Help for dealership scratch on new CX-5

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2021 CX-5 Sig
Hi Everyone!

I'm happy to now be a member as I've read the posts on this site just about everyday for the past few months and have found the information helpful as I was in the process of deciding on a SUV to buy.

I bought a `21 CX5 about 1 week ago and I love it; however, when I was doing my walk around, I noticed a scratch about less than an inch on the hood (pics below). I pointed it out to the salesman, who put in writing that I could bring it back to the dealership and the detailer would attempt to fix it by touching it up and if its not done to my liking, they will send it to the Mazda body shop where they'll repaint it and it will look like new. Does anyone have any experience with this? Should I bother to have the detailer try and fix it or should I just get a paint pen to fix it myself. I've read that body shops never match the paint perfectly and repainting affects resale value and when I told my concerns to the salesman, he said they take it to the Mazda body shop where they have the exact paint. This is only my 2nd vehicle ever and I tend to keep it for a long time, as I did with my first (over 13 years). I guess I'm a bit hesitant about the whole body shop thing b/c when my first car (2007 Corolla) was hit, I had Toyota fix it and I can see the paint difference clearly. I prefer not to go to the body shop based on past experience and I don't know if the detailer will put a blob of paint on it during the initial attempt to fix the scratch that will end up being noticeable. I just don't want to end up making my CX5 look worse attempting to fix a minor scratch (my nail doesn't get caught in the scratch but the scratch isn't smooth when I run my nail against it, if that makes sense). I already see swirl marks from when they detailed it before I drove it home.

Any advice you all could give is appreciated. I'm new to all of this!☺
 

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If the scratch is so weak that it disappears visually when you make it wet, then you can polish it off with a good wax, if scratch is a little deeper you need
 
See if they'll knock off $$$$$$
Maybe call a body shop and see if you can get an over the phone guesstimate.
 
When you rub your finger over it can you feel an indentation or is it smooth?
If it's smooth it can be buffed out otherwise if it's down below the clear coat that's another animal.
I'd let the detailer try it unless you have some clause in the contract where you can choose another
vehicle.
 
When you rub your finger over it can you feel an indentation or is it smooth?
If it's smooth it can be buffed out otherwise if it's down below the clear coat that's another animal.
I'd let the detailer try it unless you have some clause in the contract where you can choose another
vehicle.
I feel an indentation when I rub my finger and my nail over it. They tried buffing it when I showed it to them but it didn't work and thats when they said to bring it back in. When I got the vehicle, it was only 1 of 2 in the state in that color and the other was close to 300 miles away and with add ons so I didnt switch it out.
 
I would let the detailer give it a go. If it still isn't satisfactory, I would consider having a body shop attempt to repair it. The most important thing about the repair is not the actual paint they spray (anyone can get that), it's the way it is laid down. Machine grey metallic has a specific process that needs to be followed in order to recreate the OEM paint characteristics as closely as possible. If possible, try to find a dealership that follows the same paint repair process as outlined by PPG here:


I personally have had both sides of my machine grey metallic CX-9 repaired (two separate hit and run incidents). I actually had a Honda dealership body shop repair the damage - they are owned by a corporation that also owns a Mazda dealership. I had the same concerns you did, but they told me that they had done successful paint repairs of this exact colour. The repairs on my car are pretty much an exact match to my eye, but to be fair, my eyes kind of suck 😅.

Express your concerns to the dealership.. if it were me, I'd want to know if they follow PPG's process. If not, I would find another shop and then have the dealership foot the bill for the repair. A small area like that should be an easy repair.. even if the colour is slightly off, it's in a spot that would be hard to notice anyway.
 
If it were me, I would ask the dealer how they plan to fix it and tell them your concerns of repainting and making it worse. It is a brand new car that you paid a lot of money for and it should be perfect. You should not have any stress about your new car! Have THEM fix it to your satisfaction.
 
I would let the detailer give it a go. If it still isn't satisfactory, I would consider having a body shop attempt to repair it. The most important thing about the repair is not the actual paint they spray (anyone can get that), it's the way it is laid down. Machine grey metallic has a specific process that needs to be followed in order to recreate the OEM paint characteristics as closely as possible. If possible, try to find a dealership that follows the same paint repair process as outlined by PPG here:


I personally have had both sides of my machine grey metallic CX-9 repaired (two separate hit and run incidents). I actually had a Honda dealership body shop repair the damage - they are owned by a corporation that also owns a Mazda dealership. I had the same concerns you did, but they told me that they had done successful paint repairs of this exact colour. The repairs on my car are pretty much an exact match to my eye, but to be fair, my eyes kind of suck 😅.

Express your concerns to the dealership.. if it were me, I'd want to know if they follow PPG's process. If not, I would find another shop and then have the dealership foot the bill for the repair. A small area like that should be an easy repair.. even if the colour is slightly off, it's in a spot that would be hard to notice anyway.
Thank you sm1ke!
 
