[dijkstra]

Hey guys,

I have a 4 month old Altroz in red. Recently noticed that a portion of the front bumper just below the grill is devoid of the normal glossy finish. This is only after I took my car out for a spin on a rainy day - do not remember noticing it before. I have no idea what could have caused it. But it looks like a corrosive substance (or may be heat?) took away the clear coat.

I only recently sent it to a TASS bodyshop for a scratch repair job on one of the front doors. Not sure if it could be something of their doing, but won't be surprised if it is (the bodyshop guys managed to add a scratch on the same door panel they repainted).

Would be very helpful if anybody can share their thoughts on how this could have happened and what I can do to fix it.

Also, this is my very first post on TBHP. Thanks to everyone here for what you do everyday keeping this great community going!

[SS-Traveller]

Looks like a repaint job, not a factory paint. The shade does not match (it could be a photograph artefact though).

[shancz]

Second SS-Traveller's opinion.
Would be great if you could upload high res pics.

Is your front number blade damaged/scratched ? That could explain a front nudge which caused a scratch which was covered up poorly.
Or maybe they dropped/sprayed something they shouldn't have and tried to cover up.

My older car had a partially discoloured headlight because the FNG accidentally sprayed something on it and then tried to remove it by using hard thinners damaging the plastic lens.

[dijkstra]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Looks like a repaint job, not a factory paint. The shade does not match (it could be a photograph artefact though).

It's not a photograph artefact. What you see in the photo is how it looks like in person.

Actually I looked up the photos from the delivery day, and the same artefacts, although not as apparent, are present in those as well! The dealer probably made an effort to make it look less prominent. I did PDI both before registration and at the time of delivery. Never noticed this. In fact, I cannot make out any observations from photos taken right up front. Only this one taken from an angle shows the discoloration:



I'm wondering what my next steps should be. The dealer (Dulichand Motors, Kolkata) definitely knew about this.

Originally Posted by shancz

Second SS-Traveller's opinion.
Would be great if you could upload high res pics.

Is your front number blade damaged/scratched ? That could explain a front nudge which caused a scratch which was covered up poorly.
Or maybe they dropped/sprayed something they shouldn't have and tried to cover up.

My older car had a partially discoloured headlight because the FNG accidentally sprayed something on it and then tried to remove it by using hard thinners damaging the plastic lens.

Sure, here you go. I would have edited the opening post but cannot find any option to edit.

No, the number plate doesn't appear scratched.

[AJ56]

Originally Posted by dijkstra

I have a 4 month old Altroz in red. Recently noticed that a portion of the front bumper just below the grill is devoid of the normal glossy finish. This is only after I took my car out for a spin on a rainy day - do not remember noticing it before. I have no idea what could have caused it. But it looks like a corrosive substance (or may be heat?) took away the clear coat.

I only recently sent it to a TASS bodyshop for a scratch repair job on one of the front doors. Not sure if it could be something of their doing, but won't be surprised if it is (the bodyshop guys managed to add a scratch on the same door panel they repainted).

Would be very helpful if anybody can share their thoughts on how this could have happened and what I can do to fix it.


Attachment 2222031

Having seen how they work at dealerships, including the high end Germans, I can be almost certain they scratched/scuffed that section of your bumper and then tried to buff it out with either sandpaper or heavy cut compound and didn’t finish properly, that’s the haze you’re seeing. Second possibility is they left sanding scratches from the factory itself (Tata paint quality is atrocious to say the least). Your clearcoat is still left, otherwise you’d see grey primer.

To fix simply buff with a light cut compound that has decent finishing ability like Meguiar’s Ultimate compound, Carpro Clearcut, Menzerna 400, etc. and once you see an improvement, use a fine polish to remove compound haze and then protect with a wax/sealant. Alternately you could take it to a detailer to have this done for you (make sure they offer spot correction on phone first as some don’t). Cheers.

[shancz]

Originally Posted by dijkstra

- I would have edited the opening post but cannot find any option to edit.

- just report your post and request to merge with the previous post.

Take it to the dealer, there seems to a very precise semi circular line differentiating that area. As if something was pasted/stuck on it during painting.
Also if your registration plate can be removed then get it removed at their premises to see what's lying underneath. Maybe that semicircular thing extends under it as well.
Just to be sure nothing else is lurking underneath.

Take detailed picture beforehand, from all angles and shine a LED light/mobile flash sideways/parallel to the area and click picture/record video. Just for personal records before going to the dealer.
In case they start faltering raise it to TML.

Ask the dealer to fix it without damaging anything else and clarify if it was from factory (which I doubt) or the dealer's handiwork.

If TML QC has missed this I don't know what to say.

[condor]

Originally Posted by AJ56

Second possibility is they left sanding scratches from the factory itself (Tata paint quality is atrocious to say the least). .

How can an automated paint process leave out exactly this section ? And possibly for this specific car ? Must be atrocious

Like @SS-Traveller says, this looks like a hurried job at the dealership.

[AJ56]

Originally Posted by condor

How can an automated paint process leave out exactly this section ? And possibly for this specific car ? Must be atrocious

Like @SS-Traveller says, this looks like a hurried job at the dealership.

My friend only the paint application is automated, the spraying part. Sanding and finishing is still very much done manually by hand held sanders and polishers, why do you think every plant has an inspection bay where quality inspectors check each panel physically before signing off? Also, I’ve seen hundreds of Tata’s and Mahindras being in the detail business and by far the worst paint quality is found on these two. There’s dust underneath the clear, sanding scratches, fish eye, excessive orange peel, and many other issues. These observations are consistent over all the models from Tiago to Harrier.

