Discussion of Stinger paint quality (Was - Paint Chip Issue)

[MerlintheMad]

your Kia badge looks crooked.

No it doesn't. There, we have two opinions based on eyeballs only.

 

[forzanerazzurri]

No it doesn't. There, we have two opinions based on eyeballs only.

So cantankerous. Who is in charge of you and where are they now?

 

[MerlintheMad]

So cantankerous. Who is in charge of you and where are they now?

My wife is out this evening. And she just saw a Stinger and sent the pic to me. My mood is not improved.

 

[forzanerazzurri]

My wife is out this evening. And she just saw a Stinger and sent the pic to me. My mood is not improved.

Hahaha

 

[Cobrix]

I am also having issues with my paint. The car is 2 weeks old and there are several chips in the paint. Insane.

I have only captured 2 on this photo, but there are several more. I spoke to KIA corporate and they sent me to a nearby dealer. They took photos just 10 mins ago and that's where we noticed the additional chips, all the way down to the metal.

I am not happy. I was debating on going with Lexus GS F or a Mercedes E class instead and I wonder if I didn't make a mistake with this Stinger. I really don't want to keep going back and forth wasting my time dealing with a car.

 

[MerlintheMad]

I am also having issues with my paint. The car is 2 weeks old and there are several chips in the paint. Insane.

I have only captured 2 on this photo, but there are several more. I spoke to KIA corporate and they sent me to a nearby dealer. They took photos just 10 mins ago and that's where we noticed the additional chips, all the way down to the metal.

I am not happy. I was debating on going with Lexus GS F or a Mercedes E class instead and I wonder if I didn't make a mistake with this Stinger. I really don't want to keep going back and forth wasting my time dealing with a car.

If you have other problems than paint, then you are justified in your anger. But if the car is solid (nearly all of them are), and you love everything about it BUT the paint issue (of course), then work through the paint issue with Kia's 36 month warranty and hope for the best. There is no guarantee that a Bimmer or anything else that you choose will give you more joy and less hassles. And "the price is right" with this one.

 

[Mach_Tuck]

Solid plan...

I was advised not to do PPF or anything for at least 30 days, in case anyone was interested.

Going back to lurking.

Multiple people have now stated this about PPF and yet my dealer told me they would be applying PPF the day after paint on mine?? I actually know the shop that is "supposed" to be doing the PPF after the repaint so perhaps need to call them and get it from the horse's mouth so to speak. I cannot drive the car in AZ with PPF so waiting an added 30 days seems bad. OR, i suppose i drive it without for 30 days and inspect prior to PPF, if paint is good and no chips...car gets PPF and stays. If paint is chipped, they can proceed with buyback option.

@StungnTn - pics look great. I am sure you know, inspect it in direct sunlight and from multiple angles and distances to check shading and blending!!

 

[gilthanis1]

Mine is done, waiting on KIA's okay. Here are some pics, haven't seen it in person yet.

View attachment 11848 View attachment 11849 View attachment 11850

I will have to say, if mine looks like this, it will be a keeper. I will shout it from the rooftops I was wrong and be dam happy about it. These pics look dam good and it looks like its even brighter than before, if that's possible. LOL

Thanks a ton for the pics @StungnTn this makes me feel a little better about my repaint, which starts next Tuesday Sept 4th. It's even better because I know the body shop and everyone there, and they have a stellar rep in my area. Fingers firmly crossed!!

 

[Metalmania82]

Just an update for people looking for info on here, I don't have build or separate thread right now.

Bought my car in early August, Micro Blue GT. Got it from a dealer that a good friend of mine works at and got me a very good deal. Car was traded from another dealer. Build date is 11/17 (didn't realize it'd been sitting for so long until I came across this thread and went to look at my build date). I have the "typical" headlight rubbing on the front bumper issue, the Kia SA-322 that wasn't performed, a couple chips here and there that are most definitely not from rocks, and what looks like acid rain etching but you can't feel it with your fingernail. I contacted my salesman/dealer and informed them of this, they don't seem to be aware of any other issues and said they would keep our emails on record. I reached out to KMA on Facebook and after a week of messaging them and playing phone tag, I finally spoke to a VERY nice rep on the phone today who gave me a case number and wants me to send more info and attach pictures to my case on their website.

We'll see where (if anywhere!) this goes I guess!

 

[Mach_Tuck]

I will have to say, if mine looks like this, it will be a keeper. I will shout it from the rooftops I was wrong and be dam happy about it. These pics look dam good and it looks like its even brighter than before, if that's possible. LOL

Thanks a ton for the pics @StungnTn this makes me feel a little better about my repaint, which starts next Tuesday Sept 4th. It's even better because I know the body shop and everyone there, and they have a stellar rep in my area. Fingers firmly crossed!!

Agreed, the pics look great so far.

@StungnTn - Any chance to post some pics of the rear door jamb to rear fender transition??

 

[StungnTn]

Sure, and I've added a picture that I took after I picked it up.

 

[Mach_Tuck]

Thanks...outside looks great. What about inside the rear door jamb where they didnt spray new paint. Any noticeable difference there. That is the main area of concern on my car.

From the pics, the color matching looks great! Def gives me hope

 

[Deaddudehangin]

Figure I would update. Called the "CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER" last week. They told be to bring the car to the dealer to inspect it and gave me a case number. The person whom I spoke with over the phone said it was the first time he was hearing about the blue color car with a paint problem and everyone he has talked with it was yellow. Also due for my first oil change so i scheduled that also.

