TESLA HERO PHOTO
Tesla PPF, Tint & Ceramic Coating
in San Francisco
Tesla PPF, Tint & Ceramic Coating
in San Francisco
Tesla PPF,
Tint & Ceramic Coating
in San Francisco
Tesla paint chips easily, and a chip on a Tesla is hard to fix well. We protect it with paint protection film, ceramic window tint and ceramic coating, in one visit.
Tesla paint chips easily, and a chip on a Tesla is hard to fix well. We protect it with paint protection film, ceramic window tint and ceramic coating, in one visit.
(415) 349-7676 · 3146 Mission St, San Francisco, CA 94110
PPF · Ceramic coating · Window tint for Tesla
Protection engineered for every Tesla.
Step 01
Select your Tesla
Why protect
Why Tesla paint needs protection
Why Tesla paint needs protection
Why Tesla paint needs protection
Tesla PPF is one of the most common jobs we do at ESM Motors. Build your package below, or read on for why we recommend it on every Tesla.
Tesla PPF is one of the most common jobs we do at ESM Motors. Build your package below, or read on for why we recommend it on every Tesla.
Tesla paint has been measured thinner and softer than the industry norm, which makes it quicker to chip. In a 2019 inspection of a Model 3, the Finnish Chamber of Commerce found paint as thin as around 70 microns in places, against an industry standard of 110 to 150 microns, and rated its hardness at F where 2H or 3H is more typical.
Tesla paint has been measured thinner and softer than the industry norm, which makes it quicker to chip. In a 2019 inspection of a Model 3, the Finnish Chamber of Commerce found paint as thin as around 70 microns in places, against an industry standard of 110 to 150 microns, and rated its hardness at F where 2H or 3H is more typical.
Not every Tesla will measure the same, and paint varies from car to car and year to year. But every manufacturer paints differently, and paint thickness isn’t the same from one brand to the next. On a car with less paint to begin with, a rock doesn’t have far to go.
Not every Tesla will measure the same, and paint varies from car to car and year to year. But every manufacturer paints differently, and paint thickness isn’t the same from one brand to the next. On a car with less paint to begin with, a rock doesn’t have far to go.
We see rock chips on the front of Teslas that are only weeks old. Touch-up paint fills a chip but doesn’t make it disappear, and a proper repair usually means repainting the entire panel, which replaces the factory finish you can never get back. Film is the part that takes the hit, and film can be replaced.
We see rock chips on the front of Teslas that are only weeks old. Touch-up paint fills a chip but doesn’t make it disappear, and a proper repair usually means repainting the entire panel, which replaces the factory finish you can never get back. Film is the part that takes the hit, and film can be replaced.
PAINT THICKNESS · 0–150 µm
~70 µm
~70 µm
~70 µm
Measured on a 2019 Model 3, thinnest areas
110–150 µm
110–150 µm
110–150 µm
Industry standard
0
50
100
150 µm
“
You can’t spot-fix a rock chip. Repairing one properly usually means repainting the whole panel.
You can’t spot-fix a rock chip. Repairing one properly usually means repainting the whole panel.
You can’t spot-fix a rock chip. Repairing one properly usually means repainting the whole panel.
Coverage
Where Teslas take the most damage
Where Teslas take the most damage
Where Teslas take the most damage
Most chips land on the front of the car, where road debris hits at speed, and low on the sides, where the tires throw it up. The same inspection noted that the Model 3’s wheel arch design allowed rocks to chip the paint.
Most chips land on the front of the car, where road debris hits at speed, and low on the sides, where the tires throw it up. The same inspection noted that the Model 3’s wheel arch design allowed rocks to chip the paint.
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PHOTO: UNSPLASH
Area
Area
Why it’s at risk
Our recommendation
01
01
Front bumper
Front bumper
Takes direct hits from road debris
Takes direct hits from road debris
Protect on every Tesla
Protect on every Tesla
02
02
Hood and front fenders
Hood and front fenders
Debris at highway speed, chips spread up from the bumper
Debris at highway speed, chips spread up from the bumper
Full hood and fenders, not just the leading edge
Full hood and fenders, not just the leading edge
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03
Mirrors and headlights
Mirrors and headlights
Exposed, forward-facing
Exposed, forward-facing
Include with any front package
Include with any front package
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04
Rocker panels and lower doors
Rocker panels and lower doors
Debris thrown up by the tires
Debris thrown up by the tires
Add for daily driving and highway commuting
Add for daily driving and highway commuting
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05
Rear bumper top
Rear bumper top
Scuffs and scratches from loading the trunk
Scuffs and scratches from loading the trunk
Add if you use the trunk often
Add if you use the trunk often
Full body coverage protects every painted panel, and is what we recommend for a new Tesla you plan to keep.
Full body coverage protects every painted panel, and is what we recommend for a new Tesla you plan to keep.
