| FrAgEd |
Hello everyone,
Three weeks ago my wife and I made our decision to buy an Acura 2005 MDX Black on Black with Nav and Touring. ( O.O ) We spent a couple of months researching, test driving, BMW, Merc, Lexus, VW, Volvo, and maybe some others I forgot to mention. We decided to get the MDX because of NAV, Pretty powerful, tons of little options, price is right, and because I trust Honda.
Since we do not have a garage to park our SUV and being that the vehicle is black we paid the extra $800.00 to have the paint and interior Perma Coated. ( BIG MISTAKE ) Also I bought a Car Cover from the Dealer for $170.00.( ??NOT MADE BY ACURA OR HONDA ??)
The day after we purchased the SUV, I went out and bought Turtle wax and some new applicatiors, washed, waxed the entire vehicle.
Why am I such a nut, because I bought a Honda Accord 2001, back in 2001 and a year later I noticed that on the rear roof above the rear windshield the paint was deteriorating! I though to myself, well I could take it to dealer its only a year old... but no, it most be bird sh*T, or sape or something most have dropped on the paint from the sky causing it to brake down. No no no.. WRONG! I wax, I covered, I parked in the shade, and it still grew over the years. Infact I have seen severial as in twenty or more Honda Accords the same year roughly with the same defective spots in the paint. These areas where the paint brakes down from heat are generaly where the body curves.
Back to my brand new Acura MDX Black on Black. After three weeks of owning the SUV I noticed on the Hood that I have a bunch of quarter size to nickle size spots on the paint showing the same signs as my good old reliable but ungly as hell Accord. hmm, better get out the Mirror Glaze by Meguiar's #7. Pure Polish For A Deep Gloss shine. I have used this product hundreds of times, for example on our 2002 Black on Black BMW 325 CI. A bird laid a fat one on the roof, my wife drove up to SF and parked the car in the sun for half the day. When she got home it was to late. Meguiar's and a little love (20 minutes) brought back the lovely black shine. I believe why this methoid works is because it smooths out the pitted surface. ( Who cares remember the pitted surface )
Gees sorry back to my MDX, Meguiar's #7 made a nice shine on the brand new paint job but did not help to resolve the defective paint job. OOOO my god he said it was defective! How do I know it is defective because the paint is braking down from the inside not the outside that is why the polish does not help. After taking a closer look with a magnifying glass I found that the paint looks to be braking down from underneith.
I have an appointment at the end of the month ( that's the fastest appointment I can get from Acura ) to have another Acura manager to take a look at the car. The first guy said that he can't help with Bird **** and then called his detail specialest who said it was tree sape which I do not have a tree that drips sape and even if I did for all the problems to only show up on the hood is impossible. (Run around in circles Jack!)
I believe the paint is defective and cheap. I also believe that the heat from the engine and from sun is causeing the defective or cheap paint to deteoriate. The only way to fix this problem would be to start over since the paint is deteoriating from the inside out. You can not polish and shine what you can not touch.
AM I THE ONLY ONE! I BET NOT! BLACK ON BLACK MDX OWNERS GO LOOK AT YOUR HOOD ON YOUR MDX AND THEN POST WHAT YOU FIND.
I will post back how Stevens Creek Acura handles the matter.
Thank you for your time,
FrAgEd |
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| Nxtr06 |
FrAgEd,
(paint and interior Perma Coated.),
(I bought a Car Cover),
(A bird laid a fat one on the roof, my wife drove up to SF and parked the car in the sun for half the day.),
(After taking a closer look with a magnifying glass).
What do you do if it rains? All joking aside; it is a vehicle, the same will happen if you buy any of the others you test drove. The paint is there for looks and yes protection, is it going to get flaws in it? The answer is yes. Unless you buy it and place it in a climate controlled indoor shelter and never subject it to the elements.
Today’s paint is quite protective and good maintenance on your behalf will keep it looking good (not flawless) for years to come. Heck even Airplanes require paint maintenance and eventually repainting and they have one of the toughest paint finishes around.
My advice is drive the MDX do what is recommended in the owners manual to care for the interior an exterior, and it enjoy it. That my friend is what it is all about. spending an entire day off detailing your vehicle only to tell your spouse you don’t want to take her out for a night on the town, because you are tired and you don’t want to mess up your detail work, is simply bad juju.
V/R,
Nick |
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| frainc |
I have mine now for 7 months, which is always in the drive way and have no paint problems with the black. I waxed it about 4 times already and shines like glass, but so far OK.
Hope the dealer could do something. |
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| FrAgEd |
Hello everyone.
