June 1, 2020 How-To

Tesla Scratch Repair With ckLA

In the wee hours of the night, a mysterious caller left a nasty scratch on the Tesla of Crystalrose and Kenny Sanders. The professional athletes and YouTubers awoke to find that their Tesla Model 3 had an ugly and deep scrape on its bumper. Turning a negative into a positive, they decided to use the opportunity to show their many YouTube followers how easy it is to fix scratches when you have the right material. It’s a great, informative video and you should watch it but if you aren’t a visual learner, here is a quick run through of how to get scratches out of your car with touch up paint.

The Fingernail Test

ckLA didn’t do this because it was pretty obvious how badly their car was scratched but if you can’t tell, this is a very helpful method. Determine how deep the scratch is by dragging your fingernail across the scratch. If it catches, the scratch is too deep to be polished out and you will need touch up paint

Clean your car

Kenny and Crystalrose pressure washed their car beforehand. Soap and water will also work. Afterwards, rub down your vehicle with the TUD Wax & Grease remover wipe.

Wetsand your car

Dip the sandpaper we provide you into a cup of water and then sand the scratch to make it smooth.,

Apply Primer

Primer will help make your paint stick. Apply 2 to 3 light coats of primer to the affected area. Wait 5 to 10 minutes for it to dry before moving on to the next step.

Apply Basecoat

The basecoat is the color you see on a car. If you ordered from TUD, this color should match the rest of your vehicle. But just to be safe, take the time to apply the basecoat and clearcoat to the test paper provided so you can compare. Shake the paint well before you start but be careful. As Kenny found out in the video, the Combo has a paint brush on one side so make sure you open it while it’s right side up. Apply the basecoat paint to the area in 2-3 even, consistent coats. Wait 5-10 minutes to allow the coat to dry.

Apply Clearcoat

The clearcoat will protect your paint job and give it a fine finish. Apply an even coat. Wait the usual time for it to dry and then apply a second coat. If you need to, you can apply one more layer after the second has dried.