White Model Y - is the lighting playing tricks on me?

[Joaxaca]

The doors are looking a little splotchy/gray but I can’t tell if it’s just the lighting/angles. What do you guys think? I’m still within my 7 day window and debating what I want to do. It’s at the SC today to address gaps but I need to go back to address the color mismatch on the rear bumper (and now possibly the doors).

 

[AP997S]

Seems like door paint mismatch is a pretty common problem on Pearl While MY's.

 

[Joaxaca]

I’ve been hearing/seeing the same but most of the pics I’ve seen are pretty blatantly obvious that one door doesn’t match the other. Mine feels more like just uneven paint across both which makes me wonder if it’s just the lighting.

 

[dandrewk]

It's hard to tell sometimes in person, and especially with photos. Because the sides have three different panels that can point in different directions (a VERY tiny degree), they can pick up subtle differences in the shading from reflected surfaces. This is more noticeable while parked outdoors in the shade.

As mentioned, there was a batch of white Model Ys that had glaring issues with mismatched paint. Pay attention as you use your car and park it in various locations. See if the panel(s) that look to be "odd man out" changes when you move the car. Ask other's opinions. Also know that all white cars suffer from mismatched panels (to some degree), especially when new. It's the nature of the color.

 

[raggedy]

your doors do look splotchy, as if some areas have more paint than others. This is the same pattern I saw yesterday on a friend's white Y which he picked up Saturday.

 

[Medic]

Check out the Paint Mismatch thread. On the car I rejected the whole rear door was a different shade than the front door in all lighting conditions/angles. See what you're saying about yours. It's subtle compared to many of the white ones I've seen.

 

[Tdriver]

I don't see anything except the light hitting the panels at differing angles.

 

[sherlockw]

looks fine

 

[BMax_V.2]

My blue had somewhat of the same paint effects under certain lighting (uneven zebra stripes). Long story short, all four doors were replaced.

However, as other have mentioned, could be reflection..

 

[ZenMan]

I had the same issue on two Model Ys I took delivery of on Monday.

Tesla wouldn't budge on the paint issues. Said the white paint on both cars was within spec. So my only choice was to keep car as is or return under their 7 day return policy.

I returned them both this morning. So sad, they were great cars but just poor quality white paint. Apparently they already resold one of them while we were doing the return paperwork. I guess there are a lot of people who don't care or don't notice the paint problems.

Also I learned I am now banned from buying the same trim Model Y because I exercised a return. Will keep an eye on this forum and see if the paint improves. Definitely want to get two Y's again. May have to have a family member order them for me due to the ban

 

[raggedy]

Do returned cars get sold as "new" to the next buyers??? I would think they should legally be sold as "used" since a buyer took possession of it, registration was completed, and had it for nearly a week.

 

[Monkey]

While I don't have any of the directional mismatches, funky color shifts, or splotches on my white MY, the paint still isn't that great. Ours looks good, but there is some overspray of the clear coat, some thin spots, some swirling... The pearl white on the Y overall is nowhere near the same quality of paint job as the pearl white on our Model X was. Compared to the pearl white on our Model X, the white paint on our Y is just not as vibrant and lacks the same amount of shine or luster. I suppose this is what happens when they make pearl white the free option. That never made sense to me since it's the most involved color they offer in terms of making it look right.

I'm having mine detailed soon and will get some of the issues corrected where it makes sense to do so.

 

[Monkey]

Do returned cars get sold as "new" to the next buyers??? I would think they should legally be sold as "used" since a buyer took possession of it, registration was completed, and had it for nearly a week.

That depends on local requirements or laws and varies. Tesla takes the returned vehicles and puts them in inventory. From there I'm sure each one is addressed individually based on the situation and then again based on where it gets moved to and sold. If the original buyer transferred plates and registration at the time of purchase and all the paperwork was filed, they have no choice but to re-sell as used. In most other cases, it's still a new vehicle and all that happened was someone demoed it for a few days or they look at is having a few extended test drives. California, Colorado, and a handful of other states do not consider a car as used, if the primary issued MSO or factory paperwork was never converted to title. And those same states allow a car to be sold as "new" as long as it has under 1500 miles on it. Some states require the car to be classified as a demo or showroom vehicle if it has 500 or more miles on it.

I should also add that Tesla and most other car companies take at least a week or so to send out paperwork after the sale. They at least wait until that return window has passed.

From what I've seen of Tesla in the past, cars that are rejected or returned usually get re-inspected, issues are fixed (brought within spec if necessary) and then it is sold as an inventory or demo car often with a small discount. With the Model 3, most of the early returns were put into service as showroom and test drive vehicles. I don't know how that is being handled yet with the Model Y or if they're just cycling them to the next customer in line.

 

[ZenMan]

Do returned cars get sold as "new" to the next buyers??? I would think they should legally be sold as "used" since a buyer took possession of it, registration was completed, and had it for nearly a week.

I think they hold the title paperwork until expiration of the return period. The cars I returned were only in our possession for 3 days and had 90 miles on them. I washed and waxed them trying to see if I could live with the paint issues. So I returned them in better condition than when I bought them. They were dirty on the lot which is why I didn't notice the paint problem until I took them home.

 

[aclosedmind]

The white paint on both my Model 3 (delivered 3/27/20) and my Model Y (delivered 6/21/10) have the same issues with the doors not quite matching and looking a bit splotchy in certain light. PPF and ceramic coating help a bit, but I decided to just live with it.

Tesla paint quality is Tesla paint quality. Everyone has to decide for themselves how big a deal it is. We had very minor fitment issues and a rear hatch that wasn't closing properly which were easy fixes by mobile service after delivery.

 

[Joaxaca]

I had the same issue on two Model Ys I took delivery of on Monday.

Tesla wouldn't budge on the paint issues. Said the white paint on both cars was within spec. So my only choice was to keep car as is or return under their 7 day return policy.

I returned them both this morning. So sad, they were great cars but just poor quality white paint. Apparently they already resold one of them while we were doing the return paperwork. I guess there are a lot of people who don't care or don't notice the paint problems.

Also I learned I am now banned from buying the same trim Model Y because I exercised a return. Will keep an eye on this forum and see if the paint improves. Definitely want to get two Y's again. May have to have a family member order them for me due to the ban

This is strange to me because the service guys made it seem like the paint should be the least of my worries since it’s “an easy fix” compared to the other things I had called out like misalignments and gaps. I had pointed out that my doors seemed splotchy and that my bumper didn’t match - they made an appointment for me later this month to get it addressed, although who knows if they’ll tell me at my appointment that they won’t do anything about it =\.

 

[KRG21]

Yours honestly looks pretty good to me compared to some others. I can accept a little splotchiness' and most Teslas have it to some degree. The mismatched doors i've seen are way worse.

 

[DanDi58]

I find all of the discussion about paint quality interesting and a little disturbing.... The most I have ever spent for a new car is $32k on our 2014 Mazda CX-5, and the paint quality is very good. Granted, I didn't go over it with a fine tooth comb when new, but it still looks great after 137k miles and sitting outdoors it's entire life, 35 miles from the ocean here in NJ. I'm having a little difficulty wrapping my head around the fact that I might have to 'live' with paint issues on a $60k car! Along with misalignments, etc... I guess that is why I'm going to wait a bit to order one....

 

[dandrewk]

Most states require ANY new car that's accepted by the buyer and driven off the lot are then considered "used".

 

[hyperspeedy]

Just wanted to chime in here too. Picked up our Y last Friday and the splotchy paint is so visible under low lighting. I have a service appointment scheduled for aug4 but that's after the return window. I don't know what to do...