05 T4R Ltd V8 - Ever recon minor damage?

[ELonGrad97]

I am sending my new-to-me T4R to a detailer. Here's the story. Traded in my 02 Highlander w/135,00 miles for an unheard of $7645. I had talked the dealer down to $18,500 on the T4R, sight unseen. Upon arriving at the dealership, the T4R was good looking at a glance, but had minor abrasions and marks, especially on the passenger side. Came from Vermont and was turned in off a lease in July. Went to auction, recon'd, and to the dealer. The recon people should be fired. There are crumbs in the vents, spills on the carpets (obviously had kids in the back), dings and scratches...just gross. I just about walked off the lot, but decided to see what the dealer would give me for the Highlander. The deal was too good to pass up. So we're getting it professionally detailed this week. The detailer is next to the company that repaints bumpers for local dealerships, so if he can't wet sand out the abrasions, he'll go next door and have them sand and repaint. Most of the marks are on the plastic panels.

Has anyone ever done anything like this?

 

[tomhaney1]

This is common. The guy I take the cars to for PDR is in the same building as a paint shop. I guess it makes for a convenient racket...

 

[J.A.]

We would need to see pics to assess, but typically if your fingernail catches on the scratches, you would need to wetsand, otherwise buffing can cure it. Now if the scratch is through the clear and into paint/primer, a respray is the only way to fully fix. How much are they charging for a full detail and some wetsanding and what process are they going to use?

 

[tomhaney1]

True but you can also use the Langka paint system with clearcoat and not have to respray. Just wetsand after the process. Saves hundreds...

 

[J.A.]

You can save even more $ by simply blobbing on factory touch up paint, let it cure, wet sand, then buff. It all depends on how many scratches/chips you have and how good you want it to look.

 

[ELonGrad97]

I had the car detailed and painted. The paint was only $125. It looks much better now. There would have been way too much to touch up and wet sand. I did pick up touch up paint for the door frame. The last guy apparently locked his keys in the car and must have jimmied the door open, so the inside in scratched and has some surface rust. It's looking pretty good. I freakin' love driving it! I'm one of those chics who loves trucks, what can I say? My other truck is a Dodge Ram 1500 Hemi (crew cab). Both are fun!