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Accord Exterior Issues

49 messages,  Last post on Apr 25, 2010 at 3:48 PM

You are in the Honda Accord Forum.

What is this discussion about? Honda Accord, Sedan

Messages Page 2 of 5

#10 of 49 Re: Paint doesn't match [tcvb] by jay_gatsby

May 30, 2006 (6:44 am)

Replying to: tcvb (May 29, 2006 8:00 pm)
They can match the paint on the metal body parts. How do you think the factory did it? The problem is that the dealership's body shop is probably not using the same techniques as the factory, and didn't sand/strip the bumper down (and put primer on it) before repainting it. Have you considered insisting that the dealer simply buy you a new bumper straight from Honda that has the same color as your car?

#11 of 49 Re: Paint doesn't match [tcvb] by mrbill1957

May 30, 2006 (5:26 pm)

Replying to: tcvb (May 29, 2006 8:00 pm)
Metal or plastic doesn't matter when paint matching. The coating on both is two step base coat then clear coat.
 
Color matching can be difficult, until the final clear coat is applied, you can't tell if you have an exact match. The dealer needs to work with their paint supplier when the match is off, the supplier will adjust the color (hopefully) to correct the mismatch. This can take a few tries to get right, it's somewhat of a guessing game on what to add to correct the mismatch. Ask someone at a body shop, it's a talent to match paints. Try matching some of the pearlescent paints out there!!
 
I don't think asking for a Honda painted bumper will work, things like that will come unpainted from Honda. Even if it did come painted, there is no guarantee that it will match. Paint is made in batches, and although close, no two batches are 100% perfect to one another. Honda (or anyone else) gets a match by painting the whole car with the same batch of paint. If you ever bought floor tiles, wallpaper, carpet squares or many other things, they always recommend checking the batch numbers (lot codes) so the colors match, it's the same with paint.
 
My suggestion would be to bring it back and complain. They can get it right, it just takes time and energy on their part.
 
Mrbill

#12 of 49 2000 Accord rocker panel molding clips by todd_1

May 30, 2006 (8:47 pm)

Does anyone know the secret to getting the rocker panel molding to lock onto the clips?

#13 of 49 Re: 2006 Alabaster Silver Metallic Paint Defects [rob3201] by paul60

May 31, 2006 (6:55 am)

Replying to: rob3201 (Apr 17, 2006 9:10 pm)
YES, Alabaster silver is BAD. I have the same car. Although the clear-coat is good, the base coat is VERY blotchy..Looks like I did myself with Krylon metalic can from Ace hardware. Showing my dealer next Tues. The mismatching bumpers is another issue I have. Bumbers are more of a green/grey silver, not the brighter siler of the rest of car.The blotchyness includes darker areas, and under certain lighting conditions, makes it look like paint has bad oxcidation. Other light conditions makes it hard to see past the excelent clearcoat. No real solution, because I don't want Joes Body shop to re-paint. I am very disapointed, angry that I did not notice Prior to delivery. All I noticed was the rusty brake rotors, bright orange corrosion on all but the areas the brake pad sweeps. The wheel gaps with the 6-speed make even more obvious/ ugly...Thought maybe brake dust would disguise/hide the condition...has not yet at 4,000 miles. While Iam ranting...grabby brakes at low speeds? uneven surging power delivery due to throttle by wire? Loud, like sreaming air conditioner with major clunking when activating?? Rattles in doors/dash/sunroof? Nice car..not nearly as "fun" as I had hoped, so the flaws just make it worse. Oh, yes ...the paint scrarches/ dings so easily...mystery scrathes keep appearing. I think hitting a bug will chip the paint, and my car is detailed with $100 Zymoil weekly....

#14 of 49 Re: 2006 Alabaster Silver Metallic Paint Defects [paul60] by paul60

Jun 16, 2006 (5:56 am)

Replying to: paul60 (May 31, 2006 6:55 am)
Update: Honda regional rep. looked at car, saw the blotchyness, compared to another Alabaster car, saw that it was not blotchy, unlike mine, buy declared it normal. He also admitted that the rusty rotors were cosmetically unattractive, but also normal. The Service manager listened to my "screaming" air-conditioner...and compared to a new 2006 ex-v6 which was silent....declared my screamer was "normal. The old hear no evil, see no evil, there is no problem if you just pretend it is not there.. Oh, yes, the mismatching bumpers vs the rest the paint....also normal, because as the regional Honda rep says, they have to add flex tint the the painted plastic parts. Like all car manufacturers haven't mastered matching paint on plastic and metal over the last 20 years they've been doing it. Very disapointed...may pursue other options...sell car, go to court...Why should I settle for improper paint. Other flaws that diminish the pleasure of owing this Honda. Rattles in door and Dash...grabby brakes at low speeds, too long clutch take-up combined with the throttle by wire..drivable but un-nateral. Surging power delivery, not smooth as advertised. Preignition heard with part throttle acceleration (knockong) even with premium gas. This is not a drivers car. It rides nicely, quietly on the hiway, has good power when v-tech kicks in...even good low rpm grunt, just not smooth esp0ecially when air- conditioniong kicks in and out, sending reverberating clunking jerking motion throught car...felt 1st through 3rd gears......Be aware.... Class action Alabaster Silver car owners???

#15 of 49 Re: 2006 Alabaster Silver Metallic Paint Defects [paul60] by thegraduate

Jun 16, 2006 (1:43 pm)

Replying to: paul60 (Jun 16, 2006 5:56 am)
Sounds like your car has lemon written all over it. My dad's Alabaster Silver (EX Cloth) has had none of the problems as yours (52,000 miles and a 2005 model). My Graphite Pearl 2006 EX Cloth has 7800 miles on it (automatic), has smooth power, drive-by-wire is excellent in my car, and only a rattle in the door as my only complaint. Honda replaced my interior rear-view mirror due to the mirror glass rattling in place that made a very shaky (and sickening!) view of traffic behind me.
 
