Paint touch up on approved used car

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BobbieC

New Member
Joined
Mar 8, 2021
Messages
7
Location
UK
Car
Mercedes A class Sport
Hi all! New member here and very happy to be joining the Mercedes club!

I picked up my Merc last weekend - it's an Approved Used 2018 A class 180 Sport. I wasn't able to see it prior to buying but saw videos etc. When I got it home, I noticed one area was particularly scratched and the salesman has arranged for it to be taken to get touched up next week for a few days which is great :)

Since then I've seen a few other areas with the odd stone chip etc. As it's very dark blue you can really see them as they are white - they're small but fairly obvious. As it's going in to the paint shop anyway I figured I would ask if they could give it the once over and repair any areas they could see but I doubt they'll agree to do all that for free. If I offer to pay (not for the original area but for these extra bits I've spotted) how much would it cost me if it's at the official Mercedes paint place? It seems silly to order paint for myself and try to do a DIY job if it's going in to a professional place and I'll be without it for three days.

I appreciate it's a new car so I don't think it's fair to make unrealistic demands on the dealer to repair every blemish for free but I'd really appreciate any advice! I'm in the UK.

Thank you :)
 
I don't think we can provide cost estimates... but why so complacent? It's an MB Approved Used car, is should have been made perfect before it ever got to you, and the stone chips should have been sorted prior to the sale, just tell the dealer to fix all of the paint issues, no ifs or buts.

Not trying to be awkward, but there have been dozens of complaints on this forum regarding dealers who simply can't be bothered to fix issues on Approved Used cars prior to the sale (as they should be doing).

I obviously don't know the particular cistcomstances in your case, but I can't help thinking that the dealer is simply trying it on, and they should not be allowed to use your good nature to get away with it.

And there's nothing unrealistic in expecting the dealer to correct all the paint issues without exception.

My opinion, anyway.
 
Hi all! New member here and very happy to be joining the Mercedes club!

I picked up my Merc last weekend - it's an Approved Used 2018 A class 180 Sport. I wasn't able to see it prior to buying but saw videos etc. When I got it home, I noticed one area was particularly scratched and the salesman has arranged for it to be taken to get touched up next week for a few days which is great :)

Since then I've seen a few other areas with the odd stone chip etc. As it's very dark blue you can really see them as they are white - they're small but fairly obvious. As it's going in to the paint shop anyway I figured I would ask if they could give it the once over and repair any areas they could see but I doubt they'll agree to do all that for free. If I offer to pay (not for the original area but for these extra bits I've spotted) how much would it cost me if it's at the official Mercedes paint place? It seems silly to order paint for myself and try to do a DIY job if it's going in to a professional place and I'll be without it for three days.

I appreciate it's a new car so I don't think it's fair to make unrealistic demands on the dealer to repair every blemish for free but I'd really appreciate any advice! I'm in the UK.

Thank you :)
Hi welcome, let me just get this right you paid for the car without seeing it ? well you say you saw videos about it, did they say the car is in great condition if so show them the video and tell them its not as described. Make sure you watch your video and note the words they use, for armed it the greatest proof. bear in mind if you were selling it to them they would pick out every floor on it, go around the car with a drawing marking on the picture where all the faults are and keep a copy for yourself to check it. Get them to do as much as you can Don't say things like i know its not new, its Merc approved so it should be as good as new. If you have not shown them all the faults i would show them before you give it to them so they can't say you would have to book it in again OR it was not like that when we sold it to you. Good luck with it, let us know how you get on. Not the best way to start off with a merc but you will enjoy it once you have it sorted.
 
I don't think we can provide cost estimates... but why so complacent? It's an Apprived Used, the stone chips should have been sorted prior to the sale, just tell the dealer to fix all of the paint issues.

Not trying to be awkward, but there have been dozens of complaints on this forum regarding dealers who simply can't be bothered to fix issues on Approved Used cars prior to the sale (as they should be doing).

