The love for cool rides is something that is innate in us; it is in our DNA. It starts with toys and then moves on to bigger toys.
To increase the cool factor of your ride, the first thing you can do is to add aftermarket wheels, followed by body kits.
For most car enthusiasts, their first modification is an aftermarket exhaust, but not in Teslas, or so you thought. Here’s a video that will blow your mind:
Now back to spoilers.
For the coolification of your toy, I mean, your Model Y, you can do tons of modifications — the simplest one being adding a front splitter.
Going all out on body kits and spending thousands of dollars might be overkill for many, so instead, just get a front lip spoiler and call it a day.
You’ve got tons of options for Model Y front lip spoilers, but there’s a high chance that you might end up with an overpriced but low-quality product because there are plenty out there.
To know exactly which one would look the best and cost you the lowest, I looked over a dozen of front lip spoilers for the Tesla Model Y and ranked them accordingly.
Only three were worth recommending.
I also considered the aero (the effect on range) as not everyone is like me whose main purpose of having a front lip spoiler is for looks and durability.
All right, I’m worried about the decrease in range as well.
That is why the ones I have selected will all give you an increase in range. Let’s get into each in detail.
Overall Best Tesla Model Y Front Lip Spoiler: Archaic Front Bumper Lip
When it comes to overall best, the product has to check a lot of boxes, and this front lip spoiler from Archaic does.
It is one of the most reasonably priced front lip spoilers I’ve found. It is not the best budget, but it costs only a little more than our best budget pick, which some might say is a negligible difference.
It comes with a one-year warranty and a three-month free return. What more could I ask?
The price is really good, and you get a warranty on top of that.
The only downside to this particular lip spoiler is that it is really down.
The ground clearance will be lowered a little more compared with other competitors, which might be good for those who are looking for a more aggressive look.
However, if you’re not looking for a really low front lip spoiler, then this might not work for you.
Another downside of a very low front lip is winter damage. If you live in an area where the snow reaches the underbelly of your Model Y, the lip will surely go to heaven.
The way it differs from the rest of the pack is that it comes as one piece, while most low-priced competitors come with three separate pieces which you have to put together before mounting.
Pros
✅ Inexpensive
✅ Good quality
✅ One-year warranty and three-month free return
✅ Provides an aggressive look
✅ Does not require drilling into the bumper
Cons
❌ Reduces ground clearance
❌ Not feasible for extreme winters
Best Budget Tesla Model Y Front Lip Spoiler: IKON MOTORSPORTS PP Front Lip Spoiler
When it comes to the best bang for the buck, this has to be it.
It’s the cheapest option out of all the other front lips available to date.
Now you might be thinking that it’s poor quality. But it’s not.
IKON makes these lips in carbon fiber, which provides perfect fitment. But their non-carbon fiber product also gives great OEM fitment.
And did I mention that it’s the most cost-effective?
Unlike other competitors, IKON uses polypropylene (PP), which is more flexible than the hard ABS plastic used in most front lip spoilers.
With this flexible material, it’s less likely to go to heaven anytime soon.
For the cherry on top, these IKON front lip spoilers give you a 30-day limited warranty.
You also have the option for a reinforcement layer on top that makes it look like carbon fiber. And even that costs less than the second cheapest option that I could find.
With the layer that looks like carbon fiber, you will get that high but don’t have to pay about five times the price.
Unlike the IKON MOTORSPORTS real carbon fiber lip, this comes in three separate pieces, so make sure that you put in all the fasteners correctly.
Also, order double-sided 3M tape to make sure that everything is held securely in place.
Pros
✅ Great fitment
✅ Flexible material
✅ Very good quality for its price
✅ 30-day limited warranty
✅ Option to get carbon fiber vinyl
✅ Does not require drilling into the bumper
Cons
❌ 3 separate pieces take more time for installation
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Best Quality Tesla Model Y Front Lip Spoiler: IKON MOTORSPORTS Carbon Fiber Front Bumper Lip
When it comes to the best in quality, there has yet to be a second material option that can outperform carbon fiber.
