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When I bought my car, I also purchased protective applique's on the bumper, door edge trims, and handles. Five days after purchased and with less than 300 miles, I dropped it off to have those installed. They said it would take a few hours. They called back that evening and said they needed the car for another day, so I let them keep it overnight. They called the next day and said when they applied some of the protective pieces, they were full of bubbles underneath and wanted to reorder new parts and redo them better. That was fine, but that wanted to keep the car another day, and I had to take my dog to the vet. Their loaner didn't allow me to take pets in it.
Went to pick up the car and found oil splashed across the paint, and two new scratches on the hood, both of which were through the paint and to the metal. This being my first brand new car, with less than 300 miles, that I hadn't even owned for a week, I was a bit upset.
The car is with them again at this point. They've offered to repair it free of charge. They offered touching it up or redoing it. I said redo it. They have to send it out to a paint shop, and they say it's not going to be factory paint. I also had an extra protective coating over the entire car for sun damage that they said they're going to reapply.
It's not a giant scratch, but the irony of them putting the first scratch on the car when it was getting service to protect from scratches is frustrating.
I feel your pain. Had one dealership ding my door, scratch the rear quarter, dent the rear bumper, chip two wheels, and destroy two tires. But they were the better dealer out of the two in my area. Sigh. At least they fixed everything they did (but luckily I also take pics before and after each visit).
When I bought my car, I also purchased protective applique's on the bumper, door edge trims, and handles. Five days after purchased and with less than 300 miles, I dropped it off to have those installed. They said it would take a few hours. They called back that evening and said they needed the car for another day, so I let them keep it overnight. They called the next day and said when they applied some of the protective pieces, they were full of bubbles underneath and wanted to reorder new parts and redo them better. That was fine, but that wanted to keep the car another day, and I had to take my dog to the vet. Their loaner didn't allow me to take pets in it.
Went to pick up the car and found oil splashed across the paint, and two new scratches on the hood, both of which were through the paint and to the metal. This being my first brand new car, with less than 300 miles, that I hadn't even owned for a week, I was a bit upset.
The car is with them again at this point. They've offered to repair it free of charge. They offered touching it up or redoing it. I said redo it. They have to send it out to a paint shop, and they say it's not going to be factory paint. I also had an extra protective coating over the entire car for sun damage that they said they're going to reapply.
It's not a giant scratch, but the irony of them putting the first scratch on the car when it was getting service to protect from scratches is frustrating.
there is no reason why it wouldn’t be factory paint, Acura and Honda go through a paint company called PPG for their paints, any body shop that uses their machines to make the paint should be able to match it perfectly
That's crazy. Good call on not letting them "touch it up". Since the car is brand new and there's no weathering or bleaching of the paint color, they should be able to match the paint pretty well from the paint code.
But I'm told the white diamond pearl is difficult because of the little specs of color ( "three-color paint" ). Which is why a relatively minor bumper repair on mine is gonna cost $840.
decades ago the acura dealer scratched all 4 rims on my CL pulling it onto the lift. Luckily I walked around the car and noticed it before getting in. They had a company out and resurface the rims in the parking lot. Good thing you saw the scratches before leaving, they would of said you did it!
It cannot be factory paint. It will probably match near perfectly, but a paint meter will detect the respray. I'd be on the phone to Acura and hopping up and down.
It cannot be factory paint. It will probably match near perfectly, but a paint meter will detect the respray. I'd be on the phone to Acura and hopping up and down.
And what do expect Acura to do??? It's a dealer issue not an Acura issue.
And what do expect Acura to do??? It's a dealer issue not an Acura issue.
Of course it is a dealer issue - but - the dealer is a representative of the manufacturer even if they are an independent contractor.
A call to Acura will prompt a call to the dealership with a "WTF happened here? You guys need to fix it.
If you'd rather, the OP could schedule a meeting with the GM and say:
"I want you to put on your consumer hat. You just bought a new car and got suckered into buying all sorts of dealer add-ons that garnered the dealership a huge profit. While the high school kid was learning how to put paint protection film on my car, they scratched it. What would you, as a customer feel like? What would you expect the dealership to do? What would it take for you to trust this dealership again?
