Model Year 24/25 Didnt expect this on a brand new car...

[Cupra Jon]

Picked up the Formentor on March 29 and at that time was already booked in with my local detailer for a stage 1 polish and ceramic coating (New car protection package) as its called.

Its something I have had one on my last several high end cars...

The detailer had requested that I didnt wash the car in the meantime to reduce inflicting anymore swirls etc in the paint (not a problem I thought)
So I dropped the car into him Wednesday morning and it wasnt long before he contacted me and I am less than impressed when I received these images showing the state of the paint..
I dont know who washed and prepped it or using what process prior to handover but its gonna require alot more than a simple stag 1 polish - we're talking a harsh cutting to get the worst of it out - the roof spoiler especially that looks like someone has cleaned it with a brillo pad, the rear light bar looks like its had a sander taken to it as well cos its scratched to ****! He said when it came to the bonnet the marks across it were consistent with someone using a silicone drying blade to remove the water albeit over and over again...
The condition of the paint has added an additional £300 to the bill now as its needed an extra stage added to the process and the detailer was initially hesitant to have to perform the cutting process on a brand new car
Not happy at all and case raised with Cupra Customer Service already...shocking paintwork and the pictures really dont highlight how bad it looks in person...
This certainly isnt what I expect from one of Cupras most expensive car in their range and certainly not one retailing at £50k+
Also sent an email to the dealership asking for an explanation of why the paint was presented in this way - surely a PDI would have picked this up?

 

[Seriously?]

That's appalling.
A bit late now, but if you're planning to get your brand new vehicle detailer, it's worth telling the supplying dealer that you don't want it touched apart from the technical stuff they need to do at PDI (transport puck removal etc).
On the same subject, I always leave notes in my cars when they go in for service that they should not be washed.

 

[SRGTD]

@Cupra Jon - that’s absolutely shocking! . I don’t think it would be picked up at PDI; if the condition of your car‘s paintwork is the norm from the dealership‘s usual standard of new car prep, the tech carrying out the PDI probably wouldn’t even think there’s anything wrong if they’re so used to seeing heavily swirled paintwork. I’d be asking the dealer for a financial contribution towards the cost of rectifying the damage they’ve inflicted. I’m sure your detailer will provide the necessary support and evidence to further your cause.

@Seriously? - Like you, I never ever let a dealer wash my car - their complementary service washes aren’t known as a ‘scratch and swirl‘ treatment without good reason. When my car goes back to the dealer for servicing, I specifically request that it isn’t washed, I tie a tag to the key for with a ‘do not wash‘ instruction written on it and I put my ‘do not wash this car’ hangar on the rear view mirror. It’s worked so far and they comply with my request. I’ve seen the car washers in action at the VW dealership local to me and my car deserves better than the treatment they inflict on customers cars! Many (most?) of the hand car wash places aren’t much better, and auto car washes are a definite no-no IMHO unless swirled paintwork is your thing.

No one other than me washes my car, and it always gets a safe 3 bucket method wash; my old-school car wash sponge and wash leather were disposed of nearly 15 years ago.

 

[Cupra Jon]

@Seriously? To be honest I should have said dont wash it before pick up (with the Ceramic coat already booked by that point) but you'd think in 2025 that it would be ok...obviously not and I do infact hang a sign on the rear view mirror as well as tell the service department not to wash my cars so this one is on me this time...

@SRGTD I spoke with both Cupra and the dealer earlier and while Cupra were keen to sit in the background, the dealer wants it sorting even though (and I did explain) that this could have occured anywhere between factory and dealership and as you allude to, I dont think the level of PDI these days is what we as customers perhaps expect it to be...

There was a suggestion from Cupra for me to drive the vehicle to the dealership to be "inspected" but I shot that down right away telling them that the car was currently being worked on and that driving it too them was not only impossible but pointless as it would solve nothing...we have a stack of photos so they will have to do...
We shall see what they come back with as a resolution but I did tell them that the cost of the extra days work (outside of the agreed price of my new car detail) is what I would be looking to recoup as a way of closing the matter so the ball is in their court!

