Euro Delivered Individual car with paint problem

[RowanBuds]

Hi all, I'm back from a fantastic ED trip with a paint concern.
I did do a trip report, linked at the bottom of this post, but that is not what I'm here for now.

I picked the car up at the welt and noticed an area of concern with the paint. On the front bumper cover, the circular cutout for the tow hook has a portion of its circumference unpainted. It's a pencil thin line but it is stark white. I was advised at Welt to notify my CA and BMW of the issue once I returned stateside, which I have done, but now I am concerned that the repair might be done as a dealership touch up not repaired at the VDC - which would be highly preferable.

Does anyone have a pro-tip to share in how to get bmw to acknowledge the issue and guarantee a VDC fix? I'm sure this will add time to my re-delivery but at this stage, that's just droplets in the ocean of waiting.

In the interest of keeping the resolution of the images in tact, I have uploaded them to my imgur linked below - it's the bottom right quadrant of the cutout that is the issue. I'm sure to some of you this will look like a lighting issue in the photo, but I assure you it is not.

Even on standard cost paint I wouldn't be accepting of this outcome, much less one that is charged at a 5K premium. And, before I get asked, yes the car displays a ton of orange peel in the paint.

View post on imgur.com

Thanks for the input!


ED Trip report: lmbf80ed.blogspot.com

[Brosef]

sorry to hear of your frustrations. I don't have any suggestions for you in getting the VDC to fix it, but just wanted to say what a fecking gorgeous car. I know it's difficult to keep these little things from bothering you (particularly when you're waiting re-delivery) since we enthusiasts all expect perfection. you may want to upload a higher res image as well - I zoomed in and could see nothing but perfection.

[Cooltones]

First, FANTASTIC choice of color. Now, given you paid a premium for this I would *definitely* expect a fix that would not make this bare portion stand out any worse than it already is.

I guess the good news is that it is on the bumper and not on some place like the hood.

Take more high res pictures and begin the conversation with your dealer. It's good to try and get their proposed fix/approach now before you receive your car -- That way, you can determine in advance if you need to escalate (i.e. If the dealer says, "Oh, we'll just use another color blue that's close enough and touch it up...).

Good luck with this. Again, GREAT color choice.
-Tony

[RowanBuds]

Originally Posted by Cooltones

First, FANTASTIC choice of color. Now, given you paid a premium for this I would *definitely* expect a fix that would not make this bare portion stand out any worse than it already is.

I guess the good news is that it is on the bumper and not on some place like the hood.

Take more high res pictures and begin the conversation with your dealer. It's good to try and get their proposed fix/approach now before you receive your car -- That way, you can determine in advance if you need to escalate (i.e. If the dealer says, "Oh, we'll just use another color blue that's close enough and touch it up...).

Good luck with this. Again, GREAT color choice.
-Tony

Thanks Tony! I love the color, and the little paint issue isn't ruining it one bit for me. If you look at my Welt photos - my wife took some overheads from the premium lounge that you can also see this fine unpainted line in. The line was obviously there before I left Welt, if that even becomes an issue.

Unfortunately the car is back in possession of BMW, so I can't get any additional photos of the problem. And, yes, I'm very glad the paint issue was on a plastic part not a metal one - sadly this will not let me get the Euro bumper as a substitute as BMW NA will be making/clearing the repair hopefully. If they don't I'll have upset discussions with my dealership and will push for the Euro bumper then. Lets pray it doesn't go there - I 100% want the repair done at VDC.

[DrtyJrze]

If they correct the issue to your satisfaction, why would you care where they resolved it?

[RowanBuds]

Originally Posted by DrtyJrze

If they correct the issue to your satisfaction, why would you care where they resolved it?

I know it may seem demanding to want the repair done at VDC but there are certainly reasons.

Earlier this year I took the BMWCCA NY/NJ tour of the NJ VDC. Seeing how they complete paint repairs is what makes me want it done there. At this center, they have one (1) painter. The painter has been with BMW for over 18 years and has been their only painter for 18 years. This guy does all Rolls Royce, and BMW car show cars - he is an expert. A full paint/light meter reading is taken across multiple parts of the car, then the paint is created to match the exact car - not to match the paint code. See Mineral White repairs and body color painted parts to know what I'm talking about with "not to match the paint code".

Going further - the paint booth at VDC is a full copy of the booth used for non-assembly line painted parts in the German/US factories. My worry is that the dealership will either do a spot repair, or send it to a body shop for disassembly and front bumper re-spray. Neither of those options are okay with me.

