Damaged Paint on Calipers After Brake Job

[terapr0]

So I just got my 2011 M3 back from its 24K service and noticed the paint on all 4 of my calipers had been badly chipped in several locations. I realize the 24K includes a minor brake job, but do you guys think this can be done without tearing off huge chunks of paint? Is my frustration unreasonable? I'm not familliar enough with the process to say wether it not it could be done without damage to the paint.

Had the calipers painted less than 1yr ago at Simply Tire, and they were in perfect condition when I brought it in - no chips or cracks whatsoever. Anyone who's had theirs painted at Simply Tire knows that Allen and his guys do a very thorough job, and use high quality paint...this wasn't a crappy job that would have flaked off easily - it was on there solid.

I know I'm going to have to pay to get them re-painted now, what I'm wondering is how hard I should push on the dealership for some type of compensation. Is the damage shown here the result of negligent or overly aggressive work, or is this what I should expect any time someone touches my brakes?

pics:
http://www.tohellandback.net/junk/Car/calipers/paint.JPG

http://www.tohellandback.net/junk/Car/calipers/paint1.JPG

http://www.tohellandback.net/junk/Car/calipers/paint2.JPG

http://www.tohellandback.net/junk/Car/calipers/paint3.JPG

http://www.tohellandback.net/junk/Car/calipers/paint4.JPG

mods: not sure if this is the right section or not. I'm waiting to name or contact the dealership until I have some feedback from the community. Feel free to move it if it should be somewhere else.

thanks

[bubba1983]

serious?
its your brakes....they are subject to wear....their not supposed to look all pretty...its normal....get used to it...

[terapr0]

Yes Im totally serious (and no, they're not my breaks, they're my brakes).

Suppose I scratched the shit out of your rims while taking them off for a simple tire rotation - would you not be similarly upset, or is that also just "wear and tear" ?
The paint wasnt chipped at all when I brought it in.
I realize they`re subject to some degree wear and tear through normal use, that's not what I'm asking. I'm not complaining about them being dirty or covered in brake dust, its the chips that piss me off.
What I'm trying to discern is if the damage shown to the paint could have been avoided with more care. I've hand washed the calipers almost every week since I got them done and I know for a fact that until today there wasn't a scratch or chip on them. I paid over $100 to get them painted, I`m now going to have to pay to paint them again. Would you not be upset?

[Fuman]

could that just be residue from anti-seize?

[terapr0]

I dont know what caused it, but the areas of gray are all places where the paint has been chipped right off the caliper. I know Simply Tire is pretty good about preping the work surface before paint, and there werent any bubbles or weak areas that would indicate substrate contamination like grease or anti-seize under the paint. It was a good solid thick coat that just got chipped to hell today

[Fuman]

I dont know what caused it, but the areas of gray are all places where the paint has been chipped right off the caliper. I know Simply Tire is pretty good about preping the work surface before paint, and there werent any bubbles or weak areas that would indicate substrate contamination like grease or anti-seize under the paint. It was a good solid thick coat that just got chipped to hell today
mechanics tend to apply anti-seize after a brake job. I am just unsure if silver material I see is anti-seize. The anti-seize I usually see is brown.

[stevenma188]

I'm pretty sure you won't get anything from the dealer. In order to take the brake off, you will have to apply some force. It is unavoidable to chip the paint. My caliper was on there pretty tight when I did my brakes, and I had no choice but to hit it with a hammer, chipping the shit out of my paint. Sorry to break it to you, but either live with it, or touch it up.

[The Wolf]

it looks like the mechanic struggled getting the spring back into place. Just buy a can of red and touch it up... no big deal :)

ps... your wheels look siiiqqqq

[Noisy Crow]

The calipers are cast iron, which is silvery-grey until it oxidizes.

