[baller1015]

My disclaimer is that this is a long story, so thank you if you read it through...

So I brought my car into the dealer service department to do a warranty fix on my passenger seat bracket at 10 am on Thursday, June 11. I also asked the dealer to check my trunk deck lid and to re align it if they could because it looked as if it were a little off to one side. The person at the counter informed me they didn't do body work there and would have to take it to the body shop they go through.

I figured no big deal, I'll get it back in the afternoon. I was wrong. They ended up calling me and telling me they would have to keep it at the body shop overnight, which frustrated me but there wasn't much I could do.

I also had an appointment on Friday the 12th to have my window tint fixed (small bubbles).

I went back Friday morning and was told my car would not be back until noon. To my surprise, my car rolled up to the service department right before I was about to leave at 930 am.

They then fixed my seat and I was on my way to the tint shop.

I get to the tint shop and show the woman at the front desk what I need fixed. I showed her the driver's window, rear driver side window, and rear window all had spots that needed fixing. I give her the key, and leave around 10 am.

I wait all day, and then at 450 pm I call because they close at 5. My car is ready. I go to pick it up, she apologized for forgetting to call me. I get my key and go check my car. They only fixed the drivers window. But they are now closed and I have to wait until next week to do anything. I'm mad at this point at the tint shop's incompetence and failure to do what I asked. I just have a sketchy feeling about them.

Fast forward to today, saturday, 545 pm. I am leaving the gym going to my car, which is in the spot in the back of the parking lot away from every other car. I backed into this spot. As I'm walking to my car, I check the paint, and what do I see but a decent sized scrape on the bottom of the front bumper. I'm livid.

I know I did not do this. I have backed into every spot today except one that I changed and made sure the front of my car wasn't over the curb.

I know that this scrape was not there before I took it to the dealer, but I didn't check it after the dealer and before the tint shop, so I'm not sure which one of them caused it. But I am certain that one of them did cause it.

Sorry to write a book, but I wanted to be as accurate as possible so I could ask you all for help on what I should do. Thanks for reading to this point if you have.

 

[baller1015]

As I'm looking at it I found some sort of orange ish residue on the scrape. Tried to get a halfway decent photo of it.

 

[R/T MUSCLE]

It looks like a scrap from a parking lot concrete bumper. I noticed that the front spoiler didn't get damaged. That would be one of the things that would be damage if from another car. do a fast fix and touch it up with paint or match the color with nail polish for a inexpensive fix..

Big John

 

[baller1015]

It looks like a scrap from a parking lot concrete bumper. I noticed that the front spoiler didn't get damaged. That would be one of the things that would be damage if from another car. do a fast fix and touch it up with paint or match the color with nail polish for a inexpensive fix..

Big John

Thanks John. Although I'm not sure, because as I look closer at the spoiler there is a definite scrape on the spoiler as well. I tried to get a photo. It's just so low down.

But I guess the thing that really bothers me is that it car, but this is not on me, and nobody said a thing about it to me. And it's bad, it's down to the plastic part of the bumper. Ugh.

 

[Ddaddy]

I agree with John that it's likely from a painted curb.

I would check both shops and see if they have painted curbs in their lots and/or garages.

It is also possible that it came from unseen road debris that was struck without knowing it.

Either way, some touch-up paint will hide it and you can forget about it. I caught the edge of a curb on my front fascia 7 years ago and scuffed a far bigger and deeper spot than that off my driver's side edge of my fascia. I was sick about it...but after I touched it up with paint I realized that no one but me would ever know it was there.

7 years later, and the touch-up is still good and I'm the only one that knows where it is...can you find it?

 

[baller1015]

I agree with John that it's likely from a painted curb.

I would check both shops and see if they have painted curbs in their lots and/or garages.

It is also possible that it came from unseen road debris that was struck without knowing it.

Either way, some touch-up paint will hide it and you can forget about it. I caught the edge of a curb on my front fascia 7 years ago and scuffed a far bigger and deeper spot than that off my driver's side edge of my fascia. I was sick about it...but after I touched it up with paint I realized that no one but me would ever know it was there.

7 years later, and the touch-up is still good and I'm the only one that knows where it is...can you find it?

Thanks Dave. I actually remember seeing you post something about
That before and thinking that would be a great way to fix it if something like this happened.

It just sucks to be 99 percent sure I didn't so this and still have it there.

Did you by any chance do a write up on how exactly you fixed it?

I'm still going to contact the dealer and the tint shop and see if I can get it fixed, but if that doesn't work then I'll go the touch up route I suppose.

 

[POWERMAN]

I noticed that the front spoiler didn't get damaged.

Yup..the lip did take a hit as well

I'd confront the dealership service rep and tint shop..for all you know you may even find your bumper's paint still on there...

 

[baller1015]

Yup..the lip did take a hit as well

I'd confront the dealership service rep and tint shop..for all you know you may even find your bumper's paint still on there...

Yeah thanks powerman. Shoot im honestly tempted to go to the tint shop and dealer right now and check the curbs....

It's so frustrating, my car only has 7500 miles on it...

I absolutely will be contacting them though.

 

[Ddaddy]

Thanks Dave. I actually remember seeing you post something about
That before and thinking that would be a great way to fix it if something like this happened.

It just sucks to be 99 percent sure I didn't so this and still have it there.

Did you by any chance do a write up on how exactly you fixed it?

I'm still going to contact the dealer and the tint shop and see if I can get it fixed, but if that doesn't work then I'll go the touch up route I suppose.