The carbon fiber weave pattern is something that I can get high on — it looks absolutely stunning and doesn’t interfere with any of the sensors.
Here’s a walkthrough video of the IKON MOTORSPORTS carbon fiber front lip spoiler on the Tesla Model Y from YouTuber MT26 Media:
Now the biggest plus for a carbon fiber front lip spoiler is that it’s lightweight compared with other materials providing the same strength, if not less.
It’s definitely a winner in the looks category, but the cost will be higher compared with the competition.
When it comes to range, carbon fiber is definitely going to give you better range.
However, there are some lightweight plastics, though flimsy, that give a little better range only for about a couple of miles, after which they will go to heaven — they don’t last as long.
With this IKON MOTORSPORTS carbon fiber front lip spoiler, you won’t have to worry about drilling holes in your bumper as its mounting clips are designed to go with the stock bumper.
Though you might have to make the holes a little wider on the front lip to make sure that the clips can go through.
Make sure not to drill them too wide as you might end up having a loose fitment because the clips will come loose.
This front lip spoiler also comes with double-sided tape, which you can use to hold the lip in place. It becomes so sturdy that it seems like a part of your bumper.
If you’re a bit skeptical about the strength of the tape, you can use this 3M double-sided tape instead.
When it comes to the overall styling, I found the older version of IKON front lips to be much more decent compared with what we are getting these days.
But their looks now are a bit more aggressive, unlike the older ones, which were much more sophisticated, so much so that it would be hard to tell them apart from factory stuff.
In short, IKON front lips from a few years ago were better in my opinion.
This product is what I find to be in perfect harmony with the stock factory looks and the sporty aggressiveness.
Now for the cherry on top, a carbon fiber lip is going to last you a lot, as long as you don’t hit it hard on a curb.
However, slight rashes won’t be fatal for carbon fiber lip spoilers, unlike those ABS plastic ones that only need a slight hit and RIP front lip spoiler.
The damage will look something like this:
So steer clear of all those deadly curbs that will not only damage your front splitter but also damage your wheels.
Note: The OEM fasteners that hold the splash guard in place with the bumper will end up being short as you’re mounting the front lip with the same fasteners.
So make sure to order longer fasteners so that they will be held in place without a hitch. The factory ones can work, and you can get away with it, but they would feel a bit forced.
Pros
✅ Best quality
✅ Most durable
✅ Awesome looks
✅ OEM fitment
✅ Does not interfere with any of the sensors
✅ Does not appear too low or too aggressive, just the right amount of awesomeness
Cons
❌ It will require some drilling into the front lip (not the bumper)
How to Install Tesla Model Y Front Lip Spoiler
Installing a front lip spoiler on a Tesla Model Y is not that hard.
Although most sellers will give you instructions on how to do so, not all of them are going to make sense.
So in this article, I will give you all the detailed instructions on how to install a front lip spoiler on your Tesla Model Y.
If you are not the reading type, you can watch this YouTube video by RPM’s TESLA Aftermarket Accessories to help you grasp the whole process.
If you do like written instruction, then read on.
Installing a One-Piece Front Lip Spoiler on Tesla Model Y
There are a lot of manufacturers that make these front lip spoilers. They are a little different in design, which would require you to put a heavy-duty double-sided tape.
Because they are different, I cannot tell you exactly where to put the double-sided tape, so you would have to feel the area that touches the panel (the plastic trim under the bumper area).
The rule of thumb for the sides: the area to tape is mostly the middle, running parallel to the length of the front lip spoiler.
For the middle part, if you see some elevations, those are the taping areas as these elevations are going to touch the panel underneath instead of the whole centerpiece.
- For the tape to stick perfectly, clean the area underneath your bumper with isopropyl alcohol and make sure there is no dirt or contamination underneath.
- You can also use an adhesive promoter to be 100% sure that the tape will stick to it like you want to.
- Now before sticking the tape, it is advised to test fit the front lip before moving on to the next step.
- For test fitting, make sure you have correctly marked all the fastener areas that will keep the spoiler in place.
