Stone chips on lower door edges... help please!

[JonnyG]

Mine are fine, and I've not had any chips in that area in over two years of GTI ownership.

Are your chips right on the bottom edge ?    If so, do you think they could have been caused by the dealer opening the doors when the car was on some sort of inspection ramp, and they just caught the bottom edges on something sharp?.   It just seems too much of a coincidence that they are in similar postions on both sides  

[hotrod]

Hi JonnyG... very good point.

At handover we inspected the car in the showroom for 2hrs, it was pouring down outside, and found a very small swirl mark in the paintwork. It was immediately taken up to the VAG bodyshop for a buff. The salesman waited while it was done (15 mins) and then returned with it.

I didn’t inspect the whole car again, we just inspected the affected area... it was perfect. It’s possible that the marks were done in the bodyshop... it’s very difficult to be sure. As you know picking up a new motor can be quite exciting/stressful! The weather was also dreadful – strong winds and lashing rain.

I thought I’d check with my forum buddies first before chatting to the dealership.

Good advice... thanks

[hotrod]

Are your chips right on the bottom edge ?  

Yes they are.

[TagnuT]

None here. My car just seems to collect tar spots along the sides and on the rear bumper and tail gate.

Get the dealer to check if the car has "soft" paint. Years ago I had a brand new Polo and it collected a rash of pint chips on the bonnet.

VW came out and inpected it, found that the paint was soft. They did this by pushing a HB pencil into the paint  

(if the pencil point didn't mark the paint it was ok)

They did respray it under the warrenty.

[hotrod]

None here. My car just seems to collect tar spots along the sides and on the rear bumper and tail gate.

Get the dealer to check if the car has "soft" paint. Years ago I had a brand new Polo and it collected a rash of pint chips on the bonnet.

VW came out and inpected it, found that the paint was soft. They did this by pushing a HB pencil into the paint  

(if the pencil point didn't mark the paint it was ok)

They did respray it under the warrenty.

Cheers TagnuT... I’m making a list for Monday!

[182_blue]

soft paint  can chip less than hard paint tbh, it may be thin paint, or you could just be fussy and nobody else notices like you do

[hotrod]

They say a problem shared... and all that...

...I’ve been thinking hard over the last hour about these marks, and have been quizzing my wife about when we inspected the car at the dealer handover. We both gave the car a critical look, but couldn’t be 100% certain that the marks weren’t already there.

I then had a brainwave. We both took our hi-res cameras to capture the magic on the day... and lo-and-behold... the marks are on the images (very subtle). So the damage was dealer inflicted!!!

Now I am a perfectionist, so I will need to get them looked at. However I am very relieved that it’s not a dodgy paintwork issue... just a Sloppy Joe in the service bay not taking care.

I’ll get the dealer to sort it out asap, they’ve been terrific so far!

Thanks so much guys... mystery solved... Hotrod

[TeddyKGB]

Although spotted my 1st dam door ding , what is it with people that just fling their doors open, and have no regard for other peoples possesions. if i  found out who done it, id piss on them and their family

Don't get me started on this

*boils piss*

[RedRobin]

....I saw Mark at the bodyshop this morning - He mentioned you were coming in - Hopefully the dealer is being cooperative! Tell me if you have any problems with them!!

[hotrod]

....I saw Mark at the bodyshop this morning - He mentioned you were coming in - Hopefully the dealer is being cooperative! Tell me if you have any problems with them!!

Hi Robin,

Mark sorted out the marks for me... not perfect but certainly liveable (only I know they’re there)... nice, helpful guy!
Also had a funny squeak under the engine, so Dan popped it on the lift and we had a look underneath... just a pipe pulling very slightly on a metal shield, a quick adjustment... job done.

Wife had her MR2 in at the Toyota dealership next door and they also did a sterling job at a very reasonable price. Good job Loders!

Take care... Hotrod