My name is Justin Krauss, and I am the Managing Member of Ceramic Pro Grand Junction / Auto Detailing 360. We get a lot of questions from new Tesla owners about what they should and should not do to protect or enhance their vehicles. We spent several hours last week helping a Tesla owner get the residue off after they got frustrated with their cheap PPF. So it is essential to do it right. Also, knowing that I am not in everybody's area, EliteDealer.com is an excellent resource for the best of the best.
3 Things to Do With Your Tesla Day 1
The short version:
What You Want From Ceramic Coatings
There is a series of questions you want to ask before you buy a ceramic coating. You want to confirm that you have a nationwide warranty through the manufacturer, and you want a brochure with the exact package you are getting circled. You want to confirm that all prep and paint correction is included in the package or quoted price.
It is important to ensure that you are not getting a 'spray ceramic' and that the ceramic coating will leave you with a minimum 9H 'glass-like' finish. You also want to make sure your applicator is a certified applicator and listed on the manufacturer's site.
Always ask for glass and wheel faces to be included.
My favorite ceramic coating is Ceramic Pro ION or Ultimate ION. Am I biased? Sure. But I am not biased without cause. We installed many coatings before working with Ceramic Pro, and now they are the only coating we will install.
Why Ceramic Coat? Concerning automotive manufacturers, it often feels like our vehicles are getting more expensive, and our paint just isn't what it used to be. Tesla makes a remarkable vehicle. A combination of paint protection film and ceramic coatings will keep that vehicle looking like new.
Window Tint: What to Tint and What Window Tint to Use
If you ignore everything else I say in this post, please hear this. You should get a window tint, and it should be a true ceramic window tint. If you are going to get your roof glass or windshield tinted, you want to use a high-end ceramic tint that has a 70-80% VLT but will block 95% of the heat. You want to use a virtually clear film on windshields and roof glass. On the windshield, it is a matter of visibility and, frankly, not having it be noticed. On the roof glass, you want to block the heat while keeping your view and not doing anything that would cause the glass to crack.
I used the Ceramic Pro Ultimate IR on my vehicle. It blocks virtually all UV, and allowed me to use a legal tint on the sides and rear that blocked 98% of heat, and it looks amazing. I did not realize until recently that using the correct window tinting on an EV can increase your range by reducing the load on the climate system.
Run away from dyed films, hybrid films, or films that have metallics in them. While carbon films are great, a Tesla has a lot of glass, and high-end ceramic films need to be used.
Paint Protection Film / Clear Bra
The term clear bra is very outdated. It makes me think of those crappy yellowing strips dealers used to charge $300 to put across my hood. No thanks. Paint Protection Film is the modern-day equivalent. I use the word equivalent lightly. Here is what you want from your paint protection film:
Ultimate Armor
Ultimate Armor is a combination package that includes lifetime ceramic coatings and lifetime paint protection film. At roughly half the price of many full wraps, it is the smartest way I know to protect your full vehicle. We have expanded on that with an Ultimate Tesla package that includes our lifetime Ultimate IR window tint film.
In closing, I will say that no matter where you are in the country, the dealer and the installer are as important as the brand of the product. They should be capable of performing a one-stop-shop service, and you should feel like you are in a high-end retail shop, not the corner tire store. While Ceramic Pro dealers are not the only game in town, Ceramic Pro Elite Dealers have proven themselves to be the best of the best for product, service, and presentation.
3 Things to Do With Your Tesla Day 1
The short version:
- Ceramic Coating
- Window Tinting
- Paint Protection Film (Clear Bra)
- NEVER Take your car through a car wash that uses brushes (preferably never take it through any automated car wash)
What You Want From Ceramic Coatings
There is a series of questions you want to ask before you buy a ceramic coating. You want to confirm that you have a nationwide warranty through the manufacturer, and you want a brochure with the exact package you are getting circled. You want to confirm that all prep and paint correction is included in the package or quoted price.
It is important to ensure that you are not getting a 'spray ceramic' and that the ceramic coating will leave you with a minimum 9H 'glass-like' finish. You also want to make sure your applicator is a certified applicator and listed on the manufacturer's site.
Always ask for glass and wheel faces to be included.
My favorite ceramic coating is Ceramic Pro ION or Ultimate ION. Am I biased? Sure. But I am not biased without cause. We installed many coatings before working with Ceramic Pro, and now they are the only coating we will install.
Why Ceramic Coat? Concerning automotive manufacturers, it often feels like our vehicles are getting more expensive, and our paint just isn't what it used to be. Tesla makes a remarkable vehicle. A combination of paint protection film and ceramic coatings will keep that vehicle looking like new.
Window Tint: What to Tint and What Window Tint to Use
If you ignore everything else I say in this post, please hear this. You should get a window tint, and it should be a true ceramic window tint. If you are going to get your roof glass or windshield tinted, you want to use a high-end ceramic tint that has a 70-80% VLT but will block 95% of the heat. You want to use a virtually clear film on windshields and roof glass. On the windshield, it is a matter of visibility and, frankly, not having it be noticed. On the roof glass, you want to block the heat while keeping your view and not doing anything that would cause the glass to crack.
I used the Ceramic Pro Ultimate IR on my vehicle. It blocks virtually all UV, and allowed me to use a legal tint on the sides and rear that blocked 98% of heat, and it looks amazing. I did not realize until recently that using the correct window tinting on an EV can increase your range by reducing the load on the climate system.
Run away from dyed films, hybrid films, or films that have metallics in them. While carbon films are great, a Tesla has a lot of glass, and high-end ceramic films need to be used.
Paint Protection Film / Clear Bra
The term clear bra is very outdated. It makes me think of those crappy yellowing strips dealers used to charge $300 to put across my hood. No thanks. Paint Protection Film is the modern-day equivalent. I use the word equivalent lightly. Here is what you want from your paint protection film:
- It should be 8 Mils or better.
- The warranty should be valid nationally and be 10 years or longer.
- It should be ceramic-infused or at least ceramic-coated (Ultimate Armor is both)
- Ask specifically what edges will be wrapped.
- Ask specifically what areas will be covered.
Ultimate Armor
Ultimate Armor is a combination package that includes lifetime ceramic coatings and lifetime paint protection film. At roughly half the price of many full wraps, it is the smartest way I know to protect your full vehicle. We have expanded on that with an Ultimate Tesla package that includes our lifetime Ultimate IR window tint film.
In closing, I will say that no matter where you are in the country, the dealer and the installer are as important as the brand of the product. They should be capable of performing a one-stop-shop service, and you should feel like you are in a high-end retail shop, not the corner tire store. While Ceramic Pro dealers are not the only game in town, Ceramic Pro Elite Dealers have proven themselves to be the best of the best for product, service, and presentation.
