Dealer using 1500 grit wet sanding

I am not going to repost everything said above, but your calculus analogy is the point I was making. First, you learn everything you can before the test, then you go in prepared. You don't run out in the middle of the test and ask your resource "what about this".



I try to look at the people doing the job that they may want to do a good job, but aren't allowed by the constraints of their bosses. So, after awhile, if they have pride in their workmanship, they leave. Most people want to do a good job, and want to have pride in their work.



The pro's on this forum are willing to share their experience with us (the novice). That is good, cuz it only helps us to get better, but if we really want to have a great car, or need the paint finish fixed right I go to the pro.



I hope you don't have anymore problems with your new car, 'cuz you are probably branded as a PIA at that dealership.
 
auto eddie said:
I am not going to repost everything said above, but your calculus analogy is the point I was making. First, you learn everything you can before the test, then you go in prepared.
Click to expand...

I totally agree that given the time I should of done all the research before hand, but I didn't have time to learn everything necessary before the test, so to speak. I did the best I could in the situation/time provided.



auto eddie said:
You don't run out in the middle of the test and ask your resource "what about this".
Click to expand...

If you don't know the answer and you have the option, sure you do. :D



auto eddie said:
I try to look at the people doing the job that they may want to do a good job, but aren't allowed by the constraints of their bosses. So, after awhile, if they have pride in their workmanship, they leave. Most people want to do a good job, and want to have pride in their work.



The pro's on this forum are willing to share their experience with us (the novice). That is good, cuz it only helps us to get better, but if we really want to have a great car, or need the paint finish fixed right I go to the pro.



I hope you don't have anymore problems with your new car, 'cuz you are probably branded as a PIA at that dealership.
Click to expand...

I might be branded as a PIA, but if so, there's not much I can do about it and I really don't think I'm being irrational. I plan on being very cordial to them when I go to Mazda and thank them for helping me. I'll be lying through my teeth, but I do what's necessary. I might also go up to the body shop and thank the manager there for doing such a good job on my car. Depending on how my car looks, that shouldn't be a lie.



I think them having my car 3 days now is more than sufficient time to remove some tree sap. Granted it probably sat on the car for months, but still. I can always go to the other Mazda dealership for servicing and such. It's actually closer (by about 2 minutes or something) so it's not a big difference to me.



I called them about 20 minutes ago and they said it wasn't ready yet and they'd call me back. :wall I guess we'll see if they actually do or not...
 
Ok, update time...



I got a call from the sales manager at the dealership and he said they couldn't get it out of the paint completely. :sadwavey:



Now the good part... they're trading me cars with a brand new one they just got in that's the same model.



:clap:



So it turned out pretty awesome.



Thanks to everybody for helping me out. :heelclick
 
My5ABaby said:
Ok, update time...



I got a call from the sales manager at the dealership and he said they couldn't get it out of the paint completely. :sadwavey:



Now the good part... they're trading me cars with a brand new one they just got in that's the same model.



:clap:



So it turned out pretty awesome.



Thanks to everybody for helping me out. :heelclick
Click to expand...



Do not let them prep your car!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



If you do you will find swirls/holograms (99% of the time.) after a few days, especially on a black car.



Be smart!!!!
 
My5ABaby- Hey, that's *GREAT* news! Glad to hear you're doing business with an honorable dealer.



Please take tdekany's advice and do the cosmetic prep yourself (if that's possible, perhaps they already prepped the new one). FWIW, I let the dealer take the transit film off my Mazda MPV (against my better judgment) and sure enough, they caused two scratches that are too deep to be removed.



And don't let anybody tell you they "have to take it off"; I've taken delivery of plenty of new vehicles "in the plastic". Heh heh, my Audi dealer *insists* that I take them that way so they can't be blamed for any damage :D
 
tdekany said:
Do not let them prep your car!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



If you do you will find swirls/holograms (99% of the time.) after a few days, especially on a black car.





Be smart!!!!
Click to expand...



^^^ +10000000:2thumbs:
 
My5ABaby said:
If I don't let them prep my car what will I need to do to it?
Click to expand...



Most dealer prep consists of removing the shipping plastic and protective pieces, making sure all fluids are filled, completion of a safety and inventory checklist, and then.... *shiver*.... a trip through the dealer's new car cleaning process. Typically, they'll wash (read: mar and scratch) your paint more in their one wash than you would in five years. They'll also do this to your wheels. Also, if they find any scratches that were already there or perhaps that they caused, they'll use a very cheap, short lived glaze to hide it. They have also been known to use a rotary buffer (dealers shouldn't be allowed to own rotary buffers) to attempt to remove scratches that glaze couldn't hide. Holograms, buffer trails, etc. will usually show up after you've washed your car a few times.



