First gen Tesla P90 paint. What's with the mils specs????

[LSNAutoDetailing]

I got a call today from someone looking to get their Merc CLK350 detailed. Sweet little droptop Merc. It's white, 8 years old and never been detailed. We look forward to showing that car the love it so rightly deserves.

While I was filling out the VIF and the customer said, while your here can you give me a quote on this, as they opened the garage door....

There was a midnight blue Tesla P90 that looked ROUGH!!! I said "I'd be happy to work you up a qoute" :)
I started taking my paint readings. I normally use microns instead of mils... not ONE reading went over 98. The majority were 70's and 80's. I'm used to getting 110-140 microns on other vehicles.

Did Tesla skimp on the paint that year???? Having said that with the paint so thin, I'm hoping it's soft and will correct quickly using least aggressive method.

I'm curious to hear what others have to say about the 1st gen Tesla's they've detailed. Honestly, I've never touched one and I'm glad I have a chance to detail one.

[fly07sti]

Oh ya, they're pretty damn soft. I live about 25 minutes away from where they build them and have massaged a few.

[Setec Astronomy]

Didn't we have a member here who ran a detailing business...and he was basically working full time at a Tesla delivery center correcting the "new" vehicles before delivery? To the tune of 8 hours a car or something...maybe that car started out with 120 microns...and is down to 80 because that's what it needed to get it delivery-ready. I also remember a European member posting about correcting new Ferraris or Lamborghinis or something that had horrible sand scratches. I think it's harder for these low-production vehicles to get the paint process dialed in. Or maybe that's simply the reason that one is thin...oops! Not enough paint!

[kevincwelch]

The Model S paint is pretty thin, unless you are working on a multicoat car (pearl white, red). The midnight blue and the pacific blue (what I have) run pretty thin as well. Roof and hood range from 105-120 microns. Side panels about 100. Real thin 80-90 microns down by the bottom of the quarter panel and doors. Definitely got to be careful, as I'm sure you would.

[LSNAutoDetailing]

Oh ya, they're pretty damn soft. I live about 25 minutes away from where they build them and have massaged a few.

Thanks!


Didn't we have a member here who ran a detailing business...and he was basically working full time at a Tesla delivery center correcting the "new" vehicles before delivery? To the tune of 8 hours a car or something...maybe that car started out with 120 microns...and is down to 80 because that's what it needed to get it delivery-ready. I also remember a European member posting about correcting new Ferraris or Lamborghinis or something that had horrible sand scratches. I think it's harder for these low-production vehicles to get the paint process dialed in. Or maybe that's simply the reason that one is thin...oops! Not enough paint!

You are correct, I remember one guy on the forum and that's all he seemed to detail... Tesla's.


The Model S paint is pretty thin, unless you are working on a multicoat car (pearl white, red). The midnight blue and the pacific blue (what I have) run pretty thin as well. Roof and hood range from 105-120 microns. Side panels about 100. Real thin 80-90 microns down by the bottom of the quarter panel and doors. Definitely got to be careful, as I'm sure you would.

Thanks Kevin! Test spots for sure...

[fightnews]

I've never detailed one but I was recently working in a building where a tenant got a brand new Tesla for 140 grand. I looked at the paint with a flash light and it didn't look like anything special. Same thing with a high end Mercedes SUV. The paint doesn't really look any better then it does on a low end car. I don't think the paint on these things is anything special. They are expensive for other reasons.

Maybe a Rolls Royce or something like that has special paint but I dont think these other "high middle class" cars do.

[kevincwelch]

I looked at the paint with a flash light and it didn't look like anything special.

I don't think it is either. My wife's Highlander has nice paint, but not any better, not any worse. Having said that, I think it is fairly easy to correct light swirling on the Model S with a fine polish like SF4000/4500, Sonax Perfect Finish or m205 with some white pads. It's really not a challenge. I've had to use FG400, IP3000 or m105 in some cases. Nevertheless, I think the thing to keep in mind when correcting a Model S that doesn't have a multicoat paint is to be conservative since the paint thickness uniformity is nonexistent in early models. Later models tend to be more uniform, but it's still relatively thin at around 120 microns (4.7 mil).