MLSC430

you know what Deanski ? i am with you, i know you can't do anything about road debris but come on....!!! these are $60K+ cars..... not some cheap *** hondas or toyotas (well they are toyotas in japan. ) i really think lexus should come out with some solutions, i know what you feel, i have lots of chips in my car too, and they make the car look really bad..... i am thinking about painting the hood, but guess what? the resale value drops......

Deanski

If Lexus would just come out and admit to the paint problems and or acknowledgement of both paint/body style as a contributing factor to the customers and update ALL their dealer as to this issue we could have then made a decision as to paint protection and the dealers ccould have then updated the vehicle's information that the customer has decided to accept the possibility of damage to the paint or accepted a paint protection product.

This way, Lexus has more information from the field as to those vehicles that have it or do not have it and then can try to formulate a new type of paint or better protection system that maybe other vehicle manufactures would like to look into.

I think that if everyone when they took delivery of their SC430 were informed that it is susceptible to stone chipping and the dealer offered AutoGlove or whatever for a small fee, I sure would have had it installed prior to picking it up. If you were shown two pictures of a SC430 without paint protection and all the chips on the hood and one with the protection on and NO chips, what would you do?

A car of this style and Lexus prestige should not be so easly damaged, and Lexus should offer to repair the chipping for now at no cost until the fix is in place.

Again, the more that owners call into Lexus Customer Service and complain as to the paint chipping on your SC430 and what can they do to prevent this from happening, they HAVE to act! Do it now before it's too late or you'll end up with the lunar surface on your nice new $63K car!

Once the dealer has the touch-up done, I'm having it flat-bedded to AutoGlove!

Your thoughts?

Regards,

Deanski

Deanski

OK, the car is at the dealer and they are repairing the chipped areas (yes more than one) and they are resolving the swirl marks as well.

I'm so fed up with the lack of support from Lexus, that I'm having ArmorGlove send a crew up to the dealer and start installing their product. They have the best crew who can wrap the hood. I've seen their work on some high-end vehicles in our area. Very nice work!

I'm having the hood wrapped (under the hood) up to 26" up the hood, all the front bumper/aair-dam, headlights, area above the lights on fender called "wings", door cups, side mirrors, all wheel rises, rocker panels.. whew! This is going to cost me a bundle, with not even Lexus offering to come up with some compensation. All this just so I can enjoy this car without the chips. They charge $65hr for labor to install, and all this will take several hours!

Funny thing, they gave me a new '03 ES300 with 21K miles on it and the white metallic paint, NO CHIPPING!

So Friday, I'll finally get my car back, but I'll be paying for the ArmorGlove!

Once I get it back, I'll update this post as well.

Also, those of you who are fussy as I am with your paint, see the Autopia website for detailing info and reviews/tips etc. Autopia . You HAVE to register to view the site. Check out the download books, their guide is very nice. All sorts of info at this site pertaining to detailing and which product works for what etc..

Regards,
Deanski

Deanski

Well, It went in on Tuesday and I picked it up today AFTER ArmorGlove did the car.

I put my faith in the dealer only to be let down!

1) Swirl marks still there even though I requested that they be removed.
2) Chipped areas, one, possibly two were corrected and badly I may add! They missed the ones on the front bumper/air-dam which I circled in black china marker with arrows!
3) ArmorGlove did a fantastic job! Only problem... It's over the still crappy chip repairs!!

The chip repair you can feel through the ArmorGlove. What should have been built-up and wet sanded down, clear-coat touchup and polish, was just filled by what looks like touchup paint from a bottle!

Swirl marks, still there!

I'm not a happy camper, more like pissed off one at this point!

The service manager made his statements and comments, but still doesn't resolve the problem!

I will escalate this up again to Lexus, and demand that they send me to someone who can make the needed repairs correctly.

This would mean the film would have to be removed, the chips repaired and the film re-applied in two areas!

All I can say to those that DO NOT have paint protection film... GET IT NOW!!!

