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UPDATE: Martin Automotive Group Damages my new CTS V Coupe

12K views 80 replies 34 participants last post by  hulksdaddy 
#1 · (Edited)
Earlier I shared with the community details on how my dealer, Martin Automotive Group, damaged the paint on my brand new Cadillac CTS V Coupe purchased December 29th, 2012. Since that time the car has been at the dealership for nearly 3 weeks in an attempt to correct damage done to my car by this dealer.

You can read the first two links for background on how Martin Automotive Group damaged my new CTS V Coupes black paint.

Original Thread: http://www.cadillacforums.com/forum...on/281662-dealer-damages-my-new-vs-paint.html
Interim Thread: http://www.cadillacforums.com/forum...otos-martin-cadillac-beverly-hills-700-a.html

Link to Yelp reviews for Martin Automotive Group

After damaging my new cars paint Martin Automotive Group agreed to replace all of the black chrome they damaged in the process of creating deep swirl marks and holographing in my brand new CTS V Coupe’s black paint. They also agreed to pay an independent detail house specializing in paint restoration to remove damage they did to my cars paint when they were done replacing damaged black chrome with new black chrome. I dropped my car off at the dealer on 3/4/13 to have the black chrome replaced as well as the powder-coated rim they damaged replaced. I made a special point to let the dealer know that under no circumstances were they to touch my cars paint, not even to wash the car and that they were forbidden to take a wheel or any power tools to the paint as this was to be handled by an independent third party of my choosing. They agreed to my terms and promised not to touch the paint or to detail the paint in any way. While the car was in their care I called on two separate occasions to confirm they were not detailing or washing my cars paint as I did not want them to further damage or weaken my cars already taxed clear coat. Bruce Benning the head of the service department and Pierre my service adviser both assured me they were not touching the paint.

The work was to be completed by the end of the week 3/8/13. On Friday the 8th I received a call telling me that they needed the car over the weekend as some of the black chrome pieces were taking longer to get back from the plater then anticipated. Then on Monday the 11th I was told the car would not be done until Wednesday or Thursday the 14th. Late Thursday March 14th my service adviser Pierre called to inform me the car would not be finished until Friday the 15th or Monday the 18th and that he would call and let me know when the car would be ready to pick up.

At this point I know something is wrong so I drive over to the dealer Friday morning March 15th. When I get there I ask Pierre to show me my car. He seemed unclear where the car is and calls around to find its location and asks "did someone call you to come and get you car?". He appears to be stalling and informs me the car is “in the back”. When I ask if he will take me to my car he tells me he is waiting for someone to assist us. I immediately walk to the back of the service department and eventually find my car in the detail shop where my car was in the process of being polished with the drivers side window down. The car has wet polish and swirl patterns where the polish is still moist. A few minutes later Pierre shows up and tells me the car was only polished “by hand”. He even calls the detailer over who insists he never took a wheel to my car. Around this time Bruce the head of the service department shows up and insists the car did not have the wheel taken to the paint. I then show both Bruce and Pierre wheel patterns in the still wet polish and they act surprised and call the General Manager to talk with me.

When the GM arrives I show him the polish and wheel patterns in the paint in violation of our agreement and he acts surprised. He then calls the detailer over who shows us what he used on my car- an electric polisher with a wheel. The GM then looks me dead in the eye and tells me the tool they used was not a “wheel”. I inform the General Manager whose name escapes me that I will under no circumstances take delivery of this car and that they must replace it with a new CTS V Coupe to which he informs me, “this is why we have attorneys”.

While driving home from the dealer in my ’09 Escalade I call General Motors customer service and finally get through to the 4th service specialist to handle my case. He informs me there is little else GM can do to assist me. He does however tell me my complaint with Martin Automotive Group will be “duly noted”.

