# Paintwork on Fiat vehicles



## LynneKen (Jan 19, 2008)

Any body else had a problem with paintwork on a Fiat? the bonnet on our 08 fiat has approximately 22 paint chips on it, it is stored in a compound with about 25 other fiat vans and none of them have "paint chips" on the bonnet, I took some photo's of said " paint chips" and sent them to Fiat, who promptly said "stone chips, no warranty" wont even discuss it. Our local fiat garage says in his opinion they are not stone chips as they are not down to the metal. What an easy get out for Fiat to just dismiss this without even asking for a professional company to have a look, they just gave me the address of the Motor Industry Code of Practise, and virtually said "Tuff luck" wont discuss it and "No you cant speak to anyone else in Fiat about this".

What a very unprofessional company.

Any help or thoughts would be most welcome.
Lynne :twisted: :evil:


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

My last van did 150k and only had two chips on the bonnet.
new 08 scudo only34k miles looks as if it has been peppered.
Same reaction from Fiat.

DAve p


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## LynneKen (Jan 19, 2008)

thanks for posting Dave, our van has only done 6k and the "chips" have been there for months so I cant say when they started to arrive, but I think that their (Fiat) dismissive attitude is an easy get out for bad workmanship.

Do you intend to do anything about the problem? I think we will have to have a go at something otherwise the thing will be devoid of paint in a couple of years ( when we want to sell it)

Lynne


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

Hi Lynne the service i have received over the past two weeks regarding servicing workmanship and the fitting of incorrect tyres leaves me with despare. Had I not required warrenty work i would not have had van (scudo) serviced by dealer.
Fortunatly my son in laws dad can respray the bonnett.

Best of luck


Dave p


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## neilbes (Oct 16, 2006)

I had the same on my previous van (fiat) and i thought it was down to me 
not cleaning dead bugs off soon enough.

have you left dead bugs on for long periods ?


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## 96299 (Sep 15, 2005)

Mines got a few chips on the bonnet, dont know if they are down to the metal or not, will have to check more thoroughly next time i clean it. :roll: 

steve


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## RichardnGill (Aug 31, 2006)

A lot of newish vehicles suffer very badly with stone chips as the paint that is used more recently is not as tough, due to restrictions on the type of paint that can be used.

Also with a van the bonnet is prone to stone chips due to the angle it is at.

Just a though but might go some way to explaining it.


Richard...


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## LynneKen (Jan 19, 2008)

Thanks for your op Neilbes, no definitely no dead bugs, hubby washes the MH every time we use it and it is kept in pristine condition, almost neurotic LOL. Anyway I don't think "dead bugs"should make the paint come off in such a short space of time, I think we will take it to a body shop and get a professional opinion, as you may have gathered I am not a happy bunny, not least with Fiat's attitude.

Lynne


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## LynneKen (Jan 19, 2008)

Thanks for that Richard, but if that was the case wouldn't all 08 reg. Fiats have "paint chips" just a thought, but I do appreciate what you are saying, and wouldn't that make the paint "not fit for purpose"??  

Lynne


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## Chausson (Oct 17, 2006)

LynneKen said:


> Thanks for that Richard, but if that was the case wouldn't all 08 reg. Fiats have "paint chips" just a thought, but I do appreciate what you are saying, and wouldn't that make the paint "not fit for purpose"??
> 
> Lynne


Hi Lynne
What can happen is moisture in the air line is then transferred to the paint as it's sprayed onto the panels, after a while these tiny spots of moisture then lifts the paint off and it's called Micro blistering, any good painter will be able to diagnose this for you.

I would go for a report from a very good independent Panel shop [garage] someone that does only paintwork, none of these big garages like evans halshaw as they really don't have a clue. I cannot at the moment think of anyone in Barry, there used to be a good one close to the railway station in Penarth.

Ron


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## LynneKen (Jan 19, 2008)

Thanks Ron thats very helpful, we have had a small paint job done on the van already by a paint shop in Ely by the bridge so we will take it to him and see what he has to say, I will post an update when I get some more info. I was just disgusted at Fiat's attitude especially as they phoned me a couple of months ago for a survey on customer care, wish they would phone me again now LOL.

Lynne


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## poleman (Aug 31, 2008)

*paintwork*

The bonnet on our '09 Ducato has a dark shadow and another area where the paint has been sanded and polished because of a paint defect. There are various dirt nibs in the paint on the A pillars. Generally I think the paint finish is poor but it's a van basically


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## LynneKen (Jan 19, 2008)

It may be a van but I don't expect the paint to come of after 6k miles, and I should think that businesses that have bought them as work horses don't expect the paint to come off either. It cost our life savings, its our pride and joy and we look after it like a baby so I don't look at it that it is just a "van". If it happened to your *car* would you be happy? I think not.
Anyway, I think that some pen pusher in Fiat is not qualified to look at a photograph and make a professional judgement about paintwork.

But thanks for your interest anyway.

Lynne.


