Inconsistent SS finish

[ActiveArch]

My cybertruck was delivered this way, inconsistency on the SS panel in the rear left, been bugging me more recently, I just keep seeing it as I’m approaching the vehicle since it’s in the drivers side. Passenger side doesn’t seem to have anything like this. I’m assuming I’ll have to actually go through the sanding process to try and create more consistently but is this pretty normal? Think it’s even worth bothering with it?

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[HaulingAss]

My cybertruck was delivered this way, inconsistency on the SS panel in the rear left, been bugging me more recently, I just keep seeing it as I’m approaching the vehicle since it’s in the drivers side. Passenger side doesn’t seem to have anything like this. I’m assuming I’ll have to actually go through the sanding process to try and create more consistently but is this pretty normal? Think it’s even worth bothering with it?

If a smooth, even glow or sheen is important to you, I highly recommend sanding it. With the right tool and abrasives, it will come out wonderfully, and for about the same amount of work as a professional wash/wax on a painted car.

 

[Dahongfei]

Try that citri surf77, citric acid cleaner, that got a lot of the blemishes out in mine and made it look more even

 

[CyberGus]

It looks like it was poorly refinished, without following the proper documented process.

https://service.tesla.com/docs/Cybe...UID-D33D78C9-9BCD-46CB-885C-52B4F482852C.html

 

[Indexck]

It looks like your service team may have BKF’d your rear quarter but not the doors. Try some BKF soft with a microfiber cloth on the doors then rinse with windex and see if it matches up with the back more evenly

 

[Pratik]

I would do the barkeepers friend + windex treatment on all panels. That should make a big difference. All that black gunk will come out.

 

[ActiveArch]

I would do the barkeepers friend + windex treatment on all panels. That should make a big difference. All that black gunk will come out.

Thing is I’ve already done that so it’s not gunk it seems. It’s related to inconsistent sanding. Also doesn’t look like any warping happening, it’s not shadows. When you look at it up close, it doesn’t look like there’s a slightly different sanding pattern or something going on not quite sure and I can’t put my finger on it but it’s definitely not just dirty.

 

[CyberJustice]

The steel patinas naturally, all you have to do is wash it, then use citrisurf77 on each panel, let it sit 3 minutes, then wipe it off with water or glass cleaner on the entire truck.

it will come out flawless after this process.

 

[Pratik]

Thing is I’ve already done that so it’s not gunk it seems. It’s related to inconsistent sanding. Also doesn’t look like any warping happening, it’s not shadows. When you look at it up close, it doesn’t look like there’s a slightly different sanding pattern or something going on not quite sure and I can’t put my finger on it but it’s definitely not just dirty.

That's so weird. Mine (early FS) had similar issues and BKF did the trick. If that doesn't work, I'd make a service appointment. They sent my friend's CT to a shop to refinish a panel.

 

[ActiveArch]

That's so weird. Mine (early FS) had similar issues and BKF did the trick. If that doesn't work, I'd make a service appointment. They sent my friend's CT to a shop to refinish a panel.

Very interesting, I’ll try this if nothing else DIY works.

 

[Shadowmite]

Just remember BKF kills chromium and iron while citrisurf77 (just citric acid + distilled water) will kill only iron. So BKF is likely to turn more of a yellow afterward and not guard as well against surface rust in the future.

 

[dalton108]

I’m not sure why you’re getting the advice that some sort of topical solution will fix this. My car was delivered like this as well. I immediately pointed it out before I left the SC with the truck. These swirls are from a pathetic rough buffing job and no topical solution or even barkeepers’s friend is going to get that out without a lot of elbow grease. Barkeepers friend will change the finish and you’ll have to do the whole car and it’ll be shiny instead of matte finished like it’s supposed to be.

Take pictures, ask for service in the app Tesla will refinish it. Ideally, I hope that you have pictures from when you took delivery that show this as well just note in the app that this was the condition of your car from the moment that you got it and hopefully they will take care of it without charge.

Yours is worse than mine but same panel same issue. Mine was worse on the top of the frunk than anywhere else. All resurfaced to my satisfaction by my local service center.

 

[ActiveArch]

I’m not sure why you’re getting the advice that some sort of topical solution will fix this. My car was delivered like this as well. I immediately pointed it out before I left the SC with the truck. These swirls are from a pathetic rough buffing job and no topical solution or even barkeepers’s friend is going to get that out without a lot of elbow grease. Barkeepers friend will change the finish and you’ll have to do the whole car and it’ll be shiny instead of matte finished like it’s supposed to be.

Take pictures, ask for service in the app Tesla will refinish it. Ideally, I hope that you have pictures from when you took delivery that show this as well just note in the app that this was the condition of your car from the moment that you got it and hopefully they will take care of it without charge.

Yours is worse than mine but same panel same issue. Mine was worse on the top of the frunk than anywhere else. All resurfaced to my satisfaction by my local service center.

This is reassuring to hear. I do have pics that were of the next day after delivery of the truck parked at a nearby park, I had noticed it immediately but just figured it’s the way the stainless must be at that particular angle in that particular light, so I sort of just passed it off as normal and didn’t pay much attention to it. Only recently has it started to become more and more apparent that it ought to be consistent, especially since I’ve been seeing more cybertruck out and about, and parked around my city. Thanks, I think I’ll just submit a request and see what happens. They were very specific with me that I’ve got within 48 hours after delivery to submit such cosmetic issues and I had submitted a bunch, one of them was a blemish in my front light bar which they actually replaced in my driveway. Anyway, I’m worth I shot I suppose, even if they refuse I honestly don’t care that much, I’ll try doing it myself one day, and I’ll probably even do a better job considering my ocd and some background in detailing, make a project out of it.

 

[Mini2nut]

Let your local SC address the issue and keep us posted.

 

[dalton108]

This is reassuring to hear. I do have pics that were of the next day after delivery of the truck parked at a nearby park, I had noticed it immediately but just figured it’s the way the stainless must be at that particular angle in that particular light, so I sort of just passed it off as normal and didn’t pay much attention to it. Only recently has it started to become more and more apparent that it ought to be consistent, especially since I’ve been seeing more cybertruck out and about, and parked around my city. Thanks, I think I’ll just submit a request and see what happens. They were very specific with me that I’ve got within 48 hours after delivery to submit such cosmetic issues and I had submitted a bunch, one of them was a blemish in my front light bar which they actually replaced in my driveway. Anyway, I’m worth I shot I suppose, even if they refuse I honestly don’t care that much, I’ll try doing it myself one day, and I’ll probably even do a better job considering my ocd and some background in detailing, make a project out of it.

Yeah, you’re supposed to report it within 100 miles or seven days, I believe that’s in your contract (I think) either way you don’t have a lot of time and so in the future make sure that you highlight these things right away.

The reason that I asked if you had contemporaneous photographs is that they should be able to accommodate you if you’re able to show your metadata for your photo (time stamp information) that this was taken within that timeframe. Because, obviously, if you wanted to take them to court [you won’t because it’s far more hassle in time and money than even just having a third-party fix this for you], you’d have evidence to support the fact that you took delivery of the truck like this and they should be the ones fixing it for you.

Don’t be an asshole about it just be contrite and let them know that you understand that you should’ve reported it sooner but … you didn’t!

You already highlighted the second part of this. One of the major problems with the stainless steel on the cybertruck is that the direction and quality of light matters a lot in terms of what you can and cannot see. Sometimes a blemish is practically invisible until the sun is a little lower and the sky or the opposite. Don’t make conflicting arguments though, you saw it and you took pictures of it right away and you can prove it!

Good luck!

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