 

[East Yorkshire Retrofits]

Picked up the Formentor on March 29 and at that time was already booked in with my local detailer for a stage 1 polish and ceramic coating (New car protection package) as its called.

Its something I have had one on my last several high end cars...

The detailer had requested that I didnt wash the car in the meantime to reduce inflicting anymore swirls etc in the paint (not a problem I thought)
So I dropped the car into him Wednesday morning and it wasnt long before he contacted me and I am less than impressed when I received these images showing the state of the paint..
I dont know who washed and prepped it or using what process prior to handover but its gonna require alot more than a simple stag 1 polish - we're talking a harsh cutting to get the worst of it out - the roof spoiler especially that looks like someone has cleaned it with a brillo pad, the rear light bar looks like its had a sander taken to it as well cos its scratched to ****! He said when it came to the bonnet the marks across it were consistent with someone using a silicone drying blade to remove the water albeit over and over again...
The condition of the paint has added an additional £300 to the bill now as its needed an extra stage added to the process and the detailer was initially hesitant to have to perform the cutting process on a brand new car
Not happy at all and case raised with Cupra Customer Service already...shocking paintwork and the pictures really dont highlight how bad it looks in person...
This certainly isnt what I expect from one of Cupras most expensive car in their range and certainly not one retailing at £50k+
Also sent an email to the dealership asking for an explanation of why the paint was presented in this way - surely a PDI would have picked this up?

Pretty standard for a new car these days to be honest, as much as it shouldn't be. 99% of people don't care

 

[tomek_olo]

Nothing surprising. I guess in here there's also a big part of your detailer making good money out of you.

Basically when buying a new car you become a nice fresh lemon that everyone around want to squeeze well.

Meh. And the first thing you should do is address it to the dealership as they are the ones responsible and not the whole Cupra brand.

 

[Cupra Jon]

Update:
I've spent the last few days in contact with both the dealership and the brand to get things resolved. Cupra themselves have been quick to act and have been in contact with the dealership and the dealership back to me, the outcome so far is that the dealership are willing to contribute towards 70% of the cost of the extra work that was needed to get the paint back to what it should be which based upon the fact we dont know where between factory and dealership the issues arose, I have gone back to Cupra and said based upon that then the parent company should be the ones to pick up the tab for the other 30%...that seems fair to me and its now been escalated to get sorted...

@tomek_olo The detailer had no input in this - the car was going in for a new car detail which involved stage one polish and wheels off ceramic coating to the whole car including wheels, calipers, paint and glass as well as interior detail and protection, I'v had it done before and for the money it has performed as expected...I sold a 4 year old Focus RS that had undergone the same process that looked mint so I have no problem with the package I'd paid for...I saw the condition of the paint on the Formentor after the initial wash so I saw first hand how bad it was and knew that it would need a cutting process added...

As for who to contact first - I dont know how it works in your country but here in order to get things in motion and sorted and for people to stand up and take responsibility then its the brand first and dealer later, in the UK alot of dealers I've dealt with over the years tend to initially make excuses and drag heels so you cut out the crap and you go to the brand, raise a case with them and they contact the dealer - I've had it over the last 20 years with Ford, Audi, Vauxhall and BMW and I've got the desired outcome everytime...I dont mess around cos I dont have the time nor the tolerance...
Luckily the dealer I have recently purchased from have been nothing but helpful so its saved alot of hassle...

 

[SRGTD]

@Cupra Jon - Thanks for the update; my money would be on the paintwork damage having been caused at the dealership………….(apologies to the dealer if I’m wrong!).

VW and Audi add protective wrapping to the vulnerable panels (e.g. roof, bonnet, tailgate) of their cars before they leave the factory and start the journey from the production facility to dealerships. The purpose of the wrapping is to prevent damage to those ‘vulnerable panels‘ from industrial fallout (embedded contaminant), bird droppings (clearcoat etching) and other similar contaminants during road transporter and rail transit stages, and while waiting in holding areas at ports of embarkation and disembarkation. I’m assuming that the protective wrapping is also applied to vehicles of other VAG brands - in particular Cupra, especially if VAG have aspirations for Cupra to be recognised as a premium brand.