I never did a write up but here is the entire (unconventional) kit I used to fix it...

I first used the rough side of the emory board to knock down any big scuffs.

Then I used the fine side of the emory board to scuff the entire area and about 3/8" out over the remaining painted edges.

I applied 2 coats of touch-up paint using the brush letting it dry until barely tacky between coats. The first coat was heavy and the second coat was thinner trying to make it smooth (as much as you can with a brush, mainly to get the color even). Then let dry overnight.

The following day, I used the rubbing compound to level the surface and then followed with the polishing compound to make it smooth. (it won't be perfect, it's a touch-up).

The goal is to get the color even, not try to get a perfect finish. You just want it to not be visible to someone standing next to the car and looking at the spot.

DISCLAIMER!!

This technique should only be used on the plastic front and rear fascia or rocker panels below the bottom of the side doors. Do NOT use this technique higher than that or on metal panels of the vehicle (you won't be happy with the result). Those areas require a different technique

 

[baller1015]

I never did a write up but here is the entire (unconventional) kit I used to fix it...

I first used the rough side of the emory board to knock down any big scuffs.

Then I used the fine side of the emory board to scuff the entire area and about 3/8" out over the remaining painted edges.

I applied 2 coats of touch-up paint using the brush letting it dry until barely tacky between coats. The first coat was heavy and the second coat was thinner trying to make it smooth (as much as you can with a brush, mainly to get the color even). Then let dry overnight.

The following day, I used the rubbing compound to level the surface and then followed with the polishing compound to make it smooth. (it won't be perfect, it's a touch-up).

The goal is to get the color even, not try to get a perfect finish. You just want it to not be visible to someone standing next to the car and looking at the spot.

DISCLAIMER!!

This technique should only be used on the plastic front and rear fascia or rocker panels below the bottom of the side doors. Do NOT use this technique higher than that or on metal panels of the vehicle (you won't be happy with the result). Those areas require a different technique

Thank you Dave, I really appreciate the write up.

I may be asking you some further questions in the bear future if you don't mind.... I just have a feeling that nobody is going to take ownership of this....

 

[baller1015]

I went and checked out all three places the car had been. The body shop was full of yellow painted curbs, and if they tried to park my car out front then it definitely would have hit in a couple of the parking spots. On the other side of the parking lot the parking spaces are diagonal and at an angle where it wouldn't be possible to scrape in the spot my car was scraped in.

The tint shop had a couple of curbed areas that it could have hit. One of which my front end was parked over but was too high to scrape.

I didn't see much at the dealer in the way of curbed parking areas.

Bottom line, I didn't see my paint scraped on any curb. But I'm also just about positive I didn't do this. I'm pretty sure that the dealer and tint shop won't take ownership of the scrape and I'll be going with Dave's method.

 

[Ddaddy]

Thank you Dave, I really appreciate the write up.

I may be asking you some further questions in the near future if you don't mind.... I just have a feeling that nobody is going to take ownership of this....

Feel free to hit me up with any questions. You can PM me and I'll be glad to give you my cell number if you want to talk too. Faster and easier that way to have a complete discussion.

 

[baller1015]

Feel free to hit me up with any questions. You can PM me and I'll be glad to give you my cell number if you want to talk too. Faster and easier that way to have a complete discussion.

Absolutely, thanks! I'll send you a pm sometime this week after I talk to all of the involved parties and I figure out what the end result will be.

 

[R/T MUSCLE]

Well anyway good luck with your findings and like what Dave said, "once it's fixed only you will know it's there". Let us know what the outcome will be..

Big John

 

[baller1015]

Well anyway good luck with your findings and like what Dave said, "once it's fixed only you will know it's there". Let us know what the outcome will be..

Big John

Will do John, thanks!

 

[baller1015]

Update. I called the service department today and the service guy I deal with wasn't there. The service manager called me back and said they had the front bumper marked. Complete bs. They're going to try to screw me on it. He said he wanted to wait until tomorrow until the service worker came back in so he could ask him.

 

[PJay707]

After you get it fixed, look into a clear 3m bra. It will cover the whole front and the top of the hood and the side mirrors from bugs, chips and potentially curb rash. Just a suggestion. I have it on my VW Tiguan and will get it on my Charger. A lot of tint shops provide the service.

 

[baller1015]

After you get it fixed, look into a clear 3m bra. It will cover the whole front and the top of the hood and the side mirrors from bugs, chips and potentially curb rash. Just a suggestion. I have it on my VW Tiguan and will get it on my Charger. A lot of tint shops provide the service.

I was thinking about doing this after it gets fixed. Although I'm not sure if it would have protected it from this as its down to the plastic of the bumper. I should have done the clear bra from the beginning though.

 

[baller1015]

I talked to my service Clark today. He said he marked something for the center of my bumper, which I'm not sure why because there's nothing there. Anyways, I told him that it was near the wheel well on the driver's side and told him the whole story. He said bring it in Friday, they gave a company that will fix it.

I'm hoping that they will follow through and fix it, but nothing is done until it's done.

 

[baller1015]

Took the car in this morning at 8 am when it was scheduled, when I got it there they informed me the guy that uses the magic eraser is out of town. They said they'd call me to re schedule.

This dealer is really starting to anger me.

Will the magic eraser even work on a scrape down to the bumper? I would think it needs to be painted....

Should I call the service manager and tell him I'm going to take my car to a shop and send them the bill?

How can I trust them to call me back if they won't even call me to tell me that their guy isn't in?

Just looking for any advice.

Thanks guys.