2019 Tesla Touch Up Paint (10 OEM Colors)

The 2019 Tesla Vibe

Ah, 2019. The year everyone was waiting for their Model 3 while Elon was sleeping on the factory floor. It was a time of "Ludicrous Mode," panel gap debates, and a minimalist takeover that turned every parking lot into a sea of high-tech monochrome. We've got 10 of the survivors in our vault from this era-everything from the deep, brooding Midnight Silver and Steel Grey to the flashier Sunset Red Tricoat. Whether you were rocking the OG Model S or the "mass-market" Model 3, the vibe was clear: the future is electric, and it's probably painted Cataline White or Jet Black.

Paint Health Check

Welcome to the Thin Paint Era. Back in the day, we used to measure paint thickness in "pride"; in 2019, Tesla's robots measured it in "efficiency." These cars came off the line with a basecoat/clearcoat system that's about as thick as a standard greeting card. Because the factory was cranking these out at breakneck speed, the clear coat is notoriously "soft." If you've spent any time behind a semi-truck on the highway, your front bumper probably looks like it's been through a light sandblasting. The rockers and wheel wells on these 2019s are the primary battle zones-if you don't see a chip yet, you haven't looked close enough.

Restoration Tip

When you're touching up a 2019, remember: Build layers slowly; don't blob it. Since the factory coat is so thin, a heavy-handed drop of touch-up paint will sit on the surface like a localized mountain range. For those tricoats like White Water Pearl or Signature Red, patience is your only friend. Apply your base color in thin, whisper-quiet coats, let it dry flat, and then sneak up on the clear coat. You're trying to mimic a robot that was programmed to save every penny on material-keep it level, keep it thin, and don't try to fix a Grand Canyon-sized chip in one go.