dealer ruined my finish; petitioning SOA

SJGWRX · 02-07-2002, 01:27 PM

Perhaps you recall my posts about a month ago about tiny specs in my clearcoat -- brake dust, railroad dust, industrial fallout, something -- that I discovered after having the car for a week. Head of service at the dealership tried to wax out the crud, but that didn't work. So he contacted SOA, who authorized a trip to the body shop for "polishing."

Basically, the car looks like somebody took a belt sander to it. In any bright light, the swirls are just awful. Service head insists it's "beautiful," even better than he thought it would come out. A couple of spots have no clearcoat left. In the right light, the finish looks worse than the '93 Impreza they gave me as a loaner.

I'm petitioning SOA. I want a new, subaru-guaranteed paint job. Or a new car.

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sorbee711 · 02-07-2002, 05:00 PM

Stupid dealer! Yeah you don't want it to rust because of their stupidity.

twlai · 02-07-2002, 05:09 PM

That's sucks! And I feel your pain seeing your new car with
all those swirl marks.

Stupid dealer + Stupid body shop!!!

imprezawrxsti.com · 02-07-2002, 07:57 PM

I just noticed your WRX is white. If there are swirlmarks that can be that readily seen after polishing- then they have burned the clear coat beyond repair. Swirl marks seem unavoidable in dark colors though..

I would definetly push for a new paintjob- guaranteed for at least 3/36, or a new car...

JJ
www.imprezawrxsti.com
All STi, All The Time

silver 02rex · 02-08-2002, 11:51 AM

I hope they give you a new paint job.
Once they do, get a good paint cleaning clay bar (it'll take pretty
much anything out of the paint....gently)
check out www.griotsgarage.com they have everything for
car care, very good cusomer service

Stealthbmbr · 02-08-2002, 01:42 PM

Hopefully they send you to a compitent body shop. The one it's been too doesn't sound like they know what they're doing. Good luck with the paint job. Just remember any idiot can paint a car, but a good one will make it look right. Good painters are hard to come by. I had my old 99 prelude painted at the Honda dealer because they scatched the paint(every body panel), it looked better with the scratches, than when they were done with it. A good painter will give you a good paint job. Sorry, it still p****s me off that they ruined my new car with less than 500 miles on it.

SJGWRX · 02-08-2002, 02:32 PM

I've had lots of body work done on previous cars (sadly). Always, the car came back immaculate. So I guess I was too trusting. The dealer insisted my WRX go to a specific shop, and I didn't put up any resistance.

Just to reminisce ... I had a Honda Civic that was hit FOUR TIMES -- three while parked, once on the highway. A door and one rear fender were the only original body panels when I got rid of the car. It was leased and the lease inspector, at the end of the three years, couldn't even tell it had been worked on.

And I had a Mitsubishi Galant that my wife managed to shred by driving it against the hydraulic lift of a parked flatbed truck. Same story -- body work was perfect.

If my WRX were leased, I wouldn't have even pointed out the original finish problem to the dealer.

SQUAD_907 · 02-08-2002, 03:48 PM

good luck! any pics of the damage?

02-07-2002, 01:27 PM	#1
SJGWRX Scooby Newbie Member#: 14202 Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Montebello, NY Vehicle: 2002 WRX Wagon Aspen White	dealer ruined my finish; petitioning SOA Perhaps you recall my posts about a month ago about tiny specs in my clearcoat -- brake dust, railroad dust, industrial fallout, something -- that I discovered after having the car for a week. Head of service at the dealership tried to wax out the crud, but that didn't work. So he contacted SOA, who authorized a trip to the body shop for "polishing." Basically, the car looks like somebody took a belt sander to it. In any bright light, the swirls are just awful. Service head insists it's "beautiful," even better than he thought it would come out. A couple of spots have no clearcoat left. In the right light, the finish looks worse than the '93 Impreza they gave me as a loaner. I'm petitioning SOA. I want a new, subaru-guaranteed paint job. Or a new car. * Registered users of the site do not see these ads.

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02-07-2002, 05:00 PM	#2
sorbee711 NASIOC Supporter Member#: 14259 Join Date: Jan 2002 Chapter/Region: NESIC Location: Shrewsbury, MA Vehicle: OT, we're a-holes b/c we are bored at work	Stupid dealer! Yeah you don't want it to rust because of their stupidity.

02-07-2002, 05:09 PM	#3
twlai Scooby Specialist Member#: 11811 Join Date: Oct 2001 Chapter/Region: NESIC Vehicle: 2002 09 MiniCooperS 02WRX 08EvoMR (sold)	That's sucks! And I feel your pain seeing your new car with all those swirl marks. Stupid dealer + Stupid body shop!!!

02-07-2002, 07:57 PM	#4
imprezawrxsti.com Scooby Newbie Member#: 9581 Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Colorado Vehicle: 2004 STi Blue/Gold 00 Impreza RS, BRP	I just noticed your WRX is white. If there are swirlmarks that can be that readily seen after polishing- then they have burned the clear coat beyond repair. Swirl marks seem unavoidable in dark colors though.. I would definetly push for a new paintjob- guaranteed for at least 3/36, or a new car... JJ www.imprezawrxsti.com All STi, All The Time

02-08-2002, 11:51 AM	#5
silver 02rex Scooby Newbie Member#: 14809 Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Hanover,Pa. Vehicle: 2002 wrx silver	I hope they give you a new paint job. Once they do, get a good paint cleaning clay bar (it'll take pretty much anything out of the paint....gently) check out www.griotsgarage.com they have everything for car care, very good cusomer service

02-08-2002, 01:42 PM	#6
Stealthbmbr Scooby Specialist Member#: 13823 Join Date: Jan 2002 Chapter/Region: MAIC Location: Hanover, MD Vehicle: 2009 Legacy 2.5i SE C A P S CAPS CAPS CAPS	Hopefully they send you to a compitent body shop. The one it's been too doesn't sound like they know what they're doing. Good luck with the paint job. Just remember any idiot can paint a car, but a good one will make it look right. Good painters are hard to come by. I had my old 99 prelude painted at the Honda dealer because they scatched the paint(every body panel), it looked better with the scratches, than when they were done with it. A good painter will give you a good paint job. Sorry, it still p****s me off that they ruined my new car with less than 500 miles on it.

02-08-2002, 02:32 PM	#7
SJGWRX Scooby Newbie Member#: 14202 Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Montebello, NY Vehicle: 2002 WRX Wagon Aspen White	I've had lots of body work done on previous cars (sadly). Always, the car came back immaculate. So I guess I was too trusting. The dealer insisted my WRX go to a specific shop, and I didn't put up any resistance. Just to reminisce ... I had a Honda Civic that was hit FOUR TIMES -- three while parked, once on the highway. A door and one rear fender were the only original body panels when I got rid of the car. It was leased and the lease inspector, at the end of the three years, couldn't even tell it had been worked on. And I had a Mitsubishi Galant that my wife managed to shred by driving it against the hydraulic lift of a parked flatbed truck. Same story -- body work was perfect. If my WRX were leased, I wouldn't have even pointed out the original finish problem to the dealer.

02-08-2002, 03:48 PM	#8
SQUAD_907 Totally Biased Moderator Member#: 10104 Join Date: Sep 2001 Chapter/Region: AKIC Location: 907 Vehicle: WOW! JUST WOW! I make posts disappear	good luck! any pics of the damage?