I have a black 2022 M3 RWD and have covered just over 10K miles since I got it in December 22. Now I mostly commute to work in the car, and the commute is 50 miles each way, with a large chunk of that on the motorway and the rest on A roads. I've noticed that my car has a ton of stone chips, including 3 quite large ones on the bonnet, numerous small ones on the front bumper and a few on the rear doors/sills. I remember the first stone chip I got (within a week of owning the car), a small one freakishly on the roof just above the driver's door! My other car is a Seat Ateca which I have owned from new for 5 years and had previously been doing the same commute. It has 80K miles on it and has far fewer stone chips than the Tesla! I have read lots of posts about the perceived "soft paint" that Tesla has (especially the black ones), and all I can say is that appears to be true in my experience. I have never noticed or really thought about stone chips on any other car in over 30 years of car ownership, although this could be because I really love my Tesla!!! Does anyone else feel my pain? I've bought a big pot of Chipex but haven't mustered up the courage to repair them yet!! Oh yes, the Black paint was my wife's idea, I also swore I wouldn't ever own a black car again after owning a Seat Leon Cupra around 12 years ago and never being able to get it to stay clean!
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Stone chips, maybe I'm unlucky?
- Thread starter BongoFury
- Start date
Jason71
Well-Known Member
the old Fremont cars did seem to have quite soft paint ( California regulations on chemicals alegedly) and my white one did seem to gather quite a lot of stone chips.
I don't think there is anything particularly un-usual though about the paint on the MiC cars. My Grey MY has about 3 small chips over 7K miles which I have touched up with Chipex. it is good stuff. Does not make the chips go away it you go looking for them unless you do many many coats but it does stop your eyes being drawn to them.
Chips always look worst on black cars so it could just be a combination of a bit of bad luck + black.
I also said my first black car was going to be my last and I am sticking to that!
I had this on my first tesla, but stones still have a habit of finding unprotected parts.
Second tesla, i opted to leave it.
My Fremont 2019 Model 3 has been good with respect to avoidance of chips (Midnight Silver Metallic). People do report widely varying experiences but it did appear that the MiC cars were more consistent in quality generally so it does look that you've been unlucky and got some particularly brittle paint ... and of course black does show up every mark, which makes it even worse. There's no reason why you can't press Tesla for some rectification under warranty.
Jason71
Well-Known Member
Can i be a fly on the wall for that conversation please!
PITA
Model 3 Performance
I have a Black 2021 MiC Tesla Model 3 Performance... done 25000 miles.
Currently in the paint shop getting the front end resprayed black... bonnet, bumper, nearside wing (offside wing is OK for some weird stroke of fate)
Cost me £850 +vat
Plus full four wheel alignment from inability to successfully navigate UK pot holed roads during Winter nights. That cost £80
Should keep me going for another two years.
Fresh.
Currently in the paint shop getting the front end resprayed black... bonnet, bumper, nearside wing (offside wing is OK for some weird stroke of fate)
Cost me £850 +vat
Plus full four wheel alignment from inability to successfully navigate UK pot holed roads during Winter nights. That cost £80
Should keep me going for another two years.
Fresh.
Last edited:
PITA
Model 3 Performance
^This
I was contemplating full PPF. but insurance issues + cost (beeing same or more as respray) and I skipped that thought
I'm just old school
Sixer
Member
Has anyone found any cost effective solutions to protecting just the front end for long trips? I’m about to do 2000 miles in a short period of time and could do with a cheaper DIY solution that I don’t have to declare to the insurance company (costing more money).
