Paint issues - dealership response

[roket]

I got the paint issue repaired and they actually did a nice job BUT they chipped my rear tail light when they took it out to paint the area on the corner of the trunk. Now I'm going back and forth with them on replacing the light which they're trying to say was already damaged or that I somehow damaged it. The autobody shop manager even tried to tell me that it would have to come out of the techs pocket to make me feel bad and let the damage go. Dealerships, I tell you...it never ends.

it generally depends on management, but something like that could be true and the tech has to pay out of pocket, or the place just internals the RO for it as a loss. it looks like the retail cost for a new tail light could be ~$1200

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[dollybud]

I work at a powerboat manufacturer and can state from personal experience that unfortunately, QC is Quality Control, not Quality Perfect.

Most buyers don't want to hear this, but every manufacturer's QC department has a defect tolerance level for every aspect of their product. If the defects exceed those levels or are very obvious to "casual" observation they are repaired; if not, they are not repaired. There are a myriad of reasons why, but in some cases, the repairs are not made because the repair would be worse than the original defect.

To 90% of their customers (In our cases, the ones not on this and other forums), these defects go unnoticed, therefore inconsequential. We just happen to be enthusiasts who desire perfection in our Mustangs.

That said, the dealers shouldn't balk at submitting warranty claims to Ford to get these defects fixed, especially paint related ones because they are not on the hook for the cost unless they make the repair before getting approval for a warranty repair beforehand.

That said, my Dark Horse better be absolutely perfect!! Whenever Ford decides to build it, that is.

Interesting. When I picked up 24 Yellow Splash GT I had my Grandson with me. He was detailer who went over evey thing opened the trunk, hood, doors etc. while I was inside with the manager. Upon his approval I sighned.

 

[Southpaw78]

it generally depends on management, but something like that could be true and the tech has to pay out of pocket, or the place just internals the RO for it as a loss. it looks like the retail cost for a new tail light could be ~$1200

Update: got a call from the body shop manager and they ordered and received the new tail light. I went in last Friday and they installed it in about half hour. Body shop manager wasn't there but tech was a good guy. Wanted to show me the box that it was new. I really wouldn't have cared if they took the light from one of the cars on the lot just as long as it worked and wasn't chipped. All in all a long process but worked out in the end. I won't be going back though.

 

[IFFV68]

Thanks, I don't expect a response from Ford but if anyone knows if it's true that I need to find a dealer with an auto body shop or have someone in Central Florida they'd recommend I'd be happy to give them a call.

Do you know the Build Date of your Mustang?
I wonder if other Mustangs built on the same date as yours have the same paint issue?

 

[Southpaw78]

Do you know the Build Date of your Mustang?
I wonder if other Mustangs built on the same date as yours have the same paint issue?

Built 7/14/23.

 

[IPOGT]

Should be able to find a dealership with an in-house body shop. YMMV on the customer service but I just helped a coworker get his doors aligned on a 2023 Accord by finding a Honda dealership with a body shop.

I suspect the warranty reimbursement isn’t near the rate the insurance companies will pay. If that were the case, the boss at a a busy dealer body shop might not necessarily be thrilled at taking a lower labor rate to repair a car that they didn’t sell in the first place. To top it off, then may have to deal with a picky mustang owner. I could see that. (Not saying you are or shouldn’t be). Just thinking of risk vs reward with a busy shop with plenty of insurance work.

 

[Dxm]

Every single Mustang has this bubble. For me it was on both sides. I checked other cars at the dealer and they all had it.
Gotta take a syringe filled with crazy glue. Puncture the bubble and let the glue in. Then take a paper towel and compress the bubble as the glue oozes out—paper towel because you don’t want to glue your hand to the car. That’s all there is to it. That’s what I did as soon as I brought the car home.

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