And finally, what will you, as the GM of this company, do to resolve this issue? To date, the dealership has offered to repaint the part, which will result in diminished value when I try to sell the car."
While it is sad that this happened, and I would be very upset as well, I believe the diminished value claim is unwarranted. Taking a "before" picture, telling any concerned buyer about what happened, and showing a picture of the scratch will satisfy most buyers. If it looks normal, most buyers will not even have reason to wonder about it. How many really use a "paint meter"?.
While it is sad that this happened, and I would be very upset as well, I believe the diminished value claim is unwarranted. Taking a "before" picture, telling any concerned buyer about what happened, and showing a picture of the scratch will satisfy most buyers. If it looks normal, most buyers will not even have reason to wonder about it. How many really use a "paint meter"?.
If it is reported to Carfax, it can easily diminish the resale value. Would you pay the same for a vehicle that had paint issues as you would for an identical one without any issues?
This definitely seems like a diminished value situation.
The diminished value aspect has crossed my mind, but this was bought as my wife's dream car, which she has wanted for the past 5 years. As such, the plan is to keep this until it's falling apart, and not worry about resale value. It'll be so old and so well used by the time we decide to sell that a scratch will be inconsequential.
I'm not making a huge deal over it unless it comes back "fixed" and still looks terrible.
I can say that having given a 2019 TLX A-Spec, and 2018 RLX P-AWS as a loaner, that I'm very happy we purchased an RDX. The RDX is way better than both.
If it is reported to Carfax, it can easily diminish the resale value. Would you pay the same for a vehicle that had paint issues as you would for an identical one without any issues?
This definitely seems like a diminished value situation.
While I tend to agree with you...IF this is reported to Carfax, it could cause a diminish in resale value. What I/we don't know is HOW or when it would get reported to Carfax. I believe if there is no insurance claim made, then it is not likely to get to Carfax. On this same token, several years ago, when I had teenage drivers. one of them was involved in a bad accident (fortunately, only vehicular damage). A few years later, we decide to trade the car in, and did a Carfax search so we would know what it showed. It showed nothing about this incident. And it was handled by insurance and a new car dealer's body shop. So...????
To answer your question, If I was given the before picture and an explanation, and acknowledging that I am buying a used car, knowing that there wasn't any body damage or parts replaced, I wouldn't care. Heck, how do we know that the previous owner even changed the oil at the recommended times, as an example?
In my experience, reporting to carfax is actually up to the shop. The other sources for info are really just DMV, title companies, dealerships, and I think police reports. There may be a few others, but from looking at carfaxes over the years, they are the majority reporters. Some shops are diligent about reporting, others don't care for it. That's why carfax is pretty unreliable. That being said, maybe you can ask the shop if they report it to carfax? Just tell them you need to know if you should do a diminished value claim even if you don't plan to do it. But like you said OP, you drive it until the wheels fall off, so it's probably not a huge issue. The only thing I can think of is if the tranny doesn't last (because it's a Honda lol don't hate me for this) and you want to get rid of it, might be an issue.
While I tend to agree with you...IF this is reported to Carfax, it could cause a diminish in resale value. What I/we don't know is HOW or when it would get reported to Carfax. I believe if there is no insurance claim made, then it is not likely to get to Carfax. On this same token, several years ago, when I had teenage drivers. one of them was involved in a bad accident (fortunately, only vehicular damage). A few years later, we decide to trade the car in, and did a Carfax search so we would know what it showed. It showed nothing about this incident. And it was handled by insurance and a new car dealer's body shop. So...????
To answer your question, If I was given the before picture and an explanation, and acknowledging that I am buying a used car, knowing that there wasn't any body damage or parts replaced, I wouldn't care. Heck, how do we know that the previous owner even changed the oil at the recommended times, as an example?
Most dealers report to Carfax. Since this service is being done by the dealer, we should assume it will be reported to Carfax, unless otherwise specified.
