WTF Are These Specs?

Please dont mind the filth as my car hasn't been washed in a few weeks due to being too busy...Its so damn dirty right now...

I first noticed these specs on the passenger side c pillar...I tried to clay bar them but nothing...They are smooth but have now gradually moved down to the tail light area and over a good bit of the quarter panel now...There has been no compounding or polishing on the car in the past few months since they are started to appear...



And its just in that one spot...Just the top of the rear quarter up to the c pillar...It saddens me as it looks to me like clear coat failure or the spot of the car...The car has NEVER been in an accident and has never had any repair work done to it...

After I saw these spots I got kinda down in the dumps on cleaning the car so I have kinda let it go lately as its taken a back seat to alot more important things in my life...

I have thought about clear coat failure but have yet to see anyone with the same issue...Typically clearcoat failure is cracks and such and look like spider webs...These are just dots...On a 2008 Acura with 50K miles that has been garage kept all its life up to 3 months ago...

 

what is the texture?


We had a honda accord years ago, bought it brand new off the lot with 30 miles, I started to see issues with the hood....... pulled the bumper only to find the bumper support to be crushed, resprayed the hood was resprayed and when I contacted Honda corporate they said occasionally damage happens and is repaired at the port, in this case the car was probably backed into by another car or whatnot they repaired the front clip hood etc.


So this could be the issue, could have been damaged somewhere before it even got to the dealership and it was repaired..........

 

no texture at all they are smooth like the rest of the paint...

 

Is it just on that rear quarter?

 

Yep...just the passenger side...It starts at the c pillar about the back of the door and follows the rear window down...It almost looks like a paint defect

 

Sounds like it........is it under warranty still? sounds like the car may have been resprayed at the port, or the dealership.

 

looks like it was resprayed and has solvent pop...i would check with your dealer.did you buy it new?

 

Yea it is...But I will have to take this up with the dealership in Richmond VA...

Well I went to local Acura dealership today and it seems you are correct...Seems that Crown Acura in Richmond Virginia reprayed the c pillar and quarter and didnt tell anyone...So now I am going to have to go after them to get it fixed as the local dealership told me $1800 - $3k to fix the issue...

 

I have been finding this type of behavior typical now,even at the most reputable dealers.......

especially dealerships that have bodyshops, again, most of the damage is mishandling at the dealership, port or during transport. One thing I have done is look at a potential car I want with sunglasses on in direct sun you can sometimes, if not always see difference in paint shades even on a brand new car.

I hope they make it right, if not maybe consult your insurance company and see if there is anything they can do. Even contact your bank and tell them that the car they have title on was resprayed and the finish is failing and it was never disclosed yada yada yada.

 

Thats the plan

 

You guys would be surprised how many dealerships will respray brand new cars and never disclose it... Plenty of cars come with paint defects due to improper handling during shipping. I've heard and personally witnessed brand new, luxury cars get paint and bodywork done. Not Ford Fiestas, but brand new Bentleys, and similar class cars.

 

a lot of dealers dont disclose that new cars get repainted due to the fact it drops the cars value a shit ton...the dealership i work at we had a brand new Merc S63 and the whole trunk and rear quarter panel got scratched.it was a $1500 fix but my manager said if they reported it that it would drop the price down $10,000.

dealerships are sneaky and you gotta watch out for them. you cant just believe everything they say and what carfax has to offer.look the car over yourself or have it looked at by a professional painter/detailer before your purchase.

good luck with your car.

 

Im going rounds with the stealerships...

Just sucks because when I bought the car it looked fine...My only guess is it was painted right before I got it when it was warming up and the cold weather has made the flaws start to pop...

 

When I bought my 2003 Tundra, in the test drive phase the truck I was driving had obvious re-spray on the tailgate(As Toyota/Lexus is known for having nice fit n finish) so I told the salesman I want the Tundra......................he was like "Great I will send this one over to detail" and I replied" Not so fast..................I want that truck over there" and he was like " Why I am selling you this one" and I said "I want a New truck, not a newly repaired new truck come look at this as I miss nothing"...................

Long story short..........................the salesguy swore up n down the truck had a factory finish blah, blah, blah so I gave him my card and said "Wrong guy to pull this stuff on" and walked out, bought another truck from a different dealership after a thorough inspection. The dealership has to disclose the repair, if not you can void the sale and make them buy back the vehicle as I have had this happen with highline vehicles my customers purchased and when I came to work on them pointed out the shoddy repair.....so they went back to the dealership and noted the vehicle already has "Diminshed value" right out the gate and even though the dealerships in question tried to wiggle out of the issue both times it cost them big.

 

Mike Bryant at Crown Acura told me Friday that it looked fine when the car was sold and that he didnt see where it was his issue...So today I have a conference with him and his boss...If they dont make it right I guess I will just have to build a website and use my IT prowess to make them understand...

 

Uhm........yeah right, he did not see it.

 

Not sure about the US, but in Canada, the automakers don't have to disclose any damage done during shipping if the vehicle is fixed BEFORE landing at the dealership. All the major manufacturers here have bodyshops at the port where the vehicles are brought in.

 

... then shouldn't the paint/repair be covered under the new car warranty?

 

Yea I agree...he is being an ass

Well the TL is made in Ohio so I dont think it is shipped in ports...But it should still be under warranty IMHO...

Thats the angle I am working here...I think they are still kinda mad I got the car for $6K less then they wanted for it due to an internet pricing quote slipup...

 

its not your fault they slipped up.sometimes a good threat will do the job....a reasonable threat i should say.:thumb: