The subject of this thread pretty much says it...but here's the story:

Several weeks ago I recently had my first maintenance done at Infiniti, I have the car for a year with only 7,000 miles on it. I rarely drive the car as I am always traveling for work. So the car's paint is pristine and I took very good care of the car's paint since day one, not a single scratch or swirl mark visible in direct sunlight. I was pretty proud of it...

Well, I was extremely busy, dropped the car off and totally forgot that they give courtesy car washes (despite the fact that it is already clean) and never reminded me of it. I came back and noticed it was a little wet and saw what looks like smudges and smears...rubbed my hand on it and realized they were swirl scratches and they were not coming off. The entire car looks like it was washed with a Brillo pad. I had three 3 foot long deep white scratches, two on the hood and one on the fender. I was pissed! Filed a complaint at the dealer, complained on the survey that was sent in the mail, and complained when corporate called to thank me for the recent service.

A few weeks later, the dealership called and said they got a notice from corporate about my complaint and wish to do something that would make me happy. They offer to buff out the scratches and reapply the clearcoat.

Should I let them do it? I need to do more research as I am not familiar with the whole buffing process but I'm afraid that they will screw up again and buff the hell out of my paint or at least weaken it or leave deeper swirl marks. What do you guys think? Should I just let it be and live with the scratches and move on?

 

let them try, but then agian it's not my car

 

don't let them do it, they will maaco that ****... tell them you will be sending them a bill.. go somewhere and get it done right no matter the expense

 

I made the same mistake before. I am usually very good about telling them not to do the wash when I drop it off but I was in a hurry one time and forgot. When I got my car back it was scratch city. Looked like they used a broom to apply suds that was full of dirt. The guys that wash them dont care at all thats why the wash is around back lol. To them its just another car in the lot that they have to wash all the time and the faster the better!
Dont ever get complimentary car wash when servicing, you will regret it!

 

^very wise statement

Never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever...let them do it....not even if they PAID you. Too bad they didnt tell you ahead of time they were going to do that . None the less, lesson learned. Go somewhere else and send them the bill. Its not worth it to get the car back after the buffed it out that they broke your exhuast, or something extreme to that degree. (not like that would happen)

 

Sorry for such a late response, work has been brutal...

Anyways, thanks for the advice and I will definitely look around for a good detailing place. Off the top of my head I can only think of Ziebart and some other smaller places. Being in Columbus, OH doesn't help...any recommendations? Is Ziebart pretty decent? I feel as if I can't trust anyone with the paint...

 

no.

Meguiars Scratch X.

 

they'll buff out the scratches after applying swrils to the rest of the car

 

I have seen what the local infiniti/ nissan dealership's detailing work and it is definitely sub-par compared to a good detailer. Most of the cars they have come out with buffer trails, and paint that looks worse than when it went in.

Go to www.autopia.org go to the regional forums and find a guy in your area. Anybody on that site is a much better detailer than a car dealership or bodyshop.

 

Already attempted, does not fix the problems. However, I put three coats of Zaino during the time before Infiniti called me for my input. It helped the look and reduce a lot of the swirls but they are still definitely visible in the sunlight. The three main scratches are still visible if you look close but Zaino did a good job hiding most of it. Overall, Zaino really helped compared to when I first picked up the car from service...it's like night and day. What bugs me the most is that, yeah, Zaino helped...but all the swirls and scratches are still there that never existed before and I rarely drive the car! Less than 7,500 miles and already I have to consider buffing? It sucks...

 

I will take a look at autopia, thanks!

 

Went to autopia, no luck finding a decent thread with recommended detailers...maybe I'll just deal with it and move on. The last thing I need right now is more hassle and pain if something were to screw up. Maybe I can negotiate with Infiniti to give me free tires or something since they want to help me so bad...I'm sure they are still getting heat from corporate because they keep calling me on when I can bring the car in.

 

I would have a frank conversation with them about what will happen if you are not happy, and stress the perfect condition of the rest of the car. If their answer is satisfactory to you then go ahead. If unsuccessful they might offer some free service or to pay for it to go somewhere else. Take pics of the car before getting any work done.

I would not take the car to someone else you don't know unless the dealer is uncooperative. It sounds like they are motivated to help you and you have much more leverage with them than someone you don't know. CSI's are very important to the dealer.

G/L

 

yea damn I had a free wash done last service, they definately left alot of swirls, no deep scratches or anything, but I had to go home and wax my damn car.

Im not used to having an infiniti and DEFINETELY not used to complimentary washes, so my first service I didnt know to ask them not to. nobody touches my car but me! I detailed cars for like 5 years lol, the bums that work there are working out of a day-old soap bucket and the same washmit they used on the muddy truck jsut before you.

plus they dont know what drying the car is.

 

I did after they scratched my bumper during the final cleanup before I drove it off the lot. It looked fine until I got into the sunlight the next day to realize it was totally burned. My paint is now ****ed. You have to look close but it still bothers me being that it's brand new.