Mitsubishi Endeavor Has Bad Paint

I have a black 2004 Endeavor XLS ... at present, it is less than 3
years old. I noticed a couple of months ago that the paint is
deteriorating rapidly on surfaces that are most exposed to sunlight.

I contacted the Service Department and pretty much got the run-around
for about a month. I finally used the dealership's online web email to
send the a message - I got a call from the IT Department a few days
later.

I spoke to the person in the Body Shop and scheduled an appointment to
have pictures taken. When I arrived, there was another black 2004
Endeavor in the shop with exactly the same paint problems. They told
me Mitsubishi was going to pay for that one, so I guess it had lower
miles - I drive about 600 miles per week, so I've got some miles on
mine, but what does that have to do with paint quality?

The Body Shop Manager and the Service Manager told me that it is a
standing policy at Mitsubishi Motors to intentionally thin the
clear-coat on their automobiles in an attempt to save money up front.
I asked if they are still doing that, and I was told that in fact they
are ... 2000 to 2006 models are still being thinned on the clear-coat.
They said they see people bringing vehicles in all the time - for years
- with the same old problems. Most of the time (to Mitsubishi's favor)
the cars have too many miles on them, by their calculations, and thus,
are not covered. Presto! Mitsubishi has saved no telling how much
money on clear-coat, and the consumer just eats it!

The paint has premature aging and turns a white color ... rapidly
spreading. I was told that the Factory has been 'tweaking' this for a
few years, changing paint vendors, etc., and in my opinion, it seems
that they are attempting to achive a thinning mixture that will start
going bad right about the time the warrantee runs out.

I've been told that Mitsubishi Warrantee is most likely not going to
address my paint problem. Insurance says that is not covered ... so I
have a 3 year old vehicle (bought new) for $550/mo and it looks like it
is about 8 years old and neglected.

Take a look around on the roads ... see what you find. I am now stuck
with this vehicle for who knows how long ... I cannot sell it, cannot
trade it, no one will have it. The value has dropped through the
floor.

I would NOT recommend buying ANY Mitsubishi product now knowing what I
do. People need to speak up now and start documenting this fraudulant
behavior. Consumers buy a car thinking the paint is good - no matter
how much you garage keep it and wax it, it is a matter of time.

I know there are many more people out there with this exact problem. I
see them in the Body Shop ... I see them on the roads ... and the
Dealership (for crying out loud) has even spilled a bag-of-beans on the
whole scheme!

DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY! The Dealership is taking my calls and are
polite, but they say they just sell the cars - it is the Factory's
problem. I'd like to see a class action lawsuit slapped on them for
their intentional defrauding of the consumer.

Post here if you have similar problems with Mitsubishi paint problems.

Aerospace NDE wrote:
> I have a black 2004 Endeavor XLS ... at present, it is less than 3
> years old. I noticed a couple of months ago that the paint is
> deteriorating rapidly on surfaces that are most exposed to sunlight.
>
> I contacted the Service Department and pretty much got the run-around
> for about a month. I finally used the dealership's online web email to
> send the a message - I got a call from the IT Department a few days
> later.
>
> I spoke to the person in the Body Shop and scheduled an appointment to
> have pictures taken. When I arrived, there was another black 2004
> Endeavor in the shop with exactly the same paint problems. They told
> me Mitsubishi was going to pay for that one, so I guess it had lower
> miles - I drive about 600 miles per week, so I've got some miles on
> mine, but what does that have to do with paint quality?
>
> The Body Shop Manager and the Service Manager told me that it is a
> standing policy at Mitsubishi Motors to intentionally thin the
> clear-coat on their automobiles in an attempt to save money up front.
> I asked if they are still doing that, and I was told that in fact they
> are ... 2000 to 2006 models are still being thinned on the clear-coat.
> They said they see people bringing vehicles in all the time - for years
> - with the same old problems. Most of the time (to Mitsubishi's favor)
> the cars have too many miles on them, by their calculations, and thus,
> are not covered. Presto! Mitsubishi has saved no telling how much
> money on clear-coat, and the consumer just eats it!
>
> The paint has premature aging and turns a white color ... rapidly
> spreading. I was told that the Factory has been 'tweaking' this for a
> few years, changing paint vendors, etc., and in my opinion, it seems
> that they are attempting to achive a thinning mixture that will start
> going bad right about the time the warrantee runs out.
>
> I've been told that Mitsubishi Warrantee is most likely not going to
> address my paint problem. Insurance says that is not covered ... so I
> have a 3 year old vehicle (bought new) for $550/mo and it looks like it
> is about 8 years old and neglected.
>
> Take a look around on the roads ... see what you find. I am now stuck
> with this vehicle for who knows how long ... I cannot sell it, cannot
> trade it, no one will have it. The value has dropped through the
> floor.
>
> I would NOT recommend buying ANY Mitsubishi product now knowing what I
> do. People need to speak up now and start documenting this fraudulant
> behavior. Consumers buy a car thinking the paint is good - no matter
> how much you garage keep it and wax it, it is a matter of time.
>
> I know there are many more people out there with this exact problem. I
> see them in the Body Shop ... I see them on the roads ... and the
> Dealership (for crying out loud) has even spilled a bag-of-beans on the
> whole scheme!
>
> DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY! The Dealership is taking my calls and are
> polite, but they say they just sell the cars - it is the Factory's
> problem. I'd like to see a class action lawsuit slapped on them for
> their intentional defrauding of the consumer.
>
> Post here if you have similar problems with Mitsubishi paint problems.

I was talking to a guy at work tonight with the same problem on an '03
Eclipse but he never said if he'd tried to deal with anyone about it.
I don't even know if he bought it new. What a coincidense he mentinons
it the same night you post. He said he'd seen plenty of black mitsus
with the same prob.

Regards,
Chance