I would be asking the dealer to confirm that Cupras are wrapped as above, and at what point the wrapping is removed. With VW’s, it’s removed during PDI at the dealership, so assuming this is also the case with Cupra’s, the paint on the wrapped panels should remain factory fresh during transit between the factory and the dealership.

Is there a risk the paint would become heavily swirled in the factory prior to or while the protective wrapping is being applied? I suppose there’s always a chance of that happening, but IMHO the risks would be extremely low, as the employees applying the wrapping in the factory should be highly proficient at doing it without inflicting damage as they’ll have done it many thousands of times before.

Please continue to update this discussion topic with developments and the outcome.

 

[Cupra Jon]

@Cupra Jon - Thanks for the update; my money would be on the paintwork damage having been caused at the dealership………….(apologies to the dealer if I’m wrong!).

VW and Audi add protective wrapping to the vulnerable panels (e.g. roof, bonnet, tailgate) of their cars before they leave the factory and start the journey from the production facility to dealerships. The purpose of the wrapping is to prevent damage to those ‘vulnerable panels‘ from industrial fallout (embedded contaminant), bird droppings (clearcoat etching) and other similar contaminants during road transporter and rail transit stages, and while waiting in holding areas at ports of embarkation and disembarkation. I’m assuming that the protective wrapping is also applied to vehicles of other VAG brands - in particular Cupra, especially if VAG have aspirations for Cupra to be recognised as a premium brand.

I would be asking the dealer to confirm that Cupras are wrapped as above, and at what point the wrapping is removed. With VW’s, it’s removed during PDI at the dealership, so assuming this is also the case with Cupra’s, the paint on the wrapped panels should remain factory fresh during transit between the factory and the dealership.

Is there a risk the paint would become heavily swirled in the factory prior to or while the protective wrapping is being applied? I suppose there’s always a chance of that happening, but IMHO the risks would be extremely low, as the employees applying the wrapping in the factory should be highly proficient at doing it without inflicting damage as they’ll have done it many thousands of times before.

Interesting as I though that too but I'm guessing the vehicle is subject to all elements - it leaves the factory on a train, then gets transported via ship and fially on a trailer to dealership but it still doesnt account for the damage - especially that rear spoiler picture - just what the hell caused that and I sure as hell didnt lay a finger on the car cos I was instructed not to wash it, to be honest I just want a line drawing under it, the paint had been corrected and the aformentioned marks in the spoiler has been cut as well as could be expected and ceramic coating applied!

 

[tomek_olo]

That's true. This is what mine looked like when arrived to the dealership. The rear spoiler is covered, all the piano black elements and much more.

Sad to hear that in UK you have to go through the brand HQ. In PL it is very hard to reach that level and one always ends up fighting with the dealer.

 

[SRGTD]

That's true. This is what mine looked like when arrived to the dealership. The rear spoiler is covered, all the piano black elements and much more.

Sad to hear that in UK you have to go through the brand HQ. In PL it is very hard to reach that level and one always ends up fighting with the dealer.

View attachment 48049 View attachment 48050

Your pictures clearly shows the roof and bonnet / hood on your car also covered in protective wrap which confirms Cupra do apply protective wrap as expected; same with the Skoda next to your car and the car next to the Skoda. It does tend to be mainly the horizontal panels that get the protective wrap, along with the ‘soft’ piano black trim pieces.

Looking at @Cupra Jon ’s pictures in his original post, the heavy swirling does appear to be on the panels that would’ve been wrapped. I suspect that when the dealership removed the wrapping, there was glue residue from the wrapping left behind on the panels and an inappropriate method may have been used to remove the glue, followed up with a poor wash technique being used for the first wash of the car.

I accept that those employees at the dealership cleaning / valeting new cars will only be allocated a certain period of time to clean and prepare each car so they may feel under pressure and cut corners. However, that’s no excuse or reason for the car to end up looking like it’s been cleaned with a pan scourer!

Maybe some training in how to prepare a car safely and correctly is needed for dealership car cleaners / valeters…….