Lastly, the VDC does not do any spot repairs. If a panel has a small issue it is a full panel repaint. So there are multiple reasons. To close it out, the car should never have left the factory this way, honestly. There must be lacking QC as no car should leave with this type of paint defect. The car was completed weeks before Euro Delivery and should be repaired in an equivalent manner to factory preparation, not as a post-delivery end user caused problem would be.

Fingers crossed.

[Mark's M]

Hi Rowan, did you (or the drop off logistics people) make a note of it on the vehicle condition report when you dropped it off? They are very thorough so even if you didn't notice it, it might have been done. If it was so minor (to their eyes, not yours) and they didn't, try to make sure via your dealership that the communication to BMW North America was received and acknowledged. When it does get to the VDC, rest assured THEY are particularly thorough and will catch it/fix it. I assume you'll be tracking your vehicle so the proof will be in the pudding that it'll be taken care of at the VDC when your car arrives in NJ and goes into delay status. Nauseating because at that point you could probably reach out and touch it but comforting because you know it's being fixed at their level rather than at the dealership. .

I hope all goes well and I feel your anxiety. I had to have the hood on my Ind. Monte Carlo blue M3 repainted about 4 months after a blemish-free euro delivery because of a stupid CDN rock chip. I was petrified the car would be ruined. Absolutely not so, the dealer did as good or better a job than the factory.

Hope that all helps!!

[RowanBuds]

Originally Posted by Mark's M

Hi Rowan, did you (or the drop off logistics people) make a note of it on the vehicle condition report when you dropped it off? They are very thorough so even if you didn't notice it, it might have been done. If it was so minor (to their eyes, not yours) and they didn't, try to make sure via your dealership that the communication to BMW North America was received and acknowledged. When it does get to the VDC, rest assured THEY are particularly thorough and will catch it/fix it. I assume you'll be tracking your vehicle so the proof will be in the pudding that it'll be taken care of at the VDC when your car arrives in NJ and goes into delay status. Nauseating because at that point you could probably reach out and touch it but comforting because you know it's being fixed at their level rather than at the dealership. .

I hope all goes well and I feel your anxiety. I had to have the hood on my Ind. Monte Carlo blue M3 repainted about 4 months after a blemish-free euro delivery because of a stupid CDN rock chip. I was petrified the car would be ruined. Absolutely not so, the dealer did as good or better a job than the factory.

Hope that all helps!!

Thanks for the reassuring words, Mark. I did not make mention of it at the drop-off and it does not look like the paint issue made it into their condition report.

UPDATE - I just heard back from my CA (Mark Carvalho at JMK BMW in NJ - who is FANTASTIC to deal with, fyi). Dealership is aware of the issue, the CA has advised his GM of the issue. CA also sent photos and my email over to the BMW ED department as an FYI for quality checks, and also sent notification of the problem to the dealership contact at the NJ VDC. This issue should be rectified at the VDC - which will add time - but is the resolution I wanted.

[Bluex]

Originally Posted by RowanBuds

UPDATE - I just heard back from my CA (Mark Carvalho at JMK BMW in NJ - who is FANTASTIC to deal with, fyi). Dealership is aware of the issue, the CA has advised his GM of the issue. CA also sent photos and my email over to the BMW ED department as an FYI for quality checks, and also sent notification of the problem to the dealership contact at the NJ VDC. This issue should be rectified at the VDC - which will add time - but is the resolution I wanted.

Glad it seems like it will all work out for you. Good to hear you're getting the resolution that you want, even if the others offered would adequately address the issue.

[Technic]

I am double-surprised with the BMW Welt telling you to inform this to your CA and not simply fixing this in there (giving you a loaner) or simply telling you to inform the VPC via the drop off report. That was the reason the VPC did not fix the paint defect, they just did not know.

And your dealer legally cannot give you an Euro bumper, much less as a replacement for the USA bumper. I don't even think that BMWNA will let it get into the USA.

Originally Posted by RowanBuds

Thanks for the reassuring words, Mark. I did not make mention of it at the drop-off and it does not look like the paint issue made it into their condition report.

UPDATE - I just heard back from my CA (Mark Carvalho at JMK BMW in NJ - who is FANTASTIC to deal with, fyi). Dealership is aware of the issue, the CA has advised his GM of the issue. CA also sent photos and my email over to the BMW ED department as an FYI for quality checks, and also sent notification of the problem to the dealership contact at the NJ VDC. This issue should be rectified at the VDC - which will add time - but is the resolution I wanted.

[RowanBuds]

Originally Posted by Technic

I am double-surprised with the BMW Welt telling you to inform this to your CA and not simply fixing this in there (giving you a loaner) or simply telling you to inform the VPC via the drop off report. That was the reason the VPC did not fix the paint defect, they just did not know.