The wire clips need to be removed in order to remove the calipers. I'm quite sure that holes the wires sit it were filled with paint, bridging the wires and the rest of the caliper. Lifting the wires was bound to pull damage the paint, as entire paint fillet would tear out. As well, the wires are lifted by inserting a screw driver between the wire and the caliper body and prying up. And finally reassembly usually tapping the caliper with hammer.

So the paint can't be expected to survive any sort of brake maintenance.

[peterm15]

I say ask but I doubt anything will work. Maybe simply tire will touch it up for you on the cheap.

[dentinger]

serious?
its your brakes....they are subject to wear....their not supposed to look all pretty...its normal....get used to it...

THIS.

there's a lot of tension on that spring clip, and while it's easy to take off, it's not so easy to put back in. mechanics are flat rate, and need to get the job done in a timely manner. touch them up with some red paint and be done with it. the dealership wont do anything for you.

wheels are different. we have plastics heads and bars to remove the tires off your wheel. wheel paint is like body paint. it's easy to scratch.

[krimsalt]

That's not anti sieze, and if it is, someone is seriously OCD at that service dep'd and should not work on cars. But judging the way paint seals itself, it hardens in one unit between the calipers and the tensioner spring. Simply put, pulled the spring out will also pull on the paint and pull some off. That's completely normal, the dealership will not warrant that, as it would have been unavoidable to damage the paint.

[bubba1983]

THIS.

there's a lot of tension on that spring clip, and while it's easy to take off, it's not so easy to put back in. mechanics are flat rate, and need to get the job done in a timely manner. touch them up with some red paint and be done with it. the dealership wont do anything for you.

wheels are different. we have plastics heads and bars to remove the tires off your wheel. wheel paint is like body paint. it's easy to scratch.
Mechanics unite. Unsubscribing as this thread is a totall joke...

[RedRaptor]

This is completely normal. Which is why you should get your calipers painted AFTER a brake job. At 24K, the dealership had to take your calipers apart to lube the pins.

Live and learn.

[mazdathree3]

Just go to Canadian Tire and get a can of caliper spray paint. It'll look good as new.

[yearoftherat]

The calipers are cast iron, which is silvery-grey until it oxidizes.

The wire clips need to be removed in order to remove the calipers. I'm quite sure that holes the wires sit it were filled with paint, bridging the wires and the rest of the caliper. Lifting the wires was bound to pull damage the paint, as entire paint fillet would tear out. As well, the wires are lifted by inserting a screw driver between the wire and the caliper body and prying up. And finally reassembly usually tapping the caliper with hammer.

So the paint can't be expected to survive any sort of brake maintenance.

+1
I gave up getting my calipers repainted because of the maintenance and exposure to the elements such a chips, salts, etc.

[terapr0]

Shit I guess next time I'll just do my own brake job. I'm sure that with a bit of care and patience I could do it without so much damage. As an engineer I work with a lot of delicate, finish-critical painted parts, and I KNOW its possible to manipulate / assemble / disassemble things without this much damage. Guess the difference is that I give a damn about the end result, while the wrench monkey working on my car didn't give 2 shits, and it shows.

Thanks for the advice - I'll be sure to ask Allen about a discounted re-paint. I like them too much to drive around all shabby like this. 1 day of chipped paint and its already driving me crazy.

[Hyperion]

Mechanics unite. Unsubscribing as this thread is a totall joke...

Wait, you can do that?
I thought it was only possible to subscribe.

[stevenma188]

Under Thread Tools: on threads you subscribe to, there is a unsubscribe to button now.

[McGuyver_3]

Shit I guess next time I'll just do my own brake job. I'm sure that with a bit of care and patience I could do it without so much damage. As an engineer I work with a lot of delicate, finish-critical painted parts, and I KNOW its possible to manipulate / assemble / disassemble things without this much damage. Guess the difference is that I give a damn about the end result, while the wrench monkey working on my car didn't give 2 shits, and it shows.

