I just got my car back from a detailer. I know I could have done it myself, but I wanted to see if I would receive any comments about the continuously degrading condition on my black paint. I know there have been many threads about how terrible Nissan paint is. Well I was told by the detailer (I did not ask for an opinion about the condition of the paint) that he thought my car looked like it had work done to it either at the dealer because of lot damage or it possibly could have been worked on at the factory. He said factory paint usually holds up better than mine was. I can even see very slight (only in sunlight) tape lines directly behind the rear driver side window. I ran a Carfax report and returned nothing (makes sense if it was done at the dealer or factory). I do have to say that the car looked beautiful until I got up close and could see the chips on the hood, though now much less noticeable after touch up. The detailer made the car look much better than I thought was possible, but you cannot get rid of chips with a detail job.

Today I traveled 60 miles each way for work. When I got home I found 12 new chips. Needless to say I am furious (not with the detailer, I highly recommend him). I did call Nissan consumer affairs (I do not expect much) and they have passed my file on up a couple levels after I spoke to my second bottom level support person. The first woman did not help at all she said all chips were environmental. I did not find this acceptable, what am I supposed to do not drive the car. I calmly explained to her that quality paint would not fall apart under light environmental conditions. She proceeded to tell me that was my opinion. This caused me to hang up and try to reach someone who was not a POS. The gentleman I spoke with the second time was extremely helpful, he quickly consulted his supervisor. I was assured that this matter would not be taken lightly. I still have to wait for that 24-48 hr call back. So I will see what happens.

Now that I look back:
I purchased the car for $24,950 in April 2003 with 61 miles at Woodfield Nissan in Schaumburg IL. The price seemed to good to be true. I wonder if they knew something I did not. The manufacture date was 7/2002, so there was plenty of time for something bad to happen that would require rework. I have two friends with black Maximas, one has an 01 the other has an 04 both with more miles than me. They do not have the awful paint.

 

I would go to the nearest "shady" metro area. Find my self a high quality Body repair shop & hit one of there best paint guys off with a $20 & have him go over your car with a fine tooth comb looking for paint work that was done after original paint job. Be sure to let them know you have no intention of having them do any work on the car just that you need the info for a possible lawsuit. And when I say "Shady" I am refering to an area that would not have your typical Mom & Pop shop. I took my 96 Maxima in to a dealer in the city and there guy after about a half hour found the work I had done on the back rear quarter panel & adjusted the offer for my car accordingly. I then went to another dealer in the "sticks" and there guy found nothing wrong & I rec an extra $1100 on my trade . The shady guys know what there doing.

 

That car could have been in an accident without carfax knowing....If it was never reported it never happened. I think there was damage done to the car and they resprayed it. Nissan Service

 

Does anybody have a recommendation for a body shop that I can have my car looked at?

 

If the paint is chipping it usually means the surface that was painted was not properly prepped before spraying. I love how people assume it is the actual paint. Paint usually chips because it does not adhere to the surface properly (Most of the time shytty prepping of the surface). What I am getting at is it has probably been resprayed and ANY BODY SHOP would know it. Also if you are going to try to sue Nissan for something they had nothing to do with I WOULD NOT recommend going to a "shady" shop. What kind of case can you make when you have some inner city chop shop as your only "proof".

 

Whoa, I did not say anything about a sueing anyone. I assume Nissan had nothing to do with it, but the dealer probably had something to do with it. The problem here is that Nissan consumer affairs wants to have me get the paint evaluated by the dealer I bought the car at. I do not thinks the dealer is going to be forth coming about any wrong doings they may have committed.

Thanks for the advice though. I will bring my car to a reputable body shop.

 

No one said to use a shady shop as proof. What I was getting at was that the shady shop or "Innercity shop" as you put it would have better evaluators of hidden work. Since thats were most people go to have work done that doesent get reported to a Carfax type agency.

 

How better off are you going to be if you show the car to a pro painter? That is not going to change the quality of the paint on your car in the long end, IMHO. The best you can do is to regularly touch up the bad spots and put on a full front end mask.

 

what exactly do you expect to get from the dealer? i hate to say this, but tey are probably going to tell you to fist yourself.

 

Yah, I know. I be fead the environmental BS line. If I show up with proof in hand that it has been repainted (still need to find out for sure) and they take it seriously I think there is a slight possiblity I might be able to get repaint job out of them.

Bottom Line:
I know I am probably screwed like everyone else that got the bad role of the shhtty Nissan paint dice.

 

Probably not.

My car had 6 miles on it when i got it, loaded -NAV, for about $25,500. I'm not saying there's nothing wrong or the car wasn't repainted, I'm saying your price isn't unusual.

 

I just think most reputable shops know a lot more than shady shops. The more reputable shops actually know more about scandalous activity than a shady shop would because a good shop will know the difference.

Also 99.9 percent of painters at professional body shops have probably 10 times the experience than younger guys who work at those shady shops. The shady shops cannot afford to hire good painters and even if they could most "professional" painters would not work at those shops. Thus, the more reputable shops tend to know A LOT more because they Have seen a lot more.

 

Well, I saw on a cardomain site with a lot of blacks 2k2 maximas without HIDs. They screwed the hood up and fenders. And this was Woodfield Nissan since the plate frames were there. Yours could've been one of them.

 

Does anyone have a link to this Cardomain page? I would like to see it even though I my car is a Titanium Edition 2003.

 

nothing shady about the price .. i baught mine in april '03 for 24,500 with 7 miles on it. fully loaded GLE minus navigation.
the manufacturers date is 10/02.
the price drop happen couse of the '04 models .