corsair

iTrader: (12)

after reading all of the posts, i went directly to the nissanusa website and sent in a complaint about the paint. i got my z in november of 2002, VIN 101906, so this talk about the Z's that were produced "first" has me even more concerned. Does anyone know for sure if Nissan changed their paint procedures during production of the Z. I mean is there a way we can verify this? I am also going to call in a complaint too.

Hot Guy No Lie

Corsair,

I don't know the paint procedures, but there is definitely something wrong. If you find out, please let us know.

2 Weeks and my 350z specialist has NOT returned my emails or my calls on my paint issue Next time I call Nissan, I'm asking for a new representative. This is my last contact for this, too, as the Nissan inspector said nothing could be done... get a bra...

You guys do know that this "bra" does not cover any paint, unless I am mistaken, just the plastic front. So, how can this even help??

Anyway, please keep us posted on your issues on your 350z paint and nissan cases. Thanks!

raceboy

I had my MR2 Spyder for 2.5 years. It was black and had a few 1000 track miles. It only had a few chips. The front of my 8 month old Z with 8K miles on it is pretty torn up already. I am starting to believe what I heard about Nissan paint being crap. My wife's I35 has the same problem where her old 2000 Galant did not. On the plastic parts of the car, you can easily indent the paind with a fingernail. It just should not be that easy. My plan was to just let it get all messed up, then replace it with the NISMO front end.

hwj

I've got a few at 4200 miles after 8 months or so on the front bumper. Got one when the dealer delivered the car to my home last Sept.

Went and got the Nissan bra about two months ago. Used the car a few days without it and got a real nice chip on the hood edge just about where the hood and bumper meet. Touch-up paint to the rescue.

I should've kept the bra on...

2002 Maxima SE

We have the same problems over at www.maxima.org .

Right now there is litigation going on in certain states.

Hot Guy No Lie

Please recast your vote within the Polls Forum:

MY350Z.COM - Nissan 350Z (Z33) Forums > Nissan 350Z > Polls > Paint Chipping On Your 350z!!

Thank you

corsair

iTrader: (12)

It's been about 2 weeks now since I submitted my complaint. I have not received a response. In fact, I have submitted complaints on other issues as well and have not heard anything on those either. Starting to lose faith in NNA.

Zmoney

Well I submitted a online complaint on 4/8/03 and I got a response today.

Here is the email

Dear Mr. X,

Thank you for contacting Nissan North America, Inc. and allowing us the
opportunity to be of assistance.

We sincerely regret that the paint is chipping off of your 350Z.

I have opened a file and documented your comments. The file number is
411xxxx.

Please visit your local Nissan dealership's for service department for the
inspection of the paint.

If you have any further question or comments, please feel free to email me.

Sincerely,

Stephanie Brown
Nissan North America, Inc.

Yeah, they sincerely regret that the paint is chipping

Hot Guy No Lie

My rep finally contacted me today to tell me that the dealership inpsected my paint and they did not find it to be defective. I have a feeling others will be getting the same response. What the hell are we supposed to do from here?

schwarme

I have an open case with Nissan since Feb. 8. They have had two paint inspectors look at my car. One did a "Tape test" on the paint. The other examined my car visually and said that the chips were rock chips. I asked him to explain to me how I get rock chips backing out of a spot at 4 miles an hour.

After much debate, they have agreed to paint the one rear panel where the paint was scratched from backing out of a parking lot. They will not take responisibility for all of my other chips. Now numbering 12. I have chips on every panel of the car. Most on the hood of my Redline Track.

This weekend I noticed under artificial light that the whole car is severely orange peeled. I noted it to the Service manager. He told me to wait until my first paint claim had run it's course, then we would submit this. So what does that mean to me? More waiting. I explained to him that this is a widespread problem, that a class-action lawsuit may come out of this. Maybe not just from the paint, but the safety concerns with the driver's seat. Mine is loose. When i take turns the seat rocks. This coupled with the sticking trunk, sticking center console, and shaking idle make this car an unfortunate mistake.

