Paint
04-29-03, 07:34 PM
#1
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Paint
I have a 2003 SC430 with 4000 miles. Already I have several paint chips from road stones and scratches over several parts of the car. I am extremely careful with the car. The dealer told me the paint chips and scratches easily because Lexus doesn't use lead in their paint, but I talked to my friend who owns an auto body shop who said that's BS. I've also talked to two friends with SC430's who are having similiar problems. Anyone else having problems?
04-30-03, 11:14 AM
#4
Driver School Candidate
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: California
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Cott, to answer your question directly, I have not had any chips or scratches after 2 months of ownership. I am not using anything special on my paint other than regular wax. I have an indigo exterior. What color is yours?
I can tell you that when a stone hits me, I hear it clearly and check the car as soon as possible afterward to see if there was any damage. I've had maybe 4 "hits" over the past 2 months. Are you hearing these hits or just noticing a general deterioration in the exterior? If the latter, sounds like you might have a bad paint job.
I don't know anything about the paint content or even if it matters in this case. I can say that a dealer will tell you almost anything to get you out of his hair unless he thinks he can make money off it. I'd push the guy and try to contact a Lexus regional rep as well.
Hope this helps.
I can tell you that when a stone hits me, I hear it clearly and check the car as soon as possible afterward to see if there was any damage. I've had maybe 4 "hits" over the past 2 months. Are you hearing these hits or just noticing a general deterioration in the exterior? If the latter, sounds like you might have a bad paint job.
I don't know anything about the paint content or even if it matters in this case. I can say that a dealer will tell you almost anything to get you out of his hair unless he thinks he can make money off it. I'd push the guy and try to contact a Lexus regional rep as well.
Hope this helps.
05-05-03, 07:16 PM
#5
Driver
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 137
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Stone hits
I just had my first 30 day checkup at the dealer, had them change the oil over to 0-30W Mobil 1 and pointed out that during prep of delivery, I had swirl marks all over the finish.
It's a 03 RED/Ecru...
As soon as I got home and backed into the garage, just as I was closing the garage door, I noticed a stone hit, chipped right on the "nose" of the hood.
This was very irritating, as I also have a carbon-fiber bra, but never got the time to install it for those highway trips. Damn was I pissed!
Now, the other car I have, which sees more highway time and has 119K miles on it, I do not have any stone hits/chips.
It seems that the paint finish on the RED '03 has issues, which I will point out to the dealer. I do not think the finish was thin, just improperly cured.
I also noticed on the hood area, small flecks of a purple color, mostly by the windshield washer nossels and some off on the edge of the hood area. Don't know what these stains are, but I'm now thinking the paint had some type of contamination. Never used the washers.... It's only 30 days old and garaged.
Your thoughts.
Regards,
Deanski
It's a 03 RED/Ecru...
As soon as I got home and backed into the garage, just as I was closing the garage door, I noticed a stone hit, chipped right on the "nose" of the hood.
This was very irritating, as I also have a carbon-fiber bra, but never got the time to install it for those highway trips. Damn was I pissed!
Now, the other car I have, which sees more highway time and has 119K miles on it, I do not have any stone hits/chips.
It seems that the paint finish on the RED '03 has issues, which I will point out to the dealer. I do not think the finish was thin, just improperly cured.
I also noticed on the hood area, small flecks of a purple color, mostly by the windshield washer nossels and some off on the edge of the hood area. Don't know what these stains are, but I'm now thinking the paint had some type of contamination. Never used the washers.... It's only 30 days old and garaged.
Your thoughts.
Regards,
Deanski
05-06-03, 07:32 AM
#6
Get used to it...
I have owned 3 Lexuses in Millennium Silver (yes, I like the color)... a '99 SC300, an '01 GS300 and my current '03 SC430. Prior to that I owned a '99 Acura TL. Every one of them has suffered from stone chips on the front end. I do not attribute this to subpar paint quality. This is just a fact of life if you're commuting at any speed with trucks on the road. I purposely avoid following trucks too closely. Unless you install Expel or a bra you're going to have the same problem. Maybe it's a trait of Japanese cars, but I've never owned a car with paint that could stand up to stone chips.
05-06-03, 06:01 PM
#7
Driver
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 137
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Reply from Lexus on paint
OK, here is a reply I just got back from Lexus with regard to the paint issues:
"Thank you for contacting the Lexus Customer Satisfaction Department regarding your 2003 SC 430. I apologize for the paint concern you are having with your vehicle.
