Removing Light Scratches From A Denim Finish?
- Thread starter Dispatch
- Start date
Accumulator
Well-known member
Isn`t that one of those surfaces that can`t really be corrected without changing the texture/appearance?
rlmccarty2000
Active member
Unfortunately I was thinking the same thing. Anything you would normally do to paint would cause shiney spots, which would probably look worse than the scratch. That paint looks very thin also.
Dispatch
Member
I was afraid of that.
So the bottom line is, it`ll have to be lived with for the life of the bike...
So the bottom line is, it`ll have to be lived with for the life of the bike...
Desertnate
Active member
I was afraid of that.
So the bottom line is, it`ll have to be lived with for the life of the bike...
Would it be possible to airbrush some touch-up paint? Not sure if it would blend properly or color match correctly.
Accumulator
Well-known member
Dispatch- That`s why I just *know* I couldn`t be happy with a non-gloss paint Some of today`s matte finishes are just SOOO cool IMO.
Some of today`s matte finishes are just SOOO cool IMO.
Dispatch
Member
I`m not sure and I wouldn`t know anyone competent enough to do such work correctly.
rlmccarty2000
Active member
Is there any way you can contact the bikes manufacturer and ask them for help? Seems like they would have thought of something if paintwork got scratched.
Dispatch
Member
The scratches were actually done by the Harley dealership that I bought it from new about two weeks ago, they picked it up and delivered the bike twice so far, I had some factory accessories put on and it seems it was `most likely` done while in the possession of their service department but I can`t be certain.
So far the only compensation they offered was to take the bike back to the shop to sand and paint the tank (no way).
Its a brand new bike I bought about two weeks ago and I haven`t even ridden it yet.
I don`t know if Harley corporate would even get involved, I can only figure they will pass the buck back to the dealership I bought it from.
If I had to guess, it was done by a buckle worn by one of the employees leaning one the bike while working on it?, as the tank medallion was marred too (attached), they really had to have dug into it hard to gouge and damage the aluminum emblem along with the two scratches. :angry:
Accumulator
Well-known member
Dispatch- What about having them pay for a shop you trust to reshoot it?
I guess it boils down to how much it bothers you. I can see both extremes..."no biggie, I`m gonna USE it HARD anyhow.."/"I can`t stand having it like that, I`d rather not own it".
I guess it boils down to how much it bothers you. I can see both extremes..."no biggie, I`m gonna USE it HARD anyhow.."/"I can`t stand having it like that, I`d rather not own it".
Desertnate
Active member
They offered to repaint the tank and you don`t want it done? Do you not trust them? Other than replacing the tank with one painted at the factory, I don`t know if there are any other options with a special paint finish.
Stokdgs
dansautodetailing.com
I am so sorry this had to happen to you...
Hey, its brand new and they damaged it...
It is their responsibility to make it perfect again with the original perfect denim paint on the tank.. A repaint of who knows what quality, is not acceptable...
If they have to go get another tank to accomplish this, too bad for them...
How are they reacting to your issue with their careless damage ??
If they are pushing back, etc., I would say, well, just give me my money back and I will go shop elsewhere for the bike.. I am very dissatisfied and this is NOT Acceptable...
And get the number for Corporate and call them and ask them to help you if needed..
Everyone needs to be held - accountable - for their actions... I am amazed that they did scratch it, and no one owned up to it when they must have seen it at the Shop... A good Shop would have owned the accident, and called you immediately, apologizing for the accident and asking you if they could keep it longer while they got you a new factory painted tank... Its as simple as that..
This might not be a good place to take your Harley to in the future anyway, if they are this careless; doesn`t ANYONE look at the Bike after its work is done to give it a final-final inspection???
I would have no problem walking in there, asking for the OWNER, telling him what happened, and asking him to make it right..
Dan F
Hey, its brand new and they damaged it...
It is their responsibility to make it perfect again with the original perfect denim paint on the tank.. A repaint of who knows what quality, is not acceptable...
If they have to go get another tank to accomplish this, too bad for them...
How are they reacting to your issue with their careless damage ??
If they are pushing back, etc., I would say, well, just give me my money back and I will go shop elsewhere for the bike.. I am very dissatisfied and this is NOT Acceptable...
