[vsathyap]

Hi All,

I am posting here on behalf of my good friend who is heartbroken after he discovered a few "spots" on the dashboard of his relatively new Baleno.

Here's what happened - he had given the car for an interior cleanup at 3M Car Care (JP Nagar Bangalore) and on receiving the car, he found lots of white spots on the dashboard of the baleno. On enquiring, he found out that the 3M staf cleaning the glass of his car had accidentally spilt/sprayed some chemical over the dash and that has caused the stains. From the pics, it looks like they have tried to wipe it off (see the trails) but it was too little, too late.

Obviously, my buddy was aghast and angry at the carelessness of the 3M CC folk and demanded a cleanup of the spots. However, whatever they tried, the stains would not go away.

After all this, the 3M folk have offered to do a PVC paint job (not sure of the exact terminology here - but I can ask for more details in some time) over the dash to cover up the spots as a remedial measure and as an apology from their end.

Attaching the pics of the stains below. Excuse the quality - taken from a mobile.






Here are my friend's concerns:

1. What is this PVC Paint coating thing?
2. Is it going to look bad/odd/out of place on the dahsboard?
3. What are the effects of sun/heat/UV exposure on this paint? Wont it start cracking up/peeling off over time, leading to an even uglier dashboard?
4. What are the other options? Any other remedies to patch those stains?
5. Any other expert advice/opinions?

Note to Mods: I'm not sure where exactly this thread would come under - please move to an appropriate section if necessary.

[AbhiJ]

Originally Posted by vsathyap

I am posting here on behalf of my good friend who is heartbroken after he discovered a few "spots" on the dashboard of his relatively new Baleno.

I dont know enough about the PVC paint thing but might be able to help with recovery of the damage.

Query:
What were the 3M guys using? The stains tell me it was a strong solvent, acetone, xylene or something. If yes, were they even supposed to using that in the car?

Possible fix:

Take some rubbing compound like the ones used for correcting car paint (Even brasso / non gel toothpaste would do)

try buffing just one of the stains gently with your finger. Does it dissappear / lighten?

[el lobo 6061]

Originally Posted by AbhiJ

Query:
What were the 3M guys using? The stains tell me it was a strong solvent, acetone, xylene or something. If yes, were they even supposed to using that in the car?

Even I have same doubt. What exactly was 3M Car Care centre using for glass.

Any normal glass cleaner wouldn't harm the dashboard to such extent. It certainly has to be some other product being used for something other than glass.

One 3M Car Care centre franchise near my place was closed down by 3M when company found out that fake products were used.

[AbhiJ]

Originally Posted by el lobo 6061

Even I have same doubt. What exactly was 3M Car Care centre using for glass.

Any normal glass cleaner wouldn't harm the dashboard to such extent. It certainly has to be some other product being used for something other than glass.

One 3M Car Care centre franchise near my place was closed down by 3M when company found out that fake products were used.

They are supposed to use a de greaser, but usually its a plastic friendly iso propyl alcohol/ rubbing alcohol (That too diluted)

Seems like they were using some thinner or strong solvent.

[samaspire]

Originally Posted by vsathyap

After all this, the 3M folk have offered to do a PVC paint job (not sure of the exact terminology here - but I can ask for more details in some time) over the dash to cover up the spots as a remedial measure and as an apology from their end.

If they are really apologetic, then ask them to bear the cost of replacing the dashboard.

[centaur]

Looks like, whatever that thing is, it completely bleached the places where the spots have fallen and to do that, the compound would be extremely strong IMHO. It's a heartbreak to see such damages on a new car. I too feel that they should bear the expenses for the dashboard replacement. They dont come in that cheap and they should realise that their mistakes would be costly to them too.

They say that it's cheaper to learn from someone else's mistake and one thing which I learn from your friends unfortunate experience is - "Never ever leave the car out of your sight at these detailing/service centers, no matter how good a reputation and experienced staff they have." Be with your car like a shadow till the treatment/service has been done and take it back with you.

[GTO]

That looks awful. My heart goes out to your friend.

It is 3M's mistake and they must pay the price. Visit the authorised workshop and see if they have a solution. It could be a lucky visit. If not, get a quotation of a new dashboard from them. Also visit a top detailer in Bangalore (e.g. Ultimate Detailers) & see if they have a fix.

Please also get in touch with Interior Glo (related thread) for advice. They are masters of interior restoration.

I don't usually recommend a legal recourse, but in this case, it might be necessary. Sue them in the consumer court. You will get the cost of a new dashboard + your legal expenses covered. They goofed up - transfer your friend's heartache to them.