I obviously don't know that particular cistcomstances in your case, but I can help thinking that the dealer is simply trying it on, and they should not be allowed to use you good nature to get away with it.

My opinion, anyway.
Thanks so much for replying! I just felt really awkward because the dealer implied that the scuff I complained about had happened between my leaving the dealership and getting home.... (which it didn't! I was just remiss and didn't do a proper check at the dealers when I picked it up....) He agreed to take it in and get it sorted but it definitely left me feeling like I couldn't ask for anything further. I'm also aware it's an approved used car so can't expect perfection. But still, it's new to me so I want it to look as nice as possible!
 
... I'm also aware it's an approved used car so can't expect perfection...

I don't think that's correct... an MB Apprived Used car should not be sold with defects, paint or otherwise.

Dealers will ship to auction house Px-ed cars that they don't want to fix or sell

Paint issues are an easy fix, it just cost money... there's no excuse for not having done so before.

They should be apologising to you for wasting your time by not preparing the car for sale properly.

And, (assuming that you are telling the truth, which I have no reason to doubt), them suggesting that you caused the damage is preposterous.

Usually I am a very mild-mannered person... but listening to your story - give them the whole nine yards, I say.
 
I don't think that's correct... an MB Apprived Used car should not be sold with defects, paint or otherwise.

Dealers will ship to auction house Px-ed cars that they don't want to fix or sell

Paint issues are an easy fix, it just cost money... there's no excuse for not having done so before.

They should be apologising to you for wasting your time by not preparing the car for sale properly.

And, (assuming that you are telling the truth, which I have no reason to doubt), them suggesting that you caused the damage is preposterous.

Usually I am a very mild-mannered person... but listening to your story - give them the whole nine yards, I say.
Yep I must admit I was mortified when he suggested that I had caused the scuffs myself - i had driven for less than five minutes and certainly would have noticed if anything had happened to cause scuffs like that! Unfortunately I'm not the most forthcoming of people and quite shy/a people pleaser so any type of confrontation is tricky for me, but I'll do my best! Because I don't know the work involved - is touching up a chip a big job or something fairly quick and easy? Thanks again!
 
Hi welcome, let me just get this right you paid for the car without seeing it ? well you say you saw videos about it, did they say the car is in great condition if so show them the video and tell them its not as described. Make sure you watch your video and note the words they use, for armed it the greatest proof. bear in mind if you were selling it to them they would pick out every floor on it, go around the car with a drawing marking on the picture where all the faults are and keep a copy for yourself to check it. Get them to do as much as you can Don't say things like i know its not new, its Merc approved so it should be as good as new. If you have not shown them all the faults i would show them before you give it to them so they can't say you would have to book it in again OR it was not like that when we sold it to you. Good luck with it, let us know how you get on. Not the best way to start off with a merc but you will enjoy it once you have it sorted.
Thank you! Yes, because of Covid the showroom wasn't open so I was sent a video. On the video the salesman said he would get any scratches out but that he'd looked an couldn't see any. Which I think now is why he's claiming they weren't there when he took the video (though there were five days between him doing the video and me taking possession of the car...)

Using a drawing to mark the issues on is a good idea. It's just if he objects is all - I'm a shy person so hate the idea of having to confront him about this!
 
Yep I must admit I was mortified when he suggested that I had caused the scuffs myself - i had driven for less than five minutes and certainly would have noticed if anything had happened to cause scuffs like that! Unfortunately I'm not the most forthcoming of people and quite shy/a people pleaser so any type of confrontation is tricky for me, but I'll do my best! Because I don't know the work involved - is touching up a chip a big job or something fairly quick and easy? Thanks again!

'Touching-up' is never an acceptable repair. The only way to fix stone chips damage is a respray, complete panel or blend-in partial (aka 'smart repair').

Touching-up is what the owner would do if they want to avoid a full panel respray, but it's a compromise, not a fix.

