Brand new car with rotary swirl marks

[vtrader]

I just got a new black Audi A3 and the dealer waxed the car before delivery. I got the car on March 3rd and today, Monday, March 13 is the first time we have had sunshine. To my dismay, I noticed swirl and rotary buffer swirl marks all over the car. What should I do, have the dealer repair it or have them replace it under California's lemon law?

[Mike Phillips]

This isn't legal advice, so please no one try to construe it as that.

If it were me, I would document it very well with photographs first thing. Like we did here with this Mercedes-Benz.




Then post them here in this thread.

How to put pictures into your posts


Then print out a color copy of this thread as well as e-mail it to the sales manager you dealt with and in a very nice way let them know that the swirls in the clear coat are unacceptable and that you know the proper system for removing them and unless they can demonstrate this knowledge to you, (that they have the technology and know-how to remove swirls not just fill them in), that you will not accept the car.

Then go see you Lawyer.

A clear coat finish is thin, instilling swirls removes paint and removing swirls removes paint.

Why would you want to pay for a car that they've removed a certain level of clear coat paint from and left it all swirled out, and then have to incur the bother with figuring out how to have them removed the right way, to still end-up with clear coat paint removed from the factory finish that didn't have to be removed id dealerships would ever get their act together.

The information is available. There's no good reason for any dealership in the world to swirl out a paint finish from the factory.

None, Zero.

Dealerships that should be forced to step into the year 2006 and quit the practice of instilling swirls into brand new cars and if they don't then the only thing that will get their attention is their pocketbook.

[ebpcivicsi]

I totally agree Mike!!

Check out what the Porsche dealership had me repair on a cayenne with <800 miles on the clock:

http://autopia.org/forum/showthread.php?t=65814&highlight=black+porsche

[Mike Phillips]

Originally posted by ebpcivicsi
I totally agree Mike!!

Check out what the Porsche dealership had me repair on a cayenne with <800 miles on the clock:

http://autopia.org/forum/showthread....=black+porsche

Wow!

I hadn't seen that write before, you did an amazing job or removing the dealer installed swirl option.

The just don't get it do they?

How can a brand new Porsche go from a beautiful factory finish to this under the leadership of any dealership is beyond me...



It's not just new car dealerships, it's also used car dealership too.

[Pete-FWA]

Originally posted by Mike Phillips

The just don't get it do they?

How can a brand new Porsche go from a beautiful factory finish to this under the leadership of any dealership is beyond me...

It's not just new car dealerships, it's also used car dealership too.

Most dealerships, especially those who only sell used, do not care nearly as much as people like us care about paint finish. Especially with pre-owned, some imperfections are to be expected. Customer expectations are a bit lower, as are those of the sales people.

With regard to new, some of them come butchered from the factory. I did a lot of new car in-house warranty claims against sad paint and finish defects, among other things.

Most dealerships are about PROFIT and not show car quality appearance. More emphasis is placed on appearance and cleanliness at time of delivery at the high end stores, but rough results, such as this Audi and the Porsche writeup, are still not uncommon.

An untrained eye, such as the increasingly under-educated and low wage paid "cleanup guys" or "lot porters", doesn't even see the issues we see. Think of when we first started as kids...now apply that knowledge and put it to work for $7.50/hour where every car looks "new" because it is at a new car dealership.

Sad state of affairs, but a dealership truly has to be concerned about quality before much changes. From experience I know to have the cars RIGHT before the customer takes delivery. My belief is also to correct any issues, not hide them or sell past them. Many managers and owners will disagree.

[Mike Phillips]

All great points.

Lynn's Grandpa and Grandma recently purchased a brand new Mustang, Lynn called the dealership and told them no two ways about, don't touch the car.

I inspected the finish recently in the sun and it looks as though they listened, there's not a swirl in it, at least that I could see. It will be coming over for a full wash, clay, polish and wax job so I'll get a better look at it then. Point is she was very proactive and very adamant about them not touch it and she told them exactly why and Grandma and Grandpa got lucky because it looks like they listened.

[Pete-FWA]

Originally posted by Mike Phillips
All great points.

Sad, isn't it? When I first started in business, I wanted to change the way everyone thought about their car's appearance. That didn't happen. To many, cars are an appliance or just a "unit" in inventory.

Have you ever worked at a dealership? Pick the wrong one and it can sour one's view on cars.

Originally posted by Mike Phillips
...Lynn called the dealership and told them no two ways about, don't touch the car....Point is she was very proactive and very adamant about them not touching it...

That's the best thing a person can do for their new vehicle, if they care. The dealership is usually very glad to comply with such a request as long as you give them top CSI points for cleanliness and appearance at time of delivery.

CSI...Customer Satisfaction Index, long before the TV show came out

[Pete-FWA]

Re: Brand new car with rotary swirl marks

Originally posted by vtrader
I just got a new black Audi A3 and the dealer waxed the car before delivery. I got the car on March 3rd and today, Monday, March 13 is the first time we have had sunshine.

The dealership is likely to ask: did you inspect the vehicle before you took delivery?

Where was it? Was it inside, in a well lit area, or outside, in the shadows or in the dark?