I will contact Lexus of New Haven to discuss your concerns. I will contact you next week after I have had a chance to fully review your concerns. I am sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused.
If you have any further concerns, you can also reach the Lexus Customer Satisfaction Department at 1-800-255-3987, Monday through Friday, 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Pacific Time.
Sincerely,
Jeff Shimizu
Customer Satisfaction Representative"
I'll keep you all informed to what Lexus will do as to the paint.
Maybe Lexus should start offering Xpel to their customers in order to prevent these problems. An authorized Xpel dealer to work with Lexus on application of it would be a fantastic offer to their customers!
Regards,
Deanski
"Thank you for contacting the Lexus Customer Satisfaction Department regarding your 2003 SC 430. I apologize for the paint concern you are having with your vehicle.
I will contact Lexus of New Haven to discuss your concerns. I will contact you next week after I have had a chance to fully review your concerns. I am sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused.
If you have any further concerns, you can also reach the Lexus Customer Satisfaction Department at 1-800-255-3987, Monday through Friday, 6:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Pacific Time.
Sincerely,
Jeff Shimizu
Customer Satisfaction Representative"
I'll keep you all informed to what Lexus will do as to the paint.
Maybe Lexus should start offering Xpel to their customers in order to prevent these problems. An authorized Xpel dealer to work with Lexus on application of it would be a fantastic offer to their customers!
Regards,
Deanski
Trending Topics
05-08-03, 12:43 PM
#8
Driver
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: NOLA
Posts: 124
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I'm having the same trouble with my black/saddle SC430. Seems like it's the softest pain on the planet. I have tons of chips all over the bumper and hood. My Black 2002 Accord doesn't have that many and my Honda S2000 had even less over 3 years. I'm wondering if the darker colors get hotter and softer and chip more easily? Plus the dealer has scratched my car countless times while it was in for service.
On a side note my drivers side speaker still buzzes!!! I just took it in for the 5th time and now my loaner RX300 seems to do the same thing. Maybe it's just a Lexus stereo problem.
.
Fulmitz
p.s. let me know about the paint.
On a side note my drivers side speaker still buzzes!!! I just took it in for the 5th time and now my loaner RX300 seems to do the same thing. Maybe it's just a Lexus stereo problem.
.
Fulmitz
p.s. let me know about the paint.
05-08-03, 01:04 PM
#9
Driver
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 137
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Others with Paint Issues
OK, at least I'm not the only one!
I also posted in the Maintenance forum as well, and see who else is effected.
Others with paint issues
I for one will not except from Lexus, the Mfg, not the dealer as this is not his fault, a lame excuse for the quality issue. They need to get proactive at once, or stand to lose customers!
After all, we purchased what was thought to be an exceptional car from Lexus, not something that we pay up to 63K and drive around looking like a lunar landscape!
If they come to some admission, and have a planned resolution for us, they stand to win customers! If it requires repainting the entire vehicle or replacing it and adding X-Pel to the effected areas so be it! I'm not happy about shelling out this amount for a mfg that will not admit and resolve our concerns in a reasonable fashion.
It may take all owners to contact Lexus and voice their displeasure on the paint quality for actions to start.
If the answer I get is not acceptable, I will excalate this up Lexus chain of management very quickly!
Regards,
Deanski
I also posted in the Maintenance forum as well, and see who else is effected.
Others with paint issues
I for one will not except from Lexus, the Mfg, not the dealer as this is not his fault, a lame excuse for the quality issue. They need to get proactive at once, or stand to lose customers!
After all, we purchased what was thought to be an exceptional car from Lexus, not something that we pay up to 63K and drive around looking like a lunar landscape!
If they come to some admission, and have a planned resolution for us, they stand to win customers! If it requires repainting the entire vehicle or replacing it and adding X-Pel to the effected areas so be it! I'm not happy about shelling out this amount for a mfg that will not admit and resolve our concerns in a reasonable fashion.
It may take all owners to contact Lexus and voice their displeasure on the paint quality for actions to start.
If the answer I get is not acceptable, I will excalate this up Lexus chain of management very quickly!