The problem is that if you are buying from inventory that is already on the lot, they have already done the initial prep and damage to your car's finish. If that's the case, *do not* let them wash it again. No use in causing a total of ten year's washing damage before you even get behind the wheel. Ideally, you want to be there when they're taking the car off of the transport truck. *You* want to be the one that removes the transport plastic, and do the first wash. Some dealers will agree to this, some won't.
 
SuperBee364 said:
Most dealer prep consists of removing the shipping plastic and protective pieces, making sure all fluids are filled, completion of a safety and inventory checklist, and then.... *shiver*.... a trip through the dealer's new car cleaning process. Typically, they'll wash (read: mar and scratch) your paint more in their one wash than you would in five years. They'll also do this to your wheels. Also, if they find any scratches that were already there or perhaps that they caused, they'll use a very cheap, short lived glaze to hide it. They have also been known to use a rotary buffer (dealers shouldn't be allowed to own rotary buffers) to attempt to remove scratches that glaze couldn't hide. Holograms, buffer trails, etc. will usually show up after you've washed your car a few times.



The problem is that if you are buying from inventory that is already on the lot, they have already done the initial prep and damage to your car's finish. If that's the case, *do not* let them wash it again. No use in causing a total of ten year's washing damage before you even get behind the wheel. Ideally, you want to be there when they're taking the car off of the transport truck. *You* want to be the one that removes the transport plastic, and do the first wash. Some dealers will agree to this, some won't.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. In this case I don't have much choice about the receiving thing. He did say it was a brand new car (as in just shipped) so I'll call in the morning and tell them not to wash it and hope they haven't already.



Will I need to wax it or anything right away if I don't let the dealer touch it?
 
My5ABaby said:
Will I need to wax it or anything right away if I don't let the dealer touch it?
Click to expand...



Yeah, you should still do the full detail job. What "full detail job" entails depends on who you are and how involved you want to get, but I'd at least clay it and wax it. At the *very* least use a cleaner wax and then rewax with some non cleaner wax after the next wash.



Just FWIW, when I buy a new vehicle I spend quite a few days prepping it before I put it into service. I start with a three-step decontamination process...but I'm awfully extreme about this stuff :o
 
auto eddie said:
I hope you don't have anymore problems with your new car, 'cuz you are probably branded as a PIA at that dealership.
Click to expand...



Eddie, every customer at a stealership is branded PIA:grinno: ...... sounds like (by your constant defending them) that you probably work at one in there "detail" hack "shop" no doubt.



If a dealership screws up something, they need to fix it, no different with any business.



I've had dealerships hire me to do correction on there customers cars before due to lousy prep guys swirling them up. There own management complained about there prep guys if that tells you anything.:p
 
Originally Posted by auto eddie



I hope you don't have anymore problems with your new car, 'cuz you are probably branded as a PIA at that dealership.
Click to expand...



Sorry. but if I am going to spend a good amount of my hard earned money on a car, you are damned right I am going to be a pain in the a** if they serew up or jerk me around.



I have walked out of dealerships before, and will do it again and again.

You want my business? Earn it!
 
^^^ agreed, $ doesn't grow on trees these days, and my $ is good as anybody else's. we won't even get into how shady the salesguy was when i bought my car either...
 
3 miles on it. :D That means nobody test drove it or anything.



They had already washed it to get the adhesive crap off from the laminate (or w/e it is) but they hadn't waxed/glazed/whatever else they do to it yet.



My plan is...



1. Wash

2. Clay

3. Wax



Sound good?



Accumulator said:
Yeah, you should still do the full detail job. What "full detail job" entails depends on who you are and how involved you want to get, but I'd at least clay it and wax it. At the *very* least use a cleaner wax and then rewax with some non cleaner wax after the next wash.



Just FWIW, when I buy a new vehicle I spend quite a few days prepping it before I put it into service. I start with a three-step decontamination process...but I'm awfully extreme about this stuff :o
Click to expand...

I have clay and wax (NXT paste) so I'll just do those I guess. I just bought all of this stuff today so I'm a bit (read: brand spankin') new at this.



So should I get some cleaner wax (if so, what?) and use that this time after claying or just use the NXT paste I have after claying?
 
My5ABaby- The first thing to do is take delivery and evaluate the condition of the finish. THEN we can figure out what you oughta use on it. Best case: NXT will be fine if that's what you like; worst case: you'll have to buy a polish to use first before you wax it.



Clay will clean the paint, so yeah, generally speaking your clay-then-NXT plan sounds good.