To each their own, but I would not pay the same price for an item with a documented flaw vs. a non-flawed version of the same item, regardless of what that item may be.
Gotta love the "we share everything" mentality of the Facescam era. And the fear mongering that goes along with it.
IF dealers "share" with Carfax, it's so they can browbeat customers into having all their routine service done at the dealership, for fear that if they DIY or take the car elsewhere for service it won't be "documented" on Carfax and their car will have less value at resale.
This. Is. A. Scam.
Another scam is the "protection" products dealers sell at an enormous profit, most of which have little real benefit. And sadly, that's where this particular tale began.
In this instance, IF the dealer were to report the paint respray to Carfax, they would obviously be opening themselves up to a diminished value lawsuit. AFAIK there is absolutely nothing that compels them to report, and they would have to be complete blithering idiots to do so voluntarily. ( So far, they are only bumbling fools ).
Anyway, there's no way Acura will ship out a factory painted hood, and I really doubt the dealer will "swap" for another identical unblemished vehicle, so I think the only realistic resolution is to allow them to repair the vehicle to "like-new" condition. Stuff happens. Shops carry insurance so they don't eat the whole cost if they drop someone's NSX off the lift.
But there's no harm in asking for reasonable compensation for this incident. Like accessories you might have been thinking about, but now at NO COST!
Gotta love the "we share everything" mentality of the Facescam era. And the fear mongering that goes along with it.
IF dealers "share" with Carfax, it's so they can browbeat customers into having all their routine service done at the dealership, for fear that if they DIY or take the car elsewhere for service it won't be "documented" on Carfax and their car will have less value at resale.
This. Is. A. Scam.
Another scam is the "protection" products dealers sell at an enormous profit, most of which have little real benefit. And sadly, that's where this particular tale began.
In this instance, IF the dealer were to report the paint respray to Carfax, they would obviously be opening themselves up to a diminished value lawsuit. AFAIK there is absolutely nothing that compels them to report, and they would have to be complete blithering idiots to do so voluntarily. ( So far, they are only bumbling fools ).
Anyway, there's no way Acura will ship out a factory painted hood, and I really doubt the dealer will "swap" for another identical unblemished vehicle, so I think the only realistic resolution is to allow them to repair the vehicle to "like-new" condition. Stuff happens. Shops carry insurance so they don't eat the whole cost if they drop someone's NSX off the lift.
But there's no harm in asking for reasonable compensation for this incident. Like accessories you might have been thinking about, but now at NO COST!
I would imagine a swapped hood from another RDX would then have mis-matched VINs. Another potential issue. I agree with you best thing is to have it made"like new" as best as can, and ask for something is return. Stuff happens...Cars don't stay new forever. One could just as easily have a door ding the next day, or a cracked bumper, as one poster mentioned...(who was that?)
I don't think y'all understand how CARFAX works. They pay for the reporting, but it is still up to the shop to decide what to report.
I wouldn't worry about CARFAX, but I would would worry about paint meters - almost every dealer uses a paint meter to check each panel on a trade-in.
That said, if the OP keeps the car for 5+ years then it doesn't matter.
Oh, the before/after pictures might work for a private seller, but a dealer will say "yeah, thats interesting, let me reduce my offer by $xxxx because of the respray"
Something else to consider if the dealership is even capable of installing the PPF. I suspect they sell so few (if any) that their employees have very little hands on experience installing PPF - apart from watching a couple of YouTube videos.
The scratches are either from wearing jewelry/belt buckles/watches or from cutting the film on the car - neither are how you should apply PPF. My guy wears a zipperless sweatsuit and no jewelry or watches. This guy probably wears a huge beltbuckle and a big watch.
The costs for buying PPF from the dealership is often far more expensive (and almost always far worse) than getting it done elsewhere. The paint sealant that is sold by dealers actually costs about $25 and another $25 to have the same high school dropout slop it on the car - imperfections and all.
A proper install of PPF and a sealant like Opti-Coat will take a professional a good two days.
