Collected the car today

[familymangreg]

Originally Posted by Lexman8

The paint thickness has been checked and found to be significantly thicker on the driver's door than on the adjacent rear door. The data is being sent to Sweden today. The paint thickness on the o/s front wing couldn't be measured as it appears to be made of plastic and the measuring device doesn't work on it.

This suggests that the door has had remedial work done to it, possibly at the factory because of the high quality of the finish. I'm glad there's now some factual data to support my case.

I've re-stated my position to the dealer today: I expect a replacement car.

Great news, you've got formal recognition there is an issue. Leave it with them now, it will be interesting to learn how Volvo respond.

:wq

[aab203]

Do you technically have to reject the car and stop driving it whilst the problem gets resolved?

[neon]

Great that you have this confirmed. But pretty shocking.

[volvorocks]

Originally Posted by Lexman8

It may come to that. So far, I've tried to be reasonable and not get too 'legal'. However, my patience is starting to wear thin; not because they haven't come back with a solution yet, but because they said they'd get back to me within 48 hours and haven't. Even if the dealer had just phoned today to say that they hadn't heard back from Sweden, I'd feel they were still interested in resolving it quickly.

That's my gripe as well. It takes but a couple of minutes to update the client, even if to say still pending, waiting an outcome. Doing that is good after sales, not to mention courteous.It also assists the customer to stop 'ruminating', thus getting irritated and thus possibly proceeding in a more formal manner.

Originally Posted by Lexman8

There is provision in the new law to stop dealers from deliberately slowing down an investigation so that it goes beyond the 30 days. Basically, any time spent investigating a problem doesn't count towards the 30 days. Three days have passed since I supplied the photo and they accepted it (by forwarding it to Sweden) therefore I would argue that the 30-day clock is stopped for now.

That is right, and I would imagine you have sent emails, which will back up your dates.

Also you mention the rear door being a different shade. Is that the drivers side rear, because you will be comparing a rear door to the (incorrect shade of) the drivers door and the rear bumper. From what I understand bumpers are sprayed separately from the rest of the car and fitted later, and colour differences on bumpers can and do occur. Poor state of affairs really.

Regards

[Lexman8]

Originally Posted by aab203

Do you technically have to reject the car and stop driving it whilst the problem gets resolved?

I'm hoping that we can agree a replacement strategy that doesn't involve me formally rejecting the car, although I will reject it if it comes to it.

Within the first 30 days after purchase/handover, you simply have to put in writing why you're rejecting the car and return the keys and any associated documentation. The dealer must then immediately refund all monies. Within the first 30 days, you can refuse to allow the dealer to attempt to rectify the problem. After 30 days, and up to 6 months, the dealer must be given 1 opportunity to fix the problem. If still not fixed you can then reject the car (although I suspect it would get increasingly difficult).

You cannot reject a car for trivial reasons; eg you don't like the colour.

Any time spent investigating the problem isn't included in the 30 days. This is to prevent unscrupulous dealers deliberately slowing the investigation so that the it runs beyond the 30-day limit.

As far as I know the new law hasn't been tested in the courts so a precedent probably hasn't been set.

[Lexman8]

Originally Posted by volvorocks

Also you mention the rear door being a different shade. Is that the drivers side rear, because you will be comparing a rear door to the (incorrect shade of) the drivers door and the rear bumper.

Yes, it's almost certainly an illusion that the rear door is darker for the reasons you give. Everyone who's seen the car thinks that it's the driver's door that's too light.

[Mezza]

What a shame. Someone somewhere is being dishonest given they must have had the car painted. Was it Volvo, was it the dealer, was it the transport company (least likely opinion)? Let's hope they don't try to say it was you!!

Looking back through this thread it is a real shame to see how your excitement at delivery with loads of interior and exterior photos has become concern and frustration over somthing that should never have happened.

I think it is a disgrace that nobody owned up.

May I congratulate you on your calm and composure throughout the process.

[Mezza]

Just spotted that you can pick up a paint thickness meter on e-bay for £20-50 - could be a sound investment for anyone picking up a new car before you accept it!

[tem]

A friend of mine who knows a bit about car body work, is sure that additional paint thickness, is a sure giveaway, that an overspray has been carried out to do a repair.
He also states, that it is very difficult to go back to the bare metal, re-spray and maintain the same standard of thickness, as the rest of the bodywork paint.

tem.

[Lexman8]

A number of readings were taken on 3 different panels/doors on the driver's side as follows (figures in microns):

• driver's door: 173, 185, 183, 178 (range 12)
• rear door: 112, 126, 154 (range 42)
• rear qtr: 137, 139 (range 2)

The guy who did the measurements took a photo, using his phone, of each measurement readout. I requested copies of the pics which the dealer has supplied without issue.

I've calculated an average thickness for the 3 panels:

• driver's door - 180
• rear door - 131
• rear qtr - 138

So, based upon the above figures, the paint on the driver's door is nearly 40% thicker than the other panels.

The figures for the driver's door and rear qtr panel have a small numerical range whereas the rear door figures have a large range. If the figure of 154 on the rear door is an aberration, and we just take the first 2 figures, the average depth is 119 which would make the driver's door over 50% thicker. I've referred in previous posts to darker shading on the rear door; I wonder if the large range in the depth of paint on it might explain this (if indeed the 154 figure is believable).

I'm obviously not an expert but these figures suggest to me that the driver's door has had an additional coat of paint and possibly that the rear door hasn't been painted in a consistent way.

Is this the smoking gun?