Although I sympathize with the desire to know what you're gonna do, get products lined up, and prep the car the instant you get it...the best thing is to wait and do the inspection. Then you'll know what's really called for. Who knows how well they did their cleanup :nixweiss



I can't help but think of my MPV...all they did was remove the transit-wrap and wash off the residue. The silver paint looked OK when I picked it up...but once I really inspected it I realized that I had a monumental job ahead of me to get it looking the way I wanted it. The good news is that it's been pretty easy to *keep* it looking that way :D
 
Accumulator said:
My5ABaby- The first thing to do is take delivery and evaluate the condition of the finish. THEN we can figure out what you oughta use on it. Best case: NXT will be fine if that's what you like; worst case: you'll have to buy a polish to use first before you wax it.



Clay will clean the paint, so yeah, generally speaking your clay-then-NXT plan sounds good.



Although I sympathize with the desire to know what you're gonna do, get products lined up, and prep the car the instant you get it...the best thing is to wait and do the inspection. Then you'll know what's really called for. Who knows how well they did their cleanup :nixweiss



I can't help but think of my MPV...all they did was remove the transit-wrap and wash off the residue. The silver paint looked OK when I picked it up...but once I really inspected it I realized that I had a monumental job ahead of me to get it looking the way I wanted it. The good news is that it's been pretty easy to *keep* it looking that way :D
Click to expand...



The paint looked to be in good condition with very few swirls or blemishes or any sort. I washed it and inspected again and it looked great. Unlike my 'old new' car that had sat out for months this one has a build date of July and apparently just came off a truck.



I'm uncomfortable at this point doing any sort of polishing. I've clay barred before (basically playing with it on my old car's paint) and that's about it. I've never waxed a vehicle (I know, shame on me) and I just now learned there you should use 2 buckets when washing. Basically, everything you can do wrong during a car wash I've done. The reason I'm here is because this is a brand new car and I want to do things right.



I did find one spot that I'm going to talk to the dealer about. Something appears to be embedded in the clear-coat on the lower part of my rear driver side door. It's in a weird spot so I didn't notice it on my previous inspection.



I don't want to rush into polishing and such without more research. Anything that can be done wrong and mess up my clear-coat I'm wary of. I'll also probably experiment on my old car ('86 RX-7). I can't really do anything more to cause swirls/scratches/etc. It's pretty rough (understatement).



I 2 bucket washed, dried, and then waxed it yesterday, all of which are firsts for me. All I'll say about my old method (so as to not cause any tears) is it involved quarters and then driving really fast. :o





As a side note I looked at my old new car when I went to get my new one and it was rough. There were swirls, scratches, holograms... I expected more out of a body shop but I was sorely mistaken. I wasn't sure what a hologram meant, after reading it on here, until I looked at that car. It became painfully obvious.
 
At this stage I'm looking for sustaining/protecting the paint quality and then I'll be moving into perfecting it. I also don't have access to a garage so any work will be in a carport, at best.
 
My5ABaby said:
At this stage I'm looking for sustaining/protecting the paint quality and then I'll be moving into perfecting it. I also don't have access to a garage so any work will be in a carport, at best.
Click to expand...



Check into a product called Zaino Show Car Polish. Get the Z5, Clear Seal and Z6 it will outlast anything you've ever imagined, it's all I'll ever use on a clients car. I put two coats on my truck and after 4 months it was still beading like crazy and slick.



Check it out, seriously. It's how you want to start a new car off.



Josh
 
My5ABaby- Glad to hear things turned out so well, and also that you're learning a lot about this stuff!



I wonder if clay will remove the weird spot. Be a little careful about what you let the dealer do, lest they make things worse instead of better.



Enjoy your new car :D
 
Accumulator said:
My5ABaby- Glad to hear things turned out so well, and also that you're learning a lot about this stuff!



I wonder if clay will remove the weird spot. Be a little careful about what you let the dealer do, lest they make things worse instead of better.



Enjoy your new car :D
Click to expand...

It may. It looks like something (dirt spec?) is attached to the base coat and then the clear was sprayed over/around it. I'll look again and maybe take some pictures.



And I will enjoy my new car. :) I haven't driven it much because my commuting for now is between my house and college (~3 miles). Taking any car to campus will end up with dents, dings, and scratches. I'm still taking my old car to prevent my shiny new paint from getting mangled. The new car is my transportation to my field practice (social work) which is about an hour away. I don't start that until mid October so after then I'll be enjoying my car every Tue/Thursday.



JoshVette said:
Check into a product called Zaino Show Car Polish. Get the Z5, Clear Seal and Z6 it will outlast anything you've ever imagined, it's all I'll ever use on a clients car. I put two coats on my truck and after 4 months it was still beading like crazy and slick.



Check it out, seriously. It's how you want to start a new car off.



Josh
Click to expand...

Sounds like exactly what I'm looking for. I like how the Clear Seal says apply and let dry. It's pretty hard for me to screw that one up. :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top