When will Land Rover learn to paint

[rijidij]

Why have Land Rover never learned to paint the rear face of Defender chassis to an acceptable standard. This is a customer's SVX I had in the workshop today. Although it does spend a lot of time on the coast, a car of this age shouldn't look like this. It really spoils what is otherwise a great looking Defender (Needs a good wash though :D )
I've seen plenty of other Defenders with surface rust or badly faded rear chassis.

Cheers, Murray

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/09/831.jpg (http://s204.photobucket.com/user/rijidij/media/Misc/Chassis-Rust_zps64133e88.jpg.html)

[Disco Muppet]

You're unhappy about Land Rover quality control? :huh: :p
Seriously though, it seems they've been trying for about 40 years and haven't got it right yet.
Is it a difficult job to apply some sort of appropriate aftermarket paint that does the job?
Squirelling away knowledge for my ever-looming project county.... :twisted:

[rijidij]

................Is it a difficult job to apply some sort of appropriate aftermarket paint that does the job?...................

No, not difficult, but you shouldn't have to.

I'd seriously consider galvanising my 120 project chassis when I get to that stage.........one day :D

Cheers, Murray

[patclan]

I just had a paint warranty claim for the rear cross member denied, they basically said I had not looked after it. I am now waiting on a response from LRA questioning why it would fade so much in 4 years to the point it is bare metal and it would be my fault, but of course I do not expect a response, it has been over a week.

I now have to look at painting it my self somehow.

[wrinklearthur]

Don't the ADR's stipulate that all cars sold in Australia today have rust prevention treatment?

The days of rust bucket Kingswoods and Valiant Regals have long gone or have they?
.

[alittlebitconcerned]

I just had a paint warranty claim for the rear cross member denied, they basically said I had not looked after it. I am now waiting on a response from LRA questioning why it would fade so much in 4 years to the point it is bare metal and it would be my fault, but of course I do not expect a response, it has been over a week.

I now have to look at painting it my self somehow.

You don't have to accept their bs. Send a letter of demand and if they refuse let fair trading sort it out. It's not as hard a process as it sounds and you will have success if it's a real issue.

[Bushie]

Mine doesn't even look that bad after 15 years,(although it does need repainting now).


Martyn

[JamesB71]

They will learn to paint right after they learn how to treat customers. Don't hold your breath.

[Sue]

They will learn to paint right after they learn how to treat customers. Don't hold your breath.

I disagree.

My dealer is awesome, they have replaced everything I have even hinted at that I wasn't 100% happy with - even things that I thought would not have been covered by warranty; for instance my rear mud flap started to melt on a recent trip but I had also torn it while on the same trip, they replaced not only that mud flap but the other one also (so they would match).. that's a silly example I know but they have done a lot of work on my car that I know other dealers would laugh at if asked.

It's not Land Rover that treats its customers badly, its the individual dealers; and it seems unfair to cast them all in the box when they clearly are not all like that. If you are unhappy with your dealer then go to another one; you do not have to go to the dealer you bought the car off for warranty issues. :)

[patclan]

You don't have to accept their bs. Send a letter of demand and if they refuse let fair trading sort it out. It's not as hard a process as it sounds and you will if it's a real issue.

I just called LRA and they are chasing it up, it seems no one had seen the email with photos that I sent in after it was denied by the dealer. He has now found the email and is going to take it up with warranty management today and get back to me with a reason it was denied.

Once I have this I will do as you advise and take it up with Fair Trading.

Cheers

[gruntfuttock]

I just called LRA and they are chasing it up, it seems no one had seen the email with photos that I sent in after it was denied by the dealer. He has now found the email and is going to take it up with warranty management today and get back to me with a reason it was denied.

Once I have this I will do as you advise and take it up with Fair Trading.

Cheers

Mine is the same, I did put in a claim through the dealer who just said that "it was not covered" and "it was a result of it sitting out in the sun":mad: That was years ago. I also told L.R. (who I was having other problems with) and they basically said tough peanuts and did not want to know about it oh and it also bent !!!!

[patclan]

Mine is the same, I did put in a claim through the dealer who just said that "it was not covered" and "it was a result of it sitting out in the sun":mad: That was years ago. I also told L.R. (who I was having other problems with) and they basically said tough peanuts and did not want to know about it oh and it also bent !!!!

Well I am not holding my breath for a positive outcome, but a technical reason for it fading would be good, at least then I can take that to the OFT, there I will probably not get a positive outcome either, their website says that due to resources they can't deal with all complaints..

So I guess I will paint it myself..

[gruntfuttock]

That is most likely the quickest way and also the way with the least hassles.

[Loubrey]

Well I am not holding my breath for a positive outcome, but a technical reason for it fading would be good, at least then I can take that to the OFT, there I will probably not get a positive outcome either, their website says that due to resources they can't deal with all complaints..

So I guess I will paint it myself..

Pat,

There might be an alternative to the fading black paint on the rear cross member and I must admit this is not a proven fact, but more advice received. This obviously does not cover the surface rust issue...

