Severe Paint Damage

[93LSOwner]

Well over the past two years the paint on the hood, roof and trunk have been severely damaged by an automatic car wash found at BP gas station and a little bit of sun damage, but not much. At first they were just deep down harsh scratches and gradually spread and took of the clear, the actual paint and perhaps the primer off as well.

Now, films of clear coat just peals off, much like if you get sun burned and your skin flakes off……..lol…..one time in the parking lot from a distance I saw water on my car in a hot sunny day, when I came up close it was flaked with clear coat!

The paint on both of the sides, all fenders and doors are just like when I bought the car near perfect.

“Viewers discretion advised some pictures may contain content not suitable for weak hearted Lexus owners”

For larger version: http://us.lexusownersclub.com/gallery/shows/Hood_3?full=1

For larger version: http://us.lexusownersclub.com/gallery/shows/Hood_4?full=1

For larger version: http://us.lexusownersclub.com/gallery/shows/Hood_2?full=1

For larger version: http://us.lexusownersclub.com/gallery/show...ont_Roof?full=1

For larger version:

http://us.lexusownersclub.com/gallery/shows/Roof_1?full=1

For larger version: http://us.lexusownersclub.com/gallery/shows/Roof_2?full=1

http://us.lexusownersclub.com/gallery/shows/Trunk?full=1

For larger version: http://us.lexusownersclub.com/gallery/shows/Trunk_1?full=1

What kind of repair bill I am looking at?

If you respond Please DO NOT QUOTE me you will duplicate the pictures into your post.

[sha4000]

i thought i had paint problems but yours is heartbreaking. please take care of that quick

[93LSOwner]

The actual question is lost in the pictures so:

What kind of repair bill am I looking at? Of course excluding Maaco…..

[AussiLS400]

The pictures tell me that the car has been resprayed and not prepared properly. It was probably done by a car yard cheaply to make it sellable. Just make sure the spray painter takes the surface almost back to the metal to prevent more pain in the future.

[93LSOwner]

The pictures tell me that the car has been resprayed and not prepared properly. It was probably done by a car yard cheaply to make it sellable. Just make sure the spray painter takes the surface almost back to the metal to prevent more pain in the future.

No the car has original paint all around.

[AussiLS400]

I suppose its a lesson to all of us to hand wash your car and never use an automatic car wash as this is what can happen.

[93LSOwner]

I suppose its a lesson to all of us to hand wash your car and never use an automatic car wash as this is what can happen.

Yup. I did not drive the car the past 2 years, family members did. Okay, the scratches were as if you take a knife and make long incisions across the palm of your hand, much like this:

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It used to look like this:

[minig0ddess]

GARAGE. ;)

whoa, youre in greensboro? I just moved from winston 7 months ago.

[93LSOwner]

Garage, clay, polish, wax (which I still do) since day one.

[LRP_LS400]

pic. bring tears to my eyes, hope you can get it resprayed

[sha4000]

i would think from what ive been hearing is that it would cost you close to 1k to have it resprayed

[VBdenny]

Makes me glad that I don't tkae mine through automatic car washes. Sure looks to me like you will need a repaint. Maybe someone just sprayed a clearcoat over the old paint and that is why if came off so easily?

[RFeldes]

Sorry to see that..but you can't blame anyone but yourself! BPS car wash? I can't help but admire your honesty..I see hope. Okay, lessons learned ...Analogy..treat a car as you would yourself and the end result is how you see yourself..Far fetched?..not really, as your car is a direct reflection of your self worth. It's called "pride" in everything you do in your life including your family, home, job and your car is an indiscreet mirror of how you see yourself. It's work and pride and dedication and the end result is satisfaction of a job well done. Read these threads of these guys and gals and I bet you it all is displayed in their final achievements due to hard work, believing in themselves and surely mirrored in their personal success. A friend once said to me, and I will never forget it "People look at what you drive and their judgements go from there" Arguable at least, but in my opinion, has been proved over and over again..I'm not saying you are what you drive but what drives you is who you are. These are jewels and should only be treated as such. 93lsowner, I hope I have not insulted you but am so glad you gave me a forum through your total honesty, how refreshing and I hope you bring her back to all her Glory. ;) "Wax on Wax off"