And your dealer legally cannot give you an Euro bumper, much less as a replacement for the USA bumper. I don't even think that BMWNA will let it get into the USA.

I was on a tight schedule and wanted to get on the road from Welt. As the delivery persons advised mention it to the CA when the car was given back that is the approach I followed.

VPC did not fix the paint as it has not gotten to them yet. At this time I'd wager the car is still in Bremerhaven. VPC has been advised of the defect/concern and I expect it to be properly resolved.

Gondrand (the drop off carrier) is there to document any customer caused damage so that anything found at VPC is claimed against the correct persons insurance carrier - i.e., if it was damaged before drop off, Allianz would be the liable party as the BMW insurer. If no damage reported, then at VPC damage is found the cause is the liability of the carrier or shippers insurance. This is a manufacturer defect, hence the concern to have it resolved at the VDC not a standalone body shop.

My mention of the euro bumper is something that I would push for if an outside shop were contracted by my dealership to do the fix. Others have had similar scenarios, with dealership damaged cars then going to generic body shops, and have had success in getting the no-front-reflectors version of the bumper covers. I was sure from the getgo that if BMW repaired it at VPC that the euro bumper would be a nonstarter.

[Technic]

Sorry, I misread your original post. I thought that your car already left VPC/VDC and was in route to your dealer.

I would guess that at the end it will end up being repaired at the VPC/VDC, which would have been the correct solution offered to you at the Welt anyways.

Originally Posted by RowanBuds

I was on a tight schedule and wanted to get on the road from Welt. As the delivery persons advised mention it to the CA when the car was given back that is the approach I followed.

VPC did not fix the paint as it has not gotten to them yet. At this time I'd wager the car is still in Bremerhaven. VPC has been advised of the defect/concern and I expect it to be properly resolved.

Gondrand (the drop off carrier) is there to document any customer caused damage so that anything found at VPC is claimed against the correct persons insurance carrier - i.e., if it was damaged before drop off, Allianz would be the liable party as the BMW insurer. If no damage reported, then at VPC damage is found the cause is the liability of the carrier or shippers insurance. This is a manufacturer defect, hence the concern to have it resolved at the VDC not a standalone body shop.

My mention of the euro bumper is something that I would push for if an outside shop were contracted by my dealership to do the fix. Others have had similar scenarios, with dealership damaged cars then going to generic body shops, and have had success in getting the no-front-reflectors version of the bumper covers. I was sure from the getgo that if BMW repaired it at VPC that the euro bumper would be a nonstarter.

[Lynchmob6]

Hope this issue gets resolved to your satisfaction...in the mean time, I really enjoyed your trip blog. That color is fantastic...congratulations!

[RowanBuds]

Just got an email from my CA. he advises that the dealership contact at the port has confirmed the issue will be fixed at the vdc.

#itsallgood

[Fifth Echelon]

I had minor paint damage fixed at the NJ VPC on a Sakhir Orange M4. Can definitely vouch for the quality of their work.

[RowanBuds]

Originally Posted by Fifth Echelon

I had minor paint damage fixed at the NJ VPC on a Sakhir Orange M4. Can definitely vouch for the quality of their work.

Was your an ED car? Either way, what kind of delay did the minor paint damage cause you to have? I'm antsy as shit already, and definitely don't want to wait longer than need be, but this issue had to be mentioned and resolved.

What "minor paint damage" did you have?

[Fifth Echelon]

Originally Posted by RowanBuds

Was your an ED car? Either way, what kind of delay did the minor paint damage cause you to have? I'm antsy as shit already, and definitely don't want to wait longer than need be, but this issue had to be mentioned and resolved.

What "minor paint damage" did you have?

Yes it was an ED car. Here is the original thread with all the details: http://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho....php?t=1022355

My best guess is I was delayed by about a week at most, the car really did not sit very long at the VPC (just over a week).

[RowanBuds]

Originally Posted by Fifth Echelon

Yes it was an ED car. Here is the original thread with all the details: http://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho....php?t=1022355

My best guess is I was delayed by about a week at most, the car really did not sit very long at the VPC (just over a week).

Very good to hear this! Fingers here are crossed for a delivery in a month that starts with J, and I'm not talking January.

Maybe the ED cars with minor damage are put at the front of the queue as they're already sold (And BMW doesn't want us calling to get month 3's payment covered either). Also, given the factory shut-down looming, they may do ordered/sold cars immediately at certain times of the year so that inventory keeps moving along as it would if the factory was producing cars - meaning keeping some cars an extra day to week at VDC b/c there's no more coming in for the month.