My new white R/T finally arrived at the dealership Tuesday, and was immediately sent off for dealership-applied rubberized undercoat and a 3rd party-installed 3M clear armor treatment to the whole front end and rocker panels.

The dealer called yesterday afternoon and asked us to come by, said there was a problem with the paint and he wanted us to look at it. When we got to the showroom, they had applied a small square section of the 3M material to the hood to demonstrate the problem. The clearcoat on the hood has very visible... "pimples" is the best way I can describe it. They're not fish-eyed, they don't look like dirt inclusions, they look like somebody waited until the clear had just started to flash, then stuck the head of a pin against it until until it was nearly set, then pulled the pin away slowly, creating a sharp, localized peak. There's probably one every two or three square inches. It was contained only to the hood.

While I was closely inspecting the rest of the paint, I noticed that on the roof above the driver's door, there was a very small crease from the inside out. It looks like while somebody was installing the headliner, they hit the roof with a screwdriver or something. Not a huge deal, however, where the crease was, the paint had a very small crack, and there was visible surface rust on it.

The dealership is having their paint shop look at it today/tomorrow and expects the hood to be refinished by Monday or Tuesday, and the spot on the roof to be fixed.

I've waited 4 months for this thing to arrive, exactly as we ordered it. We're enamored with the vehicle, even took it out for a quick around the block test drive while we were at the dealership. HOWEVER-- am I asking for a world of problems with the paint moving forward? Obviously I'm going to thoroughly inspect the paint after they're complete, but what sort of guarantee should I ask for on it? I'm REALLY concerned about the little rust spot on the roof.

I've been wrenching on cars since I was 13, done plenty of paint and body work, and I'm not afraid to do more.... But not on a brand new $49,800 vehicle. To me it should be perfect when it arrives, and clearly mine isn't.

Thoughts??

 

If you've done the amount of wrenching and body work you claim then you'd know that bit of surface from that scratch is nothing to be concerned about. They'll prep it, paint it, and you're done. They'll wet sand the hood and MAYBE shoot a few new coats of clear, and another problem solved. The repairs will be covered under the bumper-to-bumper...no special guarantees required or warranted.

Sure the extra few days wait is a drag, but you're making a mountain out of a mole hill. Cars arive with flaws that are repaired at the dealership all the time. If you had picked your truck from dealer stock you never would have known the repairs were done because it would have been taken care of before it went on the lot. You're delusional if you think any vehicle arrives on the lot perfect.

 

Didn't mean to imply I'm an expert body man by any stretch, just that I've painted several vehicles and understand that improperly applied patchwork paint can and will start to look different from the rest of it fairly quickly. I'm most concerned about uneven fading if they try and blend the roof vice repainting from seam to seam. The rust is the biggest issue to me, in that such a small dimple had already rusted. I've got rock chips all over the front end of my Chevy truck and there's not a single spot of rust. The corrosion protection on the D seems to be lacking somewhat if there's a bubble of exposed rust and the car isn't even a month old from the factory.

 

Those pop marks on the hood could indicate contamination from metal surface. When I did the plant tour in 2011 they were very detailed on the cleaning of surfaces before they primer coat was applied to the metal. Obviously this one slipped thru.
I would make them replace the hood or strip it down to bare metal and repaint the entire thing. Those are probably from the cleaners used to degrease metal.
Also ask how much they are taking off price of car!!!
Proceed with caution
STEVE

 

I would be worried about the hood getting completely redone depending on what color you have. I have never seen a non dealer paint job, stand up to the original after a few years. The dealership is going to be getting the cheapest work they can get done, because they know that if it fades different, it will be long enough that they can pass the buck off to you.


All and all, I offer my condolences to you, there is nothing like getting hyped about a brand new car and finding out it is flawed before you even get to take it home. If you think it is something that will bug you or your spouse a year from now, make sure the dealership gives you some type of compensation for going through this.

 

Get RK Sport hood and have them pay you to have that one painted! 😉

 

For sun-faded paint, yes. For fresh-from-the-factory paint like you've got? That's a fairly simple color match.

 

Yeah.. What he said. Already spent $49K.. What's another $800.00 and have them paint that instead

 

Sorry, but I'd want another. Paying these prices one has every right to expect a non-flawed paint job. Mine has a "pimple" or two, but pretty much all cars have that. I guess that's why I never order a vehicle. I'll drive more than one and pick the one that seems best put together. Calereeves, hope they get it all to your satisfaction.

 

Its like the saying " you should get what you paid for" and when its a $50k vehicle, it better be exactly like I ordered. I personally dont care whether its paint issue, or something minor. I would refuse it, but good luck in your decsions, man that is allot of waiting for your D, sucks that this could happen.