Swirl Marks On Brand New CX-5

[Kal]

I bought a brand new CX-5 at the beginning of this month. The weather wasn't great at the time as the Beast from the East had just paid us a visit. Due to the weather the exterior of the car wasn't exactly gleaming but the interior was also a little grubby, although I only really noticed that when I got the car home and had a proper look. 

A couple of days later we had some sun and as it hit the car I noticed circular swirl marks on the black plastic trim between the doors.  The salesman happened to phone me the day after to see how i was finding the car. I mentioned to him that the interior hadn't been as clean as expected and also made him aware of the swirl marks.

He booked the car in for a valet the following week. Unfortunately the day I took it in, the Beast from the East Part 2 hit us. Despite the snowfall, they cleaned the car, the interior was a lot better but the exterior was filthy by the time I got home. Due to the lack of sun they couldn't see any swirl marks.

A couple of days later we had some sunshine and the swirl marks were clear to see, I took some pictures. I could also see swirl marks on the paintwork itself. I emailed the pictures to the dealer but got no reply. I phoned a week later, was promised someone would phone back but no-one phoned. This morning there was bright sunlight all over the car and the paintwork looks awful, large circular swirl marks all over it. Someone's clearly over-done it with an electric polisher.

Again I tried phoning the same guy at the dealers, took a few attempts, then he finally phoned back at the end of the day, claimed he had just got my email now!  He tried to tell me swirl marks were normal, all new cars have them!!!

Well I was having none of that, I suggested I take my car over to them when the sun's out, they can wheel out the same coloured CX-5 that's in their showroom and we can compare the 2 cars side by side. After a quick chat with his manager he's asked me to take the car to their accident repair centre and let them inspect it.

Apart from the inconvenience of it all, I'm concerned they're just going to try to fob me off.  What I'd prefer to do is have the swirls removed by a professional detailer and get the dealer to foot the bill.

Has anyone else had a similar experience? Did you manage to get it resolved?

[ABZJock]

We had much the same issue regards the scratches on the paintwork. We bought our cx5 last Nov/Dec, just as the weather up here was getting bad. And we bought the one that was in the showroom as we got a pretty good deal.
I didn't get a chance to clean the car for about 3 weeks as the weather was just too bad. Then I noticed the swirls, etc, after the first wash. Of course I'm now thinking "were they there before or was it me?"
 I kind of blamed myself for not checking the car before we drove it away as I was finding a few marks I realized may have been caused by people getting in and out of it while it was on the showroom floor. I've managed to get most out as I figured the dealership would just say I'd had it too long to make a fuss about it.
If you take a look at some of the vids on YouTube posted by the car detailing guys and see the kind of paint correction they need to do on new cars. Even the ones that dealers bodyshop have "corrected". It may well be the case that it seems to be accepted that paintwork won't be perfect. But when you're parting with your hard earned cash, that kind of sticks in the throat a bit.

I know I may not actually helped your situation but I hope you have found it of some use.

[Jonno21]

I've seen a few car production videos on Youtube and the amount of checking of the paint finish is unreal. I find it hard to believe that swirl marks are there straight from the factory. More like the "swirlathon" combination of re-used dirty sponges, rags, brushes combined with one bucket washing where the same water is used from beginning to end of the wash. I always now get my new cars detailed by a trade person I trust and I instruct the dealer NOT to wash the car before handover. I compromise by letting them vacuum the interior