I need the unbiased opinions from fellow owners. Below you will find some pictures of what I believe to be a paint defect on my new Octavia.

There area concerned is very small and not noticeable until you know it is there. I never spotted this when I collected the car, indeed it was a few weeks when I was washing it when I first noticed it.

I won't tell you what Skoda has said as I don't want to sway anyone's opinions.

Being black paint it is difficult to get decent pictures as the reflection plays havoc but hopefully the pics show it and I will describe it:

There are three visible (maybe a fourth which the camera picks up) lumps under the paint. They are lumps and not dents. Two of the lumps have a crazed pinnacle whilst the third largest lump has a bit of paint missing where it has cracked. Also the surround paint raises up slightly leading to the lumps which you can see when you move your head around and the light catches it.

The lumps are in a diagonal line, and all three cover a line only a few mm long with maybe 2 mm between each lump and I would say the actual size of the lumps are comparable to the very end of a knitting needle (not pin sharp but slightly rounded if you see what I mean).

The area concerned is above the drivers door, towards the windscreen and just away from the rain channel.

Can anyone suggest what they might be? I have yet to take the car to any independent paint specialists but that is my next job. In the meantime I thought I'd see what your comments are.

Let me guess they said it was bird ****.... :( From the last pic it looks like it got a smack with the look of the deformation around it.

Let me guess they said it was bird ****.... :( From the last pic it looks like it got a smack with the look of the deformation around it.

Nope, not bird mess. If only it was that simple!

Don't forget the area is raised and is no way dented - difficult for the pics to show that!

Nope, not bird mess. If only it was that simple!

Don't forget the area is raised and is no way dented - difficult for the pics to show that!

Excess weld ???? that or else rust

Looking at the lift around the periphery, I would hazard a guess that there is some sort of inclusion underneath, or maybe a poorly finished in factory panel rework.

Chris

TBH I thought it looked like welds - I was thinking on the lines of the robot arm 'skittering' as it pulled away, as the greatest damage is closest to the rain channel and then gets progressively less.

Also the welder would briefly 'grip' the metal, pulling it up and causing the deformation.

I did a bit of internet research and a pic of weld splatter looked very similar.

I won't tell you just yet what Skoda said it was and what they will do about it.....

I did a bit of internet research and a pic of weld splatter looked very similar.

I won't tell you just yet what Skoda said it was and what they will do about it.....

But, surely, weld spatter would not cause that amount of local deformation :confused:

But, surely, weld spatter would not cause that amount of local deformation :confused:

I don't know as I'm not an expert, I only see what I see! It looks too uniform in the way all the bumps line up and are evenly spaced. Whatever it is, it is bugging the heck out of me.....

Let me guess, they are staying you have done something or used something that you shouldn't have on it and that it is your fault and you have to fix it. Or reading between the lines, they dont want to have to put it into the bodyshop at their expence.

Let me guess, they are staying you have done something or used something that you shouldn't have on it and that it is your fault and you have to fix it. Or reading between the lines, they dont want to have to put it into the bodyshop at their expence.

You are getting warmer....

No doubt you will get fobbed of with some excuse, But as that is a brand new car

and you obviously havent done it they should repair it with good grace and be grateful your not asking for your money back,

Did they say that you used a rotary polisher at too high a speed and that the paint has blistered as a result?

I may as well say what Skoda said.

Stone chips.

The dealer just refered it to Skoda and is having nothing to do with the issue. Skoda had a paint specialist inspect it and he said stone chips.

Can someone explain to me how a stone can hit the paintwork in 3/4 places, within mm of each other and in a straight line, and then cause the paint to bubble up from underneath?

Skoda had a paint specialist inspect it and he said stone chips.

Can someone explain to me how a stone can hit the paintwork in 3/4 places, within mm of each other and in a straight line, and then cause the paint to bubble up from underneath?

Skoda chappie must be watching too many paranormal programs on TV

I may as well say what Skoda said.

Stone chips.

The dealer just refered it to Skoda and is having nothing to do with the issue. Skoda had a paint specialist inspect it and he said stone chips.

Can someone explain to me how a stone can hit the paintwork in 3/4 places, within mm of each other and in a straight line, and then cause the paint to bubble up from underneath?

Just take the #uckers to small claims court. Makes my blood boil. Let a court decide whose fault it is .... GRRRRR

I expect my next step is to visit a few local paint shops and ask them if they would be happy to send me a confirmation email of what they think it is. Then I'll go back to Skoda UK with an ultimatum. If this doesn't work I suppose it would be places like What Car? etc.

How do I go about getting a specialist to look at it and I wonder what the cost is?

Or do I get Skoda to get their guy or one of his collegues to have a second look - trouble is would this be unbiased as it's the same firm.

The only other thing Skoda did say in their letter that it may have been a "third party" who caused the damage - standard cop out I suppose but either way unless I could shrink myself small enough to burrow under the paintwork and push up the paint from underneath, that damage was their when the car was built.

Stone chips :rofl: don't they normally cause a "chip" in the paint, come on, surely they can come up with better than that.

Good old Skoda, really have no ******* clue these days.

Perhaps they meant crinkle cut stone chips, just out of the deep fryer?

The intense heat of the chip oil might cause the paint to blister?

Go to a local, industry affiliated, insurance approved bodyshop and pay if needs be for a report. Then take them to small claims court for the repair costs and your report costs if they still refuse to put it right and refund you your out of pocket expenses.

I may as well say what Skoda said.

Stone chips.

The dealer just refered it to Skoda and is having nothing to do with the issue. Skoda had a paint specialist inspect it and he said stone chips.

Can someone explain to me how a stone can hit the paintwork in 3/4 places, within mm of each other and in a straight line, and then cause the paint to bubble up from underneath?

they probably think you have touched the area up and 'blobbed' the paint on?

Did this one get resolved mate ?

Nope, still ongoing. The dealer forgot to inform Skoda there was a paint issue so that delayed everything by 2 months. They then asked for a photo, then a paint inspection. Cutting a long story short, two letters to Skoda, two letters back from Skoda and they are adament it is a stonechip or something caused by a third party. And they will not let me look at the paint inspection report due to "data protection" (see my current thread about a trade-in value). What the DPA has to do with it I don't know.

Well if Skoda say it's only a stone chip I can pay a few quid to Chipsaway or whoever. But if when it comes to the repair it is something else I'll be gunning for someone.

So in summary, nice car, let down by Skoda and their dealer.

have you been to your local trading standards ?