This is the first time I have written to the ScobyNet although Ian posted a problem I had with my car last week.

The problem with my car, just picked it up last week, is that when the car was waxed before being shipped, the wax ran and left some terrible impressions in the paintwork. These marks appear on both rear doors in exactly the same area, from the bottom of the window to halfway down the door. My car is going in for its 1000 mile service next Tuesday and the dealer will be trying to press out the impressions left by the wax.

However I have noticed something else about the Blue Mica paint, it easily marks. Yesterday while carefully washing the car and drying with a chamois, I noticed several scratches that had appeared in the paint work. Very unsightly. Has anyone had the same problems?

I used to have a Clio Williams, with that being a similar colour, I expected teh finish of teh Subaru to be even better. This is not the case. I kept my Williams absolutely perfect, not a mark on the car at all, yet 1 week with the Subaru and apart from the wax impressions, the paintwork is in a worse condition that my 4 year old Williams. Am I doing something wrong?

On a better note, the car was driven on the motorway in a downpour of rain and the handling was superb. In the Williams, even though the handling was superb in the dry, my confidence was never ever as high as it should be in the wet. With the Subaru it is a different story!!! WOW!!!!!!!!

£35 for my first service next week, what oil should I insist on?

Any help to a new member on the above would be great.

Many thanks,

Paul.

I also have DBM & the paintwork marks easily. A big problem is how to remove fly marks without damaging the paint. Stone chips to the front spoiler will also get a little depressing.

WRT Oil, either accept your dealer's recommendation or you could use my own favourite, Castrol RS.

Mobil 1 Motorsport seems to be the new favourite. Costs £30 for four litres from most places. Your dealer should fit it if you take your own.

Stef.

Paintwork

I have a cool grey sti 5
Initially driving it I noticed every time I heard something hit the car it created a nasty white scratch mark!

I got the car fully lacquered up. Several layers of some special protective coating. This has since stopped the scratching problem

The problem is that more modern cars including the Scoob only have one layer of paint (whereas your Clio had 2 layers). In addition I was told that the paint was water based (whatever that means) allowing it to scratch very easily.
This scratches and stone chips very easily and you ahve to really get it protected.

The dealers I've spoken to in Bristol say that the paint job on all scoobs is crap.
So youre not the only one with problems

What was the special protective coating?

Who applies it - can I or is it a spcialized job?

How Much?

Where do we buy?

When my scoob arrives, I would like to avoid stonechips as much as possible.

JD

Paul,

I agree with most of what's been said. Modern paint finishes generally are not as strong as those from even a few years ago. DBM WILL have a clear laquer coat on top of the base colour, though. The problem is, with a dark base coat, reflected light makes even light scratches in the laquer only look bad.

Be very careful if tempted to "T-cut" out. In fact, don't use T cut at all its way to harsh.

As regards the scratches, etc, it is more than likely they were caused before you took delivery, by the dealer/importer, etc.

What has probably happened (did with mine too, except not as noticable as its silver) is that when you washed it, you've removed the polish applied by the dealer to get that "showroom shine", thus making the scratches more visible.

Problem is, dealer will deny and only remedy is cutting polish which = thin paint, or respray. Try carefully applying thick coat of quality non abraisive polish to the scratches - should make them dissapear for a while anyway.

The other great irony is that every time you polish a car, you will create fine scratches in the paintwork, no matter how careful you are. Then, when you wash it, the scratches show up, so you polish it some more, and on it goes........

Wifey tells me not to wory, its only a car!!

Yeah, like she knows http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/wink.gif

Hope some of this helps.

Scottie

PS, I'm intreaged to kknow how wax can cause indentations in the paint??

With the lacquer I dont need to polish my car ever, as it shines up on washing.

I got mine done at Interpro Bristol. Included a few other things, but was not cheap! (included security coding windows, Scotch guard, and insurance policy on lost keys)

Cost me £270, and is a professionals only job - or so I was told

With the lacquer I dont need to polish my car ever, as it shines up on washing.

I got mine done at Interpro Bristol. Included a few other things, but was not cheap! (included security coding windows, Scotch guard, and insurance policy on lost keys)

Cost me £270, and is a professionals only job - or so I was told