Paint Inspection - On Plastic Panels
Discussion
Advice/help please!
Short story is ...
I went to collect a new car but when it was ‘revealed’ we noticed some panel/paint defect (crease) in or under the paint on the composite plastic outer door panel.
Car was repaired, by flatting back, applying stopper and repainted (which failed as the defect reappeared) ... so it has now had a new door skin and respray.
Obvious concerns with this on a new car, so I’d like to get the paint inspected by an experienced independant, before I go to see it and accept delivery.
I work in Automotive so can call a few people to access a Bykmac Machine, which I believe is for surface finish and gloss .... but Elcomters (?) can only measure paint thinkness on metal panels.
I am told I would need an ultrasonic paint tester to test the thickness on a plastic panel vs the aluminium panels, but would need to buy one and then train myself how to use it properly which I haven’t got time for.
On this car, some panels are aluminium and some are composite plastic.
Just wondered if anyone could recommend a specialist or local company (Solihull area) that could go and fully inspect the paintwork & bodywork for me on Tuesday next week, before I go to see the car.
Any help much appreciated!
Thanks
Short story is ...
I went to collect a new car but when it was ‘revealed’ we noticed some panel/paint defect (crease) in or under the paint on the composite plastic outer door panel.
Car was repaired, by flatting back, applying stopper and repainted (which failed as the defect reappeared) ... so it has now had a new door skin and respray.
Obvious concerns with this on a new car, so I’d like to get the paint inspected by an experienced independant, before I go to see it and accept delivery.
I work in Automotive so can call a few people to access a Bykmac Machine, which I believe is for surface finish and gloss .... but Elcomters (?) can only measure paint thinkness on metal panels.
I am told I would need an ultrasonic paint tester to test the thickness on a plastic panel vs the aluminium panels, but would need to buy one and then train myself how to use it properly which I haven’t got time for.
On this car, some panels are aluminium and some are composite plastic.
Just wondered if anyone could recommend a specialist or local company (Solihull area) that could go and fully inspect the paintwork & bodywork for me on Tuesday next week, before I go to see the car.
Any help much appreciated!
Thanks
What are you wanting or expecting all these tests to prove?
You know it's been re-sprayed - and you must surely appreciate that it's been done by a human rather than very precise, very exacting, very expensive robots in a multi-million pound sterile factory.
Even the best painter in world can't replicate the exacting standards of robots .... so of course any scientific tests are going to show a difference in paint thickness, lacquer thickness, etc. - which will prove it's not factory finish and it's been re-sprayed by human ...... which you already know!
You know it's been re-sprayed - and you must surely appreciate that it's been done by a human rather than very precise, very exacting, very expensive robots in a multi-million pound sterile factory.
Even the best painter in world can't replicate the exacting standards of robots .... so of course any scientific tests are going to show a difference in paint thickness, lacquer thickness, etc. - which will prove it's not factory finish and it's been re-sprayed by human ...... which you already know!
I agree with Squiggs.
It's a brand new car.
It has a paint/body defect which they have had two attempts to repair to your satisfaction.
The first one failed.
The second one has replaced the panel.
It matters not how much you measure the paint or with whatever superduper electronicerytrickery device, it's had a repair.
If you can live with the fact that the car has had a repair then it isn't an issue.
If you can't, no matter how perfect & undetectable it may be it's always going to be there.
Whoever you might find to go & look at the car - and I can see many not wanting to get involved as I can see trouble ahead when you decide you actually can't live with it - they're not the ones who's opinion actually matters.
So either accept it as is by your own inspection or reject it.
It's a brand new car.
It has a paint/body defect which they have had two attempts to repair to your satisfaction.
The first one failed.
The second one has replaced the panel.
It matters not how much you measure the paint or with whatever superduper electronicerytrickery device, it's had a repair.
If you can live with the fact that the car has had a repair then it isn't an issue.
If you can't, no matter how perfect & undetectable it may be it's always going to be there.
Whoever you might find to go & look at the car - and I can see many not wanting to get involved as I can see trouble ahead when you decide you actually can't live with it - they're not the ones who's opinion actually matters.
So either accept it as is by your own inspection or reject it.
Thanks chaps
I don’t want to be difficult, nor fo I want to be unfair to the dealer/Manufacturer ... but I just don’t want to make an error of judgement and accept the car, (using only an untrained eye) only to find that I run into difficulty when it comes to trading the car in, or selling it on and take a big hit on residual value, (which is a possibility if an inspection would pick it up that easily).
Personally I’d have reservations about buying an expensive car with a repaired door ... and I’d struggle to believe that it had a new panel before the first owner had even sat in it.
I’ve now asked for the old door + pictures to prove why the repair was done in the first place (ie not damage repaired)
It’s an expensive purchase so I appreciate the input.
Thanks!
I don’t want to be difficult, nor fo I want to be unfair to the dealer/Manufacturer ... but I just don’t want to make an error of judgement and accept the car, (using only an untrained eye) only to find that I run into difficulty when it comes to trading the car in, or selling it on and take a big hit on residual value, (which is a possibility if an inspection would pick it up that easily).
Personally I’d have reservations about buying an expensive car with a repaired door ... and I’d struggle to believe that it had a new panel before the first owner had even sat in it.
I’ve now asked for the old door + pictures to prove why the repair was done in the first place (ie not damage repaired)
It’s an expensive purchase so I appreciate the input.
Thanks!
Oh ye of little faith (sorry I'm not taking the pzzz - honest!)
There are statistics banded around that 70% of new cars sold as new off the forecourt have had a repair (due to transportation, shipping, general movement) ....... and some of these repairs are done before the dealer even gets the vehicle.
Now, it might be that yours has been repaired before it reached the dealer ...? But you've spotted it as a poor repair. (Well done!)
The dealer has repaired it ... not to your satisfaction (well done!)
And the dealer has now replaced the panel.
As long as you are happy with the repair and are still given 'the standard' manufacturers warranty, with the repaired area noted - without any clauses from the dealer/manufacturer stating "that 'we've repaired it and if any part of the repair fails we don't accept any responsibility" (which isn't normal) then your new (albeit repaired) car should carry the same warranty as any untouched, unrepaired car.
(NB: The chances of a full warranty repair on a new car failing 'within warranty' is slim .... and when it lasts the warranty period it's not really going to fail 'a bit later'.)
There are statistics banded around that 70% of new cars sold as new off the forecourt have had a repair (due to transportation, shipping, general movement) ....... and some of these repairs are done before the dealer even gets the vehicle.
Now, it might be that yours has been repaired before it reached the dealer ...? But you've spotted it as a poor repair. (Well done!)
The dealer has repaired it ... not to your satisfaction (well done!)
And the dealer has now replaced the panel.
As long as you are happy with the repair and are still given 'the standard' manufacturers warranty, with the repaired area noted - without any clauses from the dealer/manufacturer stating "that 'we've repaired it and if any part of the repair fails we don't accept any responsibility" (which isn't normal) then your new (albeit repaired) car should carry the same warranty as any untouched, unrepaired car.
(NB: The chances of a full warranty repair on a new car failing 'within warranty' is slim .... and when it lasts the warranty period it's not really going to fail 'a bit later'.)
S1M VP said:
Thanks chaps
I don’t want to be difficult, nor fo I want to be unfair to the dealer/Manufacturer ... but I just don’t want to make an error of judgement and accept the car, (using only an untrained eye) only to find that I run into difficulty when it comes to trading the car in, or selling it on and take a big hit on residual value, (which is a possibility if an inspection would pick it up that easily).
Personally I’d have reservations about buying an expensive car with a repaired door ... and I’d struggle to believe that it had a new panel before the first owner had even sat in it.
I’ve now asked for the old door + pictures to prove why the repair was done in the first place (ie not damage repaired)
It’s an expensive purchase so I appreciate the input.
Thanks!
You're not happy with it & that really is the end of the matter.I don’t want to be difficult, nor fo I want to be unfair to the dealer/Manufacturer ... but I just don’t want to make an error of judgement and accept the car, (using only an untrained eye) only to find that I run into difficulty when it comes to trading the car in, or selling it on and take a big hit on residual value, (which is a possibility if an inspection would pick it up that easily).
Personally I’d have reservations about buying an expensive car with a repaired door ... and I’d struggle to believe that it had a new panel before the first owner had even sat in it.
I’ve now asked for the old door + pictures to prove why the repair was done in the first place (ie not damage repaired)
It’s an expensive purchase so I appreciate the input.
Thanks!
You're going to worry about what might or might not happen at some date in the future.
One 'expert' might find the repair difficult to spot whereas the next one might get within 20 yards of the car & 'Oh dear, that's not very good is it'.
There is also the potential of different appearance in different lighting types/conditions.
Time to walk away.
Squiggs said:
Oh ye of little faith (sorry I'm not taking the pzzz - honest!)
There are statistics banded around that 70% of new cars sold as new off the forecourt have had a repair (due to transportation, shipping, general movement) ....... and some of these repairs are done before the dealer even gets the vehicle.
Now, it might be that yours has been repaired before it reached the dealer ...? But you've spotted it as a poor repair. (Well done!)
The dealer has repaired it ... not to your satisfaction (well done!)
And the dealer has now replaced the panel.
As long as you are happy with the repair and are still given 'the standard' manufacturers warranty, with the repaired area noted - without any clauses from the dealer/manufacturer stating "that 'we've repaired it and if any part of the repair fails we don't accept any responsibility" (which isn't normal) then your new (albeit repaired) car should carry the same warranty as any untouched, unrepaired car.
(NB: The chances of a full warranty repair on a new car failing 'within warranty' is slim .... and when it lasts the warranty period it's not really going to fail 'a bit later'.)
Having spent some time on productions lines, some of these repairs happen before a car has even left the factory...There are statistics banded around that 70% of new cars sold as new off the forecourt have had a repair (due to transportation, shipping, general movement) ....... and some of these repairs are done before the dealer even gets the vehicle.
Now, it might be that yours has been repaired before it reached the dealer ...? But you've spotted it as a poor repair. (Well done!)
The dealer has repaired it ... not to your satisfaction (well done!)
And the dealer has now replaced the panel.
As long as you are happy with the repair and are still given 'the standard' manufacturers warranty, with the repaired area noted - without any clauses from the dealer/manufacturer stating "that 'we've repaired it and if any part of the repair fails we don't accept any responsibility" (which isn't normal) then your new (albeit repaired) car should carry the same warranty as any untouched, unrepaired car.
(NB: The chances of a full warranty repair on a new car failing 'within warranty' is slim .... and when it lasts the warranty period it's not really going to fail 'a bit later'.)
Having said that, I wouldn't be happy buying a new car that had been repaired, especially with filler etc.
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