2017 Tesla Touch Up Paint (10 OEM Colors)

The 2017 Tesla Vibe

Welcome to 2017, the year the "disruption" finally hit the driveway in mass volume. While the Model S and Model X were already playing high-tech vanguard, this was the year the Model 3 started rolling off the line and everyone suddenly became a panel-gap expert. We've cataloged 10 specific colors from this digital-age palette, ranging from the deep, multi-layered Signature Red Tricoat to the sleek Midnight Silver. Back then, if you weren't driving a silent spaceship in Ocean Blue Pearl, were you even living in the future? It was a time of high tech and high expectations, though the paint booth was struggling to keep up with the hype.

Paint Health Check

Here's the reality from the front lines: 2017 falls squarely into the Thin Paint Era. Those factory robots were programmed for maximum efficiency, which is a polite way of saying they were stingy with the clear coat. If you've got a 2017 in Jet Black or Titanium Silver, you've likely noticed that a stiff breeze or a stray pebble can leave a mark. The clear coat on these cars is notoriously "soft" and thin-often measuring well below the industry average. By now, the nose of your Model 3 probably looks like it's been through a sandstorm, and the rocker panels are likely showing more "pepper" than a steakhouse.

Restoration Tip

When you're dealing with paint this thin, the "blob and pray" method will fail you every time. Because the factory finish lacks depth, a giant drop of touch-up paint will sit on the surface like a sore thumb. Therefore, you must build your layers slowly. Apply a paper-thin base, let it tack up, and repeat until you've leveled the chip. For those premium White Water Pearl or Sunset Red Tricoats, patience is your only friend-you're trying to mimic a multi-stage factory process in a space the size of a grain of rice. Don't rush the cure, and whatever you do, don't try to buff it flat until it's rock hard, or you'll burn right through the original clear coat before you even get started.