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Paint problems!! Ideas and repair recommendations for Maryland?
Hi!
The paint on the door of my SC430 has "cracked". This just appeared overnight last week, and after a very cold night. The line is 4 inch vertical and is below the door handle and is a line as if the paint has split and risen up. I took the car to Len Stoler Lexus in Towson, but they said that it looks like the paint split due to the door being opened into something. This would be unusual, don't you think, since the door is undamaged?? It made me crazy because they kept pointing out two small dings on the doors lip, both of which were there when I bought the car, both are very tiny, like maybe the prefious owner nicked a brick wall while opening the door, and both had old touch up paint in place. I'm talking TINY, the size of a pin head, knicks. I bought the car with only 15K on it in May and it now has 19K. The car was actually Len Stolers personal vehicle before. Regardless, they keep saying it's my fault. They did say that they would have the regional Lexus rep look at the car when he comes next month. So, I will be a little hopeful, but that causes further complications since the car has to stay in the garage so as not to allow rust to start below the paint that is raised. Ugh.
So, any similar problems? Any ideas for repair or recommended shops? Either way, with or without Lexus, I've got to get it fixed. I want to throw-up every time I see it.
The paint on the door of my SC430 has "cracked". This just appeared overnight last week, and after a very cold night. The line is 4 inch vertical and is below the door handle and is a line as if the paint has split and risen up. I took the car to Len Stoler Lexus in Towson, but they said that it looks like the paint split due to the door being opened into something. This would be unusual, don't you think, since the door is undamaged?? It made me crazy because they kept pointing out two small dings on the doors lip, both of which were there when I bought the car, both are very tiny, like maybe the prefious owner nicked a brick wall while opening the door, and both had old touch up paint in place. I'm talking TINY, the size of a pin head, knicks. I bought the car with only 15K on it in May and it now has 19K. The car was actually Len Stolers personal vehicle before. Regardless, they keep saying it's my fault. They did say that they would have the regional Lexus rep look at the car when he comes next month. So, I will be a little hopeful, but that causes further complications since the car has to stay in the garage so as not to allow rust to start below the paint that is raised. Ugh.
So, any similar problems? Any ideas for repair or recommended shops? Either way, with or without Lexus, I've got to get it fixed. I want to throw-up every time I see it.
First, allow me to extend my regret that you are having this problem with your car and Lexus dealer. I've not experienced or heard of this type of problem with paint on a car. If it's a vertical line, could someone have damaged your car door with the edge of their door? In any event, before you take it to the Lexus representative, you may want to have a paint and body shop look at your vehicle and get an opinion from them about what happened to the door.
man i have never heard of anything lie this before. personally the way i see it, if the paint is all done well in the beginning, if i were to create this crack without chipping the paint off, it's definitely hard, and i probably will have dented the dor or something already
i will definitely be persistant about it that it's a paint process issue. maybe if that doesn't work, you can talk to lexus customer service and see if they can do anything about it
Len Stoler Lexus called today and now they want me to take it to their body shop for an estimate prior to the Lexus rep. even taking a look. To me, it seems like they are trying to weasle out already. I'm not giving up, this is a +$50,000 car and Lexus should stand by it.
Per OP, I live in the DMV area and looking for a reputable body shop for future needs. Looking to perhaps repaint back bumper and would like a shop that can match Caviar black as close as possible.
Do you have a picture of the damage? Does it look like this?
It sounds like a paint scratch. Different color line, with puckered paint on either side.
Who knows, maybe a car thief tried to steal your car and scratched it with a screw driver. Maybe a loved on got careless and didn't want to say anything since they know how much you love your car.
It would seem unlikely the paint just split due to the weather.
I would see if you can go to a detailer and have it buffed out. It is almost impossible to get a paint job as good as the factory one, so I would do my best to get it fixed instead of repainted.
You can see what a good buff job will do by watching this video.
This should not be a big issue and can be repaired good as new. If you have the door repainted make sure they are used to working with the specific 2 or 3 part Lexus paint on your car. Usually a repair on a door is not that big a deal but it may also have to be feathered onto the quarter panels to blend in depending on the amount of fade on the rest of the paint on that side. Let them know up front you want an estimate for their best work - meaning not a rush job and having door and any feathered areas trim and hardware pulled or loosened up and taped, and not just surface taped. Tell them as politely as possible that you are very picky, you want a perfect repair and that if it is not right you will make them do it over - again as politely as possible.
A great paint job is 90% prep work. A pro can do the job so it is almost impossible to tell without a paint meter and will last as long as the original paint. When the work is done make sure you inspect every inch for color match and smoothness and make sure every edge that was masked has no paint on it. Also check all adjacent body panels and glass for over spray.
And take pictures and save them of the before and after in case you sell your car someday you can provide doco to any buyer showing that paint work was cosmetic only.
12-31-04, 02:58 PM
Paint problems!! Ideas and repair recommendations for Maryland?
I'm in the Baltimore Metro area