By the way no car leaves the plant perfect, we have yet to see a new brand car I would classify as ‘perfect’ there’s acceptable minor defects found even on mass production Porsches, Ferraris Maserati’s, etc. just because something is applied by robotic arms doesn’t mean it’ll come out perfect.

Here’s a brand new Thar see the dust caught under the paint in the bonnet area:

Second shot is of a brand new 718, see the excessive orange peel in this area:

[dijkstra]

Originally Posted by AJ56

Having seen how they work at dealerships, including the high end Germans, I can be almost certain they scratched/scuffed that section of your bumper and then tried to buff it out with either sandpaper or heavy cut compound and didn’t finish properly, that’s the haze you’re seeing. Second possibility is they left sanding scratches from the factory itself (Tata paint quality is atrocious to say the least). Your clearcoat is still left, otherwise you’d see grey primer.

This is my guess as well. When I did the first PDI on dealership stockyard, it was already 4 months from the month of manufacture. I didn't notice anything back then and it's possible that the car was sitting that long for this very reason.

Originally Posted by shancz

Take it to the dealer, there seems to a very precise semi circular line differentiating that area. As if something was pasted/stuck on it during painting.
Also if your registration plate can be removed then get it removed at their premises to see what's lying underneath. Maybe that semicircular thing extends under it as well.
Just to be sure nothing else is lurking underneath.

That's a valid concern. Thanks for the advice.

I'll talk to the dealer once I return from the weekend trip. I'll keep you guys posted. Thanks again, to everyone.

[anshuman_b]

Sorry to hear your ordeal.
I had somewhat similar experience with Dhulichand’s body shop.
We sent our tiago for rear left door repainting, the paint quality was below average to say the least.
There were dust particles trapped all over the newly painted surface, while rubbing the door before repainting they managed to scratch the adjacent fender as well.
Upon raising the issue during delivery, they hurriedly try to fix all these by rubbing and polishing but as expected that was just a eyewash.
We didn’t push for anymore resolution since the car is used regularly and can’t be sent to workshop every now and then.

[Brumby]

This probably is a bad repaint job by the dealer prior delivery. As @AJ56 mentions, all dealerships follow malpractices and do not hesitate to deliver damaged vehicles to customers.

The new cars brought from yards to the showroom are driven rashly, the poor customer tries to follow running in periods as recommended by the manufacturer, but the drivers redline new cars without any hesitation.

Most of the suspension components are not covered under warranty, see how the drivers bring the cars to showroom during monsoons (Mumbai region) and you know how much of abuse the suspension has been subjected to even before delivery to the customer.

Getting a completely un-abused new car is sheer luck.

[GeeTee TSI]

I had a rough patch on exactly the same spot on my GT TSI (right under the logo) but something I noticed after a service visit. It does not seem like damage as it is unlikely to hit that specific part of the bumper.

Does the area seem like a deposition of sorts (maybe paint overspray) in which case the underlying top coat may not be impacted and could be removed with a thorough polishing job

[bravo82in]

Did you ever lend your car to someone ? Could be they might have damaged and got this shabby job done (like using a spray can) Just a remote possibility
Looks more of a failed quality control job from the factory itself. A simple rubbing and polishing at FNG or yourself can bring the shine back.
Else if you can raise the issue with Tata Motors and let the dealer do it for you.

[viXit]

Originally Posted by AJ56

(Tata paint quality is atrocious to say the least).

I disagree, so do the official reviews of out forum. tata build and paint quality have been good. The plastic trims and finishing is where they lack finesse.



PLEASE go to a detailer first and take paint thickness measurements before touching the spot. It is a statistic that will help you immensely. If the bumper was repainted before delivery this is the only way you will get to know!


I second your observation. If you look closely, you can see high spots in the paint around the faded area, which is typical of a sanding job.

owner, for peace of mind just take it to your neighbourhood detailer and buff it out with cutting compound AND finishing compound. They will know what to do.

Finishing compound can't fix this.

Either there is clear coat left and you can buff it , or there is no clear coat and you need to paint it.

I would recommend going to the dealer workshop and asking them for an explanation. They will buff it and fix it, or say there is no clear coat left to buff, in which case they self incriminate and then you can blame them for doing something that resulted in loss of clearcoat/

Again, this is painful and IMO not worth the time and effort wasted.

If anything at Tata is terrible, it's their customer support.

[AJ56]

Originally Posted by viXit

I disagree, so do the official reviews of out forum. tata build and paint quality have been good. The plastic trims and finishing is where they lack finesse.



PLEASE go to a detailer first and take paint thickness measurements before touching the spot. It is a statistic that will help you immensely. If the bumper was repainted before delivery this is the only way you will get to know!

First, 99.9% of detailers don’t have a gauge to measure paint thickness of plastic panels like bumpers as standard ferrous + non ferrous DFT gauges (used by majority of detailers) don’t work on a plastic substrate. I’d suggest calling each shop before driving down to check if they actually have the required device to avoid wasting time.

Second, you can disagree as much as you want about Tata/Mahindra paint quality but like I said I’m in the detailing world and I have personally seen hundreds of Tatas and Mahindra’s over the last 8 years and can objectively say they have by far the poorest paint quality seen on new vehicles, much worse than minor imperfections found on other makes. Just like Suzuki gives the thinnest paint on new cars (75-85 microns) while the industry standard is more like 110-150 microns. This is the reality, whether we chose to like/believe it or not. Cheers.

To the owner, first take it to the dealer, and have them buff it. If you go to a detailer and they attempt to buff and if the clear is gone they’ll eat into that colour coat and then you’ll have a grey patch of primer showing through, the dealer will at this point refuse all liability citing unauthorised repairs, so take it to them first.