Just picked up new car... and WHAT IS THIS?!

[rdaniels]

After waiting months for a car on order, my dealership last week offered me a screaming deal on a car that was in their showroom. I stopped in to see it - it was covered in dust and fine scratches, but seemed pretty par for the course for a car that had been glommed on by customers and clueless salesmen. I requested that they buff to remove the minor scratches, since it`s winter and too cold for any of my compounding solutions to work well (not to mention my hands). Picked the car up after dark, so couldn`t get a good look at what they had done.

Finally had a chance to clean and apply some sealant glaze this weekend, and was a bit disappointed to see spots like the attached. Two on the hood, one on the driver`s side door, a huge patch on the front bumper, and another on the roof.

What am I looking at? Is this a case where the clear coat failed to prime to the paint? What are the possible solutions?

[Buster906]

Can you feel a bubble like texture, if so I would say cleat coat failure and take the car back to the dealer.

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[rdaniels]

No, it`s perfectly smooth.

[The Guz]

I would take it back to the dealer and work with them on getting it fixed.

[Buster906]

Well, you have two choices. Experiment with the compound (s) or polishes you have to see what will occur or take back to the dealer.

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[rdaniels]

I`m going to approach the dealership first, and have forwarded pictures to the dealership`s warranty rep. I`m sure they`ll make it right, in their eyes, though I`m not sure I`d be thrilled with a repaint of 5 body panels on a brand-new car. While it`s not a hand-built Mercedes or Ferrari, the Focus RS is still a chunk of change and I`d hoped for better quality.

Was just curious to see if anyone had seen such a thing to know where to even start (besides the dealership).

[rlmccarty2000]

Looks like someone put a rag wet with some type of chemical on the paint. I agree, make it a dealer problem.

[WaxAddict]

Yeah, a chemical etch of some kind. If you try to fix it, and burn through the clear... Not that you would, but it is on edges. Tricky!

[Accumulator]

rdaniels- Don`t touch it. Don`t try to "fix" it. Take it back and demand satisfaction, however *YOU* define that. IMO it`s *VERY* likely that it can only be fixed with a paintgun and they owe you a repair.

To be perfectly honest, that would kill the car for me, but I`m a [nutjob] about such stuff.

Oh, and Welcome to Autopia! Truly sorry that you`re having to deal with such a thing

[jatleson]

They had a Focus RS just sitting on the lot? Thought those were tough to get.

[Accumulator]

Maybe the paint issue is why it was available, like...they were waiting for somebody to not notice it until the check cleared.

[msquared298]

Looks like there was moisture trapped in the wrapper far as I can tell. I work at Ford and have delivered three of these and happens on every one since they come from Germany and sat so long. This is the most extreme I`ve seen but usually you will see "ghosting" on the bumpers as well as the sides of the spoiler.

[SYMAWD]

It may have been caused if it was shipped to the dealer with that white plastic wrap and moisture got trapped underneath. If so, it should go away overtime or with a heat gun.

[SYMAWD]

Here is an example of one that happened where I work. It went away on its own in about a month.

[Accumulator]

Heh heh, at the risk of sounding like Mr. Doom and Gloom, you guys are a lot more optimistic, or maybe just more laid-back, than I`d be if that were my new car.