I wanted to give an update about how this whole thing turned out. Currently the MDX is in the shop, getting the hood repainted. When I went down the second time the District manager had changed his schedule so he was a no show. But "Paul Cimoli" the "Parts and Service Director" explained to me that he was given full power to make a decision on the matter. So we walked out to the MDX and I pointed out some new spots that had developed since we lasted looked at it. Paul Cimoli turned his head and looked at me. Before he could speak I said to him "do you really think I am making this up?" He said "nope" we will take care of this dont you worry," I couldn't believe it. I was very happy, "Paul Cimoli" at "AutoWest Acura" also loaned a brand new very nice 4 door Acura sedan for my wife to drive to work while the hood gets repainted. Another point I want to mention is that my wife left her work keys in the MDX so when she got to work she couldn't get in the building she called Mike and Mike gave her the number to the Sturken Auto body incorporated, The nice people at Sturken Auto body, called back with in a few minutes and then drove the keys to her!!
So fare they have gone out of there way, and I am very happy.
I will report back about the final work even if nobody gives a ****.
Thank you Paul Cimoli at AutoWest Acura and to Mike Ryan at Sturken Auto body...
I also got the Acura manual so I could wiring in an old sub. It sounds so nice due to the open space for the bass to resonate. Added two pencil beam KC 1Million candlelight spot lights. And don't think I added them so I could mess with other people on the road. And don't be a jackass and blow around down blinding people after reading this!! I hate that ****.. My next item will be to add one of those Phatnoise MP3 systems by Kenwood. If I had money to burn I would get some new tires, the MDX could handle really nice if it came with stiffer tires but then again it would make more road noise.
FrAgEd |
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| madmax998 |
I wash and wax my car every other week. My 2001 black on black MDX looks as brand new as I bought it. Also, I do park it in a garage but the MDX did brave those tough Maryland winters.
Check out the photos here
http://www.acuramdx.org/forums/show...&threadid=20150 |
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| Morph |
I have had my black on black for about a year now. I do not have any paint deterioration from underneath but I wish that Honda would at least put better paint on their "luxury" brand cars (Acura).
Honda paint coatings are notoriously thin and soft, so fine scratches tend to be more prevalent.
My advice to all MDX owners is (if you care about the paint on your $40,000 car), never use automatic car washes and use only the softest wash mitts and towels to wash and dry your car (no wash brushes!).
Congrats on getting the dealership to repaint the damaged panel and I realize that your case is not one of owner neglect, rather one of manufacturing failure. Just wanted to give everyone a heads up....just say no to "Free wash with service"! |
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| hjjbruce |
Glad to gear they are taking care of your paint problems!!
Since we are on the subject...I have an '05 Aspen Pearl MDX and asked the dealer about the difference in color between the body and the plastic (bumper etc...) they are not the same shade. He responded that many have asked and the answer was that they arent able to paint the plastic to match exactly. Is this true??? |
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| jatharp |
| Yes that is true. Flexible parts require a flex agent to be added to the paint. And unfortunatly does change the ability of the 2 panels to match perfectly.:mad: |
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| <asinova |
I would like to agree that plastic needs some "special" paint but what about my fender flares!? They match the paint exactly and they are plastic! I think there is something going on here.
I am also concerned with the paint of my aspen white perl. |
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| JL_SS |
quote:
Originally posted by hjjbruce
Glad to gear they are taking care of your paint problems!!
Since we are on the subject...I have an '05 Aspen Pearl MDX and asked the dealer about the difference in color between the body and the plastic (bumper etc...) they are not the same shade. He responded that many have asked and the answer was that they arent able to paint the plastic to match exactly. Is this true???
This is very true of a lot of manufacturers. Toyota is bad at matching the bumpers also. |
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| Sooner in FL |
quote:
Originally posted by hjjbruce
Glad to gear they are taking care of your paint problems!!
Since we are on the subject...I have an '05 Aspen Pearl MDX and asked the dealer about the difference in color between the body and the plastic (bumper etc...) they are not the same shade. He responded that many have asked and the answer was that they arent able to paint the plastic to match exactly. Is this true???
I agree with Jl_ss above. Even the Ford Mustang had this problem. Paint react differently on metal and plastic. I use to work at a NAPA store during high school, and the store I worked in also mixed auto paint. I picked up a few things here and there.
Don't worry about it. It's normal. |
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| <asinova |
| This info is good to know. I puchased a demo mdx, had 2600 miles but with all the goodies :) At first I was worried it had some fender bender. Now I know that others have the same bumper paint problems. |
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| Sooner in FL |
| You notice it more with the white colors. You can not imagine how many different colors goes in white paint. |
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