 

[Cupra Jon]

Your pictures clearly shows the roof and bonnet / hood on your car also covered in protective wrap which confirms Cupra do apply protective wrap as expected; same with the Skoda next to your car and the car next to the Skoda. It does tend to be mainly the horizontal panels that get the protective wrap, along with the ‘soft’ piano black trim pieces.

Looking at @Cupra Jon ’s pictures in his original post, the heavy swirling does appear to be on the panels that would’ve been wrapped. I suspect that when the dealership removed the wrapping, there was glue residue from the wrapping left behind on the panels and an inappropriate method may have been used to remove the glue, followed up with a poor wash technique being used for the first wash of the car.

I accept that those employees at the dealership cleaning / valeting new cars will only be allocated a certain period of time to clean and prepare each car so they may feel under pressure and cut corners. However, that’s no excuse or reason for the car to end up looking like it’s been cleaned with a pan scourer!

Maybe some training in how to prepare a car safely and correctly is needed for dealership car cleaners / valeters…….

Interesting point you raise there about dealership valeting and specific time to turn vehicles around - I know there are dealerships in the VAG group that will take a recently arrived car and run it though an automated car wash due to time restraints and then literally give it a quick going over back at the dealership prior to handover so is it any wonder that some cars are presented in the condition they are? Obviously if a car arrives after a 1000 mile or so trip open to all elements and its run through a BP car wash then its just going to grind that dirt into the fresh clearcoat...

I'm making progress with this case and both Cupra and the dealership have been on point so far so lets see what next week brings and in the meantime here's the finished product £1300 later

 

[SRGTD]

@Cupra Jon - looks really great in the post-detail pictures ; what a difference compared to the ‘before’ pictures in your first post in this discussion topic. I particularly like reflection shot of the clouds in the bonnet as it shows what a swirl-free paint finish should look like.

IMHO that’s how all new cars should be presented when customers collect them from the dealership but sadly, very few - if any - ever are ☹.

Look forward to your updates on developments and the outcome with Cupra and the dealership. Here’s hoping for a successful outcome .

 

[Seastormer]

@Cupra Jon - looks really great in the post-detail pictures ; what a difference compared to the ‘before’ pictures in your first post in this discussion topic. I particularly like reflection shot of the clouds in the bonnet as it shows what a swirl-free paint finish should look like.

IMHO that’s how all new cars should be presented when customers collect them from the dealership but sadly, very few - if any - ever are ☹.

Look forward to your updates on developments and the outcome with Cupra and the dealership. Here’s hoping for a successful outcome .

My Leon was supplied to me as the pictures above, no swirls or any marks at all. I use FIFE CUPRA (a family run dealership) and that's why I travel 43 miles each way rather than my local dealer. I have saw the new CUPRA/SEATs many times parked in their compound with not only the protective material as shown, but with additional plastic bits attached all over the body and over the wheels. Not sure at what stage this is removed but it looks like they care about their customers and that is why I have been returning to them for over 11 years now. Not all dealerships are the same unfortunately but I think that finding a good one is essential.

 

[SRGTD]

My Leon was supplied to me as the pictures above, no swirls or any marks at all. I use FIFE CUPRA (a family run dealership) and that's why I travel 43 miles each way rather than my local dealer. I have saw the new CUPRA/SEATs many times parked in their compound with not only the protective material as shown, but with additional plastic bits attached all over the body and over the wheels. Not sure at what stage this is removed but it looks like they care about their customers and that is why I have been returning to them for over 11 years now. Not all dealerships are the same unfortunately but I think that finding a good one is essential.

Agree 100%.

Since moving on from being a VW owner, the dealer I bought my current car (French - a Renault ) from is also a family run dealership who‘ve won Renault dealer of the year award multiple times. I have to say the standard of prep on my current car prior to me collecting it is probably the best of any new car bought. Build quality appears to be very good too with uniform panel gaps and paint finish is very good; sadly I can’t say the same of most some of the VW’s I‘ve bought - so much for the so called legendary build quality from German brands.

I also experienced excellent customer service from the Renault dealer‘s service team when my car had to go back for a dealer-installed software update; no lengthy waiting times for an appointment or a courtesy vehicle.

A good dealership experience counts for a lot in my opinion and is large part of the overall car owning experience.