Thanks for the advice - I'll be sure to ask Allen about a discounted re-paint. I like them too much to drive around all shabby like this. 1 day of chipped paint and its already driving me crazy.


Good luck getting the spring clip off without using a screw driver of some sort which will in deed take off the paint. Also when you are compressing the caliper to do the brakes the front will not be hard but the rears you need a special tool or a pair of needle nose pliers and lots of muscle. Reason being they need to be turned inwards while pressure applied.

[Hyperion]

Under Thread Tools: on threads you subscribe to, there is a unsubscribe to button now.

Oh, that's if you're subscribed already
I was hoping for a button that would make certain threads never pop up in my new posts feed again.

[dentinger]

Guess the difference is that I give a damn about the end result, while the wrench monkey working on my car didn't give 2 shits, and it shows.


fine, next time you're having electrical issues, fix them yourself.
goodluck.

[Default User]

Grab the red Duplicolour brush on caliper paint and just touch them back up. Probably won't even have to take the rim off LOL

It's about $25-30 at crappy tire and you can always touch them up whenever you need to

[The Wolf]

Shit I guess next time I'll just do my own brake job. I'm sure that with a bit of care and patience I could do it without so much damage. As an engineer I work with a lot of delicate, finish-critical painted parts, and I KNOW its possible to manipulate / assemble / disassemble things without this much damage. Guess the difference is that I give a damn about the end result, while the wrench monkey working on my car didn't give 2 shits, and it shows.

Thanks for the advice - I'll be sure to ask Allen about a discounted re-paint. I like them too much to drive around all shabby like this. 1 day of chipped paint and its already driving me crazy.

Lol! I'm sure the "wrench monkey" could have taken his time and handled your calipers as carefully as a cop cradles a donut. You need a mechanic (proper term, btw) to be extra careful with something they don't normally have to treat like fine china, let them know. If you had ever touched your brakes before, you would have known to mention that.

[McGuyver_3]

fine, next time you're having electrical issues, fix them yourself.
goodluck.

couldnt have said it better myself

[Dave_The_BMXER]

I did the same thing to my callipers when I did my brakes, that spring sucks.

[cwp_sedan]

I just had my brakes changes and I new it was inevitable that mine would get scratched a little. Jimmy did an awesome job at trying to keep them in tip top shape. Would I be disappointed that they were scratched? Of course. Would I be pissed at Jimmy? Absolutely not. Same goes for whichever dealer changed yours. Though yours look a heck of a lot worse than mine.

Expect to paint them every time you do a brake service, that is unless you are lucky and the mechanic does some sort of magic! http://www.emoticones-avenue.com/emoticones/harry_potter_02.gif

[terapr0]

Lol! I'm sure the "wrench monkey" could have taken his time and handled your calipers as carefully as a cop cradles a donut. You need a mechanic (proper term, btw) to be extra careful with something they don't normally have to treat like fine china, let them know. If you had ever touched your brakes before, you would have known to mention that.

I did ask them to be careful with the calipers, just as I asked them to be careful with the rims. No major issues with the rims, but my brakes are beat to shit. Could very well have been 2 different people, I dont know.
Suppose I was a bit harsh with the "wrench monkey" comment...had such a shitty day you wouldnt believe, and this was just the icing on my cake.
I know there are plenty of talented and skilled mechanics out there who would have taken their time and been careful, they just typically dont work at dealerships, in my experience anyway. Kinda sucks that dealerships charge a premium for so many things, yet typically offer a lower quality of service than many independent shops. I hate feeling like they just rushed my car through without any care or love whatsoever.

[Booter22]

im going to be honest with you, i painted my calipers last year, took them all off wire bursh the whole deal cleaned, painted. cleared. let them dry. and put them back on. i went to work on my saturday off to do this and took almost the whole day as i wanted to take my time and do it right and everything went smashing until... those outside clips needed to go in. between me and one of my techs helping me put it back together. ever after all was said and dry i still managed to scratch it and had to touch it up before i left. i know its hard to believe, but im pretty sure even an independent shop could do the same thing. as much as they try and be careful caliper paint just isnt a forever thing once its on. im sure come my next brake service this year i will have to touch up or repaint the calipers again at that time if there are any chips or areas that would come off from the service.

