[new2sub]

I have a sob story to share and am looking for advice.

After much deliberation.. we took delivery of a '13 OB at night.. near closing time. Knowing that I was ordering winter rims and tires. I parked the car in my garage and did nothing for a few days.

Much to my surprise, there were dings on both front fenders..100% have to have been there when we took delivery since the car has go nowhere but from the dealer to my garage. They say they will ' take care of it ' but also noted their cleaners made no mention of any such damage. Seeing that its on the same spot on both front fenders (on trailing side of the arc) .. I conclude it must be from how they are parked in their lot.

They says their ding remover can handle it. Is it really likely that it will be 100% invisible to me when done ? I even made a remark about swapping for another car but they said since the DMV paperwork has gone thru, it would be a used car for them... not my problem .

Monday, tomorrow, is when their "Dent Doctor" comes.

If it is not 100% perfect.. I want a new car. Do I have any recourse ?

Thanks

 

[OBnube]

The paintless dent repair guys are pretty amazing. Give them a shot first, then see where you are at. If not satisfied see if the dealer will comp a set of wheel arch mouldings (if they cover the dings). As bad as it sounds I would live with the dings before getting any new paintwork done. They have agreed to make it right, give them a chance.

 

[rasterman]

^ +1

PDR guys are paying their bills and sending their kids to college like many other pros for a reason: results.

The good ones really can do invisible repairs.

 

[Scoobie13]

Wow been there done that. I always meticulously inspect my vehicle and in look in daytime because same exact thing happened to me on a VW.

It was so ghetto, that someone actually used white-out or hand-painted over scratch on fender. Not until I washed the car a week after delivery did I notice it.

 

[boxterfan67]

I wonder about what they said about the paperwork having already gone through. You spoke of the title being transferred, how much time are we talking about?

 

[upflying]

Reminds me of a POS Chevy Citation I bought new in 1981. It had a giant ding in the left front fender. Actually down to the metal, looked like it had been hit with a pellet gun while it was on a rail or truck transporter. I pointed it out to sales dude and who promised they would take care of it. I took delivery on a weekend and then called the body shop the following week for repairs. They acted like they never heard of me and tried to claim it was something I did after I took delivery. Eventually they fixed it after some effort. Last new Chevy I ever bought.

 

[new2sub]

Thanks for the responses

Thanks folks. I will find out tomorrow if this guy does "amazing" stuff or if he's only "so so". I hope the former.

Neither damaged the surface that I can see.. I think they are above the area that the wheel arch moldings would cover and , in my salty climate, I've been told to avoid them. These dings are above the flat face of the fender.. not far from the door jams (both sides)... I have attached a link to a photo.. The ding is to the right of the bright reflection of my garbage can.. Ok fine.. its not that nasty.. but still.. its a new car..

Photos

 

[OBnube]

Now that I have seen your pictures I'm a bit more pessimistic. I have a dent/ding in pretty much the same spot. I had a runaway luggage cart roll off the sidewalk and curb when mine was brand new (100 miles OD):gasp::28:

I did a bit of poking around under the wheel well to see if that area was accesible. Bad news is it appears not. If you put your fingers up between the plastic well liner and the sheet metal you will find it's actually two layers joined at the outer lip. One layer is the outer painted panel and the inner is the actual wheelwell with an expanding gap between the two as you go up, blocking access to the exterior panel from the underside.

I also checked out some stereo install pictures of the rear wheelwell from the interior with all the trim/panels removed. There is another metal panel on the top of the wheelwell that prevents access from the inside topside.

I believe the PDR guys work from the underside to do the repair. I would love to hear someone say they can fix it from the paint side but I'm not holding my breath. I fear we may both be SOL.

 

[Saint J VT]

The metal they use on these cars is the thinnest metal I have ever had for a motor vehicle.

Our OBW has a number of these little dents -- I call chipped-paint a ding - what you are pointing out, I consider to be a DENT.

If the door did not quite close and one is in a hurry and just push hard against the door skin (exterior panel) to latch the door tightly, more than likely, you will end up with some kind of small dent, just from pushing the weight necessary to close the door all the way.

