[darthvader]

Hi everyone,

I have a black Chevrolet Cruze LTZ which was purchased in August 2011. The running is not much as my father and I have been quite busy over the past few months, and roads in Kanpur are awful. We also have an old Fiat 1100 D ("Premier Padmini") which is serving us well and is used for commutes in crowded places.

A few weeks ago during the winter, one evening, we met with an accident, when, due to intense fog and poor lighting conditions, the right side of the car hit an embankment on the road while turning, damaging the driver's door and the rear door on the same side. The chassis also suffered some damage. We managed to drive it back home, but it was clear that the damage was extensive and would require immediate repair. Here are some images of the damaged regions:

A few days earlier, the car had been hit possibly by a tempo or another vehicle, and there were already dents on the wheel arches which the workshop coaxed us into getting repaired later this year. Also, the handbrake seemed to be faulty and a few weeks earlier, the car had collided with a pavement on one occasion after the handbrake was applied at maximum force position, damaging the rear bumper. I had posted about this on TBHP and other Cruze owners mentioned that the handbrake wasn't supposed to behave this way, and that I ought to get it checked.

We took the car a couple of days later to the workshop, after having verbally explained the incident to them. They examined the vehicle and suggested that we claim insurance. It was decided that the car would be given to them the following morning. They seemed confident about bringing it back to factory condition.

While driving the car to the workshop, there was a traffic jam at a railway crossing, which we got caught up in. When the railway crossing finally opened, my father slowly drove the car through only to be stopped by a policeman (for no reason) just a few seconds later. But by this time, the lineman had started to lower the crossing gate for another oncoming train . My father folded his hands and pleaded with him to let him go by gesturing to him. He relented and began to raise the boom, just when another one of the linemen (a young guy) laughed at us, jumped and held on to the boom, bringing it down. The boom hit the A pillar on the driver side (http://0.tqn.com/d/autorepair/1/0/o/6/78390573.gif), and created a massive dent. Fortunately, the windscreen glass was not damaged, and only minor paint was removed.

We were annoyed, but in that chaos, we could do nothing but quietly drive the vehicle to the workshop, which was nearby. We felt that this was a minor dent which could be repaired as part of the more extensive repairs that the car was anyway about to undergo.

At the workshop...

The workshop people were courteous and after inspecting the list we had made detailing all the damages sustained by the body, they took custody of the car, made us fill out an insurance claim. We were not given any explicit estimate of the amount required for repairs, but only told that the surveyor may contact us.

Taking delivery..

We took delivery of the vehicle 2 weeks later. During the interim period, a zonal manager of GM visited the workshop and even called us to inform us that the body work was complete, and that we could take delivery of the car. However, he mentioned over the phone that the windscreen dent could not be repaired, and that we should wait for some time before bringing the car again.

Over the phone we were told that everything other than the windscreen dent was repaired. However, upon taking delivery we found that a lot of things were not fixed, which we had originally been promised would be repaired.

Also, the illumination in the shop was bad, so only after we returned did we discover that the car was severely scratched, and there were streaks of what looked like polish, paint, and even welding sparks all over. We wrote to the zonal manager who had befriended us, and mentioned the following points:

Pending work (to be repaired but not carried out in spite of promise)
1. Dent on windshield grill.
2. Dent on front left wheel arch.
3. Damage to rear left bumper due to faulty handbrake causing vehicle to roll over and collide with a pavement (we
have complained about the handbrake on several occasions – the vehicle often rolls in spite of the handbrake being
deployed at the maximum force position).
4. Dented driver and driver side passenger doors have not been meshed properly – there is a gaping hole at the bottom
where the rubber-grill is visible, indicating that the alignment is not proper.
5. The front driver wheel arch panel is slightly bent after undenting.

Blemishes sustained by body during vehicle stay in workshop
6. Symbol of number even (7) deposited using putty/other non-removable chemical on driver door.

7. Streak of white blisters on rear driver side C-pillar. The white stains appear to have been deposited just before the polishing was done, and seem to be possibly due to sparks accidentally flying from welding operations being performed nearby in the workshop.

8. Several scratches on front left, above headlamps.

9. Streaks of polish/other liquid on rear driver side bumper.

10. Blisters/burrs on several parts of the body, especially on the bonnet and the body panels around the headlamp region. (We fear that excess force on our part in removing these blisters can affect the paint adversely.)

