Factory/dealer ceramic coating? Did I get screwed?

So I will claim ignorance on this one... I may be at fault but I want to know if someone has had a similar experience

When I bought my truck in April it was cloudy and evening. When I got it in the garage I noticed water spots. It rained for about 4 days after. Once it dried, I noticed the same spots so I tried to wash it and get them to come off. It appeared as if they were under the clear coat. I took it back and they said “did it rain the day you got your truck?” The answer was no but I thought that was an odd question. He said they do a coating and they would have to take the truck to detail to get the spots out. I did not ask near enough questions. I took it in and they cleaned up the spots. Mind you this is a brand new truck. Again it was cloudy when I picked it up. Once it was in the sun I noticed a few swirl marks but nothing major or worth noting.

Fast forward two months and I have been researching diy ceramic coatings and it got me thinking that must be what they removed.

I bought a truck they had on their lot and did not pay extra for any type of coating. Only add ons for were floor mats and tube steps.

So, what did they take off of my truck. Did I get screwed out of a ceramic coating? If I didn’t pay for it to begin with should I expect them to return the truck to what it was when I bought it? Should I just move on and accept they will never do a job that will meet my high expectations and do it myself?

 

Well if it had ceramic coating on it...I can tell you that stuff is a real bitch get off. The paint has to be perfect before you apply it for precisely this reason.

 

Anything you hear with the words "coating" should be considered snake oil.

 

Strong soap like Dawn have been known to remove it. Pre cleaners will take it off. Ceramic coating is way over priced and way over rated!

 

Salesman made a big deal about who they had to have remove it. It actually ended up being their body shop, which is more expensive than one of their $10/hr detail kids.

 

Remove what? The spots?

It didn't come from Toyota with ceramic, and I'd bet a week's worth of my lunchtime diet Coke that there was no 'ceramic coating' applied at the dealer.

Much more likely they had applied some spray on waxy stuff to make it all shiny, but those $10 kids did it over existing hard water spots.

I'd just start fresh with a clay, polish wax process of your choice. Actually I don't use clay anymore, just a nanoskin autoscrub.

 

My friend bought a F150 with factory wax and it lasted years .

 

Auto Armor, lol.

 

I highly doubt the dealer would put on a ceramic coating for free. Must be some kinda wax or the like which was incorrectly applied. It'll buff out.

 

There has been some info out regarding moisture getting into the clear coat during transport. The white wrap that is put on the vehicles, moisture gets underneath and then leaves cloudy like spots of some sort. I have it on my truck, which is only 3 weeks old.

The servic manager printed off the TSB for me, it calls for heat to a specific range to remove the spots. Someone on here posted about it and used a hair dryer to remove them. I take my truck in on Friday to see if it can be removed. It runs down from passenger side across hood and back up to drivers side glass. It looks like a residue that was left from something. Weird and drives me batty.

I hope thy can get it out.

But perhaps that is what was on your truck?

 

FIFY

'and then the transmission went out.'

 

Water spots are usually calcium build up. I get them when I park near a sprinkler. Calcium neutralizes acid so using a slightly acidic cleaner like vinegar. Going over with a soft vinegar dampened rag will likely remove the spots and make your truck smell great.

 

Been said before, but a word to the wise.. Just say "NO" to any special dealer applied paint coatings. Unless you can research the product & watch a trained professional apply it to your vehicle for "hours" that it must be carefully applied, the answer is No.

 

This could definitely be the answer. Sounds exactly like what was on my truck. Heat makes sense as to why they had to take it to the body shop and not the cheap detail kids. Do you have a copy of the TSB?

Again, I did not and would not have requested any special coating and it was not on any documentation that anything of the sort had been added. That is why I was so confused.

 

Sounds like you got the extra special coating .

 

This sounds likely, something that they're noticing happening a lot off the trucks.

Factory anything 'coated' is just another way to say 'vig'.

 

I met a guy on these forums once who was telling me about ceramic coating from Amazon. Came in a small bottle for like $20. Swore by it.
To me, I don't think it's worth the $500-800 the dealer charges. It's a huge money maker for them.

 

Bought the wife a new Camry in 2013. It's now sitting at just under 80K on the odometer. Had a neighbor over for a BBQ the other day ask me how often I waxed it. To his great surprise, the answer was it hadn't ever been waxed. lol

Don't let bugs build up, hand wash and dry, but I'll pass on the ceramic coating $$$. Wouldn't be interested in one at half the price I see most paying.

 

This ^

 

I tried washing and clay on mine. Didn’t do anything. Even the body shop the dealer took it to couldnt get it out.

If it’s wax then clay should work, but if it’s the moisture issue, it won’t.

OP. I’ll post a pic of the tsb when I get home. Don’t have it on me.