Not perfect, but not nearly as bad as your experience, and for that I'm sorry for ya.

#16 of 49 Re: 2006 Alabaster Silver Metallic Paint Defects [paul60] by caedward2

Jun 16, 2006 (6:32 pm)

Replying to: paul60 (Jun 16, 2006 5:56 am)
What plant built your vehicle?
 
By chance the Mexican Honda facility?

#17 of 49 Re: 2006 Alabaster Silver Metallic Paint Defects [paul60] by tallman1

Jun 16, 2006 (10:18 pm)

Replying to: paul60 (Jun 16, 2006 5:56 am)
Sorry.... my 06 silver Accord is perfect. The paint is gorgeous and I've had no issues with the car at all.

#18 of 49 Re: 2006 Alabaster Silver Metallic Paint Defects [paul60] by aburd

Jun 16, 2006 (10:54 pm)

Replying to: paul60 (Jun 16, 2006 5:56 am)
I've been browsing these forums for several weeks, having been in the market for a new car.
 
 Frankly, reports such as yours have scared the cr*p out of me, since I'm probably more picky than I should be about the fit/finish issues-- and they run counter to the generally good experience I've had with the 3 previous Hondas I've owned, not to mention 3 more owned by other family members. All in all, I'm talking about fairly intimate knowledge of the history of Accords representing the '88, '89, '96, '97, '00, and '03 model years.
 
 All were in fine shape when delivered, held up well, didn't rust, rattle, or for that matter require any unscheduled service with the exception of a slow driver's side power window motor on the '97 replaced under warranty, a seat belt buckle recall (forget which car that was for) and another recall having something to do with an A/C wiring inspection (maybe on the '97 again; I forget).
 
Anyway, after waiting to see what the '07 Camry had to offer (I'm also a former Camry owner) I decided the '06 Accord was still the car for me. I've owned an Alabaster Silver EX V6 sedan for several weeks now and so far it's met or exceeded just about all of my expectations, with a couple of minor exceptions.
 
Powertrain performance is outstanding; power comes on strong and smoothly with no hint of drive-by-wire surging or hesitation that seems to be filling the 'Camry Woes' forum. It's a QUIET car-- by far the quietest Accord I've driven; noticeably quieter than the '03 EX owned by my father. This surprised me since road noise seems to be one of the few negatives in that comes up regularly in older Accord reviews. There may be quieter cars, but it's certainly quiet enough that I notice and appreciate the lack of wind and drivetrain noise every time I drive it. The climate control is truly set and forget, and a joy in operation. I'm still discovering clever design features (like the speed sensitive wipers, and the passenger power window switches that either 'go dark' or illuminate depending on whether the driver's master window switch is off or on)-- and I thought I had found them all on my father's '03. Switch gear is first rate and all the panels fit tight. Nothing rattles except the keys on the key chain, and I have been paying attention.
    
Interior quality is (in my opinion, as this is somewhat subjective) superior to any Japanese make in its class, in both design and materials. I've never seen any better uniformity of gauge cluster, control, and radio illumination-- even better this year now that they've made even the instrument pointers white to match the white on black look of all the interior displays. With the black interior and aluminum trim that I have in my car, it looks more like a business-like cockpit than a make-believe Lexus, and that's the look I prefer. To my eye, the '07 Camry looks like a distracting toy by night-- and at least one review I read agreed, comparing the interior of the new Camry to a 'designer food fight that nobody won'. It's 'flashy/cheesy' interior was the swing factor in my decision not to purchase that car.
 
Anyway, this thread is about exterior issues, and that is probably the only area that if I had any nits to pick, I could find a couple. But I'd have to say that they are very tiny and haven't diminished my satisfaction with the car in any significant way. The Alabaster Silver finish is completely uniform and looks great on my car, though in some lighting conditions I can tell a very slight difference in the tone of the paint on the plastic surfaces (bumpers and rocker panel moldings. But I don't find it objectionable. I did find a tiny speck of what appears to be grit (literally the size of a tiny grain of sand) in the paint on the corner of one fender; and there was a tiny nick in the finish on one of the door handles (it appeared to have been touched up; I'd pin that one on my dealer). There have been no issues with paint chipping. I did notice brake rotor rust for the first week I owned the car (it had sat for weeks in the dealer's inventory) but it's now polished away except for the perimeter area not contacted by the brake pads. From what I've noticed on other makes of cars, this isn't unusual.
 
In a nutshell, if this were a high priced exotic car, even tiny flaws of this nature would be disappointing. But for what it is in this day and age (namely, a mass produced sedan in the family-friendly price category) I think just about anything else in its class would be a downgrade.
 
I'd tend to agree that you got a lemon. The cars aren't perfect, but the multitude of the defects that you describe all piling up on the same car seems to be an aberration. That's when you have to rely on the dealer to make it right, and it doesn't sound like you're getting satisfaction in that regard either... that's unfortunate.

#19 of 49 Paint issue with 2004 Accord by fastfreddy

Jun 19, 2006 (1:34 pm)

I'm new to this forum, so please tell me if this has been covered before, or if this subject is not appropriate. We have an 04 Accord that got hit with bird guano while we were away (10 days). When the stain was washed off, it was revealed that the entire clear coat AND paint had been eaten away. Bare primer is exposed in a 3 inch diameter spot. Never having had this problem with paint before, I am inclined to say that Honda's paint system is not adequately robust.
 
2 questions:
Has this been experienced before by others?
What recourse do I have with the Company or dealer?

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