At the dealer they had me down for an oil change but didn't have anything written down about the paint chipping(weird but whatever). The service manager walked around my car and thought all the marks were strange (except for the one that was clearly from a rock on the bumper). He said he had to take pictures to show their regional rep and then go from there because Kia only released an announcement for the yellow stingers. He then told me that the rep services a bunch of different dealers and typically is only around for 1ish weeks out of the month and he was there last week and wouldn't be around till mid - end September. Not really sure why he can just email the pictures even asked him about that and I got a "I could try that".

So I guess I am on hold for 2-3 weeks. Hopefully I will hear back sooner to at least know if they need me to come down again, I am suppose to be going away for a week next month and with my luck they will be when the rep is there.

Since I posted the pictures before 2 new chips appeared along with a few other small ones on the hood.

These two new ones are on the front drivers side fender. If you are looking at the wheel they are at about 1 o'cock and 2 o'clock. which would make it kind of a tough spot for a rock(or other flying debris to get at).

 

[eflyguy]

Thanks, I noticed the panel issue already. They were not supposed to repaint the bumper, but I will see if they repainted it when I pick it up tomorrow.

They would still remove it to paint the 1/4 panel.. Looks great, sorry if I missed it but are you happy?

 

[StungnTn]

Eflyguy, I made the bumper comment regarding the KIA logo. After reviewing it in person the alignment looks pretty damn close, although it's not perfect. See the second set of pictures. I would say that overall I'm happy.

I still need to do a deep inspection of the paint, I'm going to have a professional detailer look at it. From what I've found the only issue I have is with the fuel door, it is missing some paint. I think that's because there were two painted surfaces that were touching, I'm assuming the fuel door was painted.

Here is the door jam, the transition is not noticeable unless you are looking / feeling for it with your finger. There is definitely a transition between the two thicknesses right where the outermost panel curves under inside the door jam. This is the only place I've noticed a transition, or difference, and I think that has more to do with how the paint was sanded.

On a positive note, the paint has a much deeper gloss to it, there is definitely more clear coat applied than what was on the car initially. Based on another yellow stinger owner's inspection, he says that the color matching looks better than his did from the factory. He decided to bring his stinger to be painted by the same dealer / paint shop that I used, as he was so impressed with it. I don't know if he is on this forum or not.

 

[Mach_Tuck]

Very nice, i cannot see a transition and would expect to feel one. Appears that you had a competent paint shop. Great to hear about the added gloss. I feel that my PPF did the same thing after putting it on. Repaint with PPF could be win win.

Great idea of having a detailer look at it by the way. I had not considered that.

 

[MerlintheMad]

Figure I would update. Called the "CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE CENTER" last week. They told be to bring the car to the dealer to inspect it and gave me a case number. The person whom I spoke with over the phone said it was the first time he was hearing about the blue color car with a paint problem and everyone he has talked with it was yellow. Also due for my first oil change so i scheduled that also.

At the dealer they had me down for an oil change but didn't have anything written down about the paint chipping(weird but whatever). The service manager walked around my car and thought all the marks were strange (except for the one that was clearly from a rock on the bumper). He said he had to take pictures to show their regional rep and then go from there because Kia only released an announcement for the yellow stingers. He then told me that the rep services a bunch of different dealers and typically is only around for 1ish weeks out of the month and he was there last week and wouldn't be around till mid - end September. Not really sure why he can just email the pictures even asked him about that and I got a "I could try that".

So I guess I am on hold for 2-3 weeks. Hopefully I will hear back sooner to at least know if they need me to come down again, I am suppose to be going away for a week next month and with my luck they will be when the rep is there.

Since I posted the pictures before 2 new chips appeared along with a few other small ones on the hood.

These two new ones are on the front drivers side fender. If you are looking at the wheel they are at about 1 o'cock and 2 o'clock. which would make it kind of a tough spot for a rock(or other flying debris to get at).

Those are clearly adhesion chips/flakes, not road debris. I'd be sending my pics to add to my file with Kia, and filling in with touch up pen right away. That will keep your blood pressure under control!

 

[Kato_the_kia_stinger]

Eflyguy, I made the bumper comment regarding the KIA logo. After reviewing it in person the alignment looks pretty damn close, although it's not perfect. See the second set of pictures. I would say that overall I'm happy.

I still need to do a deep inspection of the paint, I'm going to have a professional detailer look at it. From what I've found the only issue I have is with the fuel door, it is missing some paint. I think that's because there were two painted surfaces that were touching, I'm assuming the fuel door was painted.

Here is the door jam, the transition is not noticeable unless you are looking / feeling for it with your finger. There is definitely a transition between the two thicknesses right where the outermost panel curves under inside the door jam. This is the only place I've noticed a transition, or difference, and I think that has more to do with how the paint was sanded.

On a positive note, the paint has a much deeper gloss to it, there is definitely more clear coat applied than what was on the car initially. Based on another yellow stinger owner's inspection, he says that the color matching looks better than his did from the factory. He decided to bring his stinger to be painted by the same dealer / paint shop that I used, as he was so impressed with it. I don't know if he is on this forum or not.

View attachment 11903

Car looks excellent! I don’t know if you said yet, but where did you go for the paint job?

 

[StungnTn]

It was done here:

Walkers Auto Repair Shop in Knoxville and Seymour

 

[Metalmania82]

Another update on mine:

KMA customer service or whatever you wanna call them contacted me again today. I sent in pictures as well as a written explanation of whats going on last night and it was attached to my claim/file. Was told today by the same rep on the phone that my case has been updated and being moved up to their "Premium Team" which deals with Kia's "premium vehicles."

We shall see