I have no idea if Martin Automotive repainted portions of my car over the past two weeks while the car was in their care. I know they repainted portions of the front drivers side corner panel above the left front wheel the first time I brought the car to them to fix their mess so it would not surprise me. I also feel that at this point the clear coat is compromised and that the life of my paint will be shorter than it would be had they had not taken a wheel to the paint in the first place. Perhaps after examining the car they realized the professional detail would conclude the paint was beyond repair in spots? I can only speculate at this point why they reneged on their promise to only replace the black chrome and rim before letting a professional detailer fix the paint at their expense.

At this point I will not accept a ten-week old car that has been at the dealer for three weeks, had its paint polished 3 times with electric polishing tools to the point of destroying the black chrome and damaging the clear coat, has been repainted in places, and will need a 4th go around with abrasive polish to correct problems created by the dealer while further weakening the clear coat lessening the life span of my new car's paint. I bought a new car and paid a new car price for a car I intend to hold on to for 20 years. I did not buy a used car nor did I pay a used car price. I certainly did not purchase a project car when I bought a new CTS V Coupe on December 29th, 2012.

What is clear is that Martin Automotive Group damaged my new CTS V’s paint and then lied to cover up their mistakes. And though it’s too late now, it's clear they had zero intention of paying the independent detail house to correct my paint as they promised they would do.

As the General Manager of Martin Automotive Group has escalated this matter to a legal issue, If anyone has recommendations on how to move forward with a law suite as well as any other measures I can bring to bear against Martin Automotive Group, I would love to hear from you. In fact any recommendations at all will be much appreciated.

Link to photos taken on 3/15/13 at Martin Automotive Group showing they detailed my car a third time in violation of our agreement: http://s1290.beta.photobucket.com/user/TWD333/library/
 
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#72 ·
im still torn on this issue.

The dealer could have diffused the situation but handled it poorly.
On the other hand- going to court will be tough. You will have to prove there is "damage" to the paint. You will have to bring in an expert, who is giving his opinion, to describe why the car cant just be detailed and needs to be repainted or replaced. So long as the dealer has offered to make things right by having their detailers attempt to clean the car up I don't feel they are doing anything wrong in the eyes of the law.

its like telling your insurance company you want a new car because the fender got hit, sucks but these things happen.
 
#73 ·
I think he will just need 2 or 3 estimates to prove how much it will cost. From what I have read it had been at the dealer numerous times and this last time for weeks. That should be enough to show that the dealer is incompetent to fix it. Besides, the dealer caused the damage in the first place
 
#74 ·
Call Jumkman to testify!

Look on YouTube....

I don't know how any small claims judge would award you damages on this.. Go small claims, go for maximum amount, have someone professionally detail the car.

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I looked at your pictures. I would have reacted the same way especially on a brand new car. I do however think that from what I saw a professional could fix all of it for about $1000
 
#75 ·
I picked up the car yesterday. While waiting around an hour for the dealer to find the key, I observed my car had a "no wash" ticket on the windshield and was obviously washed and detailed. I am taking the Batmobile to the detailer today to assess the condition of the paint and will report back when i get more info.

I'll say one thing, driving home yesterday and a freeway romp last night, this car is HOOT to drive. So f-ing quick in sport shift mode. Like an uber hot crazy girlfriend, all is forgiven once you get her on the track :)
 
#77 ·
Karch,
Thanks buddy, I'll PM you. I was thinking about a D3 CA and mild throttle body work (that does not void the warranty). Also thinking about the D3 Chassis Stiffening braces. I want the car to be a bit more like my '99 M Coupe in terms of how it subjectively communicates its limits in cornering and throttle response. That said this is an awesome car. I had a blast accelerating around LA freeways last night :)

Hopefully I can get the paint back to like new condition.
 
#78 ·
Karch,
Thanks buddy, I'll PM you. I was thinking about a D3 CA and mild throttle body work (that does not void the warranty). Also thinking about the D3 Chassis Stiffening braces. I want the car to be a bit more like my '99 M Coupe in terms of how it subjectively communicates its limits in cornering and throttle response. That said this is an awesome car. I had a blast accelerating around LA freeways last night :)

Hopefully I can get the paint back to like new condition.
 
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