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Toyota - Corolla exterior paint issue
Complaint
Review by orourkerita on 2012-06-19
Rating: 
CLEVELAND, TENNESSEE -- I have only had my Corolla for a year and 1 month. Two months ago I was rear ended and due to the damage I was advised to not wash the vehicle until repairs could be made. Weeks passed without realizing that the bird poop could cause serious damage, considering that my vehicle is fairly new. I took my vehicle back to Toyota after all my repairs had been made to show them the damage that had been caused. The company that fixed my car assured me that the paint had a manufacturing defect because the bird droppings shouldn't have effected the paint all the way down to the primer in the amount of time in which it was exposed. Maybe if my car had been an older car but it's not. I can't afford to get my car re painted, I'm still making payments on it. I'm so disgusted with the situation. I will never buy another Toyota or deal with the Toyota dealership in Cleveland TN. I just want my car to look like it should because it's still new.
Comments:
Posted by Comfortably_Numb on 2012-06-19:
were you advised not to wash the entire body of the vehicle or only stay away from the damaged section? would taking a damp cloth and wiping off the poop have been ok or was that a no no, too?
Posted by unhappy999 on 2012-06-19:
What's the reasoning for not washing your car if it has been damaged in an accident? I can see you have to get the insurance company to see the damage first and to take all the photos but after that, I don't see why you can't wash it. Also, there was nothing stopping you from wiping the bird poop off. I think its a matter of opinion if damage should have been caused or not depending on the time-frame it was not washed. I think you would have the same issue no matter what brand of car you had.
Posted by BigAl on 2012-06-19:
One reason for not washing your car while it is damaged is certain damage may cause the vehicle to leak water used in washing to undamaged parts of the car that water would do damage to. Carpeting headliners upholstery and such come to mind. However, bird droppings should have been removed as soon as noticed. Liken this to your doctor telling you to not shower until your bandages are removed. Would you go around with a dirty face?
Posted by trmn8r on 2012-06-19:
Even if they told you not to wash the car, you could have "spot cleaned" the poop. Bird poop is nasty stuff on a car's finish. Since the poop seems to have caused the problem, I think you are out of luck.
BigAl's doctor/bandage/shower analogy is a good one.
BigAl's doctor/bandage/shower analogy is a good one.
Posted by onlooker on 2012-06-20:
If the notice to not wash the car was made in writing to you by the Toyota dealership, or the insurer or the repair place - you can fight the issue with them.
You did exactly as you were told. But it might be very hard to get the person or company that told you do not wash - to admit it or pay for some of the costs resulting from following their instructions.
Because as noted above, there were other options involved in cleaning the mess up. Including checking back with shop/dealer etc.
You did exactly as you were told. But it might be very hard to get the person or company that told you do not wash - to admit it or pay for some of the costs resulting from following their instructions.
Because as noted above, there were other options involved in cleaning the mess up. Including checking back with shop/dealer etc.
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