Paint Correction Necessary for a Brand New Car?

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avesraggiana

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Hi, guys and gals. Novice, weekend detailer here, and only of my own cars. Just bought a brand new Tesla Model S and I don’t want to touch it, as far as doing any serious work on it is concerned. So I’m picking up this brand new vehicle on Monday, and less than 24 hours later on Tuesday morning, dropping it off at a very well-regarded detailing shop for FFP and Ceramic Pro coating. I talked to two of the managers separately. One guy says I won’t need paint correction because the car’s still brand new, while his colleague says I MIGHT need paint correction, which will of course add several hundred dollars to the cost of what I’m getting done.

Is paint correction really going to be necessary when I will have had the car for such a short time, less than a day? These guys seem like straight shooters but I don’t want to be talked into paying for something that I don’t really need.

Thanks.
 
First off, welcome to Autogeek Online. :xyxthumbs:

Congratulations on the new Tesla, & to answer your question - Yes. It is 100% possible it could need correction. Alot depends on what the dealership has done to it, how it was transported etc as to what it will need but if you trust your detailer - Let them decide what is best for you.

Aaryn NZ. :dblthumb2:
 
It sure could.
I have seen brand new cars coming off the car carrier that were absolutely flawless. Mainly because they were arriving directly from the factory and were completely covered in the adhesive protective paper all the way to the dealer.

Then I have seen other cars that came off the trailer looking absolutely horrible. They did not get shipped with the adhesive, protective paper. Or even worse, were a dealer to dealer trade. And had the paint molested by the shipping dealers lot boy.

If the finish (as delivered) has rids or marring then absolutely have the paint corrected before having the coating applied.
 
I will say yes, your car will need correction, light or heavy correction depending on what dealer did to your car. Most of dealer will wash your car before delivering, and just that one time can create lots of minor imperfection to your paint, marring, minor swirl, etc. Some dealer will offer free sealant or wax before delivering, and some will use rotary to apply them, well you will welcome lots of Hologram on your paint. Or even if the car is brand new with no defect, light professional final polish will make them glossier.

You are going to coat a car and it's life of coating is several year, if you not going to correct them, then you will protect that inperfection with you for several years. The best way is ask your detailers to show you your Tesla imperfection, then you make the call.

Good luck for your new car!
 
 
Valky said:
The best way is ask your detailers to show you your Tesla imperfection, then you make the call.
Click to expand...

This is indeed the best alternative in my book. I'm happy to have customers get involved in my paint surface corrections. They can see first hand what the "before" looks like, before we show them the "after". Going out on a limb here, your tolerance for a few minor marks will likely be higher than your detailers. If it doesn't drive you crazy, then just get your coating and be done with it.
 
Welcome and congrats on the new car. Knowing you are getting a coating and ppf, if I was to bet, yes you will need some correction. I would be very surprised if you don't actually.
 
Setec Astronomy said:
Like any new car, it may need some correction. Here's a few Tesla examples (good and bad):
Click to expand...

Thank you all so very much for your responses. “A picture is worth a thousand words...” Holds especially true with higher end auto detailing jobs. Thank you, Setec Astronomy, for posting these. My eyes have opened and they have seen.

As some of you have said, I just need to relax and trust. If these guys are any good, the outcome will be worth the added expense in the end.
 
The guy who says it "might" is more correct than the guy who says it wont. Here is the thing... how can they tell without "inspecting the paint"???

If they follow a tride-n-true process as Mike Phillips teaches, one would...

Wash the vehicle, starting with wheels first.
Chemical Decontaminate to remove rail-dust and industrial fallout
Wash the vehicle.
** Inspect the paint for above surface bonded contaminants*** - Use the baggie test to see if the paint is smooth. You cannot have gloss without smoothness.
If the paint isn't smooth, mechanically decontaminate and clay the vehicle. Either use a clay mitt or actual clay. Generally start least aggressive with a fine clay mitt or fine clay.
*** Inspect the paint*** using various lighting look for swirls, scratches, RIDS or other defects in the clear-coat. If non exist, move on to cleans the paint and prepare for LSP.
If defects exist, follow the steps to correct, cleanse then protect.

So the first guy who says "It Might" is correct... He won't know until he finishes cleaning and decontaminating, then inspect.

When I got my new Mustang EB (with 36 miles on it) I did a light polish (after the said above steps) despite the paint being free of any defects. Why? It's part of my process anyway.