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## poleman (Aug 31, 2008)

*paintwork*

You are correct I wouldn't accept it on my car and I don't like it on my van either but as you have found out they (Fiat) think it is acceptable. The vehicles primary use is a van and wouldn't normally be looked after to the level most of use expect so it's paint finish is designed for that market. We don't like it but we have to accept it. This doesn't mean you should be fobbed off, if you think your stone chips are unacceptable pursue it with your Fiat dealer.


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## gaspode (May 9, 2005)

Almost certainly microblistering. It's a well known condition caused by damp in the airline or on the metal surface prior to painting. A competent body shop should be able to diagnose in seconds.


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

What you need is a Fiat main dealer who also does body work and spraying for a written quote.
I think you should not lump all garages as one when you mentioned Evans Halshaw Ron.when I worked for them many years ago our paint shop was well known in the trade as the place to have a top quality job done. But this was because we had chaps who took pride in their work including the manager.In all places it is not the firm but their workers, plus poor management. :wink: :wink: 

cabby


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## Steamdrivenandy (Jun 18, 2007)

cabby said:


> What you need is a Fiat main dealer who also does body work and spraying for a written quote.
> I think you should not lump all garages as one when you mentioned Evans Halshaw Ron.when I worked for them many years ago our paint shop was well known in the trade as the place to have a top quality job done. But this was because we had chaps who took pride in their work including the manager.In all places it is not the firm but their workers, plus poor management. :wink: :wink:
> 
> cabby


It's funny (maybe that should read 'sad') how over the last 20 years or so motor dealers of long standing with maybe one or two branches from way back have suddenly expanded into multi outlet behemoths and in the course of doing so lose the very things that have made them successful as a one or two outlet business. Loads have gone bust like that over the last few decades and yet people still keep on doing it.

I remember an Evans Halshaw BMW dealership on the road between Chesham and Berkhamsted which had a superb reputation and I don't think they had any other branches at the time. Now they're everywhere, but do they have the same values, skills or reputation or are they just another real estate deal on loads of plastic and glass sheds?

SDA


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## LynneKen (Jan 19, 2008)

Thank you all for your contributions, I don't believe that they are "stone" chips but I have sought advise from a dedicated body shop and as soon as the weather allows they are going to have a look at it for us.

As for finding a Fiat appointed garage with body shop facilities, that would be nice but it has taken months for Fiat to approve the place we have been using, there seem's to be a shortage of Fiat commercial approved garages in South Wales.

Thanks again for all your helpful contributions.

Lynne


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## JohnsCrossMotorHomes (Jul 21, 2007)

Steamdrivenandy said:


> I remember an Evans Halshaw BMW dealership on the road between Chesham and Berkhamsted which had a superb reputation and I don't think they had any other branches at the time. Now they're everywhere, but do they have the same values, skills or reputation or are they just another real estate deal on loads of plastic and glass sheds?
> SDA


The bigger the dealership chain of branches, the poorer the service.

Peter


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

JohnsCrossMotorHomes said:


> Steamdrivenandy said:
> 
> 
> > I remember an Evans Halshaw BMW dealership on the road between Chesham and Berkhamsted which had a superb reputation and I don't think they had any other branches at the time. Now they're everywhere, but do they have the same values, skills or reputation or are they just another real estate deal on loads of plastic and glass sheds?
> ...


My local Fiat main dealer is also a Peugot and Renault main dealer situated on the same site. They have seperate showrooms but everything else is common. The parts department is a complete nightmare.


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## Chausson (Oct 17, 2006)

cabby said:


> What you need is a Fiat main dealer who also does body work and spraying for a written quote.
> I think you should not lump all garages as one when you mentioned Evans Halshaw Ron.when I worked for them many years ago our paint shop was well known in the trade as the place to have a top quality job done. But this was because we had chaps who took pride in their work including the manager.In all places it is not the firm but their workers, plus poor management. :wink: :wink:
> 
> cabby


Hi cabby
An example, in cardiff there is/was a BMW paint shop [remembering I was a painter] my pal took his car there to get some work done, I went with him to collect his car, I had to ask to speak to the manager the work was appalling, it took another two attempts to put things right then it was just acceptable. 
These dealerships work on volume not quality, if they get it wrong they don't care. Years ago they did care it was their name that they wanted to uphold.
However not all independents are good and not all dealerships are bad it's a speak as you find, in Cardiff area E/H are rubbish. :wink: :wink:

Ron


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## Hintonwood (Mar 21, 2008)

A friend of mine had the loan of a brand new Fiat 500 while her Ford KA was being repaired after someone rammed her. I was there when the company came to take the Fiat back. The guy inspected the bodywork and found several paint blisters on the boot panel that were almost invisible to me! Each one was the size of a pinhead. How will Fiat's warranty department explain these away when the owner claims?....... reverse stone chips??

He said that this is common with brand new Fiats.

Reminds me why the Punto always came last in the JD Power survey - no real attention to detail!


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