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Comments
Lately, I have noticed an alarming amount of paint chips on my car. One is even is even starting to flake to the size of a quarter. I took the car to a "high end" collision shop and they indicated it was a Honda paint flaw problem. The service writer indicated that they have seen this problem numerous times from 1998 on. They suggested that I contact American Honda and provided me with a written explanation.
My 3 year 36K warranty is up in four months. What steps should I take at the dealership level to correct and resolve this problem. The last time I was at the dealership, the service writer told me it was normal wear and tear.
Paulo---take the car back to the dealership and talk to the service manager. Provide the documentation given you by the collision shop. You shouldn't have a problem.
Sorry about the long post. What do you guys think? Is this vibration normal or do I have a problem on my hands? Thanks!
Honda paint is their weak link. Every grain of sand (road salt, construction dust, etc.) that hits my '98 Accord Coupe tends to scratch the paint. In addition, the surface under most of the paint panels is white. Great contrast with my Emerald Green paint surface. I too am a Zaino user. Zaino is great but connot possible stop small rocks at 65mph. Better paint treatments such as used by Lexus use more (ie: thicker) layers of similiar water based paint formulations. Multiple layers seems to be the solution. I don't have the large chip problem, but that is probably due to the amount of time used to heat dry the paint at the factory. In other words, if you are seeing such large chips, the original paint was not dried correctly. Either the temperature lamps were too hot or not applied for a long enough period of time. That's a Honda problem and you should talk to one of their National Reps (rather than just your dealer).
You are absolutely right regarding Honda's water based paint. It will show every nick no matter what hits the car.
Honda feels that they have a great, proven product and that the current 3/36 warranty is more than sufficent.
And, of course, an extended warranty is available for those who are nervous.
And, there are costs applied by the car makers who have longer warranties. We pay for these warranties in the price of the cars.
Still...my personal opinion as a salesperson, is that Honda should consider a longer warranty even if they have to raise the prices of the cars a bit.
There are some folks who measure the quality of a product by the length of the warranty.
And there are "warranty freaks". To these people all they care about is the warranty.
But...that's just my opinion. Honda has yet to invite me to a brainstorming session with their marketing folks!
Honestly, a longer warranty would be a added selling feature on a Honda, but I don't think HOnda products sell less because they have a 3/36 vs. Toyota, which has a 5/60 powertrain warranty.
On
Day
Guarantee
Expires = DODGE
Sorry...couldn't resist!
Still...to some people, just a few....the length of the warranty can make or break a sale.
VW had to do the same thing Chrysler is doing now a few years back in a desperate attempt to try to restore confidence in a troublesome product.
I bought an Accord 2 years ago, even without the longer powertrain warranty that Toyota offers; I was reasonably certain I wouldn't need it. With a Chrysler/VW (and GM/Ford), you will likely need the long warranty.
Honda is betting that you never use it.
the average customer is insignificant to them.
Interesting to look at CR's dealer satisfaction question-Toyota and Honda ranked at the very bottom of the list-lots of demand so they don't have to take care of their customers.
*Can anyone tell me if Honda may have corrected these paint problems with the 2002 models? I really want the 02 V6 Coupe and I don't want any transmission problems, is this still happening?????
I didn't want my windshield to be installed incorrectly but it was :-(
I see lots of cars in my line of work and I see a lot of paint chips. My own black 99 EX V-6 coupe has a fair number of them. I don't lose sleep over this.
I've heard some "experts" here say thae Japan built cars have better paint and don't chip as badly? Well, I've seen plenty of "J" cars with paint chips.
Water base make a difference? I have no idea. I do know that our enviromental laws require certain kind of paint to be used.
Personally, I think that a flying rock hitting a car can and will chip paint no matter what the make of car is or the brand of paint.
You name the brand, I've seen paint chips!
anyway, good luck to you.
p.s. just as an aside to water-based vs. oil-based paint... my parents have an '88 accord that was most likely done with oil-based, and though the paint is cracking from age, it cleans up beautifully when waxed so that you can't even tell... and there are only a few visible stone chips. take that for what it's worth.
i think it's great that car companies are trying to protect the environment by switching (and prolly lowering their costs), but then they owe it to us, the consumer, to keep working on the paint methods and quality to be more comparable and reliable to what was being used before.
just my .02...
People who drive at high speeds and tailgate are far more prone to get chips than others.
But those folks probably don't want to hear this...:)
My 2K Accord silver, very few chips. What isellhonda says is partially true. Keep your distance from other cars, and don't follow trucks, dumptrucks, etc. and you get less chips. I do that all the time, that is why I have very few chips on the front bumper and hood, after 30K miles.
I drive the same roads and in the same traffic each day and I do not have one paint chip on my Solara!