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Acura TL Paint and Exterior Care

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#31 of 85 paint shade differences on bumpers vs rest of car by rone3 Jul 22, 2007 (5:46 am)
Just picked up our diamond white pearl 2007 acura tl yesterday. We thoroughly examined the entire car for chips/dings and found none. However, inspection was accomplished in blinding sunlight (which at the time I thought was advantageous). This morning (in the shade), I immediatly noticed a very distinct difference in the shade of paint on both the rear and front plastic bumpers when compared to the rest of the metal panels of the car. It is quite obvious that the difference in the shade of paint begins with the plastic bumpers themselves at the exact abutment to the rest of the metal car panels. Has anyone had a similar situation? Is this an anomaly on just our car? Is it possibly a factory mismatching of plastic bumpers painted with one paint lot versus the rest of the car painted with a different paint lot? Is it anyway near likely that both bumpers were damaged somehow, in transit from the factory/on the dealer's lot and that the dealer removed the bumpers from the car, repainted them (with a different paint lot) off of the car, and them reinstalled them? If they did do that and sold it to us without disclosing that information, is it legal? Obviously, we find this whole situation disconcerting. Is there any recourse other than asking the dealer to repaint the bumpers to try to achieve a better match to the rest of the car? Auto body painters have always told me that the only way to get a decent paint match is to "fade" the paint into the adjoining panels. That solution, from my experience, is very, very unappealing and would only worsen the problem. Should we start our attempt at some sort of recourse with Acura Corportate Headquarters? Are they concerned and responsive to customer dissatisfaction? Before deciding on an Acura product, we did a lot of reading about different marques. One reason we did not choose an Infiniti product was the apparent indifference to customer complaints that we read about. If anyone has had a like or similar paint mismatch as I have oulined above, we would appreciate your sharing the experience and any advice on how best attempt a satisfactory fix. In short, PLEASE HELP! Replies to this message: ggesq (Jul 23, 2007 3:35 am) billyperks1 (Jul 23, 2007 7:28 am) mdbmw (Jul 26, 2007 1:37 pm) rone3 (Jul 31, 2007 2:00 pm) mdbmw (Aug 01, 2007 9:14 am)
#32 of 85 Re: paint shade differences on bumpers vs rest of car [rone3] by ggesq Jul 23, 2007 (3:35 am)
Replying to: rone3 (Jul 22, 2007 5:46 am) The bumper mismatch with the WDP color is a very common complaint. Many folks try to get the bumpers repainted under warranty from the dealership. Some succeed others don't. Eventually, people either live with it, keep getting it repainted to match as close as possible or can't deal with it and get rid of the car. Replies to this message: billyperks1 (Jul 23, 2007 7:28 am)
#33 of 85 Re: paint shade differences on bumpers vs rest of car [ggesq] by billyperks1 Jul 23, 2007 (7:28 am)
Replying to: ggesq (Jul 23, 2007 3:35 am) Wow, acura still has not addressed this issue as of yet.I had the previous generation TLS in the WDP and many owners were complaining back then about the same problem.My car in particular was garage kept at home and at the train station I park so the UV effective was minimal and further more the polymers that I used helped protect the paint even .
#34 of 85 Re: paint shade differences on bumpers vs rest of car [rone3] by mdbmw Jul 26, 2007 (1:37 pm)
Replying to: rone3 (Jul 22, 2007 5:46 am) I purchased a 2005 Acura TL, White Diamond in October 2005. I saw one in the bright sunshine at Crown Acura in Clearwater, FL. I test drove a silver one. 2 days later I decided to purchase. I drove it home and pulled into my garage. I got out to admire my new car and I was shocked. It was awful. My beautiful new white car has yellow bumpers! This is not exceptable on a $36,000 car! I phoned the dealer and they said that is just the way the paint looks on the plastic compared to the metal panels. I owned 3 Hondas and a 1997 Acura CL, White. None of those cars had this problem. I had thought about having them painted, but what if they still cannot match. This is a brand new car. Acura did not have a solution for me. I felt like I got taken! My sales guy neglected to tell me this about the white. I see that the Silver doesn't match either. I think Black is the only color that matches. White is the worst! I traded a BMW 325 for the TL. That was a mistake. I kept the TL until January 2007 and traded it in for a BMW Z4. Which I love. Lost 10 grand. I am very disappointed in Honda. I was a loyal fan, but I will never order another Honda product again. Lexus would not put out a product like this. Not acceptable. I figured when they updated the TL for 2007 they would have corrected this problem. I see it still exists. I wish I could help you, but I choose to live with it and then trade it in. I guess the car was just not for me. Turning radius is terrible as well. Good Luck getting this resolved. Replies to this message: rone3 (Jul 31, 2007 2:00 pm) mdbmw (Aug 01, 2007 9:14 am)