And get the number for Corporate and call them and ask them to help you if needed..
Everyone needs to be held - accountable - for their actions... I am amazed that they did scratch it, and no one owned up to it when they must have seen it at the Shop... A good Shop would have owned the accident, and called you immediately, apologizing for the accident and asking you if they could keep it longer while they got you a new factory painted tank... Its as simple as that..
This might not be a good place to take your Harley to in the future anyway, if they are this careless; doesn`t ANYONE look at the Bike after its work is done to give it a final-final inspection???
I would have no problem walking in there, asking for the OWNER, telling him what happened, and asking him to make it right..
Dan F
Dispatch
Member
I appreciate the feedback, its very helpful and encouraging.
I spoke to the salesman I bought the bike from yesterday, he said he told the head supervisor in the service department yet no one has called to make it right or even apologize and I can not confirm who the delivery guy was on the phone with at the time of the damages were discovered but I can only assume it was a supervisor.
I told the salesman yesterday to tell the supervisor to have him call me but so far nothing.
Asking for a new tank makes me nervous being I don`t trust them anymore, I mean how do I know they won`t just try to repair it and pass it off as a new one?
They lied to me once already when I bought the bike, it had a dead battery that would not hold a charge when it was on the showroom floor before I bought it, the supervisor of the sales department assured me `if I bought it` he would make sure they replaced it with a brand new battery.
My thing on that is if that was so, there has got to be a work order put in for that, no?
About a week later when they were coming to pick it up to have more parts put on it, I found it was completely dead in the garage and it would not take a charge.
They never changed out the battery.
Either the supervisor lied to me and never put it in for replacement or whom ever it was in service tried to play slick and just put it on a charge hoping it would hold and figured I`d never know, which makes no sense because its under warranty being brand new, they don`t pay for the parts, Harley does.
Another thing they did carelessly was put a set of running lights on one of the bikes (we bought two), that I never asked for and they had to do a rush job and take it all off at the last minute or they would not have been delivered on that day as they said they would be.
My only regret is I already submitted the two surveys they asked me to put in asap.
Tomorrow I plan on calling to ask why no one bothered to call to address this.
I`m starting to get really pissed off at this point... :angry:
Stokdgs
dansautodetailing.com
I appreciate the feedback, its very helpful and encouraging.
I spoke to the salesman I bought the bike from yesterday, he said he told the head supervisor in the service department yet no one has called to make it right or even apologize and I can not confirm who the delivery guy was on the phone with at the time of the damages were discovered but I can only assume it was a supervisor.
I told the salesman yesterday to tell the supervisor to have him call me but so far nothing.
Asking for a new tank makes me nervous being I don`t trust them anymore, I mean how do I know they won`t just try to repair it and pass it off as a new one?
They lied to me once already when I bought the bike, it had a dead battery that would not hold a charge when it was on the showroom floor before I bought it, the supervisor of the sales department assured me `if I bought it` he would make sure they replaced it with a brand new battery.
My thing on that is if that was so, there has got to be a work order put in for that, no?
About a week later when they were coming to pick it up to have more parts put on it, I found it was completely dead in the garage and it would not take a charge.
They never changed out the battery.
Either the supervisor lied to me and never put it in for replacement or whom ever it was in service tried to play slick and just put it on a charge hoping it would hold and figured I`d never know, which makes no sense because its under warranty being brand new, they don`t pay for the parts, Harley does.
Another thing they did carelessly was put a set of running lights on one of the bikes (we bought two), that I never asked for and they had to do a rush job and take it all off at the last minute or they would not have been delivered on that day as they said they would be.
My only regret is I already submitted the two surveys they asked me to put in asap.
Tomorrow I plan on calling to ask why no one bothered to call to address this.
I`m starting to get really pissed off at this point... :angry:
Dispatch ---
2 bikes !!!
Then they either Snap Out of It or you get your money back for both...
The short "Work History" they have with you is a disaster...
I don`t blame you for wanting to move away from them for good..
Do they report to Harley Davidson Headquarters in Milwaukee ???
If so, I would be calling the President of Harley Davidson and expressing my dissatisfaction with this dealership and asking him to make it right ...
You really need to have a face to face with the Owner and tell him you want this nightmare gone, or that you want your money back because his dealership has done everything in an unacceptable manner, you have no faith in them for any future work, and you want no further contact with them...
