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I noticed this on the dealer lot but I really didn’t pay it any attention (I probably should have checked another car), but the paint surface on my front trim piece right in front of the hood (which is plastic I believe) is rough. The color and gloss is fine but it’s not smooth like you would expect it to be. Can anyone else tell me if yours is also rough or smooth like the rest of the painted surfaces?
You mean, you move your fingers over that red circled part and feel a rough surface (eg like moving fingers over a sand paper, exaggeratingly speaking)?
If this is a 'batch' issue, maybe owners of S-Class with the same month/year date of manufacture could check their cars?
Yes. However, on the very lower edges near the headlight it’s kind of smooth. It almost feels like overspray. Cosmetically it looks fine, though. I’m not sure on the production date. I’ll have to look.
Could be. I looked closely at the entire trim piece and nothing seems off or out of alignment, so if any repairs were needed due to transportation or storage it seems likely to just be paint related. Or maybe they replaced the entire trim and it came unpainted.
I’m going to try hand polishing a small section to see if it helps. This is a plastic trim piece so I’m a little hesitant to take an orbital to it. In any case, if I purchased this I would certainty raise a stink, but it’s a lease, so eh. I’ll still mention it to my service advisor at my next visit.
You can polish that area same as the rest of the paint, its the same paint on it. I would start with clay and see if its some kind of contaminant, or it may need a little wet sanding. I would take it to a detailer if you aren't comfortable with all of that yourself.
2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, 2024 BMW I7 xDrive60
Originally Posted by Frenetic
Could be. I looked closely at the entire trim piece and nothing seems off or out of alignment, so if any repairs were needed due to transportation or storage it seems likely to just be paint related. Or maybe they replaced the entire trim and it came unpainted.
I’m going to try hand polishing a small section to see if it helps. This is a plastic trim piece so I’m a little hesitant to take an orbital to it. In any case, if I purchased this I would certainty raise a stink, but it’s a lease, so eh. I’ll still mention it to my service advisor at my next visit.
As a brand new car, I’d have the dealer deal with it, 100%.
Definitely sounds like either overspray or bonded environmental contaminants. Would use a mild detailing clay with spray detailer, like Meguiars C2000 clay and M3401 Final Inspection, after washing.
The clay bar worked by the way. It’s smooth like butter. After a more closer inspection I think they repainted that part either during PDMs or “in port.”
The clay bar worked by the way. It’s smooth like butter. After a more closer inspection I think they repainted that part either during PDMs or “in port.”
Perhaps you can post a pic to show the 'after' (vs 'before' in the top post)?
2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, 2024 BMW I7 xDrive60
As I look at these photos of this car that this member has lovingly polished, I thought I would mention that the last time my 2022 S580 was washed or cleaned inside, was prior to a 1,000 mile trip we took up to Napa Valley, last November. I dislike this car so much that I have just decided that other than scheduled maintenance and gasoline, I am not going to spend another dime on it. I’m not going to even try to retrieve the In-‘N-Out French fries that have fallen between the seats. Our living situation has changed and we only have a two-car garage for now, where our beloved E450 Wagon and SL450 reside. The piece of shi, I mean the S580, stays in the weather 24/7. With all this torrential rain & “atmospheric river” conditions we have been having, it has been getting rinsed off a bit. It goes in next week for the 10K mile service and I guess they’ll wash it—maybe not, I really don’t care. I was just telling someone that the car I have babied the most in my life, is my current SL450. It looks better than the day I took delivery. Of all the 100 cars I’ve owned, I am giving the S580 the absolute least possible care. If someone would just steal the thing—but thieves are probably looking for cleaner cars.
