Why the paint caution when washing Tesla vehicles??

[RichAZ/CapeCod]

I keep reading about how automatic car washes are death to Tesla paint finishes. Really? Is this stance purely from a purists position or is it a valid concern?

Thanks,

Rich

 

[IronMeow]

All of my cars haven't gone through automatic car washes, since those will leave swirl marks on car paint and make my cars look dull after a while. I always hand car wash my cars, including my model Y and my wife's model 3.

 

[RichAZ/CapeCod]

All of my cars haven't gone through automatic car washes, since those will leave swirl marks on car paint and make my cars look dull after a while. I always hand car wash my cars, including my model Y and my wife's model 3.

IronMeow, that's my question. All my other cars I've owned (including my most recent, a nice 2019 Bolt Premier) have gone through automatic car washers with no ill effects that I can discern. So, why is Tesla paint so sensitive to such a washing protocol?

Thanks,

Rich

 

[Needsdecaf]

IronMeow, that's my question. All my other cars I've owned (including my most recent, a nice 2019 Bolt Premier) have gone through automatic car washers with no ill effects that I can discern. So, why is Tesla paint so sensitive to such a washing protocol?

Thanks,

Rich

It's not.

All automatic car washes scratch and mar the paint of your car to a certain extent. In general, these marks are not large "scratches", but rather very faint swirls and surface marring which dull and cloud the surface of the paint. To a certain extent, waxes fill this in and cover most of it up but not all.

If you are not the type to notice this, go ahead and keep running your car through the car wash. Tesla paint is on the softer side of automotive paints, but not the softest from what I've heard from detailers. But some people are more neurotic about this than others. Those are the ones who would see this stuff instantly and get crazy about it.

It's just a matter of how neurotic / nuts you are.

 

[RichAZ/CapeCod]

Well, Needsdecaf, according to my spouse I'm pretty damn neurtotic...

Rich

 

[M3BlueGeorgia]

Give it a couple on months to let the paint fully cure before running through an automatic car cash.

Since people are normally getting Teslas directly from the factory, instead of buying one that's been sitting on a dealer lot for several month, the paint generally hasn't finished curing. At least that's my understanding.

 

[RichAZ/CapeCod]

Give it a couple on months to let the paint fully cure before running through an automatic car cash.

Since people are normally getting Teslas directly from the factory, instead of buying one that's been sitting on a dealer lot for several month, the paint generally hasn't finished curing. At least that's my understanding.

That's a good idea. Why I'm being so anal about this is, I have a bad left arm (motorcycle accident around 20 years ago). So hand washing cars is a pain in the butt for me to do. I like the idea of letting the paint "cure" for a few months. I will also have a clear plastic coating put on the front of the MY to protect from the more egregious road dings.

Rich

 

[Georgia_Y]

Give it a couple on months to let the paint fully cure before running through an automatic car cash.

Since people are normally getting Teslas directly from the factory, instead of buying one that's been sitting on a dealer lot for several month, the paint generally hasn't finished curing. At least that's my understanding.

I've heard that as well, especially for vehicles delivered directly off the line across a lot of manufacturers. Paint is one area were the isn't a lot of magic that they can do to get it behave differently.

 

[Jeff3820]

All manufacturers have switched to water-based paint as they are more eco-friendly. The layers are very sensitive to surface preparation and to dust and other debris. There are many good reference papers about the technology. Here is one I easily found: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-6412/6/2/24/pdf

 

[jerry33]

Paint swirls, orange peel, and brush type car wash damage have been around ever since there have been cars and car washes. If you are anal about your car's looks, or want to show the car, then paint correction and protection is what you do. It's not just Tesla, but Tesla owners traditionally have been very OCD when it comes to paint.

 

[RichAZ/CapeCod]

Thanks for the link Jeff. While I find some of the paint jobs and the care they receive by owners, very handsome, one day perhaps Tesla will offer a MY-style vehicle or variant in the same tough material the company's truck appears to be constructed of. I'm enough of a curmudgeon to want just such a maintenance-free vehicle.

Rich

Edit: Read through the article on vehicle paint issues. Damn, never thought-out how complex and interwoven the various issues are as they relate to "just" painting an auto.