SimonH

Same old same old I'm afraid.

I've got a UK MY00 in Red Mica that, after 10000m, has a bonnet and front bumper that look as though they've been machine-gunned there's so many chips. I've seen two MY98s in the last two days (both green) that have both done in excess of 30000m and have about half the chips mine does...between them. I do drive a lot of country roads but I don't tailgate a great deal.
The question is then, is paint on the later models thinner/crapper than on previous models?
Answers on Subaru technical bulletin please, addressed to "Normal characteristics of 99MY/00MY specification models".

Iain Young

I'm afraid it's a pretty well known problem. I've got a DBM MY00, done about 16,000 miles, and the front looks sandblasted (normal driving between Swindon and Newbury, sometimes back roads and sometimes on the motorway depending on what I'm feeling like). I've even managed to get a couple of chips on the side panels . After the summer hols I plan on investigating getting the chips taken out by a body shop (there's a Subaru specialist in Swindon) and maybe fitting some of that armourfend stuff.

It's more than a bit annoying that after only a year and a bit of ownership, the front looks worse than the 6 year old rover that I had beforehand (which had done 80,000 miles). I really enjoy my scoob, and at the moment I can't imagine me wanting to change it for anything else, but I have to say that build quality is definitely not one of its strong points.

Cheers,
Iain

Rob FTM

Actually I've sort of held of posting about this before althought I don't really know why.

A precident has been set i.e. ME!

I have a Green MY99 that was covered in chips. I went to my local dealers and the (now sacked) guy told me literally to **** off. However I persisted with another much more helpful member of the dealerships staff, and, to cut a long story short, got the whole front (wings and bonnet and spoiler) re-sprayed AT IM'S EXPENSE Oh yes really!!!

To add a very big cherry on the cake they even paid for a coutraesy car via Subaru Assist for a whole week. Actualy a small cherry because it was an Astra.

The dealers were Adams of Aylesbury and this was negotiated via them and Paul Bond of IM.


I am happy to supply other details off list should they be required.


Rob.

SimonH

Rob - I'd be grateful for some details of your above coup - it's getting difficult to tell if my car's red or white now....
You don't supply an email but mine's

TONY C

I too own a 10 week old Red Mica MY00. The front of the car sounds pretty much like yours Simon, and has only cover 1,700 miles. I can accept and live with some stone chips, but if the chipping continues at this rate it will be unacceptable.

There is obviously a quality problem with the paint, possibly as a result from the change to more enviromentally friendly paints.

Rob, could you please also supply me with details of your claim, as the dealer has suggested that I am just unlucky!!

Any details of previous claims would be very much appreciated,

Cheers,

Tony C

tony@tonycooper.freeserve.co.uk

Rob FTM

Simon,

Sorry about the lack of e mail I overlooked that!!

Basically what happened was that the front of the car looked like I had been behind Richard Burns on the Kielder Forest Special Stage!!

My MY99 green had done about 13/14 k miles and was 15-ish months old. This would be about late April last year. I think this is important because I THINK that there is a 1 year paint warranty but whatever, I was passed it.

So I went to the local dealers (Adams of Aylesbury) who sent out the chap who deals with warranty claims. I pointed out that the car was a mess and cars of similar age/colour on their forecourt were fine. I pointed out that the wifes Mondeo which had done 20k more miles, was in better shape, but he told me to **** off and stop wasting his time (literally). I think it was that attitude rather than anything else which made me see red. Anyhow, I insisted on a phone number of someone at IM as I wanted to take it further. I spoke to a very helpful chap called Paul Bond, but he said that everything had to be dealt with via the dealer. After I arranged to see someone else at Adams, who agreed I might have a point, IM insisted that they send an "independent expert" to see whether the paint was faulty.

I felt at this point I was starting to get somewhere. A chap from a company called (I think) PPG(?) coatings came and inspected the car. This was IM's expense. He used a little ultrasound probe to see whether the paint was on at the correct depth, which it was. He then did another test to see whether the metal was properly primed and whether the paint had properly bonded, which it had. Now I thought that I stood no chance.

The he said, words to the effect of "Subaru have made two errors, 1) they used a light coloured primer so all chips show and 2) the paint is water based and not as hard as old fashioned non- environmentally friendly solvent based paint".

We had a long chat and he let slip that he had approved "lots" of claims similar to mine but no-one at IM discussed them. Whether or not this is true I don't know.

He had to make a report to IM which, paraphrased, said (because he showed me a copy), that although the paintwork was free of manufacturing defects, he felt that it was not acceptable for the job in hand and he recommended that it should be re-sprayed.

So after another few weeks delay, I got a quote from a local body shop associated with the dealer. I faxed it to Paul Bond, and generally kept harassing him (3-4 phone calls over two weeks) to agree to foot the bill. I then thought I'd take the **** a little by asking for a courtesy car, which he agreed via Subaru Assist.

This was all sorted in September last year and although there has been 1 massive chip/dent courtesy of a nail from the back of a transit, the re-sprayed area is more or less fine. Certainly better than it was originally.

The bill from the body shop was about £650 and whatever the car cost them. I have to say the the guy in the body shop was amazed that I had got Subaru to pay up. Whether this is unusual I don't know but I had no qualms about it. The car was not cheap (to me) and I bought it in the olden days when there were NO DISCOUNTS and a 6-9 month wait.

So my advice is NOT to take no for an answer and keep plugging away because it CAN be done.

Good luck

Rob.

TONY C

Rob,

Thanks for the reply - the facts you supplied may well assist with my claim. As I said, my car is only 10 wks old, and already looks pretty bad.

Thanks again,

Cheers,

Tony.

Mellow Yellow !

iTrader: (1)

Just my two pennyworth peeps, P1, 7 weeks old, same probs as everyone, could've had lots of new bumpers lots and lots of times but decided to push for a decent re-paint, Robinsons in Rochdale put it to I.M, passed it immediately and I'm having the whole front end re-done along with the bonnet and blending in of the wings, it should be perfect from thereon in ? It's going in tomoro with a Micra as a courtey car, can't complain about I.M. so far eh ?

visual

You should all ask for a new car or a total refund for goods supplied not of a merchantable quality.

I did and did !!!!!

At this point i can say no more.

SimonH

Rob
Thanks for the info. I'm going to start chasing this up tomorrow. I'll let you know how I get on...

Thanks again

visual

The Subaru Mica paint is very very poor.

00 car DBM krap
01 car DBM Krap

Subaru i have had enough

value for money car's i think not !!!
IM deny all knowledge of other cars with problems.

e-mail me with your cars problems and age , mileage , col , etc, it is time Subaru in Japan woke up.

Cheers

AndyC_772

iTrader: (2)

My DBM car (MY00) is 20,000 miles old and the bonnet and front bumper look like they've been stuck in traffic behind a gritting lorry. I was about to call ChipsAway, but it sounds like it might be worthwhile taking it back to the dealer and complaining instead. At least then they'll be less able to disclaim all knowledge of the problem in future.

Any tips as to who to talk to and what to say? I normally use Adams in Aylesbury too.

Andy.

Jza

Sorry folks - i agree the paints not fantastic - but have any of you seen other cars paint??? We have a BMW and Volvo S60 in the car park and they are stone chipped worse than my DBM!!

All cars get stone chips. Happens when stones hit the front of the car and chip the paint off.

In america they buy these big leather "nose bags" that stop all stone chips - but then they look like ****!!

If you dont want stone chips, dont drive!!!!

Jza