Paintwork ruined by car repairer please help
 

Hi all !

I recently had a prang in my 2005 metallic blue WRX (a WRX300) which entailed having a new rear bumper and boot lid fitted. I claimed on the insurance and the car was collected and taken away for repairs by the insurers approved repairer. I got the car back a week later, on an overcast day, and on a quick cursory inspection everything seemed ok - they had even 'cleaned' it so I signed for it etc and didn't realise anything was wrong until a couple of weeks later when the sun was shining and glinting off the panels I could see 'whorl' marks all over the body where the lacquer had been abrased - it looked truly shocking - even the guy who regularly valets the car for me every month asked me what the hell I'd done to the paintwork and spent ages waxing and polishing it in an attempt to remove the whorl marks - but with only partial success.

I can only assume that they had taken it through a car wash ! the water was also sheeting and not beading like it usually does. I have always cleaned it by hand having read anecdotal reports about car washes being bad - but I didn't realise just how bad they could be :mad:

So my question is is there anything further I can do to remove said marks which are still visible in sunlight.

I've had the car back over a month now so is it worth having a moan to the insurance company or at least letting them know about it ?

Take some pics in strong sunlight to show us the damage. We'll be able to let you know then what if anything can be done. :thumb:

Notify your insurers immediately. Visit a high end independent bodyshop and ask to get an independent paint inspection report done. Present report to insurers, argue your case strongly, and with a little luck you'll get the option of having the work redone. Dig heels in, insist a different bodyshop does the work (ideally the one who did the report) and check very carefully second time round. We've helped numerous customers navigate minefields like this, and it can be done if you follow the above route. :thumb: