Last summer (I can;t quite remember when), I had my tailgate resprayed under warranty by my local VW/Skoda approved repair place. I noticed that when I looked at the car on Saturday when I was washing it, that I have a another bubble of rust appearing (dead centre, near to the skoda badge), and at the both ends of the handle the silver colouring seems to havew vanished.

Would it seem correct that I approach the repair place and get them to fix it, or do I have to go via Skoda first?

Links to pictures:

Centre rust bubble:

http://www.matthewames.co.uk/briskoda/20090119_tailgate/P1010803.JPG

Right end of handle:

http://www.matthewames.co.uk/briskoda/20090119_tailgate/P1010804.JPG

Left end of handle:

http://www.matthewames.co.uk/briskoda/20090119_tailgate/P1010805.JPG

You have somthing like a 5 year paint and corrosion warranty anyway.

I would go back to Skoda and tell them whats oing on.

Im sure they will have no hassle getting it sorted and painted again.

noticed mine was the same the other week may have to look into getting it sorted my skoda

Hi. Im new to the forum but not new to paint work ) - been a painter for 16 years. The "paint missing" from the end of the handles as you put it, is where they have polished through your paintwork, back to the primer. This is very poor workmanship, really poor. The rust blister I believe isn't actually rust as its too uniform a shape in my opinion but paint lifting away from whats underneath. I would say they haven't prepared your car for paint properly myself. If the existing paint isn't keyed properly then fresh paint will lift away with time by itself or very quickly when washed with a pressure washer for example.

Hi. Im new to the forum but not new to paint work ) - been a painter for 16 years. The "paint missing" from the end of the handles as you put it, is where they have polished through your paintwork, back to the primer. This is very poor workmanship, really poor. The rust blister I believe isn't actually rust as its too uniform a shape in my opinion but paint lifting away from whats underneath. I would say they haven't prepared your car for paint properly myself. If the existing paint isn't keyed properly then fresh paint will lift away with time by itself or very quickly when washed with a pressure washer for example.

Well that sounds promising, as it suggesting poor workmanship. However do I take it up with Skoda, or should I go directly back to the place (Loders Accident Repair, Dorchester, Dorset) who did the work?

When I got the car back, it had to go be in for a replacement boot plastic trim, and the washer jet from the high-level brake light had been pushed in, and the boot had been bolted on off-centre. They did however give me a new "Octavia" letter set, which had been removed by the previous owner of the car.

You should go back to the garage first to complain. If they refuse to rectify it (most will put it right) then, if they did the work on Skoda's behalf (warranty repair) then you could then complain to Skoda and if no joy there try TRADING STANDARDS!!!!

How long is the anti-rust warranty on the Octavia? I thought it was 10 years? Thanks

I had a similar problem on my Octy Estate. I had the rust bubble in exactly the same places as yours and took it back to the dealers I brought it from (Which it 45 miles away) and complained. No problem, booked in and all sorted. A few days later, picked the car up and found a hole had been punched through the boot lid cover on the inside. Also the paint had streatched/pickled over the handle area. Trip back and booked it in again. This time cover was replaced as well as the tailgate being re-sprayed.

A couple of weeks later I noticed the paint pickling again so arranged to go back. In the mean time the wife had brought me personalised plates as a wedding/birthday present.

In taking off the old plates, new holes were found, above the original ones drilled into the tailgate right through a run mark in the paint.

Another 45 mile trip there and the service manager took it to the paint shop and read them the riot act. (Only after I tore him a new hole in his ****.) Eventually they agreed to replace the tailgate.

Nearly 240 miles travelled and hire cars galore, and the excuse for the paint pickling was that whre the handle is lifted, it stretches the paint! So they had put some foam sponge stuff under the handle.

Sorry its war and peace but I was increadibly narked off, so I advise you to go back to your dealer and complain, but make sure they take it back to the paint shop and demand some form of compensation. All I got was a set of filters, but it's better than the 25% they were offering of a service. Not much use when I do it myself.

Jesus, you were waffled at too! Paint pickles when its still soft and a fresh layer is put over the top. Paint, when still fresh, is solvent sensitive so when it comes into contact with a strong solvent - paint thinners in this case, it softens back up and moves around underneath the new layer. Its amazing the **** that garages dream up to baffle or fob off their customers!

I went in to see the body shop manager, and they have said they will respray, if I pay for a new boot handle trim and it to be painted. I am waiting for them to send me the quote.... Another dealer said about £20 for the trim, and about £50 for the painting. I expect the body shop will try and stiff me for a lot more paint....

Why do you need to buy a boot handle trim? Is that them trying to sell you stuff or do you need one anyway?

Why do you need to buy a boot handle trim? Is that them trying to sell you stuff or do you need one anyway?

