Burnt Clearcoat

tibimakai

San Dimas CA
:
USA
:
2014 CX-5 Touring
Today, after my car was washed, I have noticed this clear coat burn on my hatch spoiler.

It is not even 5 years old. I have only 45k on it.
Definitely I won't be getting, or my wife another Mazda.
I'm angry now.

Too many issues, front driver seat was replaced due to two issues, nosy motor mechanism, and broken lumbar support.
Shaky mirror, they tried to fix it, but it is still shaking.
Belt tensioner, just failed, now the clearcoat.

My previous car 08' VW Rabbit, I had it for 6-1/2 years with not a single issue, except the headlamps got oxidizes and needed refinishing, if I can call this an issue.

Sorry about the rant, I still enjoy the car, but even my wife was thinking about getting a CX3, but after all these issues, most likely, that won't happen.

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That's either a bad batch of paint from the date of mfg, neglect on your part for never waxing or sealing the paint, some serious sun fade or somehow a chemical reaction up there occurred to make it peel and flake. I'd wet sand it several times and then buff and polish it to at least make it look better.
 
How often did you wash and polish the car?

And what kind of soap? This looks like what Ive seen from people who use dish soap to wash their car, not knowing that it strips all protection.
 
We have a guy at work, who washes and waxes our cars, two days a week.
I had the same guy wash my previous car, for years and it never happened anything to that paint.
We had a really hot summer also, that "helped" too. All day, out in that hot sun, but still.
 
Wow, that is crazy. My situation is not like that, I work in a single level building. Small business park.
 
Wow, that is crazy. My situation is not like that, I work in a single level building. Small business park.

Your paint looks either sun related or clay bar related. Did you clay bar your car? I once clay barred an old car with not enough lubricant and it caused similar damage.
 
But is it just in that line? That suggest something was hitting that specific area.
 
Clearly an indicator that your car has spent too much time in the SoCal sun and probably hasn't been garaged. Right? My 2013 Sky Blue Mica (also with 45k miles) has paint (including the plastic parts) that is as pristine as the day it rolled off the showroom floor.
 
We have a guy at work, who washes and waxes our cars, two days a week.
I had the same guy wash my previous car, for years and it never happened anything to that paint.
We had a really hot summer also, that "helped" too. All day, out in that hot sun, but still.

If the car was properly washed and waxed this is pretty unlikely. Does he use a buffer tool?
 
We'd see more reports of this if it was a factory defect.

Possibilities are:
- Car was repainted at some point, not done well and prematurely failed
- Lack of wax + UV
- Damage during washing or waxing, like over buffing
- Environmental damage from something damaging sitting on the area too long. I once had some leaves etch clearcoat on a different car because I left them there, wet, for like 3 days.

I wonder about this guy who washes and waxes twice a week. Maybe he got a new tool or technique that is too aggressive
 
LA does have acid rain every now and then. Don't that is the case here since the damage is not on the roof.
 
You are right. Spent it's life outside in the sun.
Even then, this is still normal?

The sun will definitely do that over time, but seems a little premature for the age of the car. But then again, bright colors like blue and red tend to suffer the most.

Was it ever properly hand waxed? Car wash solutions or detailing sprays with a wax additive don't offer much protection. If its out in the California sun all day, it really should be hand waxed 3-4 times a year. Especially the parts that never see shade, like the roof.
 
I will ask the guy, but he said that, he even went to some kind of car wash/detail class as well.
How it happened matters, but the most important issues is that the repair is on me, right? Mazda won't help me out with this?
 
I will ask the guy, but he said that, he even went to some kind of car wash/detail class as well.
How it happened matters, but the most important issues is that the repair is on me, right? Mazda won't help me out with this?

You would have to show it being a factory defect but you're out of warranty. Never hurts to ask but I wouldn't expect it. Paint issues are especially tricky, even when under warranty.

How many cars a day does that guy do, twice a week? That's a lot of car washes. I think there is such a thing as washing a car too much, especially if good wax is getting stripped off by soap and inadequate or no wax is reapplied.
 
I will ask the guy, but he said that, he even went to some kind of car wash/detail class as well.
How it happened matters, but the most important issues is that the repair is on me, right? Mazda won't help me out with this?

Yeah, Mazda will not take this on 100%. But, I think you have a good case to argue for a break on the repaint cost, if thats a route youre interested in. Dont hold your breath though.
 
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