I don't think y'all understand how CARFAX works. They pay for the reporting, but it is still up to the shop to decide what to report.
And you don't see a problem with this?
The original idea was to have a resource to detect altered titles, such as cars that had been declared a total loss because of crash, flood, or whatever and designated "salvage". If these cars were restored somehow and someone attempted to sell them as if nothing had ever happened, a CARFAX report would flag it.
But as with so many things, this valuable resource has been perverted into something else. < end rant >
Back to the hood damage, the paint of used vehicles is often "touched up" by various methods, ranging from slopping it on with a brush and maybe smoothing it out somehow, to detailed spraying with an airbrush. If airbrushing is done well, with correctly matching paint, it may be nearly undetectable. But WDP is a tough match, and in this case it was down to metal and it's on the most noticeable surface of the whole car. I think a "touch up" would stand out like a sore thumb. And if steel is involved, there is the risk of rust. Are 3rd-gen RDX hoods aluminum like some other Honda/Acura vehicles?
Any expert opinions on paint repair, or are we stuck with consumer angst?
Something else to consider if the dealership is even capable of installing the PPF. I suspect they sell so few (if any) that their employees have very little hands on experience installing PPF - apart from watching a couple of YouTube videos.
The scratches are either from wearing jewelry/belt buckles/watches or from cutting the film on the car - neither are how you should apply PPF. My guy wears a zipperless sweatsuit and no jewelry or watches. This guy probably wears a huge beltbuckle and a big watch.
The costs for buying PPF from the dealership is often far more expensive (and almost always far worse) than getting it done elsewhere. The paint sealant that is sold by dealers actually costs about $25 and another $25 to have the same high school dropout slop it on the car - imperfections and all.
A proper install of PPF and a sealant like Opti-Coat will take a professional a good two days.
I worked at a car dealership at one point detailing cars. They charged people $2000 for something called the "pro pack" which involves under coating, pain protection, and scotchgard.....well it was literally just spraying on some rubber shit on the frame rails, dousing the seats in a can of scotchgard and literally applying wax with a buff pad and removing it. $2000 for THAT!!! I felt so bad for people who would think they were doing good with their cars.
This just reminded me when you talked about a highschool dropout applying the film. It's ridiculous how easily tricked the average consumer is.
It's ridiculous how predatory car dealers are allowed to be.
Who can imagine that someone buying their first car would be excited about it and want to protect it?
I need to watch the movie "Fargo" again. A wood-chipper and a slime ball car dealer can sure create some mayhem. You betcha.
Actually that's a better way of wording it, I was unintentionally blaming the victim not the dealership. Dealers are so damn predatory that it makes me sick. They literally sell these "protection packages" for absurd prices under the guise of taking care of your expensive purchase and all it really involves is like a 5 minute job with $30 worth of supplies.
You can only have a "factory" paint job once. After that, the paint job will either be worse, similar, or better. A better paint job can be just as bad as worse paint job. For example, I had a Civic that had a door replaced last year. The body shop's excellent paint job stuck out like a sore thumb because it was had virtually no orange peel unlike the factory paint job.
Originally Posted by JB in AZ
I would imagine a swapped hood from another RDX would then have mis-matched VINs.
My 2019 Ridgeline came with a "cleft lipped" hood. The dealer swapped it with a hood from another new Ridgeline that did not have this deformity. They ordered a new hood under warranty, installed it on the donor Ridgeline, then painted it. That Ridgeline was then sold to someone who likely had no idea the hood was not original. Here in Texas, the dealer is not required to disclose the repairs. Disclosure laws vary by state. Some have to disclose any repairs. Some only have to disclose above a certain dollar amount or percentage of MSRP.
I don't recall seeing VIN labels on the hood/door/trunks/tailgates of any of my recent Hondas. I used to see them on fenders, doors, and door jambs. I just looked at my three month-old 2019 Ridgeline and there are no visible VIN labels on any of these components.
Originally Posted by ceb
...almost every dealer uses a paint meter to check each panel on a trade-in.