Bear in mind that, with new cars, the rubber door seals are still firm and have not yet been "broken-in." It is a bit harder to completely close a brand-new car door once it is ajar than it is with, say, a car that is ten years old.

 

[scoobydoo2]

I didn't know you could order the dent option....lol

Hey, don't feel bad. I once took delivery of a new 2001 Forester where the kid putting on the front license bracket didn't have a sweet clue what he was doing...screwed it right into the bumper cover. They took it back and made it right...:29:

 

[new2sub]

dent option ..lol

ha.. thanks.... yea.. valuable lesson learned here.. Well.. today is the day.. Their dent guy is to come today.. Raining out so hopefully he pulls it in so he can see what he's doing.. and not just say " I don't see any dent " with all the water droplets on it.

I just don't know how I am going to demand perfection if the dent dude claims best he can do..

I really would want them to swap cars for me.. They can give someone a "great deal" and sell for what I got it for when they might have paid MSRP for a "new" one... But even with 100 miles on it, they will be the 2nd owner so I bet they would take a bath on this one.. and they deserve it.

I can't let go yet..

hopeful..

 

[rasterman]

A tool employed by many PDR guys is a card with a very high contrast zebra or grid pattern on it. You stick it to the car with a magnet or suction cup near the dent, and use its reflection in the paint to judge the work in progress. Much easier than trying to work out the shadows or natural reflections.

Look at it this way, you're getting a free preview of how it will go next week or so when you earn your own dings.

 

[Saint J VT]

I wasn't aware this could be done. We have several small dents in our OB that would be nice fixed.

 

[new2sub]

A tool employed by many PDR guys is a card with a very high contrast zebra or grid pattern on it. You stick it to the car with a magnet or suction cup near the dent, and use its reflection in the paint to judge the work in progress. Much easier than trying to work out the shadows or natural reflections.

Look at it this way, you're getting a free preview of how it will go next week or so when you earn your own dings.

This is very cool. I wonder what will happen if they claim its the best that they can do and I show them this posting.. of how to do it right..

No phone call yet to say its done or can't be done.. i'm sweating it for sure because it will get ugly if they can't satisfy me and don't think they can get me a new car..

 

[rasterman]

This is very cool. I wonder what will happen if they claim its the best that they can do and I show them this posting.. of how to do it right..

Probably about the same as when you try to tell a doctor, lawyer, or plumber the right way to do something.

 

[tdelker]

$10 to watch, $20 to give advice.

 

[Freelancer]

You'd be surprised how awful some dealer personnel drive, my wife recently took delivery of a 2013 Elantra and it had a small blemish on the front bumper that I brought up to the dealer to take care of.

Meanwhile the new plates came and I took off that stupid dealer advertising plate that came with the car :gasp::gasp::gasp:, it was allot worse behind the plate. I didn't think to remove the dealer plate to inspect when I brought it home.

The dealer sent it out to a body shop for the repair, I think it was a little more than the touch up guy could handle. No resistance from the dealer, it's like these things happen all the time.

But they certainly don't want to hear about taking it back:14:, if you feel strong enough about it, keep pushing.

 

[new2sub]

Got the car back.. and...

We picked up the car.. you guessed it.. in the dark.. or almost dark. It was not raining and the car was dry and to the best of our knowledge.. its gone..

By the time I got it home tonight.. too much crap had gotten on the car (roads are wet but not raining).. so I can't really 100% tell.. but..

I think they fixed it perfectly. They say the guy does magic .. has these various magnets.. magic wands.. rods.. etc.. I asked them how long does it take him.. They said.. 10 minutes or there abouts.

I will report back when I really investigate in daylight.. with it hosed off.. but right now.. i think they saved the day and takes a load off my mind..

keeping fingers crossed.. Perhaps the sheet metal is so thin that its easy to fix things like this.. so.. double edges sword.

 

[OBnube]

Congrats, I am greatly encouraged by the news. The part about magnets gives me hope for a frontside repair. Keep us posted when you get a good look.

 

[Freelancer]

Good for you

Come to think about it, every time I go to the dealer the tin knocker dent guy is there...business is good:29: