Video: Grand Touring inspection and first impression by a detailer in Chicago

Minnesota Mike

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GT/Grey/Tahoe/19
Exterior fit and finish observations including 'soft paint', possible repainted panels, swirl marks, loose molding.
 
Exterior fit and finish observations including 'soft paint', possible repainted panels, swirl marks, loose molding.
Nice find. I've now heard a number of contradictory opinions on the paint quality. Hard to know the answer, but makes me want to bring a detailer to the delivery. Anyone who already has their car finding issue with their paint, or loose trim pieces?
 
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I had XPEL film and ceramic paint coating applied. The installers found no issues with my car, which was produced in December of last year. I guess that I got lucky.

I asked my installer if the Mercedes EQS had better fit and finish than the Lucid. He said:

"Yes yes yes. But the Lucid is three times better than Tesla."

I am not bashing Tesla at all and my wife's 2017 Mercedes did not come from Germany with perfect panel alignment but we have never had paint issues.
 
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Nice find. I've now heard a number of contradictory opinions on the paint quality. Hard to know the answer, but makes me want to bring a detailer to the delivery. Anyone who already has their car finding issue with their paint, or loose trim pieces?
I've had issues with my Red paint. Posted a few pictures in another thread from my PPF person. He is doing is best to rectify the issues. Lucid is aware and hoping PPF person can sort it out. Otherwise, there is not easy fix. Will find out Monday.
 
I've had issues with my Red paint. Posted a few pictures in another thread from my PPF person. He is doing is best to rectify the issues. Lucid is aware and hoping PPF person can sort it out. Otherwise, there is not easy fix. Will find out Monday.
My car is red also.
 
Exterior fit and finish observations including 'soft paint', possible repainted panels, swirl marks, loose molding.
@hmp10 stated in another thread that the "soft paint" is more common with water based paint.
 
Nice find. I've now heard a number of contradictory opinions on the paint quality. Hard to know the answer, but makes me want to bring a detailer to the delivery. Anyone who already has their car finding issue with their paint, or loose trim pieces?
I thought of that too .... bring detailer and also an mechanic to take the blinkers out to look for broken pcbs and everything else. Ill buy paint thickness meter and flashlight. See links i just found. When it gets closer ill look if therere better ones.

Scangrip Sunmatch 3 - Handheld Rechargeable Work Light with Excellent Color Rendering Properties for Perfect Color Match https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N6MWZSF/ref=cm_sw_r_awdo_Z2Z2153BQ2MHY5VM5E4P

Coating Thickness Gauge UT343D, RockyMars Professional Digital Paint Thickness Gauge Paint Depth Meter for Used Car, Resolution 0.01mils, F/NF, with Visual Go-NoGo Indicator and Auto Rotatable Display https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07VYL736C/ref=cm_sw_r_awdo_6QDTJPJ821V79VCDVEJM
 
Exterior fit and finish observations including 'soft paint', possible repainted panels, swirl marks, loose molding.

His observation about the light arrays on each side of the the trunk which is obscured when the trunk is closed surprised me. What's up with that?
 
You need to have lights even with trunk lid up so others dont run in to you.
 
Exterior fit and finish observations including 'soft paint', possible repainted panels, swirl marks, loose molding.

I have the same car, same trim on order, and guess who my detail shop is....That's right Lucid, so please do not deliver a car to me that has repainted panels.
 
Too bad the owner of this car apparently isn't on this forum. I'd like to know whether the repaint was done after flaws were detected during the pre-delivery inspection. If so, it would be nice to know if the delivery center notified the owner that the car was being partly repainted.

If the car was repainted at the factory after flaws were detected, I suspect Lucid would not tell either the owner or the delivery center. The repaint probably would just be considered part of normal factory quality control.
 
I bought my 2019 SL550 new right off the showroom floor years ago. Two weeks back a huge canister of roofing tar came off a trailer on I-10 at 70mph and slid down the drivers side of the car fortunately just leaving large scratches down the lower rocker panel and took a chunk out of the rear tire. Took it to my local Indy paint shop for repair and on removal the owner told me it had been repainted before.
Asked him how it was possible and he said it was not unusual. Someone with their head up their ass at the factory, delivery service or the dealership.
 
I bought my 2019 SL550 new right off the showroom floor years ago. Two weeks back a huge canister of roofing tar came off a trailer on I-10 at 70mph and slid down the drivers side of the car fortunately just leaving large scratches down the lower rocker panel and took a chunk out of the rear tire. Took it to my local Indy paint shop for repair and on removal the owner told me it had been repainted before.
Asked him how it was possible and he said it was not unusual. Someone with their head up their ass at the factory, delivery service or the dealership.
I used to ride with a guy who was a car hauler based out of Detroit, have a good friend who is a service manager for a large GM dealer and both guys said damage is not unusual at all. My service manager friend does say things are light years better now than they were 20 years ago.
 
so please do not deliver a car to me that has repainted panels
I'd like them to repaint my entire car so my paint is twice as thick. He couldn't tell it had been repainted until he saw overspray so they did a quality job. Don't know why it's a big deal.
 
I'd like them to repaint my entire car so my paint is twice as thick. He couldn't tell it had been repainted until he saw overspray so they did a quality job. Don't know why it's a big deal.
I was thinking the same thing. If they did a good job and it looks great, does it matter?
 
It would
I was thinking the same thing. If they did a good job and it looks great, does it matter?
It wouldn't matter to me---what are they supposed to do, throw a door panel away because the initial paint job didn't pass QC?
 
I'd like them to repaint my entire car so my paint is twice as thick. He couldn't tell it had been repainted until he saw overspray so they did a quality job. Don't know why it's a big deal.
I don't know about you, but I'm a perfectionist and I'm paying for perfection. A repair repaint is never as good as the oven baked goodness, think about sanding through the oven baked finishes...

How do car manufacturers paint their cars?

Basically, the body is washed, degreased, electrodipped in zinc phosphate, oven baked, sanded, sealed, dried, cleaned (with chemicals), primered, baked, painted, baked, clear coated, baked and then inspected for faults.
 
It would

It wouldn't matter to me---what are they supposed to do, throw a door panel away because the initial paint job didn't pass QC?
Yes, or they can make it your problem and I promise I won't give a rats ass :cool:
 
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