Hey everyone, I didn't know if I should post this in stock problems but I figured it was good here too,
OK
So This weekend my MINI has been acting up electrically. windows and moon roof not staying closed when the car is shut off, the lock button UNLOCKS the car.

So I had to bring it into MINI of Peabody today at around 430. that was the soonest I could get there after work. If you live in NE then you know today we got a bunch of crap on the roads and it was wet and cars got dirty and what not, sand and salt the usually bunch.

So I brought it in and they had it in the garage until about 545pm when i was informed that I needed to have a part of the door handle replaced and that they needed to order the part. I couldn't take a loaner because I'm 21 so I had to take it home.

so now that it was getting close to 6pm (when service closed) I was told my car would be out shortly and I waited for it to be brought around front.

So around 6 the car was brought out and parked in the back, near the dumpsters, I commented why he parked the car so far away and the service rep said that he was new.

After retrieving my car I pulled into the lit area in front of the building and got out to inspect it, As I always do because I've already had one problem with a rather large scratch that they denied they did.

So I get out of the car and it is now dark and you all know how bright lights in the dark show marks, I WAS SHOCKED TO SEE MY PAINT!!!!

I literally think I had a small heart attack. Swirl marks over every body panel!!!! I was horrified, I immediately proceeded to get the manager and bring him outside to show him the situation.

First back story. Since day one I have meticulously cared for the paint, I have spent countless hours claying, polishing and waxing my paint since getting my car a little under two years ago, I have been complimented by professionals on my cars paint work all by hand. I never allowed the paint to get into bad shape.
And now its covered in swirl marks and scratches!

So I brought out the manager and explained the situation and he replied with the following comments about the paint work.

-He used excuses such as the weather to blame for such marks. And “that you can’t have a car in new England and not have them be like that”

-He used excuses such as it was” the way the light was hitting it”

-That “that’s they way they come” implying that all the cars had such severe swirl marks. After saying this we proceeded to find a 2010 chili red cooper S of comparable to mine and compare the two. He insisted that both cars would have similar markings, The 2010 MINI did not. The car was free of swirl marks.

-He proceeded to explain to me stating that he had a detailing business for 20 years and that his show cars were the same way and that he would have to gloss them before the shows.

-He later implied that I was to blame for the swirl marks over the life of the car (under 2 years of ownership)

He directly said to me that He Would Not Take Responsibility for it.

The wash job was completely inadequate, Even he agreed with me on that. Which is the reasons for why I have swirl marks now. Which he does not agree with.

I AM ROYALLY PISSED, I will not be satisfied until my paint is returned to it's former glory. They will pay for a professional detail. I will not be able to get these out my self being now it is past saving by hand.

The swirls are best seen under intense points of light. I have some photos but will get more soon, I will be taking them under spot lights so you can see the damage clearly.

My car is garaged Nightly and parked in an indoors parking garage while at work. I have 16,520 miles on the car since May 2008 I did not drive the car during the time between December 2008 and April 2009 until the roads were clean again.

-Peter

 

more pics

 

More and then what it used to look like

 

call Ritchey at gloss-it in Orlando. he flys to england for rolls royce and aston martin to correct mistakes in paintwork at the factory and does Ferrari warranty work.

I would think 800 plus travel and lodging would cover it.

 

what is a swirl exactly? light scratches that can be buffed out?

 

They probably washed/dried with a dirty rag. I would be p*ssed too. I had the ******** guy who mows for the propery I live on swipe his hand over my hood to wipe the -mowing dust- off.
Cant tell him anything, he is a special case and wouldnt understand.
The dealership on the other hand should.

 

Ha, coincidence but I met a guy named Richie down in Orlando at the Aston martin dealer and we were talking for a while really nice guy, but his place is called Richie's custom detailing, he had a black SRT-8 charger that was perfect.
that would have been cool if it was him.

 

yes but a machine polisher is usually needed. and usually to get it right takes a lot of time..... a lot of time I had put into my car before by hand...

 

What I think happened was that whom ever washed it did not properly rinse off the car first because they wanted to get out of work on time and went at it with the sponge/mitt and just spread all of the sand and road salt that was on the car around. it's what it looks like to me. I'm not blaming the dealer, just the jacka$$ who couldn't take the time to do the job right.
Now because of that I am looking for compensation by ways of a pro detailing to fix it through the dealer. But instead they want to fight, and the GM "will not take responsibility for that"
That's what he thinks... we'll see.

 

badabing srt8 tuned by Larry Macedo of M2 Motorsports

tell Ritchey that Larry's buddy JD with the JCW sent you.

 

Word of advice:

#1
With all my vehicles (I am **** with a capital A too)....Porsche, Audi, Lexus, etc...every file at every dealership has written DO NOT WASH in the system.

#2
At every service drop off, I tell the service writer, and in some cases write it myself in bold ink on the service order DO NOT WASH.

#3
I place a sticky on the airbag of the steering wheel that says PLEASE DO NOT WASH.

So far, not a single mark.

Hang in there, this can be fixed....did they fix the other crap?

I'd make sure they never wash your car again using the above techniques.

I do the same at delivery - do NOT clean it - I'll give you 10's on the survey...etc.