#35 of 85 Re: paint shade differences on bumperchis vs rest of car [mdbmw] by rone3 Jul 31, 2007 (2:00 pm)
Replying to: mdbmw (Jul 26, 2007 1:37 pm) Thanks for your comments. Took the opportunity to consult with my cousin, who has an automotive body shop and has been painting cars, studying emerging paint technology, and using a plethora of paint, primer, paint related etc., products over the past 45 years or so. His take was that the color was a good match - won't bore you with his detailed treatise on spray gun pressure/application technique, robot vs human spraying, spraying bumpers/mirrors/ground effects off the car at the factory, plastic vs metal, metallic flakes suspeneded in the paint that may be standing vertically or laying horizontally, angle of view when looking at the various parts of the car, light refraction, ad infinitum, ad nauseum!     Nothwithstanding the above, called Acura Corporate and complained, who gave me a case number and advised me to call the dealer. Called same and dealer general manner and zone manger reply was, "That's the product; there's nothing we can do." Based on my cousin's advice to leave well enough alone because the "fix", e.g., repainting may be even worse, that's what I'm doing about it - living with it.      Having decided that, of course I couldn't help collecting a little anecdotal evidence. So on a shopping trip, wherein I made six separate stops at different stores, I checked cars in the parking lots - as well as observing cars stopped in traffic. Here's a list of makes that I noticed having the same problem: Honda, Toyota, Audi, Cadillac, Chevrolet, yes, Lexus, Volkswagen, BMW, Chrysler, Infiniti, and Ford.       My cousin had told me that mismatching paint was an industry-wide problem. I guess that I had to find out for myself. In any case, light to medium colors are the worst, while the darker colors are less noticeable. I agree, apparently to skirt the problem, everyone should buy a black car! I do find minimal comfort that I'm in the same boat with millions of others, but nonetheless, there sits in our garage a White Pearl 2007 Acura TSX, and I defy you to find a difference in the bumper paint color vs the rest of the car. Go figure! Replies to this message: mdbmw (Aug 01, 2007 9:14 am)
#36 of 85 Re: paint shade differences on bumperchis vs rest of car [rone3] by mdbmw Aug 01, 2007 (9:14 am)
Replying to: rone3 (Jul 31, 2007 2:00 pm) Looks like you have researched this.....I have noticed other car companies have the same issue, but not to the extreme as the white on the TL. The Cadillac CTS in white is way off as well. I guess I just expect better from a Honda product. Hope you are able to live with it. I wasn't. Sounds like you got the same response from the dealer I got. They must have had so many complaints. I believe you made the right decision not to try and repaint. That was not an option I wanted to consider.
#37 of 85 Front grill 07 by nova Aug 27, 2007 (1:22 am)
Any one having a problem with the front plastic gray grill. Just purchased a white TL and the gray grill looks like it has streaks in it like when you armoral something and miss some spots. Yes i noticed the white on the bumpers are not an exact match with the rest of the paint.
#38 of 85 Wash, Wax, and Keep Clean New TL 2007 by cpa3 Aug 31, 2007 (12:37 pm)
I just purchased my new TL with Navi and I am looking for some advice on the following: Are new cars waxed at the dealers? How soon do I need to wax the car? What products/dressings do you recommend for keeping the tires looking great without causing lots of dirt and grime after a few days.? Any suggestions for washing and waxing without going overboard? (I am looking for steps and product recommendations) How about a cleaner for the dash? (not greasy) Thanks Replies to this message: laurasdada (Aug 31, 2007 12:39 pm)
#39 of 85 Re: Wash, Wax, and Keep Clean New TL 2007 [cpa3] by laurasdada Aug 31, 2007 (12:39 pm)
Replying to: cpa3 (Aug 31, 2007 12:37 pm) Zainostore.com for information and great products! There are also threads here regarding your query. If you do a keyword search using "Zaino" a few threads will be presented.   I really should get some kind of royalty/referral fee from Sal...
#40 of 85 Wax first time - NEW TL by cpa3 Aug 31, 2007 (7:45 pm)
I just purchased a new TL. The finish is shure nice and smooth. When do I need to wax a new car for the first time. I have heard wait one year, wait six months, do it now. Do the dealers wax them or put something on it to make it feel so smooth? Replies to this message: nova (Sep 01, 2007 2:20 am)

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