dolvio

I had my C250 and 4Matic badges taken off today at a local detail shop. Figured eveything would be fine and dandy. Once done, it looked great.. form far. Upon inspection, there are a bunch of tiny paint chips!!! I am choked about this and there is no fix. They used a heat gun and a plastic tool of some sorts.... what the heck happened??

I didn't pay them and said they caused the damage... They tried to say it was there beforehand.

Adam

Sportstick

They used a plastic tool of some sort....should have been gentle heat with small applications of adhesive remover (Goo Gone or such) soaking down from along the top, with fishing line gently "sawed" down behind the badge. The original sheetmetal would not have gone through any in-plant process which could cause those chips, and if it had ISD (in-system damage), the badge would not have been applied, as the adhesive is designed with a spec to attach to the evenly painted surface.

dolvio

Ya I am really mad... there is no way to fix that paint cheaply... I guess badges go back on.

snowmuch

cheaply? just use rock chip repair paints

AkaSigFreak

Where are you located? I have debadged every vehicle i have owned and never damaged the paint using the same method Sportstick mentioned. They are full of crap if they say the damage was there already.

dolvio

Ya I have also.. I know how to do it and I just wanted soneone else to do it today. He said "maybe that happened from the badges vibrating on the car" ya buddy... thats what happened. I am in vancouver canada.

funkedelic

Why would you pay someone to do that?! Do you pay someone to pump your gas too? Dude takes 5 mins and is extremely easy. You probably wouldn't have damaged your own car and had been more careful. Them saying it was already there is BS

dolvio

Yo. Yes I know how to do all that stuff and have in the past. I also dont care about $40. I regret not doing it now but too late.

AZN Optics

Seems like a job for Dr Colorchip. If it's a so minor that you can only really see it up close, a bit of touch up should resolve it.

xjaymzzx

On 1 of the lower chrome trim. For some odd reason it had 3 blobs of paint on the right hand corner where it like a tip. ====>. Strange that i never noticed.

dolvio

I am really bothered by this. I have only a couple options... I dont really want to paint the trunk as that could make it way worse if the colour doesn't match or something. I think putting the badges back on would look better than touch up paint....

I wanted the badgeless clean look. Now I cant have that.

J__

They could of possible done this with a tool, or did it with the badge itself. Probably pried off 1 edge and pulled the badge off, when this happens the bottom would be still stuck and as they pry, the sharp edge of the bottom would dig into the paint.

If you can't work out a solution with the dealer that did this, then my advice would be to just leave it for a week or 2, if it still bothers you, then put the badges back on. When I get a scratch on my car I get super pissed off and want to deal with it right away, but after a while I don't notice it anymore and don't care about it.

I would just leave it though because if you put the badge back on, it's kind of a waste imo. You're out $40, still has badges on AND damage underneath. If you leave it, at least you'll get the badge-less look you wanted. You won't even see the chips after a month. Just my 2cents

global33

Dr Colorchip is a perfect color match on my palladium. I have used it on multiple small rock dings on the front bumper, hood and wheel wells. You can't tell where the chip was from one foot away which is pretty good for a cheap fix. If you don't like it you can remove it with the "blob remover" liquid that comes with it.

dolvio

Good response. I was going to do this myself but sometimes just find it easier to have someone do it for me. Having a hard time lately with my injuries from the recent car accident... They did use a plastic tool and I watched them do it with a heat gun. I realize that 3M tape after 3 years can be a bit tough and just let them do it. My mistake perhaps. I was mad upon the final result and said so. They tried to tell me it was there prior. I found some paint over-spray on the trunk which I never noticed before and they pointed that out and said the trunk was repainted before and this damage occured then. I am shocked to see that trunk may have been repainted... I doubt it though and if that were the case the badges should have come off even easier being on there longer.

I am going to order the badges from parts.com (C63 AMG of course, kidding)... and see how I feel ina couple weeks. I plan to drive this car for 5 years and do some light cosmetic mods.

What's the risk in painting the trunk in your opinion?

Adam

dolvio

Interesting... I have never been a fan of this sort of fix but I am interested to hear more about it. My car is white and I am wondering how this will turn out.... thoughts? I will go check out the website.

dolvio

Hey buddy.. Ya I might try that... I am more worried about the depth of the chips if that makes sense... As in if I use Dr. Colorchip you will still see the depth of the chip and notice it. Thoughts?

Adam

hyperion667

man, that sux, sounds like the easy fix is to rebadge it......

dolvio

Funny thing is I was "should I do it, or should I leave it" for a week. Having a C250 I wanted to. If I had a C350 I would have left it. Weird I know. i need to get back to working on my own car again especially with small things like this. Might just rebadge the C250 and the 4 matic and be done with it. Leave them on forever... many people do not like a debadge anyways.

Glyn M Ruck

That can be easily spot repaired by a pro with an airbrush & the Glasurit base coat - clearcoat system. You will never even know it's been touched. Most small dent repair places will undertake spot repairs these days. Ask your dealer who they use for their used car lot.

dolvio

really.. hmm.. I will do some inquiring this week about all of this. Such a simple thing turns into a **** off. Too be honest I would be a lot more angry if I didn't have the option of just putting new badges back on. At least at the end of the day the car can look factory original at any time.

Glyn M Ruck

This has been spot repared by Dent Magic in Cape Town. You can't see it's been touched. With the new paint systems you don't require to spray a whole panel. (my old C240)

dolvio

Hey... where is that part on your car? I know bumpers are way easier but I have never seen any spot paints on a panel or trunk lid...?

AZN Optics

Dr Colorchip can be layered till depth of chip is reached. Just google it and you'll find it to be the best DIY touchup paint system out there.

dolvio

Yo.. I am going to see a couple paint shops this week and see what they can do. Might roll by Mercedes and see if their body shop and fix it up. Pissed off!

Ikester

i agree amazing stuff!