Trunk lid/spoiler chipping problem and crappy dealer service... need advice

[nUcLeArEnVoY]

I don't know if this is the right forum, but it involves an issue with my car that wasn't my fault. Sorry for the wall of text but please help.

On the third of this month (Monday), I brought my trunk lid to my local dealer (Homestead Chevrolet) to get it repainted because I had the infamous chipping problem since I have an early 2011 model. I brought the TSP with me and no questions asked, they took the trunk lid. The whole car has been parked at my house 'cause I didn't want to bring it to the dealer, so I uninstalled the trunk lid and took that to them alone.

So I got it back that Friday. The paintjob looked good but when I got it home and buffed it a bit to get rid of the inherent "dealer swirls", I noticed that there was a feathered, speckled whitish-grayish marks along the edges towards the front on both sides of the trunk lid. Very unnoticable unless you get up close, but still unacceptable. Curious, I rubbed them with some medium grade polish and a microfiber towel. They didn't come off... instead, the marks got bigger and when I looked at the towel, I saw a bunch of black. Basecoat was coming off... so there was little to no clearcoat on these areas.

Either the edges were undersprayed or the more likely scenario, they were overbuffed. Not only that, but these affected areas felt a little rough to the touch and a light drag of the fingernail was able to chip the paint right to the primer.

So I took it back the following Monday, the 10th. When I showed them, the body shop manager said it didn't leave the shop looking like that, and I agreed, but that's only because a light rubbing with compound on a microfiber caused it to get worst. So they took the trunk lid back...

Fast forward to today. I still don't have my trunk lid. Now I don't mean to toot my horn, but I'm very patient by nature. I didn't finally call them to see how it was coming along until last night. I left a message at the body shop phone and I left a message on the body shop manager's work cell phone. This morning, I didn't get any call back at work or on my cell phone, so at around 11:00 I called the body shop manager and he picked up and so I heard the most ridiculous excuse ever in an attempt to justify the fact that they probably haven't even touched it since I dropped it off last Monday.

"We've gone over the spots several times and it looks fine in the shop but every time I bring it to my office to look at it in a different light, I see the white marks again."

Seriously, what-the-****? If they painted over the marks, they shouldn't be there... it's THAT simple. I mean what, is there some chemical reaction in the outside air that's causing the white marks to pop up in those exact spots between the time he brings it from the shop to his office 20 feet away? Those white marks were actually gray, and what they were was PRIMER SHOWING THROUGH BECAUSE THE EDGE WAS OVERBUFFED!

Said he'd call me back today after they take it out of the spray booth again to see if it looks better, which I'm sure it will since I guarantee this will be the first time they've taken it to the spray booth. He's also saying that what they're doing is just spraying the affected areas, which is okay with the black basecoat but if they're spot spraying clear, I am not very comfortable with that. The WHOLE deck lid should be recleared if it's to be done right.

Also said he "never got my messages" that I left yesterday either, despite having left them on the company phone and his private company cellphone.

So anyway, the reason I'm making this post is to see what my options are if I get the trunk lid back and am still unsatisfied. Judging by what I heard this morning, I've lost my ability to trust them to get it fixed to my satisfaction, so I'll need to get secondary involvement. Would GM or Chevrolet Customer Service be of any help here?? I haven't driven my car in two and a half weeks now because of a f*cking trunk lid. This is getting a little ridiculous.

[Chevrolet Customer Svc]

Originally Posted by nUcLeArEnVoY

I don't know if this is the right forum, but it involves an issue with my car that wasn't my fault. Sorry for the wall of text but please help.

On the third of this month (Monday), I brought my trunk lid to my local dealer (Homestead Chevrolet) to get it repainted because I had the infamous chipping problem since I have an early 2011 model. I brought the TSP with me and no questions asked, they took the trunk lid. The whole car has been parked at my house 'cause I didn't want to bring it to the dealer, so I uninstalled the trunk lid and took that to them alone.

So I got it back that Friday. The paintjob looked good but when I got it home and buffed it a bit to get rid of the inherent "dealer swirls", I noticed that there was a feathered, speckled whitish-grayish marks along the edges towards the front on both sides of the trunk lid. Very unnoticable unless you get up close, but still unacceptable. Curious, I rubbed them with some medium grade polish and a microfiber towel. They didn't come off... instead, the marks got bigger and when I looked at the towel, I saw a bunch of black. Basecoat was coming off... so there was little to no clearcoat on these areas.

Either the edges were undersprayed or the more likely scenario, they were overbuffed. Not only that, but these affected areas felt a little rough to the touch and a light drag of the fingernail was able to chip the paint right to the primer.

So I took it back the following Monday, the 10th. When I showed them, the body shop manager said it didn't leave the shop looking like that, and I agreed, but that's only because a light rubbing with compound on a microfiber caused it to get worst. So they took the trunk lid back...

Fast forward to today. I still don't have my trunk lid. Now I don't mean to toot my horn, but I'm very patient by nature. I didn't finally call them to see how it was coming along until last night. I left a message at the body shop phone and I left a message on the body shop manager's work cell phone. This morning, I didn't get any call back at work or on my cell phone, so at around 11:00 I called the body shop manager and he picked up and so I heard the most ridiculous excuse ever in an attempt to justify the fact that they probably haven't even touched it since I dropped it off last Monday.

"We've gone over the spots several times and it looks fine in the shop but every time I bring it to my office to look at it in a different light, I see the white marks again."

Seriously, what-the-****? If they painted over the marks, they shouldn't be there... it's THAT simple. I mean what, is there some chemical reaction in the outside air that's causing the white marks to pop up in those exact spots between the time he brings it from the shop to his office 20 feet away? Those white marks were actually gray, and what they were was PRIMER SHOWING THROUGH BECAUSE THE EDGE WAS OVERBUFFED!

Said he'd call me back today after they take it out of the spray booth again to see if it looks better, which I'm sure it will since I guarantee this will be the first time they've taken it to the spray booth. He's also saying that what they're doing is just spraying the affected areas, which is okay with the black basecoat but if they're spot spraying clear, I am not very comfortable with that. The WHOLE deck lid should be recleared if it's to be done right.

Also said he "never got my messages" that I left yesterday either, despite having left them on the company phone and his private company cellphone.

So anyway, the reason I'm making this post is to see what my options are if I get the trunk lid back and am still unsatisfied. Judging by what I heard this morning, I've lost my ability to trust them to get it fixed to my satisfaction, so I'll need to get secondary involvement. Would GM or Chevrolet Customer Service be of any help here?? I haven't driven my car in two and a half weeks now because of a f*cking trunk lid. This is getting a little ridiculous.

We apologize for any frustrations that you may be experiencing. If you would like for me to research this further for you, please send me a PM with your first and last name, address, phone number, VIN, mileage and involved dealership name.

We look forward to your reply.

Brandon
Chevrolet Customer Service

[nUcLeArEnVoY]

Originally Posted by Chevrolet Customer Svc

We apologize for any frustrations that you may be experiencing. If you would like for me to research this further for you, please send me a PM with your first and last name, address, phone number, VIN, mileage and involved dealership name.

We look forward to your reply.

Brandon
Chevrolet Customer Service

If I get the trunk lid back and it is not to my satisfaction, I will do just that. Look for my PM in the coming days.