Brand new car - respray for minor chip or not

Jono8

Jono8

Jono8

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Wanted to get the general consensus here on this.

Picked up my brand new Fiesta ST a couple of weeks ago and on collection day I noticed a very small chip on the front "lip" of the bonnet. It looks like someone had caught it when opening/closing the bonnet, possibly with a ring or something.

I noticed and said I was not happy and we came to a deal whereby they would rectify the chip and also give me the 5 year Ford warranty extension (which I was going to buy anyway), worth £260 for free.

It is going into their body shop (the dealers proper Ford body shop) to have it done but the guy I spoke to said they would be sanding down the area and blending etc. They have assured me that if I am not happy with it they will do it again until I am and that obviously all my Ford paint warranty will stay completely intact.

However today I have been having second thoughts about the whole thing. The chip is only noticeable when going up close and scrutinising the front of the bonnet but I know it is there and I don't think a brand new car should have these blemishes so I want it fixed. At the same time though, I am concerned that the bonnet will no longer have the factory finish and I have read nothing a bodyshop can do, no matter how good will be as good as the factory paint job. I have a very keen eye so I know i will notice any slight discrepancy.

I doubt I will get anything else from the dealer as compensation if I choose not to go ahead with the repair as they have already given me the warranty extension and offered to put right the chip.

I am just not sure what to do at this stage. :(

What would you guys do in this situation?
 
I would have it fixed and accept the warranty extension. If it's not good enough when you collect then reject it. A small chip is a simple fix for a body shop. You would be surprised how many new cars have a few chips or scuffs that are fixed by the body shop before sale....
 
It'll come out perfect and you'll never know, trust me my brand new car's front bumper, rear bumper, boot and quarter panels were all painted.

Don't worry!
 
Jono8 said:
I am concerned that the bonnet will no longer have the factory finish and I have read nothing a bodyshop can do, no matter how good will be as good as the factory paint job. I have a very keen eye so I know i will notice any slight discrepancy.
Click to expand...

Personally I'd say it's the other way around, modern cars paintwork is awful & generally full of orange peel.

If my Capri comes back from painting with a "Factory Finish" they can paint it again!

I can get a smoother finish with a rattlecan, lol.
 
I'd go for the warranty
I'd have it painted

I don't know, if you have it touched in you'll see it even if it's perfect, you'll know it's been done and it will nag you however I wouldn't want my car pulled apart and sprayed even it it's an 'approved' body shop.

I think I'd take the repair and warranty if you're keeping it for 5 years
 
My Swift Sport had a scuff on one of the wings when I test drove it. The dealership had it sprayed before I collected it and did a cracking job. I don't think its worth getting in any kind of flap over, just get them to sort it.
 
Well I already have the warranty for free. That was done on the day. It is just the question of whether to go through with having the repair done. I already have it booked in for next week, I am just getting cold feet about it and wondering if I would rather just have the little chip than have my bonnet re-sprayed.
 
Look back for my thread about approved body shops and getting a brand new car sprayed due to a fault...

I ended up with a new car...
 
Just get it fixed it will be under warranty for corrosion as its being done by the dealer. You could get a new car that's had more done that you will never know about.

A factory paint job is crap. A decent body shop could do a far better job but it's not cost effective. On a Ford it's just sprayed with a robot and any blemishes fixed afterwards.
 
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It'll be fine. 5 years free warranty is worth a whole lot more than a small chip (that'll be repaired anyway), given the inevitable appearance of more bonnet chips once the car hits a motorway.
 
Hopefully you wouldn't need the paintwork warranty anyway as you will unlikely have the car long enough (even at 5 years, hopefully). But I would make sure there is a not of it in the history somewhere, as otherwise it may be a battle further down the line when they say it's been touched up so they are rejecting the claim.

I wouldn't be happy either, but if you don't get it repaired, that pretty much nulls the warranty straight away anyway, so you either suck it up and get it done, or ask for a new car.
 
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