[S.F.W.]

If you want it to look great for years and years, powder coat the calipers. I did that on my 03 Sedan, and they looked amazing for 2+ years. Winter or summer, just hose them down, and look fresh.

[zzz3]

im going to be honest with you, i painted my calipers last year, took them all off wire bursh the whole deal cleaned, painted. cleared. let them dry. and put them back on. i went to work on my saturday off to do this and took almost the whole day as i wanted to take my time and do it right and everything went smashing until... those outside clips needed to go in. between me and one of my techs helping me put it back together. ever after all was said and dry i still managed to scratch it and had to touch it up before i left. i know its hard to believe, but im pretty sure even an independent shop could do the same thing. as much as they try and be careful caliper paint just isnt a forever thing once its on. im sure come my next brake service this year i will have to touch up or repaint the calipers again at that time if there are any chips or areas that would come off from the service.

happened to me as well after 24k brake service (i was cheesed too at first until john explained it). in my case its not as noticeable, but honestly when you consider that its just $40 caliper paint and a process which consists of 1 or 2 coats and a clear coat, fact is its just not going to hold up like factory painted brake calipers.

[JonsMazda]

Wear and tear people, happens all the time.....

[terapr0]

I refuse to label this "wear and tear", at least not from normal use.

If I hadnt gotten the brakes serviced and they were only subjected to normal "wear and tear", they would still be flawless. No chips, scratches or visual imperfections of any kind before I brought them in.

That being said, after recieving feedback from people here I've come to the conclusion this is at least somewhat to be expected and Im not as upset as I was originally. I'll just bite the bullet and get them re-painted, this time. If I had somewhere to leave the car up on jackstands and could afford the down-time I'd totally just get them powdercoated, I can get that done for free.

Was thinking of going yellow this year anyway :D

[Booter22]

Your point of view is understandable and in a way your right. this would not have happened if you had not had your brakes serviced. in my talks with other members the paint will chip over time, however this is normal wear and tear when considering the brake services were completed, trust me as i mentioned this is very easy to do when putting the brakes back together. will sure look interesting with yellow calipers however.

[Default User]

your original reaction is justified. I'd be pissed also.
Unfortunately, there wasnt much the guy couldve done.

[terapr0]

I figured it was worth contacting the dealership about this, and they've agreed to have them re-painted for me at Simply Tire.

They were very understanding and handled the situation with a great deal of professionalism and tact. The general manager contacted me personally within 5 minutes of recieving my email, and followed up after I'd spoken with their service manager to make sure I was happy and had been taken care of. This is exactly how a business should treat its customers, I'm very impressed. They helped me out and I wont have any second thoughts about going back, or recommending friends and familly in the future.

I wasnt going to name the dealership, but seeing as how positive an experience this turned out to be, I see no harm - it was Erin Mills Mazda.
Next time I'll know to look closely when I pick it up, and I wont be shocked if theres some damage around the springs.

[Dave_The_BMXER]

Wow really? That is cool.

[The Wolf]

Awesome resolution (y)

[TheMAN]

the only way you'll never have this happen again is to get a different car with brakes that don't have this clip.... or upgrade your brakes to something that doesn't have this clip.... I doubt the ms3 brakes are any better... it also has a spring clip, but is different

as others said, putting this clip on is a bitch... I always carefully take it off and put it on, even with cars that just have the stock silver finish... guess what? I manage to put a nice scratch on it just away from the hole where the spring clips in
NOTHING you can do

the only thing I can see that can be called negligence are the other parts of the bracket and caliper that have paint chipped.... much away from the spring clip itself

[McGuyver_3]