Now I'm going to start MY prep on the finish, a good amount of Zaino Z5 and Z2 to bring the shine up, then maybe top it with S100 or Zymol Japon. At least I know I can remove the swirls!

ArmorGlove did some nice custom work on protecting it, and for that I am grateful!

What a letdown from Lexus!

Your thoughts and comments appreciated,
Deanski

ToyLexmods

Well,

My only thought was to have the chips prof airbrushed. The dealer detail staff are a bunch of complete idi#$%. Cant do much about it now....but maybe if the chips were repaired first and then you should have inspected the work before going over to Autoglove.

Remember, who paid the 60k for this car. Do you think anyone at the dealer really cares to have the paint perfect? I doubt it....further to let the dealer detail staff (read they are paid about $10 dollars/hr) try to take out some swirl marks if flat dangerous. I would want nobody going to town on my paint with any buffer and compound. Arrrrrgh!

Good luck and please Zaino that car.

Deanski

ToyLexmods:

The car was "Gloved" at the dealership prior to my inspection. I WAS to drive it to Armorglove but decided not to and just have a crew show up at the dealer to do the work.

You're right, I should have inspected the car prior to "Gloving" it, but now I'm faced to escalate this to Lexus Customer Service once again.

To make this right, Lexus should agree to have the paint repaired at an authorized Lexus body shop, which would require the "glove" to be removed and then re-applied at their cost.

I'll let everyone know what happens.

Now, I have to start removing the swirls... Have to pick up a fresh bottle of Menzerna FP, then I can start on the Zaino again.

So much for customer service....

Deanski

ToyLexmods

Deanski,

Sorry to hear of your troubles but it does pay to step in at key steps to inspect what has been done. Esp if you want it perfect. Like I said...your the one you dropped the 60k for this car. I still say look into prof paint airbrush for the chips. I would not want a panel repaint at any costs.....some of these airbrush pros can work wonders. This is a dealer level screw up and Lexus corp will do nothing. I would just get the couple of chips airbrushed and regloved and call it good.

We have been looking at SC430s to replace our SC400 but I cant bear to part with our 92SC4...it only goes out in the summer months, just turned 80k and still looks new. There is a company in Aust that just finished production of a roots style supercharger and its very tempting. I think we need to drive a SC430 the next time we take a trip down to Denver. I would hate to spend so much on a new car and then park it for 6 months of the year. Tough call...I already park 2 other Toyota hot rods in the winter months in addition to the SC400.

dseag2

Toylexmods, do you by any chance know of any national distributorships that do airbrush painting?

My Silver SC430 has a few stone chips on the hood, but I've touched them up myself and used Langka to smooth out the touchups. I'm pretty satisfied with the results. My greatest problem is with the AutoCouture front lip spoiler that was installed and painted by the Lexus body shop. The paint used on the spoiler is really thin and chips at the drop of a hat. That is something that could definitely be touched up by airbrush, and I definitely don't want to go back to Lexus about it. They are not experts at this and are not really interested in resolving it.

BTW, Deanski, I'm certainly sympathic to your situation. I'm going through the same thing with my SC, and I only use it on weekends as well. However, I don't expect Lexus to resolve this. The way the car is shaped makes the hood a stone chip magnet and I don't consider that Lexus' problem. Plus, I just can't take time out of my schedule to go back and forth with Lexus. I'd rather just find someone that specializes in this and pay for it. After that I'll go with AutoGlove. Anyway, I hope you work out a resolution. I know we're all nuts about our cars and want to keep them as pristine as possible. Keep us posted!

DSeag2

Deanski

Dseag2,

You are correct, it's not covered under Lexus warranty, but come on now Lexus, how long did they know about this? Why couldn't they notify the field, the people who sell these cars that there is a serious potential problem with stone chipping the finish and to strongly recommend a paint protection film?

