Paint quality - ocean blue metallic

Faults and Technical chat for the Kia Niro
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djbobbins
Posts: 132
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2017 7:57 pm

Post by djbobbins »

I have done about 16,000 miles in the 11 months since I got my Niro2.

In this time it has picked three or four scuffs in the paintwork (but fortunately no panel dents) from inconsiderate people opening their doors in car parks; galling but not practically within my control.

What I do find concerning is the number of small scratches which have appeared on the car and where the base coat of paint is showing through, but which don't seem to polish out. These look like the result of minor issues (twigs in the verge, slightly careless passing by with a bag or a dangling key) rather than malicious gouges from a deliberate keying. Having had lease cars previously where I covered, respectively, 57,000 miles in three years and 83,000 miles in just over four years, neither suffered with this type of mark during their entire lease period, which makes me think it is a paint quality issue on my current car - has anyone else noticed something similar?

h2onorth
Posts: 174
Joined: Thu Nov 24, 2016 6:19 pm

Post by h2onorth »

Hi djbobbins . I have the artic grey and whilst unable to compare your minor scratches with mine I tend to agree in your summary. My worst marks are both front lower corner panels, at bumper height, where a parker has grazed across the front of my car removing top coat on the projecting edge!. Probably depends on quality of previous cars you have had but mine were Hyundai, Suzuki and Seat. Think Seat was best of mine but they all cut costs these days. In your experience do these bag / coat scratches get mentioned at PCP handover?
h2onorth
djbobbins
Posts: 132
Joined: Fri Mar 03, 2017 7:57 pm

Post by djbobbins »

I don't know about PCP handover; I am fortunate that my car is on a lease through my employer, who hitherto at least seems to take a pragmatic view that a four year old car with 80,000 miles on the clock isn't going to look showroom fresh.

My previous two lease cars were a Mazda 5 (metallic burgundy colour) and a Skoda Yeti (metallic grey). I know that both of those did get occasional scrapes (protruding tree branches, kids in the street shuffling past on bikes) but what was different was that those marks polished out, to the untrained eye at least.

What I did find interesting (and now, in retrospect, feels worrying regarding the Kia) is that when I returned my Yeti last year, I thought there was only one mark of note on the body - a chip on one of the rear arches from a car park door ding. However, the inspection report when it went to BCA for selling into the trade listed a whole load of marks. I therefore fear what they would have to say about the Niro in another three years' time, if the last 11 months are anything to go by.
dmrodgers
Posts: 34
Joined: Sun Nov 05, 2017 4:51 pm
Location: East Riding of Yorkshire

Post by dmrodgers »

Have a six month old Niro 4 in Graphite which has done some 4000 miles and have noticed a number of small pit marks on the front bumper especially around the corner edges where the base undercoat is showing through. As previosly noted these will not polish out and look like they have been caused by bits of small debris being throw up from the car in front. Never had this issue with previous ownership of Sportage models so one must question the qaulity of Kia paint currently being applied to cars.
MY18 Niro 4 Graphite
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