Following recent talk on rejecting cars, I noticed the 'Ask HJ' question from a chap who bought a new black RAV4, paid for ceramic paint treatment and 3 days later (first time in the sun) found it covered in very bad swirl marks and 'looks terrible'. He's a 'car polisher' and knows what a black car should look like. He's taken it back to the dealer and been told that they'll get 'some body shop person' to polish them out.
The advice is to let a bodywork specialist have a go at it, and if they can't remedy it satisfactorily 'you'll have strong grounds to reject the car or demand a sizeable discount'.
I was a bit disappointed with the answer TBH, on several grounds - not least the missed opportunities for good advice. My thoughts were:
1. Not a good idea to buy paint protection from the dealer. Often over priced. You don't know who's going to do it (the bloke who washes the cars on the forecourt?) or what they're going to use, or if they've done it before. Seriously? On your brand new £30,000+ car?
2. New paint takes time to harden properly. On a new car it's often recommended to gently wash and maybe use detailing spray only.
3. My understanding is that before a ceramic coat is applied the paintwork needs to be decontaminated and polished properly. Bet the dealer didn't do that.
4. It will probably need a two stage polish etc to correct. Likely to cost upwards of £600 including ceramic. Polishing will remove some clearcoat so your new car will have a thinner clearcoat (how much this matters depends on how much clearcoat is removed).
5. Any reasonable person would probably agree that a brand new car in this condition is not of satisfactory quality. There are grounds to reject it now. Letting anybody fiddle with it will only complicate things.
6. Practical advice should have been given. Take lots of photos highlighting swirls in whatever lighting best shows them up. Document everything. Give notice to the dealer that you are exercising your sort-term right to reject the car under CRA 2015.
7. (I know I always bang on about this, but it's important!). If you bought the car on HP/PCP the finance company not the dealer is liable. Give the finance company notice that you are rejecting the car and give them 7 days to say what they're going to do about it. It is up to them to refund you, or repair/replace if you're happy to accept that. Whether it's the dealer or the finance company, start with rejection -you can always compromise down to repair and partial refund if you wish.
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