[93LSOwner]

i would think from what ive been hearing is that it would cost you close to 1k to have it resprayed

Yeah, that's what I would have guessed as well. But, I don't know if they might charge me more because the surface is damaged or if they are going to sand it out, most if it is already sanded out! lol.....nah. Actually, my friend with similar damage was quoted $600-700 for the roof and trunk. The guy said he would paint the sides a little bit too and his paint is not going to stick out.

I need to go out and get me some quotes because I'm not spending more than $1k, because of the book value.

Makes me glad that I don't tkae mine through automatic car washes. Sure looks to me like you will need a repaint. Maybe someone just sprayed a clearcoat over the old paint and that is why if came off so easily?

Automatic car wash = disaster

Lending your car to loved ones = total destruction

[93LSOwner]

Sorry to see that..but you can't blame anyone but yourself! BPS car wash? I can't help but admire your honesty..I see hope. Okay, lessons learned ...Analogy..treat a car as you would yourself and the end result is how you see yourself..Far fetched?..not really, as your car is a direct reflection of your self worth. It's called "pride" in everything you do in your life including your family, home, job and your car is an indiscreet mirror of how you see yourself. It's work and pride and dedication and the end result is satisfaction of a job well done. Read these threads of these guys and gals and I bet you it all is displayed in their final achievements due to hard work, believing in themselves and surely mirrored in their personal success. A friend once said to me, and I will never forget it "People look at what you drive and their judgements go from there" Arguable at least, but in my opinion, has been proved over and over again..I'm not saying you are what you drive but what drives you is who you are. These are jewels and should only be treated as such. 93lsowner, I hope I have not insulted you but am so glad you gave me a forum through your total honesty, how refreshing and I hope you bring her back to all her Glory. ;) "Wax on Wax off"

OH man, I was writing my last response while you were yours.

Well if you guys want the whole story: My parents bought this car when I was in High School. The summer after I graduated my brother (senior in college) needed a car go to do research at Emory University, internship sponsored by Howard Hughes Medical Institute. That’s the summer he took the car to an automatic car wash several times, not everyone knows about automatic car washes.

I’m not sorry for what I have done. Currently I attend the same university he graduated from a year later (as a valedictorian); he has been a vital part of my college applications to the actual classes. That guy has done more for me than anyone else. Lending out this car was the least I can do for him.

Actually as a freshman you can’t have cars on campus. As a freshman I got a *BLEEP*ty class English 101 at 7 pm. To 9 p.m.! He would drive up to my dorm in this car so I wouldn’t have to walk across campus in the cold night!

But I wasn’t all this perky and happy when this happened. I don’t know why I got all fired up about it. Now, that I look back I realize this is someone else’s used up more than a decade old piece of metal with a “L” on it.

There is a thin line between cars and people.

Btw: From that research, his article is about to be published.

[RFeldes]

Great!!! I truly wish you "Both" the best. A nice story. Family is number one. Lexus, number two?

[93LSOwner]

Great!!! I truly wish you "Both" the best. A nice story. Family is number one. Lexus, number two?

Thank you very much RFeldes, I try my best to preserve and invest my parents’ money.

[monarch]

The paint on my '91 LS400 is pearl white and still looks showroom new. The car was rarely waxed, never clayed, but 90% of the time the car was garaged or under a Tyvek car cover ($40 at Walmart). Tyvek keeps the paint and interior cool even on a 100 degree day.

[akewlguy]

It seems smart to avoid freaking car washes, but its not that easy..

Example: Working anywhere from NJ to Maine from October to March... Its 10 degrees out.. Mud, slush and crap is everywhere. You drive 20 miles and your recently waxed LEXUS is covered in crap.... So since the valves on outside house hoses is shut off one goes to the car wash.

