370Z Purple/Pearlish Paint Defects
 

So, I am so comforted to know I'm not the only one having problems with my BRAND NEW RED 370Z!

I bought it in June and immediately noticed little purple/pearlish spots all over the car. You couldn't feel them or get them off and the dealer tried to do some stuff and had no success. Nissan actually had someone from HQ come in and look at this car and they said "get her a new one". So after a long process of trying to find my exact same car...I got a new one. I picked it up last week...and it has the same purple spots (not as many, but still...). They had called it "fallout" as a result of pollution...the first car came from S. Texas. But this second car came from S. Dakota...so I doubt it's pollution!

I took it to my paint guy and he said it looks like moisture got on the car before they did the clear coat and is trapped in between the red and clear. So, his concern was that it may try to come out someday and mess up the paint.

I took the car back today and told them I wasn't satisfied and just don't even want it anymore. It is rediculous to spend this much money on a car and it not be PERFECT...I'm tired of messing with it. As I was leaving the lot, I stopped at the red (lower end model) they have on display...it has the same crap on it...purple/pearlish spots in the paint....REDICULOUS!!!!

Nissan really needs to check the quality controls on their paint process!!!!

Orange peel is another thing too.

And how soft/fragile the paint is...

But hey, it's a $50,000 car in a $30,0000-$40,000 price tag.

It doesn't have the quality of a $50,000 car!!!!!!

there is a small section of the hood of my car that has that too. looks like the moon lunarscape haha.

Oddly enough I was discussing paint colors the other day with my uncle, who has owned a couple Z's (still has his 50th 300zx) plus a few other Nissans and he mentioned that red has typically been the color that wears out or tears up the fastest on Nissans.

May or may not be true, so take it for what its worth.

maybe they will correct this on the 2010's?? hopefully??

I have heard that too...but in a brand new car you would think there wouldn't be any defects already....hmmmmm!

Thats because it isnt a $50k car.

It doesn't have the quality of even a $20k car........

That's what I meant - something had to give...

Yeah, I GAVE it back!!!!!

Find me a new 20K car that has 332HP, or can handle better than .9G on a skidpad...

Find me a red 370z that doesn't have purple spots all over it. There are three sitting at the dealer I bought mine from and ALL THREE have the same defects.....

Mine doesent have spots. Although, it never sits outside or gets in the rain. Its only allowed to play in the street with its friends once in awhile on sunny days.

I think the G37 have a new type of paint finish or something or another on their 2009 model year which was suppose to be a huge improvement. Maybe it will port over to the 370.

You will likely find that the cars with the faulty paint are close to the same serial numbers as all 370Zs likely don't have this problem or we would have heard about it a long time ago. Get the second car replaced and tell them you aren't impressed with the problem not being resolved. Its frustrating but it sounds like they are taking care of the issue.


Interesting to note that car numbers and their birthday are not always sequential. If there is a problem with the car from the factory they are often put to the side to be dealt with later in order to keep the assembly going with cars without flaws. Once the line is shut down or re-tooled, etc the flawed cars are fixed so lower serial numbers may leave the factory later.

any pics of this purple/pearlish issue?

Maybe you should have waited on the 2nd year model, ever think about that? This car is well worth the money whether you think it is or isn't. Stop complaining about how much you hate the car and be more helpful as to how other people can be helped with if this situation happens to them.

Do not concur. I'd be very unhappy as well to find TWO unsatisfactory vehicles with serious cosmetic defects after I'd spent $30 -40k...but at least they appear to be trying. Nevertheless, there are few or no points in trying, only in getting it right.

spm, cpa

:worthless:

need pics

red on nissans has been defective since nissan has had red cars.

You took the gamble buying a new first-year model car. Deal with it, it's normal that there are some defects and fortunately for us who are waiting for the 2010s to come out these problems will be resolved.

If Nissan has not worked out how to paint a car by now it's not going to be any better by 2010.

Solution: Dont buy red!

Even a first-year model, $90k USD, 2009 BMW M3 has loads of orange peel and paint defects. It's not a matter of figuring out how to paint a car... the line the 370Z is being built on in the Tochigi plant is virtually brand new. It's a matter of fine-tuning it. You simply cannot, realistically, expect a virtually flawless, $30-40k first-year model car. If the new M3 can get orange peel even with the Regensberg plant's rigorous quality control, I'm pretty sure the 370Z can get moisture under the clear.

Besides, I believe that it's a known fact that red is a difficult color to paint. The best solution is to simply avoid it.

I don't "hate" the car...I just expect that it be the quality I paid for...especially when it comes to the paint! I don't think it's a lot to ask that my Red paint be nearly flawless....

Not yet...it's really hard to photograph because the Red is so bright and it has to be in the perfect lighting...If I get some, I will share! Right now I don't even have the car...it is at the dealer AGAIN...

I know how you feel.
I have the same problems with my car.
Both front and back bumpers are full of orange peel.
I can not believe that Nissan would allow cars with such paint defects to be released to the market.
Not only there is orange peel but the clear coat is the worst I've EVER seen. It's so soft that the paint scratches and chips extremely easy.
Maybe I've been spoiled with a long list of German cars. Maybe I expect more then I should from a Nissan, but then again, when you pay Aus$75,000 for a car (US$62,500), you can expect the paint to be without major defects.

Mine was red and I am picky about the paint. I never found any paint defects.

I have solid red, the paint is perfect. Mine was ordered in late May and I received it a few days ago. Sorry for your troubles, that's a shame.

Edit: I will admit to some slight orange peel here and there. But frankly, most stock production cars have this in my experience. I am sure there are exceptions, but you can't compare for example a custom paint job to factory stuff, I don't think anyone can expect that level of perfection when they are pumping out millions of cars. Perhaps I need to raise my expectations, lol.

I concur. I do not have any issues either. Ordered late February.

You should take pictures before you post about discoloration on your car first off. As for the car not being worth even $20k...let your rage out on a more sensible statement.....thats just a ignorant thing to state, especially on the 370 forums..

I will say that Im suprised that you got two red cars and saw a third with this discoloration. I wouldnt expect that from Nissan. No red 350s I ever saw had that issue...besides a pearlesent look thats kinda standard.

That's a good optimistic view, for the 2010 model year! Unfortunately with the history of the Z's from 2003 to date, people will have to wait for that judgment.
A plant that is virtually brand new, I would expect top quality!

Thirty thousand to forty thousand dollars, you make it sound like that's nothing to pay, and expect better quality. That's a hell of a lot of money. People expect better than what they are getting for that amount of money!

Look buddy. U got a warranty. Use it. If nissan doesn't fix it. And or give u a higher grade paint formula. Then u can complain about quality. But from what I hear. Nissan has turned around n given people new cars over paint issues. For the 90th entry. If u guys want a perfect car off the bat. Buy second or 3rd year. Bmw135 wasn't perfect in 08 either.

Bmw has great fit and finish but the engines though have great performance hav sloppy build quality n that's y u spend your whole warranty getting the car fixed.
Bmw engine quality is so bad they give u 4 years of free maintenance. 6 on an extended plan for certified. Says a lot bout quality.
Id rather have a paint issue than a reliability issue.

Oh yeah... the self healing paint. U would think fa the price of the Z they would have it on it too... either way the Z is still a great deal.

The paint definately does hav to be addressed.
The heated mirror thing is upsetting. Y not standard on 09? That's so dumb!
Same as the microfilter. U shouldn't have to wait an extra model year to have these things.
But people here act like they paid 36k for a yugo. What's the deal?

I would have taken a picture before the post, however the car has been at the dealer forever it feels like. I didn't really even have a chance to take a shot of it since I took it in the minute I saw it there. And, I don't think my statement is ignorant if the paint is so bad that it will have to be completely repainted...a paint job of the quality a Z owner would expect is not cheap and I wouldn't expect to be able to sell this vehicle to anyone for anything higher than maybe 20k since it will have to be repainted to look decent!

And...I'm sure that I just didn't have the great luck to have the only three 370Z's produced with this defect by Nissan in this particular lot in Oklahoma City...I'm sure it's a more widespread problem.

Well, I haven't seen the defects you are talking about. My car was a showroom car. Never out on the lot and it has been garaged since purchased. To me, it almost sounds like a paint defect from using a very aggressive acidic wash? I've not seen another Z in this color yet so I have no other point of reference.

http://i214.photobucket.com/albums/c...1/RQuarter.jpg

Interested in this post though... Sure hope "lunar landscape" doesn't show up in my future.

The paint on my monteray blue was sprayed by jesus himself.

bad luck mate, my last car was red...had alot of paint issues there too........hence have decided no more red vehicles for me :)