Apparently there is a gasket of some form on the back of it which has degraded. Thus the plastic is rubbing on the paintwork and cauusing wear away. I was wondering about letting the bodyshop redo the boot, and then for me to take the trim off and make my own gasket and then reassemble. Cost to me - a bit of my time, but that way the body shop can't pass any of the bill back to me.

Does this appear to be the case as it sounds like horse **** to me. For it to rub it would have to be loose in the first place to move enough to rub through paint or be quite flexible - which it isn't. For example, older shape Ford Focus have a problem with the door mirrors. The base of the mirror is triangular and cant be pulled in completely flat and tight. Therefore body vibration causes the bottom corner to vibrate and rub through the paint. This problem DOES happenon somecars where the boot handle is bolted direct to the tail gate with no rubber fitted but unless your rubber is degraded all the way around the handle then I don't see how the plastic can make contact with the paint.

I agree with bigtaff, that is absolute c-r-ap.

If you are worrying about the workmanship, insist that you take it to a bodyshop you trust and send them the bill. With that being said, you should give the original the opportunity to rectify. But it shouldn't cost a compete handle set just for a rubber/foam gasket.

Also by doing the gasket yourself your left wide open. They can tell you that, if the problem persists, it is your fault due to ill fitting of the gasket etc, and will refuse to warranty the work they have done.

Make a nuscience of yourself man, get it finished properly. There are too many paintshops out there turning round cars quickly with a pants job rather than taking the extra day to make sure its finished properly.

Edited 9 February, 200917 yr by Gingercop
Wanted to add an extra paragraph

Long should one wait after the respray before the garage put the trim back on?

On a futher inspection of the car yesterday the paint has gone all "white" in at least 4 places. At each end of the trim (as per previous pictures) and again twice underneath - when looking up at the numberplate lights - will try anbd take some more pictures.

What adds to additional confusion for me is that this was not an issue until after the respray took place - so it is likely that when the bodyshop put the trim back on they totally knackered the gasket?

Good quality paint is hard after a 30 minute bake at 60 degrees but fitting up should be after a hour or so after the car is out of the oven to ensure complete hardness. The gasket may well have been damaged by them, yes - there aren't always up to being put on and taken off repeatedly. The white area's could be where the frost has got at the paint - a sure sign of low grade paint - but I say maybe! Without seeing it I can't be accurate, sorry. Pictures would help for sure.

Link to initial pictures, taken back on 19th Jan:

Centre rust bubble:

http://www.matthewames.co.uk/briskoda/20090119_tailgate/P1010803.JPG

Right end of handle:

http://www.matthewames.co.uk/briskoda/20090119_tailgate/P1010804.JPG

Left end of handle:

http://www.matthewames.co.uk/briskoda/20090119_tailgate/P1010805.JPG

Although the marks have grown even larger now :-(

Do you clean your car regularly? Reason I ask is that because the original pictures show thin paint, if you clean it well and regularly you will be cutting the paint back more - hence why they have grown. If not then this is impossible as your pictures definitely show thin paint and it wont get thinner without rubbing it or sanding it.

i wash the car every couple of weekends normally. I use a bucket and sponge. As I seem to recall they just suddenly appeared shortly after Christmas.

Bucket and sponge wont cause any harm, its more the "T-Cut" products of this world that cause the damage. Can't understand how they have got bigger UNLESS its the damp getting underneath the paint in the broken surface area's - i.e where the garage has sanded through the clearcoat and metallic down to the primer.

Bucket and sponge wont cause any harm, its more the "T-Cut" products of this world that cause the damage. Can't understand how they have got bigger UNLESS its the damp getting underneath the paint in the broken surface area's - i.e where the garage has sanded through the clearcoat and metallic down to the primer.

Definately no t-cut action going on. I might have possibly once or twice polished the car over the winter months with some turtle car polish stuff, but that is not the same as t-cut :-) Generally a bit damp in the atmosphere for such activities, plus I have an endless list of other things to fix on the house!

I'll try and take some more pictures tonight when I get home (cameras not allowed to be used at work) and post them up.

Next batch of pictures - looks like the marks are growing to me. :(

http://www.matthewames.co.uk/briskoda/20090210_tailgate/P1010862.JPG

http://www.matthewames.co.uk/briskoda/20090210_tailgate/P1010863.JPG

http://www.matthewames.co.uk/briskoda/20090210_tailgate/P1010865.JPG

http://www.matthewames.co.uk/briskoda/20090210_tailgate/P1010867.JPG

http://www.matthewames.co.uk/briskoda/20090210_tailgate/P1010868.JPG

http://www.matthewames.co.uk/briskoda/20090210_tailgate/P1010869.JPG

I have very similar marks each end of the boot trim on mine, the paint has been worm off and there is rust. Not aware that the tailgate has been resprayed, so maybe a common fault and not the best fit on the trim?