I appreciate that you are not a confrontational person... perhaps you'll find it easier to put everything in an email and deal with it this way. It will also leave a paper trail (preferably accompanied by photographs) in case there are any future issues.
 
Emailing with photos a good idea, make sure you send a copy to the dealer's Sales Director as well as the Salesman
 
Don’t ask, don’t get. I would request it, you’re not looking for perfection just for good paint. Enjoy the car.
 
Hi, I've bought 4 cars during these lockdowns and you should not be expected to accept a car with paint defects.
You say that you are shy, well they don't need to know that. The salesman would love a shy person who daren't speak up. You don't have to ring them which is a bit scary if you are shy. As someone else said, put everything in an email, you could even mention that due to the lockdown, you feel that you have been taken advantage of. There is a lot of trust involved at the moment on both sides if a part ex is involved but each time, I have said "if my car isn't as good as I say it is and on the photos, you can amend my part ex price" and I expect the same from them.
The latest car I bought was an approved used, a bit different to you as it's a year old with 3k miles on but the day before I was due to collect it at the end of February, the salesman rang me and said that he had been to look at the car and it had a scratch that needed their paint chap to sort. I wasn't shocked as the car had been stood around for a year and if you've been to a mercedes dealership, there never seems to be enough spaces and cars are crammed in. I asked him to send me photos of the scratch and said that I would check it before collecting on the day. He showed me when I visited and I couldn't tell it had been painted. It looks perfect and I was very pleased.

When I bought one slightly older (my first c class a few years ago, it was around 2 years old and cavansite blue which is dark and shows every mark. When i collected it, it was in the showroom with the lights on it and it looked great. I'm into detailing so knew to look for swirls etc and it was fine. When I got it home and washed it, the front bumper had what I think they call 'rash' where it is completely peppered with chips. I am aware that they use glazes etc to fill these, I have glazes myself but it was unacceptable in my view. I got in touch and the salesman was messing me around so I went straight to the dealer principal (they don't like trouble). He asked me to visit and we had a meeting in his office. He went on a bit saying that it was a used car and it's not going to be like new etc. I said yes I know that but the condition is unacceptable. He rambled on about different parts of the business invoicing him for the respray and how much it would cost etc and I just stood my ground. He ended up having the front bumper completely resprayed and there was also a metal to metal rattle on one of the wheels which turned out to be related to the parking brake. The workshop guy said it was a known issue so they replaced both sides. The dealer principal wasn't happy at being invoiced by another part of the company for the repairs but so what, that's not my problem (or your problem).
The dealer principal was so pathetic at the end of it, when I went to collect the car after the respray, we saw each other in the showroom where I was waiting and I was going to say hello and thank you etc and he did a detour around the cars and dashed off so that he didn't have to speak to me. Silly man. He wasn't happy but I was but it should have never have had to happen anyway. They tried to cover up issues to save money and didn't like it when I wanted it in the condition that a used approved should be in. They want to get the cars out at the least expense and most profit to them. It was Listers at Lincoln.

Do not offer to pay for any defects you have found since collecting. Take photos, add to the email and say that you want them rectifying and putting into the condition it should have been on collection. Email is easier from the comfort of home rather than a phone call where they know they have you on the back foot. It's their job to be confident, they do it every day.

Just because it is lockdown and they are doing online sales, don't accept the unacceptable.
 
I have a slight problem with the notion that an approved used car has to have perfect paint. It doesn’t - minor defects commensurate with the age of the vehicle are considered acceptable.

In reality it comes down to judgement and experience. For example, on a two or three year old car I would not accept car park dings, scratches, scuffs, road rash or a single chip bigger than a match head, but I would consider minor stone chipping (especially on the front of the car) that has been touched up as acceptable.

I know it’s popular to bash dealers, but repainting panels on every used car they ever sold isn’t good business.
 