If it were me, I would ask the dealer how they plan to fix it and tell them your concerns of repainting and making it worse. It is a brand new car that you paid a lot of money for and it should be perfect. You should not have any stress about your new car! Have THEM fix it to your satisfaction.
I agree! I talked to the salesman earlier and that's when he told me the detailer would try to paint the scratch and if it still shows, it would be sent to a Mazda body shop where he "guarantees" it would match perfectly and look like new because they have the same paint (machine gray) and its easier to match than the red.
 
⋯ it would be sent to a Mazda body shop where he "guarantees" it would match perfectly and look like new because they have the same paint (machine gray) and its easier to match than the red.
Yeah right ⋯ There’s no way the paint by a body shop here can exactly copy the manufacture’s process of painting on your hood. In other words, if the body shop repaint the hood, it won’t be the same as the factory paint, including durability. As far as I know, the “OEM paint” itself may not even from Japan, but from some US paint manufacturer.

When my CX-5 suffered hail damage twice, I refused the repainting with new body panels and optioned to have the PDR for $7,500 job twice just to save factory paint. If I were you, I’d save the factory paint as long as possible, and take some monetary compensation and be done with it. Of course if I see any such scratch on a new car, I wouldn’t take it at the first place.
 
I had my dealer’s body shop paint my rear passenger door, after someone decided to scrape the entire thing with their car! My car only had 1100 miles on it!

My color is the deep mica blue and it came out perfect. You would never know it was ever painted. They did a great job.
 
or ask for some free accessories as compensation and live with it.
doesnt look so bad at least on the picture. if the clear coat is intact its ok. repaint is always a hit and miss

p.s the is no Mazda shop. Its independent garages that do repaints.
 
p.s the is no Mazda shop. Its independent garages that do repaints.
Yes, there’s no “Mazda body shop”. At most the independent body shop may be owned by the same group or person who owns a Mazda dealer.
 
My color is the deep mica blue and it came out perfect. You would never know it was ever painted. They did a great job.
Once my previous VW Jetta got hail damage and repainted the whole car by a body shop where my VW dealer contracted to. The shop used “factory paint” and the car looked like new after the repaint. Unfortunately after 8 years the silver paint started to fade in several areas. The Jetta became ugly looking and I just had to live with it.
 
I had same experience.
The paint was great match, no drops or orange peels but the clear coat didnt last more than 5 years.

I think no regular body shop can achieve the same longevity and quality as the factory robots thats why I hate re-paints and try to avoid as much as possible. Especially on the cabin.
Bumpers and side fenders are usually plastic nowadays so for those I wouldnt care as much but still :)
 
It turns out that Machine Grey Metallic is a four stage paint, according to the body shop that repaired my son's CX5 after he was rear ended in West Virginia by an old pickup truck. This is a more difficult to apply, and why it costs more. It is a three stage paint job followed by a clearcoat, and a b**** to match according to our body shop, which by the way, did a great job, but required full panel paint jobs. This was the trunk lid, new bumper and a quarter panel.

"Mazda paint code 46G Machine Gray is a special effect gray metallic color that gives the paint a “sculpted from solid steel” appearance. The OEM process utilizes an exotic tri-coat system made up of a black color coat followed by high brightness leafing aluminum layer, then is topped with a clearcoat.

Given this unique clearcoat finish, and its relatively thin film build, the procedure for performing quality repairs of this color differs from PPG's normal waterborne basecoat system process, especially in how the surface is prepped, and how the basecoat is applied.

The repair processes in the videos and technical bulletins below are intended to replicate the OEM finish as closely as possible utilizing products similar to those at the factory."

https://us.ppgrefinish.com/Training/Tech-Tips/Articles-Tips-Videos/Repairing-Mazda-46G-Machine-Gray
 
Never take delivery first and fix later. Never trust a salesman. All they will do is give you the run around. Repaint will never be perfect. Best thing to do is knock the price down and live with it if their detailer cannot remove it.
 
I could bring it back to the dealership and the detailer would attempt to fix it by touching it up and if its not done to my liking, they will send it to the Mazda body shop where they'll repaint it and it will look like new.
Based on your post, I assume you are a detailed/particular/anal person like myself.
If so, DO NOT under any circumstances let the dealership "detailer" or body shop touch your vehicle.

99% of dealership "detailers" are minimum wage hacks.
And no way do you want a body shop touching your car over that small of a scratch.

I would first bring it to a reputable professional detailer to make sure it can't be safely polished out.

Then I would reach out to an independent touch-up person that dealerships use on their used car fleet. Contact some higher end dealerships and ask who they use fur their used car paint touch-ups/refurbishment.
 
How likely is it that you might get another little scratch on the hood?
I was thinking this. That scratch would bug the heck out of me for a few weeks, but after that it would just drift into my deep memory. But for sure, I know that's not true for everyone. But because I'm like that, I'd be leery of any big fixes that could go badly.

My dad had this happen on a chevy cobalt coupe. But he got a deal from a friend of a friend, so he didn't want to rock the boat too much. They did a repair which consisted of a glob of paint to cover the scratch. i guess they figured they'd done us a favor already and it was a base Cobalt so they likely just didnt care. I still loved that car, the car of my younger life!
 
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