Tesla just announced they will be offering gloss and satin paint protection film, as well as color paint protection film within the Tesla service center. So, let’s break that down and talk about what that means for the wrap industry and for Tesla owners.
I think that this is a sort of pilot program for the Cybertruck, since the Cybertruck is only offered in one color, and Elon Musk has mentioned to get it wrapped on Twitter. So, I think they’re testing it with the Model 3 and Model Y.
Overview of Tesla Wrap Services:
- It’s only available for 2023 Models 3 and Y.
- It’s $7, 500 – $8, 000 for color PPF and there’s going to be about seven available colors:
- Satin Stealth Black
- Satin Ceramic White
- Satin Rose Gold
- Slip Grey
- Glacier Blue
- Forest Green
- Crimson Red
- It’s also available in clear gloss and satin (aka matte or stealth).
- They’re only offering it in two Tesla service centers in California.
- They say it’ll take 5-7 days to wrap.
- You can wrap it if it’s leased, but you may have to remove it.
- You can’t order the wrap with your purchase. You have to do it through the app.
- They won’t do paint correction. So, if it doesn’t pass inspection, you’ll have to go somewhere else and then bring it back.
Color Vinyl // PPF // Color PPF
Pricing depends on the region and cost of living where you are. Typically, at our wrap shop, it goes between $3, 500-$5, 000 for a color vinyl wrap. Color vinyl is not paint protection. There are many colors to choose from, but they are thinner and can chip. It’s main purpose is to change the color, while PPF is meant to protect. That’s why this newish line of color PPF that many brands are offering now is so nice, because it offers protection AND style.
We typically charge $5,500 – $6,000 for a full gloss PPF job on a Model 3 or Y, and more in the $6,000 range for matte PPF. Color PPF will be around $8,000-$10,000.
There’s several companies making this color PPF now, like STEK, GSWF, Avery Dennison, Hexis, etc. Tesla says they are doing “exclusive” colors, so we’re not sure what that means at this time. Will they partner with a brand? We’ll see.
If you check out the video above, Ji shows the difference between installing vinyl and color PPF. Later in the video, he installs matte and gloss PPF too. One thing that’s nice is the deepness of the color PPF is astonishing. It really pops when compared to the vinyl.
Door Jambs, too??
Tesla says they’re going to be wrapping door jambs when you get a color PPF wrap. In the wrap industry, that is a lot of work. We don’t even offer it, because it’s so difficult and time consuming. And if we do on occasion, it’s a much higher premium – around $9,000-$11,000. This essentially means you have a completely new color car with no trace of your previous car color in sight.
The door jambs have a lot more curves, and you would actually have to take out the doors and get around a lot of hardware. Unless they’re doing a template kit that they’ve been developing over time, or they don’t actually mean the entirety of the door jamb areas, then I’m not sure how they will be able to do a 5-7 day turnaround. Maybe they have a very large team?
Wrap Up
Hopefully, that demystifies a little bit about what Tesla is offering. It’s really going to be interesting once they roll it out in those two shops, how they do it, and what the quality is going to be. This is going to be nuts, I think, once the Cybertruck comes out. I’m not sure if they’re going to be offering color PPF or it’s going to be a dry color vinyl for the Cybertruck. Since they are doing color PPF right now for the 3 and Y, I’m assuming that’s the route they will take, but we’ll see. And maybe they’ll come out with other colors.
As a company that creates DIY wrap kits for Tesla owners and is also a wrap shop, this is exciting stuff.
Learn more about PPF in the video below:
