Hey to All! Q about my Audi -

[BMK]

Nice to meet all of you! I'm joining the forum because I've hit a wall -

My 2006 Audi A4 S-Line.....

Have you ever seen anything like this???



I've had my A4 for about 9 months (since September 05). About a month after I took delivery of the car, I noticed a small spot (about the size of a dime) on the center of my hood. The best way to describe it is a cloudiness under the paint which appears to be growing as a "mold" would. In 8 months it has grown to this...



It is clearly underneath the paint because it can only be seen really well in photos where something dark is reflected in the car's paint. If you look at the car straight on, or if the car is dirty, it's difficult to see. The greater concern is the fact that it has been growing and spreading all over the car. As I said, it started as 1 spot on the hood, but is now in 9 locations spread across almost every surface of the car!

The side of the hood...



The rear quarter panel...



Here are 2 photos of a spot on the roof, the second taken 2 weeks after the 1st (illustrates how this damage is "growing")




After going back and forth with Audi for months, (1st they tried to prove environmental damage) and 2 attempts at surface treatments (the resulting scratches can be seen in some of the photos but they don't do them near enough justice), Audi determined yesterday that they are now going to simply repaint the entire car - which of course is not even an option as far as I'm concerned!?!?!?


Anyone out there have some advice??

[DogParkGuy]

That looks like damage caused by bird droppings. They will "eat" into the clear coat. Sometimes can be removed by buffing out with speed glaze and PCDA.

[Top Down]

I've never seen bird droppings that big!! esp on the hood. Must be a teradactyl dropping or something. Looks like your paint has a virus. What do you use to take care of your car? Sorta looks like incorrectly used harsh rubbing compounds.

[the other pc]

Re: Hey to All! Q about my Audi -

Originally posted by BMK
...Audi determined yesterday that they are now going to simply repaint the entire car - which of course is not even an option as far as I'm concerned!?!?!?...

It really looks like there was a problem with the coating process at the factory. I don't think there's any other option other than to repaint.


PC.

[sneek]

Originally posted by Top Down
I've never seen bird droppings that big!! esp on the hood.

it must have been

LOL but a repaint is prob. your best bet

[armand]

That is not caused by bird droppings or improper "product" application. this is simply a bad paint job, maybe that the primer did not bond correctly to the body surface or the paint is not properly binding to the primer.

now matter how you slice it, it's simply a bad paint job and since it seems to be attacking a majority of your panels then repainting would be the best solution.

[MB///HRV]

A friend of mine had a similar issue with his 4runner. Turned out it was moisture under the paint. After a failed attempt to correct it (denat alc ..I belive) They offered a repaint. He refused and dealership ended up giving him a new 4runner. Toyota determined it was an issue with the factory condition when the car was painted. Anyone on any of the audi forums experiencing the same?

[Mike Phillips]

If the problem is truly under the clear coat then the only honest remedy is to repaint the car.

It's generally accepted that the best paint job is the factory finish where everything about the painting process is controlled and sterile and the paint is baked on at high temperatures, (usually, paint technology is always changing so I don't want to categorically state that all paints are always baked on), to this point having it re-painted at a local body shop will be about your only option other than having the car replaced with a new model.

If you do have it repainted, then you'll have to insure the painter or painter's helper doesn't buff the paint out and in so doing instill buffer swirl like the owner of this Mercedes-Benz had done to his car when the body shop he took his car to did this to his paint...





More pics here,

http://meguiarsonline.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=7011

Sad to say most body shops and detail shops are all about speed, not quality...

[Mike C]

Re: Hey to All! Q about my Audi -

Hi

I am having the same problem with a new (August) 2007 A4. The aftersales manager said it was a bad clearcoat reacting to UV that occurs rarely. He said that the clearcoat could be removed and the areas recoated. A body shop guy said they would need to strip down to the metal. I am trying to get my A4 replaced. I am wondering how it all worked out for you. Did you repaint? How does it look?

[Rob66]

Re: Hey to All! Q about my Audi -

Hi BMT

Welcome to MOL.

Sorry to hear about your car. I had a similar thing when my Black Toyota Celica was resprayed following an accident last year. I was told that it was caused by the paint being applied in a moist/damp atmosphere, and the moisture getting under the lacquer

I was just about to get mine re done when i part exchanged it for another car. I agree with others that the only solution is a re-paint.

If you go for this option bear in mind that when you come to sell on the car you may get less for it, as it has been re-painted (buyers may suspect accident damage) so insist on compensation from Audi.

Best of luck.

Rob

[Asaf]

Re: Hey to All! Q about my Audi -

My 2006 Focus developed this same look on the plastic spoiler that sits above the hatchback. Of course instead of just accepting it - they first tried to blame me for waxing a plastic part It started out as a dime and grew large and now FORD has accepted it and my dealer in Bangkok is awaiting new part. I am lucky it wasn't the paint but only an accessory.... As you know car dealers try to get away with anything after you take delivery of your car. They even told me at my local shop, It would be easy if you hadn't taken delivery yet! Right there and then I jumped on them pretty hard since it was only 3 weeks after delivery. As always just keep on them and go as high in the management chain in your dealership before conceding for a re-paint. Sometimes they perform good deeds! Thats a strong Sometimes......

[MB///HRV]

Re: Hey to All! Q about my Audi -

A repaint is NOT the only solution. Try the denatured alcohol and a heat gun first. That will more than likely work. It's more common than people know. Happens often w/ VW's and Audi's when they put the plastic on the car before the paint has cured enough. My $.02 ... if I just bought a new car and they told me that they had to repaint... LOL... no way.. they can repaint it and sell it to someone else but I want a new car... I would never accept a repaint on a car I just picked up.