Tesla Model Y: detailer points out paint defects on brand new electric SUV

A detailer posted a video inspection of a brand new Tesla Model Y – showing that Tesla still has some issues with paint quality.

Over the years, Tesla has taken some heat over its fit and finish, especially when it comes to the paint.

There have been some improvements with the latest models and now a detailer at Chicago Auto Pros is looking at Tesla’s brand new Model Y.

One of the first Model Y owners took delivery in Chicago and brought the electric SUV to Chicago Auto Pros for detailing right away.

They quickly made a video to review the paint of the Tesla Model Y:

The detailer found several problems with the original paint job as well as issues that emerged after Tesla likely tried to fix some of those problems.

For example, he found discoloration on the front bumper, which he believes is due to a bad attempt at fixing some dust nibs, which are particles of dust under the paint.

He also found several dust nibs that Tesla had missed:

Those can easily be fixed, but more major dust nibs were found on a door and the detailer claims that the whole door will have to be repainted to fully fix the issue:

He also found some leftover adhesive on the hood of the Model Y and he claims it could become a big problem if it starts to peel back:

Chicago Auto Pros also found several light scratches and mark around the car that are likely linked to Tesla trying to fix some paint issues on the car:

While he found many imperfections, the detailer said that the paint was in “fairly good condition”:

“the paint is in overall in fairly good conditions. This grey metallic color is great at hiding scratches. […] Most of the paint issues are very minor and very fixable.”

The detailer also recommends to install a protective film on the car after fixing the paint issues and he also found some problems with the interior trim.

Electrek’s Take

I think some of these issues, like the nibs on the doors and the scratch on the interior trim, are not acceptable.

However, when it comes to the paint marks, I think it needs to be put into perspective.

Those kinds of issues are not unique to Tesla and are actually quite common in the industry. Most people don’t realize they are there at all even in premium vehicles like Tesla’s.

Some people who are more detail-oriented, like detailers, will see those issues and that’s why detailers exist. Rarely will a detailer find zero issues with a brand new car coming off the truck.

Again, I am not saying these issues don’t matter and that there’s no room for improvement. I am just trying to put things into perspective.