KRHagen

Hello and thanks for any help you can offer.

I just bought a certified used ES 350. I believe the color is starfire pearl. An “appearance package” was included with our purchase. I took the car in after discovering 3 or 4 very small chips in the paint near the bottom edges of the doors and they agreed to touch them up. When the car was returned it looked like they had put whiteout over the spots. The paint does not match. It is several shades whiter and has absolutely no sparkle. I asked about the multistage paint and they claimed that they can’t do it on such a small area and that the top coat would make the paint look yellow.

Has anyone else had this happen? Is it true what they are telling me or am I being fed a line?

John U

The only way to "touch up" a pearl is to repaint the whole panel. Bottle & brush is the standard for small chips

KRHagen

Have you had this done and did the bottle and brush match?

They told me the bight white paint is the best they could do. It is not even close to matching.

I guess what I want to know is if anyone has had a dealer use the bottle and brush with this starfire pearl and had it match the color of if it is in fact standard to just slap on bight white paint?

Joeb427

iTrader: (1)

The dealer probably didn't go with the three bottle step base,top coat and clear coat.Starfire Pearl is a tricoat process.

LexBob2

I bought a 3 step touch up kit for SP. With it, you can get a pretty good match for nicks and dings. I agree you need the three step process on this color.

Joeb427

iTrader: (1)

Just to be clearer,the first applied is the ground coat which is the color of the paint.Followed by the mid-coat which is the pearl effect and then the clear coat.

KRHagen

So just for clarification, in your opinions, the dealer is not being honest with me. Lexus does in fact make a 3 step touch up paint which is what they should have used but for some reason did not and then lied as said that they cannot touch up my color car.

So, I should go back and make them fix this?

Joeb427

iTrader: (1)

I bought a kit from AutomotiveTouchup.com.Haven't tried it yet.$26 shipped for 1/2 ounce bottles of ground coat,mid-coat and clear coat.
Go back and see what they say or buy a kit and do it yourself.I doubt they're going to do a 3 step touch up.

LexBob2

You might want to question the dealer on the value of the appearance package if that's how they touch up things. Those packages are money makers for the dealerships.

KRHagen

Trust me, That is an issue for another day. They called it a fee and wouldn't budge. I fought hard on that. It's the only reason I'm even having them do the paint repair and potentially making this a hill to die on....Otherwise I would have ordered the paint and fixed it myself.

Joeb427

iTrader: (1)

Appearance pkg you paid extra for?
Make them do it right.Correct 3 steps and not a quick touch up with probably the wrong paint.
Talk to the dealer GM.

Lefoyxxx

You should have voted with your feet when they would not remove the charge. They are pissing in your ear and telling you it is raining. The starfire pearl requires three different steps and paints

Bet it was not a Lexus dealer.

John U

I've had 3 pearl white vehicles. None of the factory three bottle paints have made me happy.

Joeb427

iTrader: (1)

I can believe that because it's a tough color for body shops to match but bright white the dealer used isn't even close.

KRHagen

Thanks for the input. I'm pretty convinced now that the dealership is full of crap and is feeding me a line. I called the cooperate Lexus number and they have set me up with someone to help get this issue fixed. Fingers crossed!