'PINK' Calipers & Warranty?

[g60jonny]

I'll try not to make this a 'rant' but......

Mine is an 07 Cupra and the calipers all round have faded to a dark pink coulour and have definately lost their sparkle!

Went to the local 'highwaymen theiving ' oops should I say SEAT Main Dealer, only to be told that this is simply wear and tear and they would not do anything about it?!

If this is the case, would the answer be the same if the body panels started to fade during the warranty period?! Anyone else had similar trouble?

It may only be minor cosmetics but we all want or beloved ride to look the best don't we!

Cheers,

G60JONNY

 

[matt5964]

thats prob because the fading is down to hard breaking causing overheating. if body panels fade they would be treated in an individual case had a friend who's bonnet faded but nothing else and it was dealt with

 

[Nath.]

They will polish up, Rashcupra had the same thing and and after a polish they were back to looking pukka.

 

[CupraOl]

Mine are the same. My dealer were good with putting the claim in, but SEAT UK, as always aren't interested in the slightest. I've tried polishing mine too, but with limited success.

The only way to truly sort it is to take them off the car, and send them to get stripped and properly sprayed. This isn't cheap, as it is fairly labour intensive. The place that took a look at mine told me that even if I did this, they wouldn't offer any guarantee as they're likely to go pink again as soon as any hard braking is done.

I've decided that it isn't worth the cost at the moment on mine, so have just given them a polish with Werkstat Acrylic Prime (an all-in-one polish), coated them in wax, and left them as they are.

HTH.

 

[Aimez]

Kinda glad I don't have a cupra then my cheapo Hammerite ones have stayed red for ages and I can just paint over them if they do fade.
I can see why you are annoyed though but yes they will class it as wear and tear. Maybe try another dealer just so you know you have exhausted all avenues? But as said some people have taken the wheel off given taken them apart for a proper clean and they look good as new.

 

[Ric 2001]

Mine are the same. My dealer were good with putting the claim in, but SEAT UK, as always aren't interested in the slightest. I've tried polishing mine too, but with limited success.

The only way to truly sort it is to take them off the car, and send them to get stripped and properly sprayed. This isn't cheap, as it is fairly labour intensive. The place that took a look at mine told me that even if I did this, they wouldn't offer any guarantee as they're likely to go pink again as soon as any hard braking is done.

I've decided that it isn't worth the cost at the moment on mine, so have just given them a polish with Werkstat Acrylic Prime (an all-in-one polish), coated them in wax, and left them as they are.

HTH.

I'm waiting for a quote back from godspeedbrakes - subaru folk give the company a thumbs up

 

[CupraOl]

I'm waiting for a quote back from godspeedbrakes - subaru folk give the company a thumbs up

Interesting. Please let me know how you get on - it is something I want to sort on mine, just at the right price.

 

[Altech]

What products do you use to clean your wheels? Some acid based wheel cleaning products can cause calliper paint to dull down and fade.

You might have some success if you use T-cut or G3 cutting compound to give them a really good polish

 

[Mat]

sorry, but the harsh braking and heat causing the fade comment sounds like a load of tosh! they are supposed to be painted with High Temp paint! Go back and kick off. Use your example for body paint, see what they say then! If they measure temps, ask if they sort body paint if the car was based somewhere like cyprus. Course they would!

Or.... Take the wheels off, polish up yourself, fresh coat of paint, lacquer and then some high temp wax! jobs a good en

 

[g60jonny]

Pink calipers

Blimey, thats the kind of answers I was loking for, nice to know I'm not alone with htis. Also good to hear that other people find their customer service is too, very disappointing!

Will keep you posted on the success (or not) of this as I have complained directly to SEAT UK for what good it'll do.....watch this space!

 

[cupraajy]

i had the same thought when i picked my car up...Pink calipers?! so me and my mate both refurbed our calipers....(His brembos on the LCR and mine on the Cupra)

Couple hours later....tin of clear laquer and de-greaser and fine wet and dry and these were the results...Well worth it, now easier to clean cause the laquer!

 

[CupraOl]

I got annoyed with the calipers in the end so phoned AP racing. They told me that they come out of their factory with an enamel coating. I remembered reading something about enamel paints from the TT forum, and after a quick search found Japlac. This is a very glossy enamel paint, which can be brushed on to the caliper (after suitable preparation). It's hard to explain, but although there are initially brush marks, the paint expands and leaves a very smooth, lacquered-look finish. It will be fine for high temps etc because of the makeup of the paint. I used the 'signal red' colour.

I used brake cleaner, wire wool, and very fine wet and dry to prep the calipers, and then one coat of japlac, which went on a pinky brown colour at first. The rears were easy to do but the fronts were a b**** because of the Seat Sport lettering. I found that the best way to do these was to paint round the lettering as carefully as possible, and then remove any overpaint with a cotton bud from each letter! It took a few hours to do the first coat. I then left it overnight and gave them a second coat, and finally extremely lightly sanded down the raised metal "seat sport" text on the front calipers before the wheels went on.

The pics below are just after the second coat was applied, so the paint is still wet and tacky:

With the wheel back on:

Hope this helps.

 

[beezanick]

Looks like youve done a good job there! Very profesional looking. I might invest in some of that paint - how mch was it and where from?

 

[CupraOl]

£7 from B&Q/Homebase.

It's from international paints and called Japlac in Signal Red. I used a 1/2" paintbrush for the main parts, and then an artists brush for the tricky bits. Put it on fairly thickly and don't worry about brush marks. It comes up very well after a few coats.

 

[beezanick]

£7 from B&Q/Homebase.

It's from international paints and called Japlac in Signal Red. I used a 1/2" paintbrush for the main parts, and then an artists brush for the tricky bits. Put it on fairly thickly and don't worry about brush marks. It comes up very well after a few coats.

Thanks, Ill pop down this weekend as my calipers need some spruceing up!

 

[CupraOl]

No worries! Hope they come up well for you. Please post up some pics too

 

[matt5964]

quality job there mate might have to invest a few hours too

 

[roccotune]

do they offer a blue in this paint?

looks good mate, i was just going to use hammerite

 

[Ultra_Joel88]

nowt wrong with hammerite

 

[Altech]

No worries! Hope they come up well for you. Please post up some pics too

Haha I knew you couldn't resist posting up some pics of your car The brakes look really good. I wish I had big AP's to play with