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ionblue
09-14-2008, 11:33 AM
After less than 3 days with my new CX7 I notice a circular scratch on the back drivers side door. No idea how it got there or if it was there when I bought it. Only reason I saw it was because I walked up on the in a different angle than usual. Stopped by the dealer and they were able to buff it well enough that it's almost gone. Fine.

A week ago Saturday I bend down on the passenger side to check tire pressure and find a whole series of scratches riding the ridge of the rocker panel on the front passenger door spannoing more than half the door. Some were quite deep and all had a upward curve to them. I have absolutle no idea how or when they got there. Nothing in my garage is at that height and nothing got near it anyway. Also, I park my car at work at the back of the lot far away from other vehicles. My only thought was maybe a carwash did it, but I haven't taken it to any! The dealer uses one though.

I took it down to a body shop to get a quote and it will cost $250 cause they'll need to paint the entire door. Took it to the dealer and they said they would try buffing it and that helped on the ones that weren't too deep, but you still see some of them.

Now I also have a strange deep scratch on the inside of the drivers side back door panel near the window (in the crease between front and back doors). Only thing I can think of there is maybe my watch or bag did it when I was getting in, but I don't know.

I know I'm being anal about it, but this thing has less than 750 miles on it and has more scratches than my 3 had after 4 years! Is the paint on this thing just that soft?

Guess I'll be keeping touch up ready to go.

MAZOOM
09-14-2008, 11:50 AM
It's the new painting process that most manufactures have in place that is more environmentally friendly, with Mazda, every coat is put on at once, and the paint itself is pretty thin. The paint process for the 3 and CX-7 are the same though. They might have been there before delivery, or when the car was washed for the circular scratching on the door.

astraelraen
09-14-2008, 03:49 PM
Rocks of any size will destroy the lower door panels on the CX7. My front door lower panel has quite a few dings from rocks that don't get caught by the crappy so-called front "splash guards" Mazda sells.

erhayes
09-14-2008, 05:12 PM
Hmmmm: 16,000 + miles in 1 & 1/2 year and I have not noticed any weird marks or scratches. Is the vehicle taken to automatic car washes where brushes are used? I know I see off road vehicles full of mud & rocks going thru auto washes and I'd hate to have my vehicle washed behind one of those. Ed

ionblue
09-14-2008, 06:34 PM
Hmmmm: 16,000 + miles in 1 & 1/2 year and I have not noticed any weird marks or scratches. Is the vehicle taken to automatic car washes where brushes are used? I know I see off road vehicles full of mud & rocks going thru auto washes and I'd hate to have my vehicle washed behind one of those. Ed

I know I haven't taken through carwash, but the dealer uses one. I think the marks were there when purchased and I just didn't see them. I think I'll be telling them not to wash it when I take it into service! Just posses me off, though cause it's still new!!!

I'm going to look into some some protective film or vinyl for the roker panels I think. If there is a real nice matte black that would probably look ok.

erhayes
09-14-2008, 08:39 PM
You would not be the first person comlainting about dealer washes scratching paint. Typically some grade school drop out does the washing at my local dealership. They do not wash my car by my request.

Raider
09-14-2008, 09:24 PM
mazda paint has been pretty lousy since way back even before I got mine in 02. Clay bar, and a buffer/waxing will fix light issues. chips and stuff, no fix really for that.

shadow1
09-16-2008, 09:11 AM
All new cars have soft paint. Chips and scratches easily. The only exception, according to a guy I know in the body shop business, is BMW. Apparently their paint is very tough.

erhayes
09-18-2008, 10:26 AM
My old Saab 1979 had a tough paint. The paint was a Polyester epoxy base, and you could never get that glossy showroom deep wet shine. Saabs paint lasted easly 20+ years. Tough paint it was but would probably work better on a farm tractor. I'd rather have my CX7 paint job so far.

idbug
10-17-2008, 09:58 PM
So the mazda splash guards are crapola? Good to know--I was thinking of getting those to protect my paint. Any recommendations on better ones?

Alpha Wolf
10-17-2008, 10:05 PM
So the mazda splash guards are crapola? Good to know--I was thinking of getting those to protect my paint. Any recommendations on better ones?

Actually the rear ones are good.

The front though are only a bit bigger than the stocker (I have both on mine) if you are running through rock/gravel roads at speed. I would suggest you pop revet some rubber mud flaps on to the front mud flaps or be prepared to paint your doors a lot.

The mud flaps on our Baja are great but they do not look "nice".

bscar
10-18-2008, 09:24 AM
All new cars have soft paint. Chips and scratches easily. The only exception, according to a guy I know in the body shop business, is BMW. Apparently their paint is very tough.

That'd probably come from lots of owners complaining they had their cars keyed :P