Your statement here doesn't make sense to me. Like many have said and I know from first hand experience brake calipers with clips are a pita to get on and off and will cause paint damage as yours are painted. Yes care was taken when worked on in the shop however you must understand it is not a stock item and now the tech that did the job may have gotten a slap on the wrist. For example when I brought my car in for its last oil change they were almost neglagent to put my car on the hoist because it was lowered. They explained to me that another car had fallen off of a jack used to get it on the hoist and caused significant amount of damage. How it fell off I don't know and or quite understand and I am not calling them a liar. However the point of the story is had something happened I physically changed something on the car damage was inflicted because parts were not stock and now the car is damaged because the tech had to go out of his/her way to get my car on the hoist. I'm not going to go running around sending emails to the managers and GM's because of it. I changed something on the car that hindered the tech from doing his/her job the way it was on every other car that comes through. I would have sucked it up if the dealer didn't want to cover it under the goodness of the dealer. Put it this way you want to play be expecting to pay



I figured it was worth contacting the dealership about this, and they've agreed to have them re-painted for me at Simply Tire.

[Dave_The_BMXER]

Dan raises an interesting point, the dealership could from this point on turn down any brake service on vehicles with painted calipers.

[terapr0]

I said in my email to the dealership that I didnt expect them to pay, and that my main qualm was that nobody told me the calipers were scratched up when I got the car. it was dark, and I had to find out myself the next day. If something is scratched or damaged, wether through negligence or simple wear and tear, it would be nice for them to let me know. They agreed entirely and offered to re-paint them for me, knowing that if they treated me right I'd leave happy and keep coming back. Its called customer service, and succesful businesses do it well.

I bought a $30,000 car from them, and have already spent over $600 in services and oil changes since then. I'll spend thousands more before I'm finished with this car. If they want to build a longterm relationship and have me recommend friends and family, they were smart to take care of me.

$0.02

[terapr0]

And I dont think they'll turn down brake services for cars with painted calipers, they might just warn people ahead of time theres a good chance the paint will get damaged. Also not really anything wrong with this.

[TheMAN]

Your statement here doesn't make sense to me. Like many have said and I know from first hand experience brake calipers with clips are a pita to get on and off and will cause paint damage as yours are painted. Yes care was taken when worked on in the shop however you must understand it is not a stock item and now the tech that did the job may have gotten a slap on the wrist. For example when I brought my car in for its last oil change they were almost neglagent to put my car on the hoist because it was lowered. They explained to me that another car had fallen off of a jack used to get it on the hoist and caused significant amount of damage. How it fell off I don't know and or quite understand and I am not calling them a liar. However the point of the story is had something happened I physically changed something on the car damage was inflicted because parts were not stock and now the car is damaged because the tech had to go out of his/her way to get my car on the hoist. I'm not going to go running around sending emails to the managers and GM's because of it. I changed something on the car that hindered the tech from doing his/her job the way it was on every other car that comes through. I would have sucked it up if the dealer didn't want to cover it under the goodness of the dealer. Put it this way you want to play be expecting to pay

yeah I worked on cars that were ricer low... though many people say eibachs, tein s-techs, etc aren't that low, THEY ARE.... if the 3 has been lowered more than an inch, it's TOO LOW to easily service or avoid road hazards
it was simply a bitch to put cars lowered 2 inches (or more) on a lift... a big waste of time, and annoyance

[Pillbox2010]

I got my calipers painted black last summer and took it to my local dealership for 24k service in November. Not a single scratch or chip in the paint on my calipers, they still look freshly painted after the brake work.

Sorry to hear about your experience, but you are right it looks like the guy who did your brakes did a rushed and careless job. As others have said though, good luck getting the dealership to do anything for you.

