Well, it happened. I got my first scratch. Get this. My wife and I took our '97 Accord to the body shop to get the rear end repaired (low speed rear end collision = $2500 damage!). I drove my new TL and she drove the Honda. I pulled in to the shop's driveway and parked. She pulled behind me, and for some reason, decided to pull up as close as possible to the TL.

Well - you guessed it - she pushed up against the TL's rear bumper and scratched it with the Accord's front license plate!! I couldn't believe it. We're both disgusted!

Anyway, I need to take the car back to the dealer to take care of what looks like a paint flaw or a scratch on the passenger front door that we noted on delivery. I'm hoping that they will "do me a favor" and touch up the scratch on the bumper. Anyone have any experience with this type of thing?

I know that if they have to repaint it, they'll have to remove the entire bumper. I can't pay for that right now so I might have to live with it.

I may try to touch it up myself but have not done this before. I don't know if the bumper scratch is down to the plastic or just to the primer. There is black showing. Is this the primer? Has anyone touched up a scratch of this nature? It's about a millimeter thick and about a centimeter long. Any advice is welcome - either toward getting the dealer to help or doing it myself.

I know these things are inevitable, but on the 3rd day!?

BTW, I love the car. I feel a smile on my face every time I get in it. The guy who took the Honda into the body shop said, "I worship this car!" He said that sometimes a car comes in that just grabs you and this was definitely one of them. That was cool. And the LA Times said this car doesn't evoke emotion!

I have no real complaints. I have noted a few "items" though...

1. There are some body panel alignment issues. The hood and the trunk are slightly to one side (we're talking about approximately 1 milimiter here but I have a remarkable eye for symmetry). Additionally, the right rear light is slightly further in
on the right side (again, 1 millimeter or less but noticeable). The dealer did not recommend adjusting either - especially the rear light due to the seals. I will talk to Acura customer service about this one. I see it as a build quality issue - something they brag about.
2. There is some slight torque stear upon mild to hard acceleration from a standing stop. Not a "fatal flaw", but noticeable.
3. Very minor issues - rear window seal loose beneath the trunk and aluminum trim slightly loose on right of center console.

Oh, it's a SSM/Ebony 5AT w/Navi.

 

I've also noticed a slight difference between the tone/sheen of the silver on the plastic body panels and that on the metal body panels. Anybody else notice this on the SSM?

 

I don't notice this because quite frankly, I don't have the '04...DANG IT! There are a lot of mixed reviews about the redesigned model. I don't understand why the 2nd generation TL owners (some) are disgusted with the new look. It's a lot more sleeker and more sportier.

A great buy! Oh well, I bought my car almost 1 and a half year ago.

 

A millimeter? (0.039 inches or about the thickness of ten sheets of 20# bond copy paper) And you see this? And you are worried about it from side to side?

As to the different color on the bumper covers vs. the sheet metal, this has bee treated before at http://www.acura-tl.com/forum/showth...threadid=66090

 

LGG - Yep, I see it. It is small but I'd rather not see it at all. It's right in the middle of the bumper and it's black - pretty easy to spot.

Thanks for the reference to the paint match link.

Anyone out there with experience touching up a scratch on a plastic body panel? Is the black I'm seeing primer or plastic?

LGG - just realized you were asking about the alignment, not the scratch. I see that too. I'm not as concerned about it though.

On the other hand, the right rear light is pretty obvious. The way they're aligned, it looks as if the left one has black rubber molding and the right one is flush up against the trunk lid. I'd like to get this adjusted but again, the dealer advised against it due to the water seals.

 

Some colors for example white, have a ever so slightly different tone on metal versus plastic. since primer is not used anymore, there is not a single uniform base on the whole car.

 

I had a dilemma with a scrape on the plastic aero part behind the rear wheel. I have a small 2 car garage and I have to back the TL in as close to the wall so my wife`s Liberty`s doors don`t hit the car. Well trying to get as close as possible to the wall, I scraped the plastic.(sucks!).I have the WDP and the black really stands out. Tried touch up paint, but its very thin (multiple coats) and looks crappy. The dealer said they would do it and have an auto body come and spray the bumper when the weather is better for no charge.