I picked up the new RL (Redondo Red) yesterday. It's been sitting in the dealer lot for six months (last five digits of VIN 16000) and the "dealer prep" was poor, with many areas where the sticky stuff Acura uses still on the car. Also, portions of the rear bumper have either been repainted or something-they are very dull. I did have the backup sensors installed, maybe they messed things up in the process. Is there any harm to me giving it the full Zaino treatment- clay bar, etc. at this point. I would'nt think so, but I just wanted to make sure. The 2001 Volvo I traded in had a far better finish on it than this new car does! The RL is still a great car, but I'm just a little disappointed. This dealership has a body shop, they should know better...

 

It says something about professionalism when a dealership is prepared to hand over a new vehicle with a sub-standard finish. Paint shop – detailers, you would think that someone who paints a vehicle surface would know how to ‘detail’ it, but there is mounting evidence that this is not the case. How many forums give the advice ”Don’t even let the dealership wash your new or used (or even after a maintenance service) otherwise the vehicle will have dealer installed surface marring.

Before I will accept any new car I write into the contract that I will not accept the vehicle unless I am allowed to remove any plastic / shipping protection at the dealership (this is to ensure there are no ‘dings’ that are covered up) When the vehicle goes in for maintenance service I tell the service advisor not to wash the vehicle when the service has been completed (I also place a sign on the inside of the windscreen “Do not wash this vehicle”)
JonM

FWIW- It makes you wonder what kind of service to expect from a place like the one you've described if this is how they treat a brand new vehicle .

 

Wisdom from one of the masters, well said Jon....Whatever you decide to seal with, just follow proper procedures per manufacturers direction, and of course, this forums professional discretion......

 

Same problem (kind of) on my TSX, had lots of little ribbons of the clear packaging protectant still on the paint where it wasn't completely removed.

To the dealer's credit, they told me that they may have missed some since they prepped me way after hours (took delivery about an hour off the truck). However, they also said that soap and warm water removes the clear stuff. Nuh-uh. I put a blister on my thumb trying to get that stuff off.

 

New vehicle, Initial CareLong):
Most people believe that a new car needs little if any care for the first week or so, not true. Most new vehicles leave the factory, they sit in dirt parking lots, they are transported by trains, trucks, or ships, and then they are generally subjected to the removal of transit plastic protection wrap and usually harsh washing conditions once they arrive at the car dealership.

Even new cars that have been setting on a car dealerships lot for a few weeks can accumulate surface contamination; don't assume a vehicle that looks good is contamination free

Acid rain, road salt, tree sap and airborne contaminants are very detrimental to a vehicles paint film surface. Brake dust or rail dust are very small, almost microscopic particles of steel, iron or their alloys. These particles carry a negative charge while the vehicles they land on are carrying a positive charge. The vehicle surface becomes a magnet, attracting and bonding the ferrous metal particles to the vehicle surface.

1. RapGard (Plastic Transit Film):
Many manufacturers are using this white plastic covering in place of synthetic or wax based shipping coatings (Cosmoline) The plastic becomes brittle with age (90 to 180 days) and becomes difficult to remove as it "shreds" while being pulled off, additionally there is excess adhesive residue left on the surface.
•Spray or wipe Isopropyl Alcohol on to the Rap Guard or Plastic Film and the painted surfaces.
•Allow it to remain on the surface for 3 to 5 minutes. Saturate a soft clean towel with Isopropyl Alcohol and gently wipe away the RapGard / Plastic Transit Film pieces and their adhesive.
•Wash vehicle with a car wash concentrate diluted 1 oz. per gallon of water any remove any residue with detailers clay.

2. Cleaning Tyres:
•Rinse thoroughly with a fairly strong stream of clean water to remove any loose road dirt etc., from tyre’s and wheel wells.
•Clean tyres with a rubber cleaner (3M Tire & Wheel Cleaner -39036) or a citrus-based APC (P21S Total Auto Wash)
•Use a water-based polymer tyre dressing (Zaino Z-16 Perfect Tire Gloss™)
•Apply a (UVR) protection to the tyres.

3. Detailers Clay:
•Divide the Detailer's Clay into equal pieces and knead into a ball to ensure pliability
•Take one of the pieces and flatten it out into a circle, approximately enough that it will fit into two or three fingers
•Spray a 2-foot by 2-foot surface with a lubricating solution (WooliteTM or Dreft™ / Water 5:1), ensure that the surface being clayed is always wet
•Glide the Clay across the area in a front to back in a straight-line aquaplaning type motion
•Use long strokes without lifting the clay from the surface
•Use a light to medium even pressure until the surface becomes smooth and silent.
•If the Clay is streaking on the paint, you need more to apply more lubricating solution, it is better to over lubricate the paint film surface than let it dry-out

4. Vinyl and hard plastic surfaces:
•Apply any dressings very sparingly as these surfaces don’t allow the dressings to penetrate very well
•Use a suitable matte type dressing (Iz Cockpit Premium) to ensure that there is no reflection on the windshield, reducing visibility.
•Apply a UVR protection (303 Space Protectant) especially to the dash and any other surface that is subjected to sunlight on a regular basis.

5. Surface Protection:
Regularly applied wax and/or a polymer sealant will both protect the paint surface from surface contamination that collects on a painted finish which includes, Industrial fallout (IFO), Rail Dust, Acid Rain, Hard Water Spots, Tar, Bird Droppings, Waxes/Silicones, Oxidation, Adhesive Residue, Road Grime Rust Stains.

6. Car Cover:
The greatest treats to the preservation of your vehicle are; Airborne Contaminants, Industrial Fallout (this includes Acid Rain) Ultra Violet Radiation (UVR) Oxidation, Bird Excrement and Brake Dust, wind blown debris and pollution.

Protect your investment with a car cover, outdoors, car covers offer unequalled protection against ultra-violet radiation (UVR) they are water resistant and provide protection from acid rain, pollution, bird excrement, tree sap and wind blown debris.

Enjoy your new (or 'new to you') vehicle

 

Jon, kudos for a very detailed explanation regarding initial maintenance for a new vehicle. Every new car owner should read n heed.

 

The dull rough layer on the lower front bumper did not come off with isopropyl alcohol but did finally come off (leaving beautiful Acura paint finish) with (I think) Z1, A Zaino paint cleaner. I have seen this once before on an Acura which had its rear bumper repainted and the whole left side of the car had this kind of dull rough finish. I think this is airborne contaminants in an active body shop settling on cars which are not the ones being worked on at that particular time. In any event, I'm much relieved. Today, I will wash, clay, wash again, apply the Zaino pre-polish adherence stuff (forget the number), then apply two coats of Z-2 and then Z-8. Enough already. This is a brand new car!

 

That's very odd that a brand new car needed a polish. Like Jon, I have never let a dealership touch my car. When it's a used car, I ask them not to touch it and tell them that I will take care of it. I have only bought one new car in my life, and I drove it home with the white plastic still on it. Then I spent the entire weekend going over every section, cleaning and protecting. My girlfriend was not happy!