I've traded in and sold dozens of vehicles over the last 30 years. I've never had a dealer or individual check my vehicle's paint thickness. This practice is much more likely to be done on a high-value collector or exotic car that is claimed to be all original than on common, everyday vehicle like the RDX.
I don't think y'all understand how CARFAX works. They pay for the reporting, but it is still up to the shop to decide what to report.
I wouldn't worry about CARFAX, but I would would worry about paint meters - almost every dealer uses a paint meter to check each panel on a trade-in.
That said, if the OP keeps the car for 5+ years then it doesn't matter.
Oh, the before/after pictures might work for a private seller, but a dealer will say "yeah, thats interesting, let me reduce my offer by $xxxx because of the respray"
Originally Posted by Wander
And you don't see a problem with this?
The original idea was to have a resource to detect altered titles, such as cars that had been declared a total loss because of crash, flood, or whatever and designated "salvage". If these cars were restored somehow and someone attempted to sell them as if nothing had ever happened, a CARFAX report would flag it.
But as with so many things, this valuable resource has been perverted into something else. < end rant >
Back to the hood damage, the paint of used vehicles is often "touched up" by various methods, ranging from slopping it on with a brush and maybe smoothing it out somehow, to detailed spraying with an airbrush. If airbrushing is done well, with correctly matching paint, it may be nearly undetectable. But WDP is a tough match, and in this case it was down to metal and it's on the most noticeable surface of the whole car. I think a "touch up" would stand out like a sore thumb. And if steel is involved, there is the risk of rust. Are 3rd-gen RDX hoods aluminum like some other Honda/Acura vehicles?
Any expert opinions on paint repair, or are we stuck with consumer angst?
Yes, there is a huge problem with CARFAX's business model. As far as the consumer is concerned, any repair may, or may not, be reported by paid informants.
That said, CARFAX is next to useless with one exception. If an accident is reported on CARFAX, then there is an over 75% chance that the car was in an accident, but a clean CARFAX means nothing.
Depending on where the scratch is, I'd rather get it professionally touched up IF the PPF would ultimately cover the repair. In that case a slight difference in hue would make no difference and there would be no issue with diminished value. A good detailer can fix that to make it nearly invisible (and completely invisible under PPF). Who knows if the dealer has a competent detailer.
You can only have a "factory" paint job once. After that, the paint job will either be worse, similar, or better. A better paint job can be just as bad as worse paint job. For example, I had a Civic that had a door replaced last year. The body shop's excellent paint job stuck out like a sore thumb because it was had virtually no orange peel unlike the factory paint job.
My 2019 Ridgeline came with a "cleft lipped" hood. The dealer swapped it with a hood from another new Ridgeline that did not have this deformity. They ordered a new hood under warranty, installed it on the donor Ridgeline, then painted it. That Ridgeline was then sold to someone who likely had no idea the hood was not original. Here in Texas, the dealer is not required to disclose the repairs. Disclosure laws vary by state. Some have to disclose any repairs. Some only have to disclose above a certain dollar amount or percentage of MSRP.
I don't recall seeing VIN labels on the hood/door/trunks/tailgates of any of my recent Hondas. I used to see them on fenders, doors, and door jambs. I just looked at my three month-old 2019 Ridgeline and there are no visible VIN labels on any of these components.
I've traded in and sold dozens of vehicles over the last 30 years. I've never had a dealer or individual check my vehicle's paint thickness. This practice is much more likely to be done on a high-value collector or exotic car that is claimed to be all original than on common, everyday vehicle like the RDX.
Good to know that the VIN isn't on the hood. With this knowledge, perhaps the OP's best resolution would be a replacement hood from anther same color RDX. I think this would ow be my choice, If I was involved as the OP is.
I agree with your comments about the paint thickness test. I have been trading in cars for many many years, and also never had one tested. And I always accompany the "appraiser" .
Actually that's a better way of wording it, I was unintentionally blaming the victim not the dealership. Dealers are so damn predatory that it makes me sick. They literally sell these "protection packages" for absurd prices under the guise of taking care of your expensive purchase and all it really involves is like a 5 minute job with $30 worth of supplies.