I am quite disappointed with the nature of body repairs and the system of functioning at the GM workshop.. I would have thought that for a car such as the Cruze, they would have a professional team of body experts. But the quality of their work leaves much to be desired.

Some pictures are shown below. Please note that they are only a few representative images. I put 26 of them up on a link for the GM people to take a look at.

The car is due for a workshop visit tomorrow, and I intend to take up these issues with the workshop supervisors. But I would appreciate advice from BHPians about the following points.

1. Windscreen dent: What can be done about it? Do I have to live with it?

2. How does one assert one's rights in such a situation if the workshop refuses to perform repairs, and take responsibility for the damage that was done to the body during the vehicle's stay at the workshop?

3. I was not given an acknowledgement of the insurance claim. Is it not my right to know how much the repairs actually cost? What does it mean if the workshop says the funds were not sufficient to undertake repairs?

4. Regarding body repairs, is it possible to get a proper finish on the doors now? They are not properly meshed, and the outer panel/sheet does not seem to be rigidly fixed. Could this be a safety issue?

5. If the workshop folks put up their hands and refuse to fix these issues, what options do I have? Should I go to a non-GM body shop to get these things fixed?

Any advice on how to get the car back to its pristine glory would be appreciated, and of course all advice about how I should proceed in such a situation is welcome

Thanks in advance.

[darthvader]

Update: Writing to GM and explaining everything seems to have helped. The workshop was aware of the issues, and courteously responded by noting all of them down and promising that they would try to do something about them. The car was due for servicing and has been given to them for further repairs. It is expected to be ready by Thursday, but I have asked them to take special interest and do a good job this time, even if it takes longer.

[seedyk]

is that just a 6 month old car :o
it unfortunately is in a sad condition.
Regarding the *** issues , absolute negligence from their side.
Don't think you should accept the delivery next time before all issues are resolved. Being a bit firm and keeping the top bosses will help out to a great extent.

[darthvader]

Yes, it is..was bought in August 2011. Kanpur is an awful place..people bang your car and don't even have the decency to stop and apologize, let alone help settle the claim.

I am keeping my fingers crossed..hopefully the workshop will do a good job this time.

Should I keep some touch up paint with me to patch up small scratches? Where would it be available?

[sameerg001]

For some small touch ups use com-paint touch up spray, Its pure VFM to cover small scratches.

Here's the link:Aeroaids Corporation - Com-Paint Touchup Spray Paint, Aerosol Spray Paint Manufacturers.

Hope this time your car come back as new as it was before.

Cheers
Sameer

[darthvader]

Thanks Sameer, I hope so too

This Aeroaids paint...is it as good as the original GM paint, or or will it show in contrast? Also, does it have to be spray painted or hand-applied?

[sameerg001]

It is just like a normal spray can, there is a video in their website showing its application you can check that .

And it works fine with small scratches, just make sure you apply it the correct way and you'll hardly able to point out the difference. Just apply a coat of wax after spray paint and you'll be a happy man.


P.S you can search forum for com-paint review many BHPians use them.

Cheers
Sameer

[darthvader]

What is the general advice for repairing A-pillar dents? I am due for a preliminary workshop visit tomorrow, and since the car hasn't been at the shop long, I am guessing the A-pillar dent hasn't been removed. While practicality dictates that I don't get it fixed at all (as all the veterans have said) it looks very ugly and the logic that one should wait for something bad to happen to the windscreen or the glass to get it fixed seems bizarre to me.

There ought to be a safe way to fix those dents on the windscreen grill (A pillar)?

[darthvader]

Update: Saw the car today, most of the work done. Must thank workshop supervisor Mr. Ajit Singh (Romi Motors, Kanpur) and body shop supervisor Mr. Sumeet Agarwal for taking special interest after we reported the issues.

But I was told that the white spots on the D pillar and the bonnet/wheel arch (see attachment below) which seem to be streaks from welding or some deposits which got trapped before the polishing, are just stains which will vanish if the car is washed properly with shampoo and pressure washed. I will wait for them to do this, because they are confident the stains will go away in this fashion, but I did clean the car before giving it to the workshop, using Formula 1 Car Wax and Wash (and a clean chamois).