Remember, the vehicle may be "NEW", however, it was prepared in a manufacturing plant, sat in a lot, transported by train or other car carrier, sat at a dealer... probably touched by dozen or so employees, cleaned by the dealer who probably installed some light marring... etc.. So yes, it Might. :-)

Sounds like your in good hands with your detailers, and would seem that they're given much forethought before taking your car in. I think you'll be happy with the way it comes out.
Please report back after it's complete with pictures!!! We love Tesla's :)
 
avesraggiana said:
Hi, guys and gals. Novice, weekend detailer here, and only of my own cars. Just bought a brand new Tesla Model S and I don’t want to touch it, as far as doing any serious work on it is concerned. So I’m picking up this brand new vehicle on Monday, and less than 24 hours later on Tuesday morning, dropping it off at a very well-regarded detailing shop for FFP and Ceramic Pro coating. I talked to two of the managers separately. One guy says I won’t need paint correction because the car’s still brand new, while his colleague says I MIGHT need paint correction, which will of course add several hundred dollars to the cost of what I’m getting done.

Is paint correction really going to be necessary when I will have had the car for such a short time, less than a day? These guys seem like straight shooters but I don’t want to be talked into paying for something that I don’t really need.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

It depends on how you will be taking care of your car. If you are going to improperly wash the vehicle, take it to a car wash, take it to a detail shop that impropery details vehicles, and or take it to the dealership to get service washes, I would not paint correct it because it will be counterproductive. However, you are getting a ppf and a ceramic coating so a paint correction is a must.

BTW, what color is your vehicle?
 
If it's brand new it can still need some polishing not so much a aggressive compound and polish like is tyolical. Most dealers install some sort of paint defect when they wash unless you are very lucky,
 
Maestro Sam said:
It depends on how you will be taking care of your car. If you are going to improperly wash the vehicle, take it to a car wash, take it to a detail shop that impropery details vehicles, and or take it to the dealership to get service washes, I would not paint correct it because it will be counterproductive. However, you are getting a ppf and a ceramic coating so a paint correction is a must.

BTW, what color is your vehicle?
Click to expand...

I avoid car washes of any type, like the plague, much preferring to putting up with driving around in a dusty car and waiting until I’ve got a free morning to put in two hours and do a respectable amateur home car wash. I did take a weekend class in polishing, but I haven’t yet busted out my brand newTORQ10FX Orbital Polisher. Nothing could say newbie better than that. I take your point very well that running my new car through a carwash will simply ruin all the good work these guys will do.

I chose the metallic blue. What I want most from this process is a very high gloss, looks-like-you-could-fall-into-it, type of shine.

Thanks for your comment.
 
paul_g said:
The guy who says it "might" is more correct than the guy who says it wont. Here is the thing... how can they tell without "inspecting the paint"???



So the first guy who says "It Might" is correct... He won't know until he finishes cleaning and decontaminating, then inspect.

When I got my new Mustang EB (with 36 miles on it) I did a light polish (after the said above steps) despite the paint being free of any defects. Why? It's part of my process anyway.

Remember, the vehicle may be "NEW", however, it was prepared in a manufacturing plant, sat in a lot, transported by train or other car carrier, sat at a dealer... probably touched by dozen or so employees, cleaned by the dealer who probably installed some light marring... etc.. So yes, it Might. :-)

Sounds like your in good hands with your detailers, and would seem that they're given much forethought before taking your car in. I think you'll be happy with the way it comes out.
Please report back after it's complete with pictures!!! We love Tesla's :)
Click to expand...

I think I’ll be in good hands too, the two guys I spoke with seemed pretty earnest, and honest, about their work. I’ll be sure to post pictures when I get my car back.

Thank you for your input.
 
avesraggiana said:
I avoid car washes of any type, like the plague, much preferring to putting up with driving around in a dusty car and waiting until I’ve got a free morning to put in two hours and do a respectable amateur home car wash. I did take a weekend class in polishing, but I haven’t yet busted out my brand newTORQ10FX Orbital Polisher. Nothing could say newbie better than that. I take your point very well that running my new car through a carwash will simply ruin all the good work these guys will do.

I chose the metallic blue. What I want most from this process is a very high gloss, looks-like-you-could-fall-into-it, type of shine.

Thanks for your comment.
Click to expand...

No problem, take care of your new car ;)
 
Every new car I have ever had has needed something whether it be full decontamination and a paint cleanse (ie zero defect removal, but proper paint cleaning) , or in one case a full correction.. (last step was with carpro essence so that saved time ahead of the coating application...

But I personally expect at least half a day to a full day on new vehicles in paint prep...

On my own daily I ended up wet sanding it and recovering back to jewel which was almost 60 hours all in.. simply because the factory paint is so shite these days..
 
From experience of correcting and coating brand new Tesla`s, I say with confidence it will need at least some spot correction. The ceramic coating installer should also have built at least a polish into his price honestly and should inspect the car with you and inform you of what he feels needs to be done. Good luck!
 
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