Took my car to wash it today, and using the power wash the paint work by the wheel started to flake off. Angry was understatement. I've only had the car 3 weeks but it is a 2006 plate.

I have a years skoda warranty would it cover it? If not, whats the next plan of action.

Any help or guidance would be appreciated.

I doubt that would be covered mainly down to age and then the fact you used a power wash on it.

Pop down to your local paint shop and have it painted or try the Chips away type mobile repair companys it shouldnt cost much.

Thanks. They wouldn't have to paint the whole bumper though?!

ChipsAway will do a local repair - i.e. not the whole bumper.

They are excellent. Should be under £100.

There should be a franchise near you.

Good luck.

Why not try the warranty?Nothing to lose,surely the paint should be able to cope with a pressure washer.

Edited 11 February, 201214 yr by Chris B

if the bumper has been repaired and plastic primer wasn't used the paint will just flake of no problem.

More than likely a resprayed bumper and may not have "keyed" the surface correctly prior to painting.

All the rest of the bumper is fine. How will I know if the bumper has been replaced?

Surely it should come under the skoda warranty if sold to me through a dealer?

There's nothing stopping them selling a repaired car, it might be a spot repair or just the area that was'nt done properly. A decent paintshop will tell, but look at the colour of the paint, look at the edges and check for missing screws. I'd say 99% sure its a repaired bumper.

I'll take it down my local dealer on Monday and see what they say. I didn't buy it from them but hopefully they'll be able to help!!

Don't use chipsway or any mobile restore company as they use substandard clear coat that will look naf after a month or two. You can tell if its been painted by the paint finish. If both bumpers don't have the same clear finish then more then lightly it will have been painted. You can't always go on the colour match as bumpers are usually off colour. I would try the dealers first though as a cheaper option. Where abouts are you?

To me the bumper doesn't look as if it has been repaired or resprayed. Same colour match.

I'm in Swindon.

The colour might be spot-on but the preparation might not have been right, I had the same with a Peugeot I bought 2nd hand a few years ago, jetwash pushed a huge flake off the rear bumper.

When I took it to the bodyshop the owner put some normal masking tape on the bumper and ripped it off, taking even larger chunks of paint with it. He said it hadn't been preped properly.

Shame ur not in Sheffield or I would have offered my services. I would deffo go to the dealer first though. If no joy try small bodyshops and ask to look at some of there work. Keep away from big crash repair centers as they will only take your pants down!!!

I had similar on mine, paint flaking on the bumper......no repairs on mine but mine was 18months old so still under warranty and a £400 bumper respray later it was like new

As has said its a 2006 model and unless it is a Skoda approved warranty you haven't really got any hope of a claim.

Pretty sure thats a replacement bumper or repaired as original paint wouldn,t come off with a pressure washer.

I have skoda approved warranty that came with the car when I bought it 3 weeks ago so hopefully they should be able to do something or am I wishing?!

Don't tell them that you used a pressure washer or they just won't entertain you. And paint dose sometimes flake off genuine bumpers from factory which when we do them are cover by a warranty. How long is skodas paint and body warranty?

Paint warranty is 3 years from first registration and body is 12 years from first registration.

Seeing as you've only had the car three weeks surely your best bet is to go back to the dealer you bought the car from and say how disappointed you are that the paint has flaked off when you washed it. No second hand car warranty is going to cover paint and you're way past the three year Skoda paint warranty so I think you're wasting your time going to a different Skoda dealer.

Well the dealer I bought it from is 80 miles away. Not ideal. I take it to my local one and hope they do it under warranty. If not see how much it is to get it resprayed. If it is too much I'll use chips away in the short term.

You got no chance with the expired warranty, better to use SOGA against supplying dealer.

Thanks for all your help and advice everyone. Skoda warranty doesn't cover paintwork only body work unfortunately. Bit of a bummer, don't think the dealer will help either- grrr.

Good thing is it will only cost about £100 to fix.

You should really take it back to the dealer you bought it from, having the problem after only 3 weeks you have preety good grounds. If the car has been tidied up to go on the forecourt which is very common other parts may have been done, if they start failing in a few months you will have less of a case against the original dealer. As for not using a pressure wash thats tosh, what do the dealers use to clean your car when its serviced !!!! If you cant face going back at least make him aware of what you have had to do, take pictures & get the bodyshop repairing it to put in writing what the problem is & copy that to the dealer. If more problems develop whilst you have less of a leg to stand on the initial problem is documented & its better than nothing

You should really take it back to the dealer you bought it from, having the problem after only 3 weeks you have pretty good grounds.

+1, you already have the photo's, if you can't justify a 160 mile round trip then a 10 minute email might get you a result...