Yes, and the way dealerships sell this crap should be illegal. After you've negotiated your price, you go into a small windowless room where some guy or gal waterboards you to sell you useless add-ons like a $4 bottle of Scotchguard for $500, a halfway acceptable wax job for $800 (with a warranty if you get car inspected every year and reapplied if required) or the tiny little bits of PPF for $600 plus installation. There is a huge industry (look up F&I on youtube) built around training the finance guys and gals to take your money by shaming you into it.
Saddest part is that some of us are willing to spend an extra couple grand on the stuff from the dealership, but would balk at spending a similar amount for far better protection at a professional detailer.
I feel bad about raising this here because the poor OP got suckered into all of this stuff (well, at least the sealant and PPF, but probably the Scotchguard as well) and it isn't his fault that the dealers are con men.
He got a nice car and he'll be happy with it for many years once he gets beyond this. A decent detailer can fix all of those blemishes.
When I get a new car, I buy a can of Scotchguard and do the fabric and carpet bits immediately upon bringing the car home. The next weekend I bring it to my detailer to have PPF put on the bumper, half hood, fenders to match the hood, headlights, mirror caps, leading edge of roof (about three inches directly above the windshield), door cups, fenders by the wheel arches, top of back bumper and taillights, He then applies Opti-Coat to everything including windows and wheels. That generally costs about $1200 or so and takes the whole weekend (drop of Friday night, pick up Sunday night).
The prep begins Saturday morning at about 5 and is ready for PPF at about 5 or 6 that evening. He'll do all the painted metal bits first, then do the Opti-Coat. While that is starting to dry, he'll finish the PPF. He usually is done by midnight.
The next day starts with a close inspection and any applications of Opti-Coat on things like the PPF over the headlights. Once all is dry, the car is washed, waxed and ready to go.
The car looks far better than when the car off the assembly line.
...I've traded in and sold dozens of vehicles over the last 30 years. I've never had a dealer or individual check my vehicle's paint thickness. This practice is much more likely to be done on a high-value collector or exotic car that is claimed to be all original than on common, everyday vehicle like the RDX.
Maybe it is a regional thing, but on each car I've traded in since 2002, some dealer has always pulled out a paint meter. Some had no clue how to use it.
The first time I saw a paint meter was in '02 when I traded in my Yukon, then my Audi A6 in '03, the S6 in '06, the GTI in 08 and the BMW in 2012.
Maybe it is a regional thing, but on each car I've traded in since 2002, some dealer has always pulled out a paint meter. Some had no clue how to use it.
The first time I saw a paint meter was in '02 when I traded in my Yukon, then my Audi A6 in '03, the S6 in '06, the GTI in 08 and the BMW in 2012.
Never heard of it, and I've traded in lots of cars ( although I tend to drive them until the wheels fall off, or my kids get them, or both ). And I agree it's far more likely to be an issue with a high-value collectible, which we can only hope might describe a pristine RDX in 40 or 50 years.
It might be a bigger issue in an arid climate, where paint can potentially last forever. Rust eventually catches up to every vehicle that's driven in the salt-infested north.
The OP bought into this and I hope whoever installed it did a decent prep job and applied it properly.
Xzilon has an F rating with the BBB
Their warranty appears to be next to useless.
There are lots of complaints and very few accolades
Xzilon is primarily a warranty company that happens to sell a couple of products.
This is a pure profit center for the dealership
It takes under an hour to apply. The rest of the time the car sits around so you think it takes all day.
Like I said, I hope the OP got a good detailer. Look over the car very closely. Any defects and imperfections that were on the car before application are now there for a year or so. Accordingly, complain right away. Put your hand in a plastic sandwich baggie and run it over the paint. If it feels anything but smooth then it wasn't prepped properly.