I was unable to get rid of these spots using petrol, shampoo, and even mild isopropyl alcohol. The stains cannot be felt with a finger, so at least to me, it seems they got impregnated in the paint somehow, or are between the thin polish and paint layer.

[darthvader]

Originally Posted by darthvader

But I was told that the white spots on the D pillar and the bonnet/wheel arch (see attachment below) which seem to be streaks from welding or some deposits which got trapped before the polishing, are just stains which will vanish if the car is washed properly with shampoo and pressure washed. I will wait for them to do this, because they are confident the stains will go away in this fashion, but I did clean the car before giving it to the workshop, using Formula 1 Car Wax and Wash (and a clean chamois).

I was unable to get rid of these spots using petrol, shampoo, and even mild isopropyl alcohol. The stains cannot be felt with a finger, so at least to me, it seems they got impregnated in the paint somehow, or are between the thin polish and paint layer.

Update: Took delivery of the car today, returned and washed it with Formula 1 Wax and Wash shampoo, dried with MF and have covered it. The spots seen in the attachment in the last post remain. The workshop folks were not able to get rid of them through pressure washing though they had initially been of the opinion that washing would get rid of them altogether.

They have suggested that the portion of the D pillar which has all these stubborn marks, be repainted. They suggested I take delivery of the vehicle and bring it after the Holi vacation (if I want to get this fixed) to get it repainted -- it will take a day or two.

PS -- I've ordered some sealant and polish, and I think I should get rid of these marks, get the work done, and then use these compounds, especially with the upcoming summer and the likelihood that my black car will often have to swelter in the sun when its outside the house.

[darthvader]

(Ref. to attachments) Could these be hard water marks? A friend suggested this, so I tried using

- lukewarm solution of sodium bicarbonate
- lukewarm lime water (natural lemon)
- vinegar

as these are the 'homemade recipes' for getting rid of such marks. But the stains persist. The workshop has offered to paint this panel, as they too could not figure out what the origin of these marks is. I am due to take the car for the remaining work today, but I was wondering if I could save the repainting.

You will also see mild scratches on the door and near the fuel cap. These scratches seem superficial -- do these have to be repainted or is there a proven way of fixing them? I have received Com-Paint, but haven't had a chance to check it out yet. Formula 1 Scratch Out did not work though.

[samsag12]

They seem very close to Hard water spots going by the way they dried up. Have you tried using any mild rubbing compound over it. Try working on it with the Scratchout liquid( you may have to keep rubbing the liquid in circular motion on the spots for, say 7-10 Sec). I am sure if they are on the paint's surface they will disappear.

[darthvader]

Rubbing with Formula 1 Scratch Out did not help at all. I'm waiting for ScratchX 2.0 to arrive (ordered it from EBay). If it doesn't work with that either, I'll go to the GM workshop for a repaint they offered to do on FoC basis.

[darthvader]

Update (April 06, 2012)

PS -- A little long..

I took delivery of the car today after about 2.5 weeks during which I had been promised a paint job of the affected regions containing the hard water-like spots and some minor superficial scratches which the car had suffered during its stay at the workshop.

1. The white spots (which you can still see in my old posts on this thread) have all gone as far as I can tell. As I had guessed, they were instances of the polish having been applied on an undried car. For some reason, "the machine" was used in a somewhat unprofessional way. Anyhow, the body shop used a "compound" (and they were quite nondescript about it) which removed the spots without having to repaint. I probed a lot but all I got out of them was that it was "company ka diya hua compound" (compound given by the company). When I asked if it was a rubbing compound, they nodded, and someone said 3M. But the bottle that one of the boys was using was of WuEarth India (not Wurth, which incidentally also makes/sells similar stuff).

2. This mystery compound also removed several spots on the bonnet which seemed like paint deposits. The workshop said it was gum, or something else which they couldn't be sure about because it came out just with a simple wipe.

3. There are two scratches which can be seen on the two doors on the driver side (picture of one is attached; the other is a slight claw-like mark on the rear passenger's door). These were visible when the car had been taken out of the workshop the last time, and we were told that these could be just touched up without any issues as only the top layer had been affected. They seemed like scratches from a small tool, maybe even a screwdriver. We were told that the paint job would take care of them.

