Serious Paint Problem
'04 SL AWD manufactured date 10/03.
It's not the paint chip! It is underneath the clear coat... blurred/degraded color of about the same size as a regular paint chip (now I also have some real paint chips in front of car and this is different).
First started on driver roof side, front of sunroof, then similar location on passenger side.
I first noticed in the begining of this summer, so it's been 3~4 months and has become worse (getting darker and darker).
The first time I noticed I reported to my dealer and the service manager was surprised to see that and informed me basically 3 steps for them to have that part re-painted:
1. show/convince service manager
2. show/convince service manager's manager (which I've done 1&2 steps)
3. dealer report to NNA so a technician can come down to examine and agree that it is a paint defect.
So I was kind of in a waiting mode for step 3 since step 1&2 went through OK. And I thought the affected part is only the front side of roof area.
BUT Just today, while hand-washing the car myself, found a similar blur under the clear coat on the hood not in front but 1/3 back side of it.
Needless to say, I ran down to the dealer and asked what the progress was and also showed the hood area. The manager's manager this time tells me that it may be a paint chip (remember it's inside the clear coat), also they have not heard any word back from NNA.
I am so frustrated now. Why in the world, in perfectly normal maintenance/driving condition, the paint would become like this?
I know a picture would worth a thousand words, so let me go get a picture and I'll post it ASAP.
Meanwhile, any paint specialists here or any idea/advice?
'04 SL AWD manufactured date 10/03.
It's not the paint chip! It is underneath the clear coat... blurred/degraded color of about the same size as a regular paint chip (now I also have some real paint chips in front of car and this is different).
First started on driver roof side, front of sunroof, then similar location on passenger side.
I first noticed in the begining of this summer, so it's been 3~4 months and has become worse (getting darker and darker).
The first time I noticed I reported to my dealer and the service manager was surprised to see that and informed me basically 3 steps for them to have that part re-painted:
1. show/convince service manager
2. show/convince service manager's manager (which I've done 1&2 steps)
3. dealer report to NNA so a technician can come down to examine and agree that it is a paint defect.
So I was kind of in a waiting mode for step 3 since step 1&2 went through OK. And I thought the affected part is only the front side of roof area.
BUT Just today, while hand-washing the car myself, found a similar blur under the clear coat on the hood not in front but 1/3 back side of it.
Needless to say, I ran down to the dealer and asked what the progress was and also showed the hood area. The manager's manager this time tells me that it may be a paint chip (remember it's inside the clear coat), also they have not heard any word back from NNA.
I am so frustrated now. Why in the world, in perfectly normal maintenance/driving condition, the paint would become like this?
I know a picture would worth a thousand words, so let me go get a picture and I'll post it ASAP.
Meanwhile, any paint specialists here or any idea/advice?