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Factory Defects & Dealer/Bodyshop Scratched and Chipped Paint

6K views 18 replies 13 participants last post by  Slidd  
#1 ·
Good evening,

I bought my 2017 Challenger Scatpack last month, but I have been driving a rental for half the time. On the day I was about to have a clear bra installed on the car my installer noticed a couple defects with the Challenger. There were panel misalignments around the fender and trunk, paint pimples and worms also. I took it back to the dealership to have it corrected. After almost two weeks I was informed that they noticed a scratch and chip on the car that they believe came from the bodyshop so they are bringing it back to have it fixed. I'm upset that I had to deal with the factory defects and then the damages from the shop.

I should be getting the car back soon. If it doesn't look good any advice on what I should have them do? I'm not sure what kind of job or what the correct job would be for that fix. I just want it to look like it should and then install my clear bra.
Any advice?
 
#2 · (Edited)
I'm sure you have experience with other new cars but ALL new cars have paint imperfections. With the exception of my wife's luxury SUV (cost twice as much as some new Challengers), every new car I've ever owned has had trash (perhaps these pimples you speak of), orange peal, clear coat runs, and scratches in the factory paint. I'd take the factory imperfections over dealer or body shop repairs any day. My father owned a body shop for years and most paint repairs, if re-sprayed, will never be as good as the factory job in terms of match and durability. My advice, go to a dealership lot and look at all the new cars with the same imperfections as yours. They're there. Plus, black always shows off these imperfections more than any other color.

Enjoy your car, it will never be perfect.
 
#3 ·
Thanks! I wished I had asked earlier. The car had a small dent also and some sort of chip that appears to have been poorly touched up by my the dealer. I hope it looks okay after the bodyshop, I thought they would have replaced the whole areas that were defective, guess that was very wishful thinking
 
#6 ·
Just picked up my '19 SPS on Friday. I was not able to inspect it thoroughly at that time as it was late/dark, and raining. Yesterday when I detailed car I found a number of paint defects. Appears to be clear coat runs and/or foreign chemical, mostly on driver side. I also have white over-spray on my trunk lid. I have not mentioned this to dealer yet, but I do intend to. The dealer charged my for a Environmental Protection package (the irony!) which adds another variable. Example pic below -- it's like acid was thrown on car in various spots. Would you consider this beyond normal?

 
#9 ·
Jaspruill, yeah man get that taken care of for sure. That is pretty messed up. Speaking of black cars, when I bought mine new in 2013, there was quite a bit of rail dust all over the rear lower quarters, especially behind the rear wheels. It was like it got into the clear coat or something. Alot of these cars are transported by rail down from the factory in Canada apparently. I had to have the dealership go back and buff it all out. Luckily when I got it back it was perfect. But yea, black is tough. Very important to look over the car really well before you take it home.
 
#11 ·
Just noticed his wheel in that pic...when I went to pick mine up to take home for the first time...the stealership here detailed her all out..to include polishing the wheels and putting tire foam dressing on the tires. Your car just looks like they did no deal prep at all. Guess it proves some stealerships's are better than others..
 
#12 ·
I had a bunch of railroad dust around the windshield and mirrors but it washed off easily. The dealer admitted they did not detail the car as it was raining. Instead they gave me an "IOU" to bring it back for detailing. Not all dealerships are the same...
 
#13 ·
Sounds exactly like the kind of experiences that I have encountered over the years dealing with any auto related services, dealers or otherwise. Goes in with a list of issues and in no time the list grows while in their care or careless possession. I try to avoid them like a leper colony........





HOT ROD ON
 
#14 ·
Really if a lot of rail dust, it should be cleaned with full foaming, IronX, then clay bar


The drips on the paint look like they have dried like water spots. If they can't be removed with water spot remover, etc. they'd have to be polished out.

A Guy
 
#15 ·
I had some issues also with my paint. I had two halo marks on the passenger side behind the quarter window and on the quarter panel. When the light hit those spots it had a dim glow about 6 inches wide. That could of been done when they detailed it with the polisher. Had it redone In their body shop buffed it out. On the driver side right at the top of the fender where it meets the front fascia the detailers must of dragged their vacuum hose across there and put in 5 line scratches on an angle. That was also fixed the same time as the left side. Driver side rear plastic facia behind the wheel, the flat black piece Has 2 scratches right in the plastic. It's not real noticeable but that piece should be replaced however I didn't catch it to about a month later after I took delivery of the car. I too picked my car up at about 6:30pm. Too dark and it was mid November.
If your salesman says to come pick it up at night have it inspected inside I lit bay or wait to pick it up during the day where things are more noticeable. Other than that the car has been flawless. It's never seen the garage yet for anything. Knock on wood! I fear that day. I don't trust no one with my cars.
 
#17 ·
So the car will never be wash/detailed by anyone, but people you trust right? What if it has random paint chips, alignment issues, paint defects. That's what happened to me after when I examined it closer. Would you just take care of that yourself? I had a bad experience with Dodge, basically they wouldn't let me take it to where I trust and it came back worst than before after everything was said and done. I just cut my losses and accepted it. Prior to that the car was dirty sitting on the lot and it was dark when I bought it. I didn't expect for that to happened. It's my second car purchase from Dodge. Maybe I didn't care as much on my first car.
 
#18 ·
the paint booths suck in Brampton. My Challenger was a hot mess and had to be taken to a detail shop upon delivery.