But yesterday, when I noticed that the scratches had not been attended to, I asked around, and was told that the only way they can be repaired is to do a full repaint of the two doors. And even if I claim damage from insurance, I will have to pay about 5k (the cost of the job is 6k for each door), as per new insurance rules.

I was horrified to learn of the cost, given the fact that this damage took place at the workshop itself. But I was even more puzzled to know that for a small paint touch up the whole door will have to be repainted. It seems stupidly excessive to me, but I suppose this is how workshops and companies like General Motors make a lot of money.

So, I told the body shop expert that I was under the impression that if the clear coat has not been damaged and the scratch cannot be felt with a finger, then a simple touch up job is possible. He told me that there is no such process, and that in each such case the whole panel is repainted as a general practice.

------------------------

The conclusion/moral of the story is that every time the car goes for servicing, I will find some scratches or other instances of leftover work. They will keep telling me that "Kanpur me itna to chalta hai, jab aap yahan par gaadi chala rahe hain..." but as a technical person myself, I find it hard to accept such explanations and excuses.

Now, I am thinking of using Aeroaids Caviar Black paint (which I have) and I can also try some other compounds. But I fundamentally do not understand how the scratch remover compounds work. Any inputs would be appreciated here.

Would it be advisable to try something like Ultimate Compound, or a rubbing compound (suggestions?) before trying the Aeroaids paint?

[el lobo 6061]

Originally Posted by darthvader

1. The white spots (which you can still see in my old posts on this thread) have all gone as far as I can tell. Anyhow, the body shop used a "compound" (and they were quite nondescript about it) which removed the spots without having to repaint. I probed a lot but all I got out of them was that it was "company ka diya hua compound" (compound given by the company). When I asked if it was a rubbing compound, they nodded, and someone said 3M.

Finally to good to know those white marks have been taken care off. A 3M rubbing compound did the job, mostly that's the first choice to correct the paint work. If it doesn't work out repainting is the final answer. The workshop people would have used a DA(Dual Action) polisher which would even aid further rather than doing by hands.
Better they didn't repaint as many times getting it done from workshop doesn't turn out as factory finish quality.

Originally Posted by darthvader

3. There are two scratches which can be seen on the two doors on the driver side (picture of one is attached; the other is a slight claw-like mark on the rear passenger's door).

The scratch mark on the door of which you have attached picture wont go by using any rubbing compounds because the clear coat and base paint have been scratched and all you see is the primer(white). The only way to correct it is to repaint and getting a door repainted for a scratch is very expensive affair and quality wont come out that good as factory finish.
My suggestion, just clean it and wax it with Collinite 845.

Originally Posted by darthvader

The conclusion/moral of the story is that every time the car goes for servicing, I will find some scratches or other instances of leftover work. They will keep telling me that "Kanpur me itna to chalta hai, jab aap yahan par gaadi chala rahe hain..." but as a technical person myself, I find it hard to accept such explanations and excuses.

It's the same story here, even when I sent my car Vento to workshop, they ended up putting 2 scratches on it which they said they would repaint for free, but didn't get it done, as quality wouldn't have been the same as original. Driving in Kanpur without a scratch/dent is very difficult as I had driven there recently in my relatives Chevy Aveo U-VA over there.
When you give your car for service what you could do is show the SA what all scratches are there on the car and tell him "If anymore scratches comes on the car while servicing you would have repaint it for free". That should do the job. That's what I said to my SA at VW during the service and no scratches. Touchwood.

Originally Posted by darthvader

Now, I am thinking of using Aeroaids Caviar Black paint (which I have) and I can also try some other compounds. But I fundamentally do not understand how the scratch remover compounds work. Any inputs would be appreciated here.

Would it be advisable to try something like Ultimate Compound, or a rubbing compound (suggestions?) before trying the Aeroaids paint?

I would suggest not to use Aeroaids Caviar Black paint for those fine scratches as you might end up with something you weren't looking for in the first case.
Rubbing compounds work by removing a paint surface with the help of abrasives. Higher the amount of abrasives the more paint it cuts.
Caution before using Ultimate Compound as those are some serious rubbing compounds. Megs SwirlsX & ScratchX 2.0 are fine while using with hands but with Ultimate Compound you might wanna use a DA.