Regards,
Deanski
05-10-03, 01:40 AM
#10
Driver
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: California
Posts: 105
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
05-10-03, 05:08 AM
#11
Driver
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 137
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Paint it like this:
MLSC430:
Very nice paint! What is it?
Also a note to all: Yes I'm sure we are all aware of the warranty that does state that Lexus will not cover "projectiles" such as stone chips, rail dust etc. regarding paint defects
However, if the paint IS softer than other paints or they had issues curing it, they should resolve these issues with us, the customers.
After viewing other cars, makes/models and examining the condition of the front hood/bumper/spoiler/air-dam it seems that Lexus vehicles are more prone to paint damage due to road debris.
If this is the case and they acknowledge the problem, it's time Lexus should find a resolution for all of us!
There was speculation that Zaino will soften the paint if used too often. I find that it's just speculation, not fact.
I will be bringing the SC430 to the dealer next week for review and discussion on what Lexus will do to correct this. I may have to get not only the service director involved, but the dealer management as well AND Lexus customer service all on a conference call to have someone admit to the issues we are experiencing.
Update to follow! Thanks for all your input, keep it going! The more info we can provide, the more chances are that Lexus will address this!
Regards,
Deanski
Very nice paint! What is it?
Also a note to all: Yes I'm sure we are all aware of the warranty that does state that Lexus will not cover "projectiles" such as stone chips, rail dust etc. regarding paint defects
However, if the paint IS softer than other paints or they had issues curing it, they should resolve these issues with us, the customers.
After viewing other cars, makes/models and examining the condition of the front hood/bumper/spoiler/air-dam it seems that Lexus vehicles are more prone to paint damage due to road debris.
If this is the case and they acknowledge the problem, it's time Lexus should find a resolution for all of us!
There was speculation that Zaino will soften the paint if used too often. I find that it's just speculation, not fact.
I will be bringing the SC430 to the dealer next week for review and discussion on what Lexus will do to correct this. I may have to get not only the service director involved, but the dealer management as well AND Lexus customer service all on a conference call to have someone admit to the issues we are experiencing.
Update to follow! Thanks for all your input, keep it going! The more info we can provide, the more chances are that Lexus will address this!
Regards,
Deanski
05-10-03, 09:56 PM
#12
Driver
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: California
Posts: 105
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
it is the graphite grey in the IS300, color code: 1C6, actually it is photoshop, i wanted to see how it whould look with 1C6 paint...... i am seriously thinking about painting it...
05-15-03, 05:35 PM
#13
Driver
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 137
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Lexus Reply
Well, it seems Lexus is in denial!
After meeting with the dealership service manager, he concluded that yes they are stone chips (duh) and that Lexus is not responsible for "road debris", which include stone chipping.
Now, here's where things are a bit grey...
Lexus has had this model out for how long now? Wouldn't the engineering division report that the car is more prone to stone chipping due to it's body design? Haven't hey experienced this first hand? Obviously, there has to be some type of acknowledgement from Lexus that YES it does tend to get damaged more frequently than say a Mercedes, BMW or whatever...
If this is the case, and more people call into the Lexus Customer Service to complain of the problem, Lexus will have to make some type of corrective action, such as adding ArmorGlove/X-Pel type of protection to the car prior to delivery.
What bothers me is that they HAVE to know about this problem, but offer nothing to correct it and fend it off as normal wear on the car!
I don't know about you, but I did not get a $63K car to look like the lunar surface after just 30 days!
They MUST offer to us, their customers, some type of level of protection if this paint is so brittle or soft!
Now I am starting to see it happining to the chrome strip under the hood! What the hell!
I'm about to return the car back to Lexus and go and get the Mercedes!
I've viewed several cars in the condo complex where I live, all daily drivers and not one had the same problem! They range from BMW, Mercedes, Acura and others. My car is garaged and only used on weekends!
It's up to you fellow owners!!! Call into Lexus Customer Service and inform them you are dissatisfied with the way your paint is being abused by chipping.
Ask to speak to Jeff Shimizu as well and let him know this should be escalated up to Lexus management!
Had I known about this when I picked-up the car, I would have had it sent to ArmorGlove in Greenwich, CT to have this done at once! The sad thing is, this dealer offers it, but it never was brought to my attention!
Shame on you Lexus for not informing your customers on a known problem!
OK, enough rant.... I need your thoughts and your support on this!
Thanks!