Timing
Protect it before the first chip
Protect it before the first chip
Protect it before the first chip
The best time to install PPF on a Tesla is right after delivery, before the first chip. Film protects the paint as it is; it can’t undo damage that’s already there, and anything under the film stays under the film.
That’s also why preparation matters. Every Tesla is washed in our indoor wash bay with pH-balanced, filtered water, decontaminated and prepped before any film goes on, so nothing gets sealed in.
Finish
Gloss or matte
Gloss PPF keeps your Tesla looking exactly as it left the factory. Stealth (matte) PPF gives a gloss Tesla a satin finish while protecting it the same way. If you want a new color altogether, see color change PPF.
Window tint
Ceramic window tint for your Tesla
Ceramic window tint for your Tesla
Ceramic window tint for your Tesla
Ceramic window tint keeps your Tesla’s cabin cooler, cuts glare and blocks UV without having to go dark. Our main film, XPEL PRIME XR PLUS, rejects 96% of infrared heat on most shades and blocks 99% of UV.
Ceramic window tint keeps your Tesla’s cabin cooler, cuts glare and blocks UV without having to go dark. Our main film, XPEL PRIME XR PLUS, rejects 96% of infrared heat on most shades and blocks 99% of UV.
It’s metal-free, so it won’t interfere with your phone key, GPS or radio. Every install includes free edge filing and our lifetime installation warranty. More on ceramic window tint.
It’s metal-free, so it won’t interfere with your phone key, GPS or radio. Every install includes free edge filing and our lifetime installation warranty. More on ceramic window tint.
We also tint Tesla glass roofs and windshields, so the big panels of glass that let in the most sun get the same heat and UV protection as the side windows.
Ceramic coating
Ceramic coating for your Tesla
Ceramic coating for your Tesla
Ceramic coating for your Tesla
PPF stops the chips; ceramic coating protects against bird droppings, sap and UV and makes your Tesla much easier to wash. It goes on top of the film, and on any paint the film doesn’t cover.
PPF stops the chips; ceramic coating protects against bird droppings, sap and UV and makes your Tesla much easier to wash. It goes on top of the film, and on any paint the film doesn’t cover.
We offer 1-year, 4-year and 8-year coatings, each with a full decontamination in our indoor wash bay and a one-step polish, and we can coat wheels, glass, trim and the interior too. More on ceramic coating.
We offer 1-year, 4-year and 8-year coatings, each with a full decontamination in our indoor wash bay and a one-step polish, and we can coat wheels, glass, trim and the interior too. More on ceramic coating.
One visit
Everything in one visit.
Everything in one visit.
Everything in one visit.
Most Tesla owners do all three at once. One drop-off, one prep in our indoor wash bay, and one handover.
Most Tesla owners do all three at once. One drop-off, one prep in our indoor wash bay, and one handover.
(001)
Paint protection film
Paint protection film
Goes on first, over the areas that take the hits.
(002)
Ceramic coating
Ceramic coating
Applied over the film and any paint it doesn’t cover.
(003)
Window tint
Window tint
Side windows, glass roof and windshield.
Why ESM
Why ESM Motors
Why ESM Motors
Why ESM Motors
Woman-owned. Enthusiast-led. Built in San Francisco. Every Tesla is prepped in our indoor wash bay with pH-balanced, filtered water, fitted in-house by our own team, and inspected before it’s returned to you. We give clear recommendations and clear pricing, and we stay involved after the install.
Woman-owned. Enthusiast-led. Built in San Francisco. Every Tesla is prepped in our indoor wash bay with pH-balanced, filtered water, fitted in-house by our own team, and inspected before it’s returned to you. We give clear recommendations and clear pricing, and we stay involved after the install.
FAQ
Tesla protection FAQ.
For most Teslas, yes. Tesla paint chips easily, and a single chip usually means repainting the whole panel, while film keeps the original factory paint intact.
Tesla paint has been measured thinner and softer than the industry norm, so stones and debris reach through it faster. Teslas also take the same front-end and lower-side hits as any car, and chips there can’t be spot-fixed.
At a minimum, the front bumper, hood, front fenders, mirrors and headlights. Add the rocker panels and lower doors for daily highway driving, or choose full body to protect every painted panel.
As soon as possible after delivery, before the first chips appear. Film protects the paint as it is and won’t repair damage that’s already there.
Yes. Film manufacturers including 3M say ceramic coating can be applied on top of paint protection film, and it makes the film slicker and easier to wash. Install the film first, then the coating.
Our main film is XPEL PRIME XR PLUS, a nano-ceramic tint that rejects 96% of infrared heat on most shades and blocks 99% of UV. It’s metal-free, so it won’t interfere with your phone key or GPS.
Yes, and most Tesla owners do. We install the PPF first, apply ceramic coating over the top, and tint the windows in the same visit.
Get in touch
Get in touch
Protect your Tesla.
Protect your Tesla.
Protect your Tesla.
Protect your Tesla’s paint, glass and interior before the road and the sun get to them.
Protect your Tesla’s paint, glass and interior before the road and the sun get to them.