In the meantime, your friend could also try a dashboard cover, dashboard paint, carbon fibre sticker & the like. Please search the forum - there are threads on these topics.

Dash Paint

Interior Mods

[Jaggu]

Since the car is in BLR ask the store to escalate and get access to 3M directly, they have an R&D facility with good local presence here. Maybe the team will have some way to clean it, worth a try before getting into painting and all.

Edit: Try mailing Gopakumar https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/intro...ml#post1855460 (Hi this is GOPA from bangalore (A 3M'er))

[greenhorn]

I got my dashboard painted after my tasc screwed up during some accident repair bodywork. It looked good but after several years, some of the highly used areas like the glove box handle etc have the paint coming off.

Still i was not a big fan of the grey indica interiors available then and liked the black painted version much better

[vsathyap]

UPDATE:

3M got the car's dashboard repainted with some "PU Coating" and the end result seems OK. Attaching a pic of the job for reference:



My friend tried to see and identify what was there in the glass cleaner that caused the spots, but he couldn't - since the liquid came in a bulk-use container (like those cooking oil cans) and did not have any sticker/label on it.

As of now, the dashboard seems to be restored with the PU Coating (which incidentally was carried out at Sai Colorium and not by 3M!!!). My friend seems to be OK with the PU job and like all of us, he's just happy to have his car back with him (don't we all love that feeling!?!?! )

As a consolation, 3M offered to do a complimentary Paint Protection Film installation around the door handles, apart from bearing the cost of the PU paint job.

I'll update more details/pics as my friend shares them with me.

[//M6]

Originally Posted by vsathyap

UPDATE:

3M got the car's dashboard repainted with some "PU Coating" and the end result seems OK. Attaching a pic of the job for reference:

That looks like a brand new dashboard now. A good gesture from them to throw in Paint Protection Film but ask your friend to get a note from the shop owner about the warranty of this job. The damage was to the top portion of the dash which gets expose to Sun very easily and this paint job may show some adverse effect of the same.

[BenjiRoss]

Good that they have done something. However as others have pointed out this may not last the distance. Get a written assurance that they will reassess the dash every year and repeat the treatment if it shows significant fading or wear.

[motorguy]

Bringing up this old thread again.

Mods - please relocate this thread if you feel it doesnt belong here.

I had scratched (scuffed) my Eon dashboard when installing a mobile phone holder. Stupidly I forgot to place a tower on the dashboard to prevent scratches..

Anyway - though of using black shoe polish and carefully applying a little on the scratch but i didn't have any . Since our help cooks with wood fires, it suddenly struck me to use the black (not gray) ash from a burnt wood piece. Put the black ash on my finger and rubbed it on the scratch (its a black dash). The scratch disappeared.

The flip side of course is if you wipe the dash with a wet cloth, the scratch becomes visible, but simply wiping it with a dry cloth does not.

Have any of you guys used shoe polish? Would like to get your advice before trying it on the scratch to make it a more permanent (?) solution.

[dark.knight]

Originally Posted by motorguy

Have any of you guys used shoe polish? Would like to get your advice before trying it on the scratch to make it a more permanent (?) solution.

Wouldn't permanent marker pen in black colour be a more elegant, semi-permanent, and less-odorous alternative to shoe polish of all things? Should get one for about 100 bucks. Also sunlight should bake the colour in over a course of time and if at all it does fade away another line with the marker is all that is needed. Do be aware that sometimes even the black shade might have a dark-blueish effect.. depends on the quality of marker though as I use a lot of them in office.

[motorguy]

Originally Posted by dark.knight

Wouldn't permanent marker pen in black colour be a more elegant, semi-permanent, and less-odorous alternative to shoe polish of all things? Should get one for about 100 bucks. Also sunlight should bake the colour in over a course of time and if at all it does fade away another line with the marker is all that is needed. Do be aware that sometimes even the black shade might have a dark-blueish effect.. depends on the quality of marker though as I use a lot of them in office.

I finally got shoe polish and a sponge. Put very little polish on a piece of sponge and sponged it into the scratch (its about less than a centimeter). The polish has hidden the scratch very well (wiping with a wet cloth may remove it, but you can easily cover it again!). Didn't use permanent market because the dash is not pitch black but rather grey-black so didnt want to risk putting a line which could be visible and cannot be removed at all.

Tried wiping the shoe polish on the scratch with a dry cloth and it seems it has dried into the dash.