Regards,
Deanski
After meeting with the dealership service manager, he concluded that yes they are stone chips (duh) and that Lexus is not responsible for "road debris", which include stone chipping.
Now, here's where things are a bit grey...
Lexus has had this model out for how long now? Wouldn't the engineering division report that the car is more prone to stone chipping due to it's body design? Haven't hey experienced this first hand? Obviously, there has to be some type of acknowledgement from Lexus that YES it does tend to get damaged more frequently than say a Mercedes, BMW or whatever...
If this is the case, and more people call into the Lexus Customer Service to complain of the problem, Lexus will have to make some type of corrective action, such as adding ArmorGlove/X-Pel type of protection to the car prior to delivery.
What bothers me is that they HAVE to know about this problem, but offer nothing to correct it and fend it off as normal wear on the car!
I don't know about you, but I did not get a $63K car to look like the lunar surface after just 30 days!
They MUST offer to us, their customers, some type of level of protection if this paint is so brittle or soft!
Now I am starting to see it happining to the chrome strip under the hood! What the hell!
I'm about to return the car back to Lexus and go and get the Mercedes!
I've viewed several cars in the condo complex where I live, all daily drivers and not one had the same problem! They range from BMW, Mercedes, Acura and others. My car is garaged and only used on weekends!
It's up to you fellow owners!!! Call into Lexus Customer Service and inform them you are dissatisfied with the way your paint is being abused by chipping.
Ask to speak to Jeff Shimizu as well and let him know this should be escalated up to Lexus management!
Had I known about this when I picked-up the car, I would have had it sent to ArmorGlove in Greenwich, CT to have this done at once! The sad thing is, this dealer offers it, but it never was brought to my attention!
Shame on you Lexus for not informing your customers on a known problem!
OK, enough rant.... I need your thoughts and your support on this!
Thanks!
Regards,
Deanski
05-16-03, 01:41 PM
#14
Rookie
Join Date: May 2001
Location: New York
Posts: 84
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
LOL come on guys do you really think lexus is going to anything about ur paint chips? Thats like going to Lexus and saying hi, for some reason im getting scratches in my paint. There gonna look at you and laugh at you, cars get chipped, ***** happens. dont drive behind trucks
05-16-03, 07:05 PM
#15
Driver
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 137
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Paint damage
Actually, Lexus IS removing all the swirl marks they put on the car when it was prep'd for delivery!
As for the rock chips, granted, it's not under warranty, but I have looked at several other vehicles in my condo which are daily drivers (mine only sees weekends) and do not have damage to the paint.
If it's design of the body style, the type of paint or whatever, a 63K car should not get damaged as easly as it has been. I do not drive behind trucks, SUV's, etc and I have several damage spots on hood and side mirrors.
Hell, I have a car that I use for work at 110K miles and it doesn't have that kind of damage!
It has to be the formulation of the paint or a combination of paint and body style that in effect, makes for rocks or debris to damage it that much easier.
How may Mercedes SL's do you see with rock damage? How about a BMW? Several here at the condo, and not ONE has damage to the hood, air dam or headlights.
It's your money... If you choose to except it, that's all well and good, but for me and others who relentlessly pamper the car and keep it garaged, detailed etc, I for one will not accept that it's just normal wear.
Lexus should acknowledge it, and respond to our concerns not just play it off as normal wear or bad luck.
Regards,
Deanski
As for the rock chips, granted, it's not under warranty, but I have looked at several other vehicles in my condo which are daily drivers (mine only sees weekends) and do not have damage to the paint.
If it's design of the body style, the type of paint or whatever, a 63K car should not get damaged as easly as it has been. I do not drive behind trucks, SUV's, etc and I have several damage spots on hood and side mirrors.
Hell, I have a car that I use for work at 110K miles and it doesn't have that kind of damage!
It has to be the formulation of the paint or a combination of paint and body style that in effect, makes for rocks or debris to damage it that much easier.
How may Mercedes SL's do you see with rock damage? How about a BMW? Several here at the condo, and not ONE has damage to the hood, air dam or headlights.
It's your money... If you choose to except it, that's all well and good, but for me and others who relentlessly pamper the car and keep it garaged, detailed etc, I for one will not accept that it's just normal wear.
Lexus should acknowledge it, and respond to our concerns not just play it off as normal wear or bad luck.
Regards,
Deanski