- You can pry out the fasters that line up with holes on your front lip spoiler.
- You have to align the holes on the front lip spoiler to the holes underneath the bumper that holds the rocker panel.
- After you have done the test fitting, you can move on to the fasteners. Now some spoilers will require you to drill holes in the spoiler itself to make the fasteners fit. Use the drill with the tiny spinny boys because if you accidentally make the hole bigger, the fasteners will come loose, and the whole spoiler will be spoiled (it will come loose).
- When the spoiler holes are good to go, you can take out the top layer of the double-sided tape and put it in place.
- Put all the fasteners and you are good to go.
Installing a Three-Piece Front Lip Spoiler on Tesla Model Y
Follow the same instructions as the one-piece front lip spoiler.
- In the given hardware, you would have stainless steel screws, which will be used to hold all three pieces in place.
- On a flat surface, put all three pieces and align them.
- Start by putting together two pieces at first. Make sure to use the stainless screws and not the black ones.
- With the stainless screws, don’t forget to put the washers before the screw.
- And in the same way, put together the final piece to have one big piece.
Frequent Buyers’ Concerns
Do Model Y lip spoilers fit other Tesla models?
No. Each front lip spoiler is designed for a specific Tesla model. They are not interchangeable.
Will a front lip spoiler reduce the ground clearance of my Model Y?
Yes, the ground clearance will be reduced, but the extent depends on the design of your particular front lip spoiler. If you have a front lip spoiler that remains under the bumper area, it’s going to give you a bigger decrease in ground clearance compared with the one that hugs the lower side of the front bumper — that one hardly lowers an inch on ground clearance.
Will a Model Y front lip spoiler reduce the range of my vehicle?
No, it won’t affect your range. In fact, it will give you better range than before. There are two possibilities where you might experience a decrease in range. One, you might have installed it incorrectly, causing it to have an irregular drag. Two, you have ordered the universal ones which are not suited for your Tesla Model Y.
Can I install a front bumper lip myself?
Yes, the installation is relatively easy. You can DIY with minimal effort. However, you might need to order some extra hardware like double-sided tape, longer-than-OEM fasteners, isopropyl alcohol for cleaning, an adhesive promoter, and a screwdriver. With these tools, you will be able to DIY the whole process like a professional.
Will Autopilot and Full Self-Driving continue working with front lip spoilers installed?
Yes, the Autopilot feature will work without a problem. Just get a front splitter, sit back, relax, and enjoy Autopilot.
Can I use a universal front lip spoiler?
If the question is whether or not you can put a universal front lip spoiler, the answer is yes. However, it comes with a lot of problems. These universal ones will decrease rather than increase the range as they are not specifically designed for your vehicle. Furthermore, they are not very sturdy and will go to heaven sooner. And not to mention the head-scratching on how to modify it to make it fit.
Final Thoughts
If you’re on a budget, the IKON MOTORSPORTS PP Front Lip Spoiler is your best bet as it also comes with a three-month limited warranty.
If you want the best of the best, IKON also makes a carbon fiber lip, which is absolutely amazing in every way, except for its price.
If you want to be worry-free, you can go for the Archaic front lip spoiler. You get a one-year warranty, which is insane. The price of Archaic is only slightly higher than my best budget pick, but you get better warranty.
Its only downside against the IKON MOTORSPORTS PP Front Lip Spoiler is the material; it’s made of ABS plastic.
ABS plastic is more brittle than polypropylene — which means that the Archaic font lip spoiler will be more brittle compared with the IKON PP spoiler.
Zac Ludicrous
Mechanical engineer by profession. TSLA shareholder before the hype. EV enthusiast all day long. Zac enjoys learning about the future of battery technology, autonomy, and EVs. He considers Tesla Model 3 the most important vehicle of the 21st century -- and is in a quest to improve the ownership experience of every Model 3 owner he possibly can.These 5 rare tips can save you so much time and stress – and few owners know about them (even after years of ownership). Sign up below to learn more. It's free!
