Rail dust / metal shavings / environmental fallout?

Ok, I have owned my 08 SW tC for less than a year now (June will be 1 year). About 1.5 months after I bought it I noticed little tiny specs of rust all over the car. Take it in, tell me its rail dust from transport. Ok cool, they tell me once we get it off, it'll be good for the life of the car. Sweet right? WRONG!!! I just got it washed this past Thursday cuz the weather here finally was a little warmer and I think the snow might be done for the season. Next day I look at the paint up close, once again same isssue!

I call the dealer and tell them I have been in there for this already. The guy tells me its not rail dust, that it is environmental fallout or brake shavings. I'm livid, I say to him, "so you mean to tell me that every car you guys sell starts to rust 1.5 months after its sold? But most people don't notice because they don't get up close and personal with the paint?"

I have no idea what to do, he tells me that I can clay bar it off myself, and I said ive tried, mine must not be as industrial strength as what they use. They got rid of it again, but said its the last time they will do it for free. I'm so pissed, I wish I had never bought a white tC. I really love this car, but this is ridiculous. I have owned plenty of cars in the past including silver ones and have NEVER EVER seen this issue in my life. Even my camaro that I had which was a 95 had a better paint quality on it than this thing. What an experience for my first brand new car...

Does anybody know anything I can do? Anybody have suggestions on a super high quality clay bar that gets rid of this? Or is there a treatment a body/detail shop can do that will prevent this clear coat issue from happening again? To be honest, I really shouldn't be claybarring a brand new car twice a year.

Thanks all! RANT OVER!

Thanks for the advice. Is that what you did with your car and it was gone for good?

Both times the dealer has just used a clay bar and then re-waxed the car to seal it. At least that is what they tell me. I still kinda believe that the clear coat on these cars is just weak to begin with, but if all I have to do is go to a professional detail or body shop and have them do that, Id be happy.

Let me know if this worked for you and how much it cost roughly... I just want it taken care of for good so I don't have to worry about it.

oh screw that, Im not doing it myself. I'm going into the dealer tomorrow to talk to the Scion brand manager, there is no reason for me to have to jeopardize my car's paint because they like to cut corners. If anything, they can pay for the detail shop's work... cuz they sure as hell aren't gonna touch my car's paint again.

Ive owned 6 cars in my life, all used, never had a quality issue, buy my first brand new car and this is the experience I get. Scion will get no recommendations from me for new car buyers that is for sure.

Well, we will see what the brand manager has to say, I'm hoping they will do the right thing and just take care of it and write it off as warranty work. If they do, I will have nothing bad to say about the car company because they took care of their mistake.

so far round one the edge is to the dealers. I stopped by there friday night to try and talk to someone, the head guy wasn't there, but the person I did talk to said that is why they offer the protection plan that covers things like that for the paint so they could just repaint the car, blah blah blah... I tried to tell him that there is no way a quality paint job should be affected by environmental factors THAT QUICKLY... but he wasn't having it.

Gong to call back tomorrow to talk to the guy I need to talk to. Updates to come...

Any idea where I can get that number? Is it in the manual? I didnt see it.

They are still giving me the run around, the latest is that the head service manager tried telling me that white cars dont have clear coat... the paint they use is different. I stopped listening to him after he said they dont have clear coat. I tried arguing with him, but again, he wasn't having it. What car DOESNT HAVE CLEAR COAT?!?!?!?

I have never heard of a car that doesn't...

exactly! not a fan of that dealer, i think I am going to try another dealer and see what they have to say... maybe that one has had that problem too many times and can't justify helping people out, so they make excuses. Sounds ridiculous, but they have a bad rep for poor customer service.

It's not the first case of a dealer gone bad...

well I went to a body shop in the area. They have seen this before, and its not just on Scions or anything like that. But he said that I should still raise holy hell with them and demand that I get the car repainted or recleared. I told him that the dealer told me there is no clear coat and the guy at the body shop got furious. He said to call Scion and if need be, he would go to bat for me and say the car is f*****...

so to be continued...

good luck with calling scion... they are useless...

wonderful. Can't wait... you got a number you called? or did you just call the number on their website for the "Scion Experience"

Glad I'm not the only one. I have an 06 pearl white TC and I have been dealing with this problem since I bought it brand new. I have been to 3 different shops and countless scion dealers. They all say "environmental fallout" **** that! All I can say is that 3 years later I am still battling to get my car re-painted! I will succeed in the end, I promise that! It is such a pain in the *** using clay on it as often as I do. We should all start a riot or a petition or something! :img59:

ArmyAsh, I'm with you, I would really like to get all the people dealing with this together and look into a class action lawsuit. There are so many people on the boards that I have read that have this problem.

UPDATE: I got a hold of Scion, they opened a "case" with the dealer about the issue. Dealer told them what I thought they would, its not defective paint or warranty work. Scion tells me they can give me another factory detail job for free but that is all they can do for me. I tell them that I went to body shops and they said that its junk and would be glad to call Scion and speak on my behalf. Scion said that unless they are a "Scion approved" body shop, it doesn't matter. So I asked how I can get a list of approved body shops, they said call the dealer, if they outsource the body work, it will be someone in the area. I did that and found a body shop in my area that gets the work. So as soon as this comes back, guess who is paying a visit to the body shop... more to come I suppose......

Good luck man, Ill ask my local sponser(the head scion guy at the dealership) whats up and see what I can get done for you.

Appreciate it! That would be great. I just want them to acknowledge that this IS in fact a problem and cannot be swept under the rug because some people see it and some people don't.