on this car. It could be perfect, yes, but it also could be a better edge but worse fitment or color than what I have.

Having said that, does anyone have suggestions on how to get a pre-painted factory fresh hood? The SC rep assured me that my only option was to have them repaint the existing. (and that a factory direct one was not any better because it would come blank for them to paint on-site).

 

[CaliX]

I had a dent in my door they repainted it I pick it up tomorrow I will let you know how it turned out.

 

[gundarx]

do you have intentions of getting PPF applied? if so, take it to the detailer that will install PPF and does paint correction and ask for their advise.. they might take the brave step of wet sanding it out a bit, a quick polish it bring back shine and then PPF it, so long as it doesn’t compromise the clear coat

it seems there’s a waviness a centimeter or so away from that edge though so that might be a bigger paint defect

surprised Tesla doesn’t have a pre-painted hood, I know for sure they have it for bumpers at least on the Model 3

 

[5513MKII]

do you have intentions of getting PPF applied? if so, take it to the detailer that will install PPF and does paint correction and ask for their advise.. they might take the brave step of wet sanding it out a bit, a quick polish it bring back shine and then PPF it, so long as it doesn’t compromise the clear coat

it seems there’s a waviness a centimeter or so away from that edge though so that might be a bigger paint defect

surprised Tesla doesn’t have a pre-painted hood, I know for sure they have it for bumpers at least on the Model 3

Which photo are you looking at for the paint defect?

I am not getting PPF - not overly OCD about my cars, and have honestly been going back and forth on ceramic coating even if that tells you how much I do or don't care...I love when my cars look good, but I am not willing to put in the time or effort or money to do the proper hand washing, PPFing, paint correcting, etc etc.

I have toyed around with the idea of getting my own buffer and having some DIY fun on paint correction, but then I yank myself back from the brink of insanity.

 

[gundarx]

on your 2nd photo there is a horizontal crease or abnormal reflection about halfway through your phone’s reflection.. might want to look at that closer, it seems as if the clear coat was applied too thick there

also your last photo, either you have lots of polish residue or there are also rough bumps on the upper edge of your bumper

 

[Uncle Paul]

Better is often the enemy of good.

 

[Picasso]

Seems nothing to my non-matching white doors I still cant get them to care about.....Service centers are hit and miss when it comes to caring it seems.

 

[raggedy]

Seems nothing to my non-matching white doors I still cant get them to care about.....Service centers are hit and miss when it comes to caring it seems.

Don’t want to get too off topic, but what’s your vin and did you not notice the mismatch at delivery, or did you think they’d take care of it post delivery?
Thanks

 

[5513MKII]

Better is often the enemy of good.

It's a great life philosophy. Overall based on what I was looking for on delivery, I would call my car imperfect but better than feared. The rear seats alignment was pretty good, the paint didn't have thin spots or mismatch, the white seats are perfect, the major visible panel gaps are pretty uniform. The roof doesn't leak lol

 

[raggedy]

That’s a good attitude OP. I’m a bit ocd when it comes to my cars and that rough spot would bug me, but we all have our own level of good and not good enough.

I am looking forward to being an owner soon, but I’m patiently waiting with my 100 dollars in their possession