We must band together if we want a resolution. Contact your dealer GM, Nissan, and if need be the nhtsa at:
http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/tsb/central2.cfm

I am supposed to hear back from both the General manager of sales and finance from my dealership, as well as the supervisor of the customer support specialist from Nissan. My last contact was Wednesday. I will update this thread when applicable.

Good luck to everyone involved.

Hot Guy No Lie

Okay, I'm not sure what I'm looking for when someone says "orange peel." I also have a redline track model. How can I find or point out this "orange peel."?

Pathy01

I have a Laser Red (Redline) G35 and I must say this is the worst paint I've ever seen. At just over 3000 miles, I have at least 15 chips on the car. The orange peel is also rediculous. The chips are mainly on the hood, but also there are some along the sides of the car. I feel the paint is definitely sub-standard and should be addressed. I will be joining the fight with Nissan to see if anything can be done. By the time the car is a couple years old, there will probably be more aluminum visible on the hood than paint. I am not sure if the aluminum hood is part of the problem, perhaps the primer used does not adhere as well to aluminum. Something is not right, my Pathfinder had 30k when I traded it in on the G, and it had 4 chips, 3 on the plastic bumper cover, and only 1 on a metal surface. I will be submitting a complaint today, I will update if I get any response.

Hot Guy No Lie

And that "ridculous orange peel" looks like, what?? I need some ammunition here...

schwarme

If you look at the texture of the paint on the car, it should be filled with pits. Basically resembling an orange peel. The best place to observe is your trunk looking at a 45 degree angle to the back. Notice if the reflection you see in the paint is bumpy. If it is, then you have the genuine article. Hope this helps.

hwj

I agree there is a problem, although getting Nissan to correct the orange peel could be a fight that we'll never win.

If I'm correct, isn't the car clear-coated? How would that be repaired short of sanding and repainting the entire exterior?
And would it look like a half-assed job once it's done?

The chips on the front bumper cover is another story. I've got 4500 miles and it looks like 145000 miles due to the chips. Very, very small ones and a dozen or so larger stone chips that I've hit with touch-up paint. I plan to open a complaint when I talk to the dealer about the transmission repair / parts this week.

My wife's 2000 Quest has only a few chips on the front end and it has 39000 miles on it! My Maxima never had this many either in 3 years and 45000+ miles. I don't follow anybody close, and avoid trailers, buses and dump trucks like the plague.

Without going back and reading all the replys, is this a problem only confined to the Redline cars?

Hot Guy No Lie

Okay, now that I've looked my paint over I do have that orange peel texture on the paint job. This problem is throughout the body of the care, including the track issue spoiler! We need to rally people and get Nissan to take us seriously from now on! LET'S DO IT.

I am contacting my Nissan rep again in the next few minutes.

schwarme

If you read the other news threads, there doesn't necessarily seem to be a trend towards any particular color. Although, I haven't heard any complaints out of Burnt Orange drivers.

Hot Guy No Lie

Yes I was aware that other colored cars had orange peel, I just had no idea I had it till now... So, do we have any Le Mans Sunset drivers with orange peel? How about Silverstone?

Anyway, my rep is having me take the car back in for a second inspection of the orange peel. So, at least I'm getting somewhere.

Z33JSpec

Wow. Good luck guys. I hope you make some progress. This thread is definitely going to convince me to wait for the 2004 model.

y2k3350z

iTrader: (35)

I also just bought my redline 350z had it for 2 weeks today with 2100 miles on it and have about 5 chips on the bumper, 2 on the door, and like 10 on the hood, experiencing transmission problems, the drivers seat shifting and popping, window grease the seats fraying. Isn't there a consumer report place other than nissan where they can help us with the problems I know there is but dont know the name or where to find it, but if we all get together and fight i think we can overcome this.