 

My family own a few new car dealerships and I never let detail touch my car

 

+1^ Eirc Pug Guy -

I even go so far as to hang a sign from the rear view mirror reminding the tech not to send it to the car wash before pick up. I made it off my computer and cut it out in the shape of a "do not disturb" sign.

They probably stripped the wax off the car and made those marks when it was run though one of those harsh spinning car wash places.......

 

they used a dirty mitt or shami,happens all the time .

 

MINI mechanics in general have no respect for the vehicles. Several times they have scratched up exterior plastic trim parts and internal trim that I have forced them to replace. The final insult came 2 weeks agowhen they returned my '02 (pristine and no blemishes) with a 3" by 1/2" vertical black scratch. Fortunately, they had done a walkaround when I brought in the car and noted no flaws. At my request they did attempt to do a local repair to that spot, but were unable to get it right. It sickens me that I will now have a painted door panel that won't match the rest of the car over time.


I guess I'll just have to trade it in on a JCW Roadster in a couple years. I was otherwise expecting to keep SPUD for another 10 or 20 years.

 

They could have used a car wash with the rollers too. I have had my MINI go through twice that I know of. Once when I got it and once when I was in a hurry and didn't realize that was the type of washer it was. It felt like your car is getting raped by an elephant.

 

Are we talking about the same guy?! cool, If it is him I'll get him to fly up and fix the car at no expense spared!

Thats what I'll be doing from now on, I've only been in there 3 or 4 times since getting the car. I was during the spring and I'm in early out early but they have been good about it before, I always check the car after getting it back and have someone inspect it before going in... Kills me to say that I didn't this time because they were suppose to just plug it into the computer and check out the software. But regardless, my paint was not in that condition when I left it with them. They will never wash it again.
And no, they didn't fix anything, they just told me that I needed a new door lock actuator and that it will be an all day event.
And I came outside to find the windows open again this morning..

That's a great idea! I'll have to make something similar seeing as it looks like I'll be in there again. The did it all by hand, the GM even said so. then continued to insist that they didn't harm the paint..

That sucks. scratches suck in general when you get one and have no one to blame but when you give the car to someone who's suppose to be taking care of it and it comes back damaged it really sucks. At least they manned up to it and tried to fix it instead of trying to get out of it. I Had the same plan, I wanted to keep my Mini forever, but the way things keep breaking and going wrong on this car I'll be surprised if it see's 5 years..

 

*cringes* ow...

-------------------------------

So also last night he told me to look at it in the day because the way the light was hitting it at night was doing crazy things to the paint. First of all, he's BS'ing me. and secondly I did look at the paint this morning before going to work and when I opened the garage the sun came in and shined upon my boot lid and showed all the crap left on the car from its "washing" and what looked like a streak. So I got out my spray and microfiber and cleaned what they didn't from the effected area and came to find out it was a ~15" inch horizontal scratch.. Light enough that it can be taken out when my car gets professionally detailed by Richie at no expense spared but it's definitely a mark left by them.
When I saw that I said to myself "no way are they getting out of this..."

 

Yes we are talking about the same Ritchey

 

Not sure but from what I have seen, most dealerships use local drive thu places. Have not seen one do a hand wash in about 20 years.

 

I would contact Dan at Mach V. He is a vendor here. I think he has some sort of technique for removing swirl marks in kit form which he sells.

 

My heart goes out to you. This happened to me with my last car, a Jet Black 135i. I made a huge scene at the dealership (i totally overreacted), but they know now not to wash my car when I bring it in for service.

You know the folks doing the car washes are using the same mitt over and over again all day - so the dirt from everyone else's car was ground into your car's finish.

The good news is the clearcoat scratches, if not too deep, can be buffed out with quality polishes.

The clearcoat on all new BMWs and MINIs is EXTREMELY soft, bordering on defective in my opinion. All you have to do is look at it wrong... and the car has clearcoat scratches.

Without extreme/obsessive care, the finish is VERY prone to scratches from improper washing techniques and etching from acid rain, bird droppings. Keep in mind it takes only 2 hours for bird droppings to etch the clearcoat.

 

come to florida we still hand wash here. south of the border labour is cheaper than a machine

 

Sweeeeet... Time for me to shoot him an email.

They hand wash up here, they have a little wash bay in the back. I couldnt Imagine a dealer having an automatic brush one! The horror!

Thanks, I should have know better but after a long and frustrating day your mind just slips sometimes, I mean you would think that they would take proper care of there equipment and the cars but alas no, and thus why we are here now.

The clear coats in these cars a pathetic, their is nothing to them, HE EVEN AGREED With me that they scratch easily....But Wont take responsibility.

Ask my family, girlfriend and anyone I know and they will tell you how super obsessive I am about the car.

 

Yeah I wonder when BMW is going to figure out how to be eco-friendly and actually produce a clearcoat that stands up to normal everyday use. It may take a lawsuit.

The clearcoat on my MINI, now 3 weeks old, has already been etched on the hood by the wiper fluid. I noticed this within the first week, parked under a street light at night. Looks like wiper fluid dribbled down the hood from the washer nozzle, leaving droplets behind (in a perfect line) that etched the clearcoat. (I've since read anti-freeze in washer fluid can etch clearcoat.)

If the clearcoat is already etched coming from the factory... I would think there's a problem!