[lockem]

Besides the potential for a production line issue with the hood (see post 14), is it possible that aluminum is the problem? Over 100 years ago Henry Ford introduced pre-processing the steel sheet that is stamped into body panels so that there is tension between the core and skin of the sheet metal (similar to glass tempering, this is a heat treatment that is not uniform through the thickness of the metal). This pre-processing step (I presume done as standard practice now at the mill) reduces waviness in the finished metal, greatly reducing the cost of producing a good paint finish on the metal. Is it possible to do the same thing with aluminum? I do not know, but I suspect not.

Also, I suspect that the hood skin is attached to the hood frame the same way as door skins are attached to the door frame: it is crimped on around the outside edge. This process also has some potential to telegraph deformation onto the panel.

 

[QuadriFormaggi]

Just don’t look too closely at your right rear quarter panel…

 

[lockem]

Just don’t look too closely at your right rear quarter panel…

Or the front of the curve for the rear tail light indentation in the right rear quarter panel. It doesn't quite match the shape of the tail light. Steel versus plastic, you figure out which is going to win. Your tail light is probably cracked on its front edge.

Or was that what you were referring to?

 

[QuadriFormaggi]

Or the front of the curve for the rear tail light indentation in the right rear quarter panel. It doesn't quite match the shape of the tail light. Steel versus plastic, you figure out which is going to win. Your tail light is probably cracked on its front edge.

Or was that what you were referring to?

Am I crazy? Does anyone else have this in their quarter...

I know the photos are almost impossible to make out what I’m seeing with my own eyes, but is this normal in the stamping of the right quarter panel? It’s a 2-3” tall rectangle spanning from the taillight almost to the edge of the rear door. I noticed it when walking past the car last night and I...

www.giuliaforums.com

 

[Vivaldino]

What does your dealer say about the overspray? There shouldn't be any overspray on a new car unless it was damaged and repaired during transit. (That's more common than dealers would like you to know). Which NY dealer did you get it from?

What does your dealer say about the overspray? There shouldn't be any overspray on a new car unless it was damaged and repaired during transit. (That's more common than dealers would like you to know). Which NY dealer did you get it from?

When it comes to car problems, the dealer is blind, deaf, and has all the associated disabilities. They probably get good training to be like that. Well, Alfa Rosso is non-metallic, and I can only see O.S. at night and from certain angles when the street lights are on. My parking lot has the highest-beaming LED lights, and the car looks shiny as it should, and the same in broad daylight. However, the overspray is on the roof, above the rear door and the gas lid cover. There are some posts with pictures. The overspray on my car looks very similar, especially on the gas lid cover. I used a clay bar and some light polish to remove it. I'm not sure if I did; I don't see it during the daytime. The dealer I went to is Gold Coast, and I never talked to them about the overspray but talked to them about other issues. They didn't sound enthusiastic to help, and when they gave me the appointments after 3–4 months to just diagnose the issue, I said screw it, I don't have time for this. For now I'm driving on a spring mattress, with the sound of a failed wheel bearing and perpetually whistling AC fan.

 

[johnalfa]

Can you try another dealer?

 

[Vivaldino]

Can you try another dealer?

Of course I can, but can I trust them? I went for a regular oil change, and I got the slight dent (5" diameter) in the middle of the hood. I noticed it 3 weeks later, when it would be too late to go and claim they did it. Cost me $120 to fix. There is another dealer in Westbury, but it is about 30 miles away, and the Manhattan dealer is actually one I would avoid. I went to Gold Coast, and there was a guy with a lemon car complaining how Manhattan Dealership was dragging their feet to help and eventually the sent him to Gold Coast.That said, I might go to Westbury when I need to renew an inspection, or that noise will drive me nuts.