Anyway, I'm just P.O'd that even AFTER I circled EACH paint defect (stone chips and purple stains) that the dealer accepted the car back, and Armorglove went and installed the film. The surprising thing, Armorglove personnel once they were back at thier office and I contacted them if they finished the car, THEY informed me that there were still some type of paint defect on the front bumper. They assumed that I accepted it, and installed all the film. Not there fault, they did a superb job!

I have contacted Jeff Shimizu at Lexus Customer Service, and he has to hear from the dealer how they want to handle it. My responce to him was I got this car not knowing of the problem, and once it did happen, how to correct this in the future for other owners. I told him that I can see the repair and it just was not acceptable. After all, I have to live with it, NOT Lexus or the dealer. I have to see it everyday!

If the dealer service manager knew how fussy I am about this car, as he commented that it looked better than the one in the showroom! I circled each one in black china marker when I dropped it off, why did he accept it back? Just poor support on his end, as I made every attempt to stress these problems as well as the swirls.

Once my Menzerna arrives, I WILL remove the swirls. As for the poor repair and the one they missed, I'm waiting to hear, as it would require removal of the Armorglove, repair the problems and install all new film!

I learned that you cannot trust a dealer! I will in the future, use more caution!

Please get the Armorglove on as soon as possible, and find a good installer of the product. I love the way they wrapped it under the hood!

Let us know when you get yours installed and who did it.

Regards,
Deanski

Openair

I just picked up my 2nd SC430. The 1st one was a lemon. I'm interesting to find out which has a better quality between Xpel & Armorglove ? If anyone here know , I would appreciate the comment. Thanks in advance.

Openair

Deanski

Well, Xpel installed with mostly seams around hood areas. Amorglove has the ability to use more material to stretch and wrap it under the sides of the hood so you only see where it ends going up the hood. Armorglove also can do custom work, and can cover the entire hood if you want. They even will do doors to avoid most door dings.

Xpel uses same product for the most part, some of the film can be very glossy, and some have a more neutral or satin finish, like mine has to better match the paint finish.

Whichever you go with, do the following BEFORE you get it installed.

1) Get a sample of the film to perform a "mock-up" to see which one better matches the finish.

2) Make SURE you have NO WAX on the area to be filmed! Polish your areas clean and even, try not to use any glaze or polish that uses "fillers" or oils as they may weep out of the finish on a hot day under the film. I can recommend Menzerna FP as it uses no fillers or oils. Used by German automakers!

Here's what 3M film is: 3M ScotchCAL

Amorglove site: Armorglove

Xpel site: Xpel Paint Protection

As long as you get it done ASAP as these SC's are rock magnets!!!

Good luck and let us know how you did!

Regards,
Deanski

Openair

Thanks Deanski. I look through the Armorglove site, they show only one place in So Cal (Van Nuys) for installation. Does anyone here know of any other place ? Unfortunately I will need to get the clear coat done soon. The 605 fry is a sand/rock storms every time I'm on it.

Openair

squarehat

There's an airbrush guy who shows up in a van twice a week to my local Lexus dealer. I'm guessing this guy makes the rounds of various high-end dealerships in the Cleveland area throughout the week. So, if you're local Lexus dealer doesn't have this service, try calling around to other luxury car dealerships to see if they have an airbrush guy who visits the site. I've seen this guy's work, and I plan to have him repair some scuffs on the front bumper of my ES. I was given an estimate of $120, FWIW.

LexPro

I personally would never want any body panel other than a bumper or body cladding repainted, with the exception of a touch up pen. It really is never the same and at time of trade in will never be worth as much as one with a few rock chips on the hood that have been touched up. I do have xpel on the hood front fenders and mirrors of my sc430.

dseag2

Through my dealings with Dent Wizard, I was given the name of a company called AeroColors. I've already spoken with a guy there who does airbrushing for the dealerships and he has offered to come to my office to do the work. I believe they are a national franchise. That may be an option.

I agree with LexPro. I wouldn't have anything but (lower) bumpers and scuffplates airbrushed. I'm just having him touch up my front lip spoiler.