Then you call the Better Business Bureau and lodge a complaint, and see about doing another submitting new surveys with new scores after this total fiasco...
If it gets rough, consider hiring an experienced in this type of law Attorney to put more pressure on them, if they are just plain dumbos over there...
Yeah, I would never put up with all that malarkey either...
Good luck with this --
Dan F
Dispatch
Member
The only complication is, when we bought the new bikes we negotiated a cash `out the door` price with our trades, if the money back thing were to happen how would that work with our old bikes?
One or both may have sold...
It was my dads bike that was damaged, other than the new tank replacement which as I said I don`t trust them to do, he was considering that they do the 1000 service complimentary, just not sure what else to consider...
SOB, we found a third scratch on the bike today.
One or both may have sold...
It was my dads bike that was damaged, other than the new tank replacement which as I said I don`t trust them to do, he was considering that they do the 1000 service complimentary, just not sure what else to consider...
SOB, we found a third scratch on the bike today.
GearHead_1
Long Time Member
I personally believe the right guy could paint this to your satisfaction, chances are he resides at your dealership. Yes, these guys actually exist. I also believe you could have a new tank shipped to you, you could always earmark yours on the bottom of the tank to know if it was replaced. It’s sad you don’t have the confidence needed to have a repeat customer relationship with these guys. I believe they need to understand this. Harley’s aren’t cheap, they need your business. The colors at the factory don’t stay exactly the same from day to day and you might also see a difference going this route. I think that gives you an edge with a local known quality painter. You might want to hit Ronkh up about his frustrations with his paint on his new Corvette a couple years back. I know he was worried about things being right when completed but let them do it and said it turned out to his expectations. He may be able to instill some level of confidence in you. At the end of the day you need to have an understanding with the dealership, it’s fixed when you say it’s fixed and it’s on their nickel until it’s made right.
Dispatch
Member
I spoke to the service manager after not getting a call back, my dad decided to go with what he offered today to replace the tank with a brand new one from the factory.
They said it will take about a month to get it as it has to be special ordered.
I personally don`t have any confidence in them but its not my call on this one so.
Thanks to everyone for the great help and advice.
They said it will take about a month to get it as it has to be special ordered.
I personally don`t have any confidence in them but its not my call on this one so.
Thanks to everyone for the great help and advice.
Dispatch
Member
Re: Removing Light Scratches From A Denim Finish? (Has Become A Nightmare).
You`re not going to believe this, they delivered the bike back today with the new gas tank on it and guess what we found...
That`s right.... more "new" damage to the bike!
Somehow they managed to gouge/deeply scratch the brand new gloss black engine guards which we had them put on when we bought the bikes.
And... they left the clutch cable clamp off, left it just hanging freely with the securing screw missing.
Not to mention once again it was delivered full of greasy fingerprints and dirty loaded with road filth and it looks like they put 10 miles on it.
Ironically before they picked it up last, my April 18th email with the service department manager said he would personally oversee that the bike was done right this time and that its treated with care during its time in his service department, his reply to me asking him to do this for me was "of course".
Yuck... yuck.
You`re not going to believe this, they delivered the bike back today with the new gas tank on it and guess what we found...
That`s right.... more "new" damage to the bike!
Somehow they managed to gouge/deeply scratch the brand new gloss black engine guards which we had them put on when we bought the bikes.
And... they left the clutch cable clamp off, left it just hanging freely with the securing screw missing.
Not to mention once again it was delivered full of greasy fingerprints and dirty loaded with road filth and it looks like they put 10 miles on it.
Ironically before they picked it up last, my April 18th email with the service department manager said he would personally oversee that the bike was done right this time and that its treated with care during its time in his service department, his reply to me asking him to do this for me was "of course".
Yuck... yuck.
Man I`m sorry to hear that they are so uncarefull on your fathers bike. Do you have any pictures of the engine shield before they did the work on the gas tank? Then I would contact the service manager and get him out to inspect the bike with you. And try not to wash it before he gets there. Do you have any information on what the speedometer stod on when turning it in? They could have been test drive it so it`s was no problem with the new gas tank. So maybe it was good that they didn`t washed it. But certainly get the engine shield deal sorted out.