[kutlee]

Www.learn auto body and paint.com by Tony Bandalos is a very good site for beginners. His 85 page free booklet is an excellent systematic introduction of auto body and paint. Also his you tubes are quite good. He also has VIP area. But his free materials are good enough for starting. Best thing is basics are covered well. There is another website. But that covers mostly PPG brand.

[srinath.s]

Originally Posted by joybhowmik

E) Polish
This is the final stage. Once the clear coat is dry usually allow between 12-24 hours, polish the painted surface with a good brand rubbing compound ...

Hi @joybhowmik, I have a question with respect to the final polishing. My Alto recently met with a minor accident and I have left it with a MASS for denting and painting. The areas to be repaired are small: one with a diameter of around 20 inches and the other, a straight line of around 40 inches on the rear door/quarter panel. The SA asked if I would like to avail of a "full body polish" to iron out any differences in colour between the repaired areas and the rest of the body. He has quoted Rs.1500 for the polishing. Do I need to go in for it?

The vehicle is just 1.5 months old. The colour is Beige (metallic).

[joybhowmik]

Originally Posted by srinath.s

Do I need to go in for it?
The colour is Beige (metallic).

My suggestion would be to wait to see the final effect of the repaired panels in sunlight w.r.t the other panels.

As the dealer shop is going to use factory paint in the approved way, you should not have much difference as the car is just 1.5 months old. I do not expect that the paint on the other panels would have weathered down significantly, thus you may not need a polish to abrade the outermost layer and show up the color underneath.

Rather once done with the job, get the car waxed. That will protect the car.

[srinath.s]

Originally Posted by joybhowmik

I do not expect that the paint on the other panels would have weathered down significantly

Exactly what I was thinking. I am getting my car delivered tomorrow; will check the paint job and update.

And by waxing, have any idea as to how much it will cost? And getting it done at a FNG will be cheaper I presume?

[joybhowmik]

Originally Posted by srinath.s

And by waxing, have any idea as to how much it will cost? And getting it done at a FNG will be cheaper I presume?

Buy the wax at a reputed accessories shop. And put in some of your elbow grease on a day-off.

[srinath.s]

Originally Posted by joybhowmik

Buy the wax at a reputed accessories shop. And put in some of your elbow grease on a day-off.

Received my vehicle yesterday. No polishing or waxing was required. Workmanship is top class; the new paint job will be discernible only to someone who knows that such a job has been undertaken. Huge :thumbup: to the workshop (MSM Chennai).

However, I think I will raise the issue of SAs pushing for additional jobs just for the heck of it during the feedback call.

[joybhowmik]

Originally Posted by srinath.s

Received my vehicle yesterday. No polishing or waxing was required. Workmanship is top class;

Good to know that initial fears were misplaced. Do take the trouble to maintain the car paintwork in its immaculate condition - and it will continue to please you whenever you look at it. There are quite a few good threads on how to do so... and I am happy to direct attention to a couple:

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/techni...polishing.html

http://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian...ing-guide.html

[Dinesh_Malhotra]

Hi Everyone,

I'd recently gifted myself an Elite i20 and the first service came in quite early, within 20 days of purchase of the vehicle.

1000kms Service:

Everything went well except for one! While collecting the car back from the service centre, I found a dent on the body line (LHS) of the bonnet.

Took up the issue with 'Sharayu Hyundai' and as normal practice it is to, I was shooed away...

Feedback Call:

I am asked why I gave 'unusually' low ratings on the feedback form. I told her that the dent was the reason along with the way people from the dealership handled the situation.

I am requested to revisit the dealership for verification, again.

Visit to the service centre:

I reached at 'Sharayu Hyundai' (Navi Mumbai) in the morning yesterday. Was expecting someone to attend me who has understood my issue. Instead I find the service head there, arguing with me for sometime proving that the dent didn't occur at their place (please note that this guys have stringent car checking procedures before collecting the car).

While showing how these dents could just occur if applied with lots of pressure, he ended up putting '7' more of those 'dents' just by his fingers without applying any pressure at all.

The guy/service head also checked on the other elite i20s available at their disposal. Guess what? Same dents could be recreated on these demo vehicle's bonnets too.

Conclusion:

It was concluded as being a product defect from the manufacturer (due to lack of reinforcement behind the body line area) and the dealership assured me of taking this up with Hyundai India itself. Anyways, I will get my bonnet done from them, but right now it's confirmed that the bonnet has weak points and they dent on the elite i20 !

I will keep you guys posted.

[rajeev k]

Shoot a letter to Hyundai indicating clearly all the details. The observation of the service head that, it is a product defect is also to be mentioned.
Post photos of the dent, please.

[a4anurag]

Originally Posted by Dinesh_Malhotra

While showing how these dents could just occur if applied with lots of pressure, he ended up putting '7' more of those 'dents' just by his fingers without applying any pressure at all

Some pictures would be appreciate. Thanks.

Originally Posted by Dinesh_Malhotra

Anyways, I will get my bonnet done from them, but right now it's confirmed that the bonnet has weak points and they dent on the elite i20 !

Good. Get the repairs done by them and also shoot a mail to Hyundai Heads with all proofs you possess.

Surprised to hear that the bonnet area susceptible to dents so easily.

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Sorry but why is it written - 'When the car came for service there was one dent'?

The service center seems to have nicely wriggled their way out. Anyways, no harm if they manage to get it resolved to your satisfaction after followup with Hyundai.

[Deepak K Gupta]

These bonnet dents you will find in most cars. The steel is flimsy on new cars and mechanics press down on the bonnet to close it. That is when the dent normally occurs. Wherever possible I personally make sure that the bonnet is dropped when closing, not pressed, which is the actual procedure. I have take up the issue with Ford India when I caught the washer guy pressing on the bonnet. I educated him and the SA but the second time again I caught the guy doing the same thing. Customer feedback is only for getting accolades from the manufacturer. SA do nothing to rectify the cause of the complaint.

[saket77]

Please post some pictures of the dents. Would like to see how merely pressing the bonnet with fingers results in dents. And if that really happens then the 'tin can' title crown of Maruti is in danger.
In fact, I always press down the bonnet of my Zen to close it rather than dropping as I feel pained while dropping it knowing well that dropping the bonnet is the correct procedure. I am yet to inflict any dent on my Zen which turns 13 this year!

[Dinesh_Malhotra]

Originally Posted by rajeev k

Post photos of the dent, please.

Originally Posted by a4anurag

Some pictures would be appreciate. Thanks.

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Sorry but why is it written - 'When the car came for service there was one dent'?

Originally Posted by Deepak K Gupta

These bonnet dents you will find in most cars.

Originally Posted by saket77

Please post some pictures of the dents.

Sorry, I missed to attach the pictures of the dents. I am also attaching the feedback form of my first service along with the photos.

Please note, the dents are on the top middle portion of the bonnet's body line on either side of the elite i20.

PS:
5 plus dents on the right side
1 dent on the left side

Zoom on the images to see the dents properly. Sorry for the angles, I will click the pictures again!

[Captain Slow]

Originally Posted by Dinesh_Malhotra

Zoom on the images to see the dents properly. Sorry for the angles, I will click the pictures again!

If you could please Edit the pictures and Circle the dents for us.

Btw the outer sheet metal has nothing to do with the strength of the hood. Please don't believe this at all.

If you pop open the hood and remove the insulation material you will see re-enforced metal something like this, this is what gives strength to the hood.

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Sorry but why is it written - 'When the car came for service there was one dent'?

This is one sure way to get the customer off his back and then tell the customer some cock and bull story about the hood being weak from the factory.

Service advisers say the darndest things,