As I look at these photos of this car that this member has lovingly polished, I thought I would mention that the last time my 2022 S580 was washed or cleaned inside, was prior to a 1,000 mile trip we took up to Napa Valley, last November. I dislike this car so much that I have just decided that other than scheduled maintenance and gasoline, I am not going to spend another dime on it. I’m not going to even try to retrieve the In-‘N-Out French fries that have fallen between the seats. Our living situation has changed and we only have a two-car garage for now, where our beloved E450 Wagon and SL450 reside. The piece of shi, I mean the S580, stays in the weather 24/7. With all this torrential rain & “atmospheric river” conditions we have been having, it has been getting rinsed off a bit. It goes in next week for the 10K mile service and I guess they’ll wash it—maybe not, I really don’t care. I was just telling someone that the car I have babied the most in my life, is my current SL450. It looks better than the day I took delivery. Of all the 100 cars I’ve owned, I am giving the S580 the absolute least possible care. If someone would just steal the thing—but thieves are probably looking for cleaner cars.
Yeah, cosmetically everything was fine; you wouldn’t know there was an issue unless you touched it. It just had that rough overspray feeling. It’s hard to describe but it’s like very fine grit sandpaper that cannot be washed off (I tried). But the clay bar took care of it.
Originally Posted by bishop64
My eyes cannot see the improvement or any difference in the pics.🔍
I mean...at the end of the day how "crummy" can it really be? It doesn't meet your expectations, doesn't ride as nicely as you would like it to or feel it should, and thats legitimate but its still an incredible car that many many people would love to own. I may be wrong but I don't think the car is broken down all the time or has a lot of problems... Perspective is important.
I know you don't want to take a loss on the car, but lets be honest to most of us here, money is a more renewable resource, and time is not. You should just ditch this car and move on to something that brings you joy. The upfront loss is huge, but the ongoing lease payments for something that doesn't bring you joy are also huge and a total waste. Just my opinion.
I never realized how powerful those clay bars can be. There were a few choices, light to heavy, and I settled on the heavy and it really did its thing.
Also, I’ve been using these ceramic sprays and it’s pretty amazing what this stuff does. The Carpro is a touch-less application that is meant to be sprayed on and washed off and is primarily intended to maintain a professionally applied ceramic coat.
The chemical guys one is more of a “ceramic” spray that requires dry application. The chemical guys stuff really makes the paint pop. The trick is to buff it down twice, or spray and apply then buff with a completely separate and dry MF towel. It’s like a mirror shine.
Also, you can waterless car wash with the chemical guys stuff. Just completely drench the body panel and gently wipe off. Then keep reapplying and gently wiping until the surface is clean. This stuff is slicker than any soapy water.
As I look at these photos of this car that this member has lovingly polished, I thought I would mention that the last time my 2022 S580 was washed or cleaned inside, was prior to a 1,000 mile trip we took up to Napa Valley, last November. I dislike this car so much that I have just decided that other than scheduled maintenance and gasoline, I am not going to spend another dime on it. I’m not going to even try to retrieve the In-‘N-Out French fries that have fallen between the seats. Our living situation has changed and we only have a two-car garage for now, where our beloved E450 Wagon and SL450 reside. The piece of shi, I mean the S580, stays in the weather 24/7. With all this torrential rain & “atmospheric river” conditions we have been having, it has been getting rinsed off a bit. It goes in next week for the 10K mile service and I guess they’ll wash it—maybe not, I really don’t care. I was just telling someone that the car I have babied the most in my life, is my current SL450. It looks better than the day I took delivery. Of all the 100 cars I’ve owned, I am giving the S580 the absolute least possible care. If someone would just steal the thing—but thieves are probably looking for cleaner cars.
Wow Stream…how sad indeed. We all have our frustrations with the W223 and some aspects of its technology but you are downright morose.
You may want to involve a 3rd party to deal with your issues. I don’t mean somebody from the dealership or MB but a professional who can maybe help you understand some humility and gratitude. You being in the top of the top to own such a beautiful vehicle and yet find a way to destroy your own ownership experience and happiness.
From your comments on the forum it seems your main gripes are with the new door handles and aspects of the technology. More subjective aspects than anything else…certainly nothing material that would invoke the Lemon law. While you’re ignoring cleaning your car (by the way French fries in the crevices of your seats do stink after a while)…goodness knows how you’re actually driving and treating it.
Who I really feel sorry for is the next bright and starry eyed individual (who may have very well dreamed all their life of owning the iconic S class) who buys your abused and neglected S580. Hopefully he or she goes in with eyes wide open and avoids something that has been treated with such utter contempt and disregard.
