Car sold as 'new' now showing signs of paint\body repair

[coolozzieguy]

Hi All,

Sorry for the long post, but this is the smallest I could condense it down to whilst covering needed info.

I need some advice please, it would be much appreciated.

I purchased a brand new (NOT a demo) WZ Fiesta ST in March last year (2015). It is an October 2014 build, and is Spirit Blue.

The car is leased through salary packaging, and for five years, so I have about 3.5 years left.

However, in the last few weeks or so, I have noticed some flaws in the paint. I noticed this whilst polishing\waxing the car. I have waxed the car twice before this, but not seen the flaws. Having done car restoration work with friends, etc on one of my own previous cars, and assisting others with theirs, I consider myself to have a medium-ish knowledge of car repair and paint maintenance. I can post pictures if people wish but they don't look like they do in real life, the camera can't always see the issues depending on the light situation, etc. There are five flaws that I have discovered, other than the fact that the LHS of the car now seems a slightly lighter and 'thinner' shade of blue compared to the right. These are:

1: On the LHS rear quarter panel, where the paint meets (poorly) the quarter window, you can easily make out the clear doesn't go all the way to the edge of the colour. Also, pinhead\pitting type defects are visible along the edge area.

2: Keeping on the LHS rear quarter, right where the 'Hofmeister Kink' part of the C Pillar is. In this location, you can see a blend\feathered section appearing out of the paint, also with pinhead\pitting spots appearing.

3: On the passenger door, from one end to the other, on the lowest part below the 'crease' down towards the edge of the door (an area about 1in tall), there is what appears to be clear overspray. This has created a rough feeling area, all the way along, that is turning a slight milky\cloudy colour.

4: Also on the passenger door, at the edge of the door skin towards the B Pillar end, there is what appears to be a run that was half-heartedly wet rubbed, and is also showing some white dots.

5: Again on the passenger door, towards the hinge end right at the bottom corner, there is a clear 'drip' that is hardened clear, that solidified into what I thought was a water drop when I first washed it. I was happy to live with this as it was too minor to worry about, and it almost looked like a robotic type error, but not combined with the other issues I have since found, listed above.

I took the car to a local panel beater (who also restores older\classic cars as well) across the road from my dad's business. He works mainly on his own and has about 20 years’ experience working from small restoration type panel shops to the big production line style 'crash repairers'. He looked over the car and agreed with my findings, plus also found some tape residue on the inner of the LHS door skin and B-Pillar that I missed. He said it didn't appear to have been in a crash as such, but agreed the LHS of the car had been repaired and resprayed. He was gobsmacked when I told him this was sold to me as 'new' car, not a demo.

Some purchasing background:

When I ordered the car, I ordered what I was told was 'Performance Blue', as this was what was on the website. However, I was called by the salesman who said this was a discontinued colour, and the new colour was 'Spirit Blue'. I was fine with this, but wanted to confirm the colour myself, as I was advised it was slightly lighter. I drove to their 'PD Warehouse' and briefly sighted the car with the salesman, and agreed the colour was ok. I went home, after getting told the car would be ready for me to collect 'early next week', but 'by Tuesday'.

Thursday that next week, I call the salesman, who advised me "it is still getting prepared, and we are pretty busy at the moment," which they genuinely appeared to be (this dealer is also a Hyundai dealer, and seem to sell nothing but Rangers and i30s) "it will be ready Monday". So I let it slide.

Wednesday the week after arrives, and I still haven't got a call or email. I call in the afternoon, and after the countless people who I got shuffled to and fro with, I eventually made it to the salesman. He somewhat abruptly told me words to the effect of "I told you we were still preparing it, it will be ready next Thursday". I bit my tongue, and then asked "So why does it take three weeks to PD a car you already have?" I was then told words to the effect of "Thats how long it takes, if you were in a rush for a car you should of ordered one of the i30s I spoke to you about" (upon first meet, he tried to sell me an i30, saying they had 'good deals on them', even though I and the lease company made it clear beforehand I wanted a Fiesta ST) "it will be ready next Thursday".

The following Friday, (after not hearing anything on Thursday, of course) I had to be home in the morning before work as I was getting a tree trimmed. I got a call just as they were finishing the tree (about 10:30am) from the salesman, saying words to the effect of "The car is ready for you, please come and get it". I replied "I need to speak to my boss, as we are busy at work and it is hard for me to get away during the day (it was hard enough getting the morning for the tree) so can I come by about 3:30- 4-ish"? He replied with "I am leaving early today, about 1:30-2pm" (it was the Friday before a long weekend). I said "Thats ok, I don't mind dealing with someone else if you need to leave earl-" and he cut me off with "You will deal with me, I am the one dealing with your lease company, if you want your car today you'll be here before 1pm, otherwise you won't be picking it up until Tuesday". I replied with a slightly surprised 'ok fine', drove to work, apologised to the boss, and got one of my workmates to drop me off at the dealer. As we left for the dealer, the rain started to pour down.

My workmate dropped me off at their PD warehouse, and I met the salesman. We went to the car, which was parked in a slightly dark-ish corner near the exit door, and whilst spotless, was quite wet (maybe from the rain). The salesman showed me into the car, showed me how to start it, and showed me the usual "This is the lights, indicators, wipers," etc. At this point I cycled through the trip computer, to the Odo, which showed 84Km. I asked the salesman why it was so high for a new car. He ummed and ahhed a bit, replied with "We had to purchase it from another dealer, that’s why it has these kays on it". This made me a little wary after all that happened over the past three weeks, so I tried my best to look over the car for flaws. However, as it was inside a large open and dimly lit shed, and very wet, it wasn't easy. I also looked over the interior, which was fine. We then finished the paperwork, shook hands and I drove off into the bucketing rain back to work. The whole handover process was otherwise smooth and fuss free.

The advice I need is that, as mentioned, the car was purchased new. I am not blaming the salesman, the dealer, the dealer they purchased it from, etc. I am simply asking (after all the above) what would be the best way to approach the dealer\salesman over the issue? I want to keep everything in email form for paper trail purposes, but don't want to get them offside with me before we even start going through the issue. The salesman was never shouty, angry or abusive, but was somewhat passive-aggressive for much of the buying experience. I was even charged a $19 'vehicle inspection fee' which he never told me about, but I did see weeks later on the invoice sent to the salary packaging company. I basically was going to write a gently worded email, stating what I have found, and attaching pictures. I can even sign all the stat-`decs, in all the gin-joints in all the world to say it hasn't been crashed by me, and even get my insurer to do the similar. To me the initial email contact is not unreasonable; however I have seen this dealer mentioned in a few bad cases here on FF where the customer seems to have been treated quite poorly when they want to raise issues their vehicles have. I won't name the dealer, but their massive PD warehouse is near Braeside, which is across the road from their main holding yard, jam packed even now with the aforementioned Rangers and i30s. Maybe I should have just purchased the boring-as, juice box on wheels (Crazy Dazz ), instead of the otherwise excellent can of Red Bull I have now...