New Car Paint Defects?
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2010
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From: North CA
2021 E63S and 2025 GT63
New Car Paint Defects?
Just washed the car today and noticed defects in paint. Defects are only visible under certaian lighting and viewing angle - I put paper arrows for easy reference. They are circular and i n different sizes, as if somebody sprinkled something. Car is 2012 model with about 900 mi and less than two months old.
Is this normal / has anybody else has noticed the same / any idea on what are these lighter color spots?
Is this normal / has anybody else has noticed the same / any idea on what are these lighter color spots?
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 2,078
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From: NYC
2012 C300 4Matic
Just washed the car today and noticed defects in paint. Defects are only visible under certaian lighting and viewing angle - I put paper arrows for easy reference. They are circular and i n different sizes, as if somebody sprinkled something. Car is 2012 model with about 900 mi and less than two months old.
Is this normal / has anybody else has noticed the same / any idea on what are these lighter color spots?
Is this normal / has anybody else has noticed the same / any idea on what are these lighter color spots?
If so, they're not defects and they are normal. Search for how to remove - no biggie.
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 290
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From: Florida
2013 ML350, 2019 S560
Agreed - water spots. This is a result of etching of minerals into the clear coat. It happens in transport (exposure to rain) and washing by dealer.
Can remove by hand or DA with Meguiar's Ultimate Compound. Be sure to follow with a quality wax.
Can remove by hand or DA with Meguiar's Ultimate Compound. Be sure to follow with a quality wax.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2009
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1953 300 Adenauer, 1971 300 SEL 6.3, 1975 600, 1978 450 6.9
It is a fact of life caused by acid rain. This is not the dealer's fault.
If you want to fix it yourself, then spend some time reading a detailing forum and get the appropriate products. Follow up with a sealant/wax and you'll be fine for a few months.
If you don't want to take the time to read the forums and do it yourself (most of the detailing advice you get in this forum is quite bad - get advice from the detailing section or a stand alone detailing forum) then go to a proper detailer and have it fixed and the car sealed/waxed. Do not take it to the dealer as they will make it worse. Even dealers with 'detailing departments' are completely clueless.
What the dealer will do is pour glaze on your car and it will look spectacular until the first wash when the glaze comes off and you realize that the spots are all still there.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 2,056
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From: Paradise
w212 E550
do you have the paint protection plan? if you have, just call them up. if not, just take it to a pro detailer and try take the receipt back to the dealer if you don't trust them like what ceb said. see if they can compensate you.
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Joined: Jun 2009
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1953 300 Adenauer, 1971 300 SEL 6.3, 1975 600, 1978 450 6.9
If, OTOH, the dealer didn't prep the car right and just washed it and poured on glaze (the most common way of prepping a car) then it is the dealer's responsibility.
So, how do you prove it one way or the other? Usually pretty simple.
New cars are shipped with the big panels covered in white sticky plastic. That sticky plasticis supposed to be removed and 3M Adhesive Remover is supposed to be used to get the sticky stuff out of the nooks and crannies. Very few dealers actually do that.
If you see evidence of sticky goo around the roof rail moldings or the molding around the windows, then the car wasn't properly prepped and there is a really good chance that the water spots were there from new.
You must remember that water spots will always happen again. If you properly polish, seal and wax the car initially and continue to maintain it (two to three details a year, frequent washing and proper drying, will make those new water spots much easier to remove.
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