When I bought my BMW in 2009, the dealership brought it in from a different dealer. I had already worked out the deal and they called one day and said "the car is here." I went there a few hours later and the F&I guy said "we applied the paint sealant for you. It is only $895 and has all these benefits, yada, yada, yada". I said "don't want it" to which he replied "but we already applied it." I said "fine, sell it to another customer, I'm not paying a dime over our agreed price." He told an employee to remove the sticker from the window.
When I had the detailer install the PPF, he verified that there wasn't anything on the paint.
These nano/ceramic/whatever name they've invented all have one way of telling if they've been applied.
Wash the car with Dawn/Palmolive/dish detergent of choice. This removes any wax that may be on the car but won't remove a properly applied nanoceramic coating. That can only be removed mechanically.
Rinse and dry.
Find an area with a nice slope (hood/fender over wheel well etc.)
Pour water on that area.
If coated, then the water will run off leaving a virtually dry surface. Horizontal surfaces will show water beading - basically just like a freshly applied coat of wax.
For 30 years, I've used Nu Finish car polish once or twice a year on my vehicles. It costs $8 a bottle and takes about 1-2 hours of my time to apply. The paint shines and water beads. Some people are spending 10-20 times more ONE TIME on "ceramic coatings" than I have spent protecting the paint on my vehicles for THREE DECADES. Gullible - it's the name of the game in the car business!
When I bought my BMW in 2009, the dealership brought it in from a different dealer. I had already worked out the deal and they called one day and said "the car is here." I went there a few hours later and the F&I guy said "we applied the paint sealant for you. It is only $895 and has all these benefits, yada, yada, yada". I said "don't want it" to which he replied "but we already applied it." I said "fine, sell it to another customer, I'm not paying a dime over our agreed price." He told an employee to remove the sticker from the window.
When I had the detailer install the PPF, he verified that there wasn't anything on the paint.
These nano/ceramic/whatever name they've invented all have one way of telling if they've been applied.
Wash the car with Dawn/Palmolive/dish detergent of choice. This removes any wax that may be on the car but won't remove a properly applied nanoceramic coating. That can only be removed mechanically.
Rinse and dry.
Find an area with a nice slope (hood/fender over wheel well etc.)
Pour water on that area.
If coated, then the water will run off leaving a virtually dry surface. Horizontal surfaces will show water beading - basically just like a freshly applied coat of wax.
I drove it in the rain after the application. It was obvious it had a coating on there.
I'm fine with it mostly being a warranty product, if that ends up being the case. While car shopping, we also looked at used cars with destroyed interiors that I wanted to avoid.
For 30 years, I've used Nu Finish car polish once or twice a year on my vehicles. It costs $8 a bottle and takes about 1-2 hours of my time to apply. The paint shines and water beads. Some people are spending 10-20 times more ONE TIME on "ceramic coatings" than I have spent protecting the paint on my vehicles for THREE DECADES. Gullible - it's the name of the game in the car business!
You me.an a hundred times more.
Any paint protectant/was/sealant will do the job. The question is how much effort you want to put into keeping your car looking good - and wht your definition of "looking good" is. NuFinish, applied "once or twice" a year won't properly protect your paint - NuFinish will probably last a month before it needs to re-applied.
Any paint protectant/was/sealant will do the job. The question is how much effort you want to put into keeping your car looking good - and wht your definition of "looking good" is. NuFinish, applied "once or twice" a year won't properly protect your paint - NuFinish will probably last a month before it needs to re-applied.
*shrug*
Maybe it's because I always hand wash weekly and park in a garage at night and don't live in a salty area, but water still beads and bugs are much easier to remove for far longer than a month after application.
It takes me about an hour and a half to smear on Nu Finish then wipe it off once or twice a year. I waste more time than that sitting on the toilet thinking about what color of collar to buy for one of my dogs.
Maybe it's because I always hand wash weekly and park in a garage at night and don't live in a salty area, but water still beads and bugs are much easier to remove for far longer than a month after application.
It takes me about an hour and a half to smear on Nu Finish then wipe it off once or twice a year. I waste more time than that sitting on the toilet thinking about what color of collar to buy for one of my dogs.
03-18-2019, 01:22 PM