I did it also and it chipped my paint. SUCKS.. I did it again with the spray hose and then a squeegee and I put some nice scratches in my LEXUS.....

Also I think I used the orbital buffer with a dirty pad and it scratched the car.... So now it will be going to a detail shop and I will stop the obsession to keep LEXUS clean.

My point is up north it's a nightmare if you want your car clean

[sha4000]

It seems smart to avoid freaking car washes, but its not that easy..

Example: Working anywhere from NJ to Maine from October to March... Its 10 degrees out.. Mud, slush and crap is everywhere. You drive 20 miles and your recently waxed LEXUS is covered in crap.... So since the valves on outside house hoses is shut off one goes to the car wash.

I did it also and it chipped my paint. SUCKS.. I did it again with the spray hose and then a squeegee and I put some nice scratches in my LEXUS.....

Also I think I used the orbital buffer with a dirty pad and it scratched the car.... So now it will be going to a detail shop and I will stop the obsession to keep LEXUS clean.

My point is up north it's a nightmare if you want your car clean

this is so true

[oohryry]

Garage, clay, polish, wax (which I still do) since day one.

Yeah but if your brother went to the BP car wash for a year and you live where the sun do shine all the time, the sun is what ate up the paint, not the car wash. Now had he taken it to an automatic laser wash which puts color wax and clear coat protectant, well then again that cost 2 dollars more, but it's worth it considering these pics. Man, I know to keep spending that extra 2 dollars now. Well, I have some chipped paint on my front bumper that I'm going to get a price check on. I'll ask and see how much it would cost if my hood and trunk paint were peeling.

[93LSOwner]

Yeah but if your brother went to the BP car wash for a year and you live where the sun do shine all the time, the sun is what ate up the paint, not the car wash. Now had he taken it to an automatic laser wash which puts color wax and clear coat protectant, well then again that cost 2 dollars more, but it's worth it considering these pics. Man, I know to keep spending that extra 2 dollars now. Well, I have some chipped paint on my front bumper that I'm going to get a price check on. I'll ask and see how much it would cost if my hood and trunk paint were peeling.

The car was only taken to the car wash 2-3 times. I’m telling you that there were scratches on it. Not like one or two, hundreds of them. If you look at the hood, the paint is only damaged in the area where 98% of the scratches were. May be sun damages at the center only, I don’t know.

Also, I should clarify that “day one” meant the day I bought the car, in Dec. 2003. It spent 10 years with two owners, before it got to me.

[RFeldes]

Sounds like somewhere along the way, before you, some genius put a wheel to it with who knows what and your seeing the end result. Sorry to see that. :chairshot:

[SW03ES]

I would be extremely shocked if the car wash did that damage. I've seen cars that have gone through car washes every week for 7-8 years and the finish doesn't look like that. Yes carwashes cause scratches, but thats clearcoat failure. Thats sun damage.

I also agree that the paint is probably not original in these areas. If its original somebody probably buffed the hell out of it with a buffer at some point and thinned the clearcoat to such a point where premature failure was inevitable. Even if it were never waxed and run through a carwash every week it shouldn't look like that, even if it is 13 years old.

[93LSOwner]

I also agree that the paint is probably not original in these areas. If its original somebody probably buffed the hell out of it with a buffer at some point and thinned the clearcoat to such a point where premature failure was inevitable. Even if it were never waxed and run through a carwash every week it shouldn't look like that, even if it is 13 years old.

OH and the clear is pealing as we speak. It is a clear thin film, maybe its something else, I don’t know maybe you can tell me. I’m not really sure how to explain it, like I said before it’s similar to when you get sunburn and the skin peals off. It lifts up or bubbles up and if you touch it, it breaks off. This is description is of the roof and trunk.

I don’t have time to go around body shops, semester is about to end. I’ll update later in the month with prices.