Apparently 99% of car wash products have some sort of wax in it which in most cases is not compatible with the rear cross member's "dull" finish paint, hence the build up of whitish residue and the faded look.

Following the advice, I gave my rear cross member a good wipe with a rag soaked in mineral turps (actually Bunnings' "fake" turps) and way behold... all the "waxy residue" came off and the cross member was back to "dull" black after the turps dried off.

I keep the inside off the cross member treated with cavity wax and I wipe the outside surface with my turps rag once a month and 4.5 years down the line it look pretty much like new.

Cheers,

Lou

[gruntfuttock]

Pat,

There might be an alternative to the fading black paint on the rear cross member and I must admit this is not a proven fact, but more advice received. This obviously does not cover the surface rust issue...

Apparently 99% of car wash products have some sort of wax in it which in most cases is not compatible with the rear cross member's "dull" finish paint, hence the build up of whitish residue and the faded look.

Following the advice, I gave my rear cross member a good wipe with a rag soaked in mineral turps (actually Bunnings' "fake" turps) and way behold... all the "waxy residue" came off and the cross member was back to "dull" black after the turps dried off.

I keep the inside off the cross member treated with cavity wax and I wipe the outside surface with my turps rag once a month and 4.5 years down the line it look pretty much like new.

Cheers,

Lou

I'll try that once she is back from the doctors;)

[patclan]

Pat,

There might be an alternative to the fading black paint on the rear cross member and I must admit this is not a proven fact, but more advice received. This obviously does not cover the surface rust issue...

Apparently 99% of car wash products have some sort of wax in it which in most cases is not compatible with the rear cross member's "dull" finish paint, hence the build up of whitish residue and the faded look.

Following the advice, I gave my rear cross member a good wipe with a rag soaked in mineral turps (actually Bunnings' "fake" turps) and way behold... all the "waxy residue" came off and the cross member was back to "dull" black after the turps dried off.

I keep the inside off the cross member treated with cavity wax and I wipe the outside surface with my turps rag once a month and 4.5 years down the line it look pretty much like new.

Cheers,

Lou

Hey Lou,

Sounds a good tip, I will try it on mine but I think it is too far gone.

This is what it looks like after I wiped it down with water, it does go rusty coloured but I can wash it off at the moment.

Cheers Pat

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2013/09/812.jpg

[BilboBoggles]

I had all three of my new defenders rear cross members repainted under warranty. The first one was covered a year after the factory warranty expired. My new defender my13 was repainted 6 weeks after I took delivery.

Just need to find a good dealer...

Oh and all defender rear cross members from the mid 90's onwards are bent like a banana, land rover changed chassis suppliers at that time, and after then they all came out bent....

[patclan]

Well I just got a call from LRA, he said he spoke to management and the dealer and they are off the opinion that I must have spilled something on the crossmember and wiped it of taking the paint with it.

What a load of bull****, anyway it is now up to me to fix.

Does anyone have any primer and paint recommendations?

[wrinklearthur]

It's time you took the badges off your Car and handed them back to that manager and be seen doing it by someone with a video camera that can post it up on youtube.

If asked by that company why, tell them that you can not give free advertising to a company that dosn't support their product.

I have seen the exact paint problem at the Kingston workshop of a popular AULRO member.
To me that paint coverage was no way adequate either and just the barest minimum must have been applied at the factory.
.

[one_iota]

......What a load of bull****, anyway it is now up to me to fix....



You'll do better job fixing it than they would have done because you care about it. They've clearly demonstrated that they don't. :mad:

[copba]

Well I just got a call from LRA, he said he spoke to management and the dealer and they are off the opinion that I must have spilled something on the crossmember and wiped it of taking the paint with it.

What a load of bull****, anyway it is now up to me to fix.

Does anyone have any primer and paint recommendations?

Just paint it yourself, it's very easy.
Mine looked similar to yours, until I painted it 2 years ago, and it still looks good now :)

First, grab a spray can of primer, and one of gloss black from Repco or similar, and a few sheets of wet and dry sand paper.

Second, rub it back with a medium to coarse wet and dry sand paper, the rust is only light surface rust, and it'll come off very easily.

Third, mask up the back door, and sides. I also laid a couple of old sheets over the rest of the car, as i was doing mine out side and wind tends to carry the spray paint everywhere.

Fourth, once it's masked up and rubbed back nicely, wipe the surface with turps or similar to remove any dust. then spray the primer (lightly), over the surface. Apply two or three coats. Allow it to dry for an hour or so, then rub it down with fine wet and dry sand paper. Then spray the black paint.

For a better job its also worth removing the D handles on either side, if they're there, and loosen tow bar, or anything else bolted to the cross member.

I used automotive paint, as it drys very quickly, easy to use, and will be compatible with anything a panel shop may use in the future. ( Well hopefully it won't see a panel shop, ever!) You could also use Killrust or any similar hardware store type paint, you may get a more durable finish, but they take hours to dry, and 12 or so before re-coat.

Good luck with it.

Cheers

[rijidij]

I was talking to an LROCV member on the weekend who said his Puma rear chassis was repainted under warranty. I presume it was done by MLR.

Cheers, Murray