I never part exchange a car with any paint chips or defects so don't expect to buy a newer one in worse condition :)
 
I brought my current car six weeks ago from a main dealer during lockdown. It is 18 months old and a one owner car, I was also sent a video of the vehicle for which I was happy with, a deal was struck and I paid a £500 deposit.
Now I was told if when I came to pick up the car if I wasn’t happy with it I could have my money back or they would try and source another vehicle (after all they want my custom)

Now main dealers often get a bad press and rightly so in some cases, in my experience of Mercedes dealers in buying two cars from them has been a good, good communication, car as described.

Whilst I wouldn’t accept scuffs or bad scratches, the odd stone chip in my view is only to be expected they certainly are not going to respray to front end. At the end of the day it’s your decision whether to buy the car or not, stone chips can happen anytime, you can pick them up driving the car home from the dealership.

I think you have to be realistic, it’s a second hand car at the end of the day which has been driven in all sorts of weather on a public road. It’s going to pick up the odd mark here and there it’s inevitable, if your not happy walk away.
I hope the OP gets this sorted to their satisfaction and doesn’t tarnish his experience of his new car.

Just my opinion
 
I have a slight problem with the notion that an approved used car has to have perfect paint. It doesn’t - minor defects commensurate with the age of the vehicle are considered acceptable.

In reality it comes down to judgement and experience. For example, on a two or three year old car I would not accept car park dings, scratches, scuffs, road rash or a single chip bigger than a match head, but I would consider minor stone chipping (especially on the front of the car) that has been touched up as acceptable.

I know it’s popular to bash dealers, but repainting panels on every used car they ever sold isn’t good business.

Fair point. I would expect any existing cosmetic defects to be highlighted to the customer before the sale, though.
 
I would expect any existing cosmetic defects to be highlighted to the customer before the sale
In the current climate, with remote sales being the norm, I completely agree. In more normal circumstances when the purchaser can view the vehicle it's up to them to see any defects and decide whether any individual defect, or a number of defects in aggregate, are acceptable to them or not.
 
Thank you all so much! My original stance was absolutely that I can't expect perfection - but having spotted quite a number of imperfections now (the car was in a dark garage type place when I picked it up so they weren't visible and had already paid the deposit, car unseen) I do feel like it's worth bringing it up, for sure. I'm not combative but I guess just need to try to stand my ground quietly and confidently (!)

In your experience, is repairing chips a fairly quick and easy job if it's in the paintwork place anyway? He said it was going to be in for three days and is giving me a loan car so if it's an easy job they may not resist as I'm worrying they will... I don't know enough to know this.

Thanks again to everyone who responded, I really appreciate it.

Bobbie
 
but having spotted quite a number of imperfections now (the car was in a dark garage type place when I picked it up so they weren't visible and had already paid the deposit, car unseen) I do feel like it's worth bringing it up
It is worth bringing it up, and gently reminding the sales person that due to the poor light when you collected the previously unseen car, you couldn't reasonably be expected to have spotted them all at that time. But you do have to be pragmatic - which you seem to be, so probably not a problem.
In your experience, is repairing chips a fairly quick and easy job if it's in the paintwork place anyway?
If they're on a panel that they're already repainting it will effectively "happen for free", so I wouldn't expect any pushback. If it's extra panels, then it's extra work and effort that's non-trivial.
 
What mercedes garage is it ? if they start being funny tell the you are a mb forum member and the whole of the forum is waiting with baited breath to see how you deal with this, regarding the purchase of there next cars. That may make them think a bit before they try and brush you off. Don't be sheepish stand your ground you are in the right. Good luck.
 
Love that response Merc Estate! Well thank you all - I took the car in today and they've agreed to do everything - I imagine it's a SMART repair as he did say the stone chips will be touched up as opposed to whole panels being painted but as long is the job is good I think that's fair, they're small chips and to respray the whole door would seem excessive... I get the car back on Friday/Saturday so will keep everything crossed!

In the meantime, they've given me a brand new Merc to drive and I'm terrified hahaha! Lovely car though!

Thanks again to everyone for the support and giving me the courage to ask :)
 

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