[McGuyver_3]

I said in my email to the dealership that I didnt expect them to pay, and that my main qualm was that nobody told me the calipers were scratched up when I got the car. it was dark, and I had to find out myself the next day. If something is scratched or damaged, wether through negligence or simple wear and tear, it would be nice for them to let me know. They agreed entirely and offered to re-paint them for me, knowing that if they treated me right I'd leave happy and keep coming back. Its called customer service, and succesful businesses do it well.

I bought a $30,000 car from them, and have already spent over $600 in services and oil changes since then. I'll spend thousands more before I'm finished with this car. If they want to build a longterm relationship and have me recommend friends and family, they were smart to take care of me.

$0.02

Price of the car has no play in this situation but to yourself because the service and the sales department are 2 completely different worlds. Service is strictly service. Yes they interact together but on different levels. The 600$ on maintenance ok so you go to the dealer for regular maintenance. So do I but I only do it because of my extended warranty. Mind you I do more maintenance to it between my intervals. As for the paint chip the tech probably noted it on the work order hardcopy or didnt think it was important because it is again what I fall back on to NOT OEM. I am not saying that I think like this or this was the techs train of thought. Sometimes when approaching a higher level of authority(ie manager, advisor) from a techs perspective often gets you no were because as soon as you say it is aftermarket thats were the story ends. I am not saying this because i dont want your scrathes to get fixed however you are a consumer and some times you just have to look at situations from a different angle.


yeah I worked on cars that were ricer low... though many people say eibachs, tein s-techs, etc aren't that low, THEY ARE.... if the 3 has been lowered more than an inch, it's TOO LOW to easily service or avoid road hazards
it was simply a bitch to put cars lowered 2 inches (or more) on a lift... a big waste of time, and annoyance

I agree with you. But were i work some of our factory sport suspensions are so low we need jacks to get them on the hoist.
Leaving the manufacturer out of this discussion


I got my calipers painted black last summer and took it to my local dealership for 24k service in November. Not a single scratch or chip in the paint on my calipers, they still look freshly painted after the brake work.

Sorry to hear about your experience, but you are right it looks like the guy who did your brakes did a rushed and careless job. As others have said though, good luck getting the dealership to do anything for you.

You cannot say that. Paint only sticks as well as you prepare for the paint to be applied to what it is. the paint that you use. Did you put clear coat on it. there are alot of factors to take in to account

[terapr0]

Price of the car has no play in this situation but to yourself because the service and the sales department are 2 completely different worlds. Service is strictly service. Yes they interact together but on different levels.

Different departments, same company. You're right that on a plant-floor level they don't interact, but they're governed by the same administration, and my customer profile would reflect purchases made through sales and service. If they run an even somewhat competent business they'd employ a holistic approach to customer profiling, and would take note of money spent up-front, as well as on parts & service, which is where they'll yield the greatest profits. Perhaps the service manager might not care how much I spent in the showroom, but the general manager sure as shit does. Its their job to generate sales through BOTH departments, so rest assured, someone is watching both, and wont let one department lose a customer for the entire dealership.

Car dealerships don't make any money from one time sales, just as Gilette doesnt get rich selling you 1 razor. They need you to come back and keep spending money. They want you to tell your friends and family how great an experience you had. Make no mistake about it, customer service is imperative to both the service and sales departments, and they do care how much you spend.


As for the paint chip the tech probably noted it on the work order hardcopy or didnt think it was important because it is again what I fall back on to NOT OEM. I am not saying that I think like this or this was the techs train of thought. Sometimes when approaching a higher level of authority(ie manager, advisor) from a techs perspective often gets you no were because as soon as you say it is aftermarket thats were the story ends. I am not saying this because i dont want your scratches to get fixed however you are a consumer and some times you just have to look at situations from a different angle.

The brake is still a piece of OEM equipment. Its function or operation has not changed - The procedure to service or repair it was not modified. All I did was apply a decorative coating, that doesn't void any warranty or make it suddenly "not OEM". And there is no mention of the scratches on the service report, which I have.

I think the outcome of approaching a higher level manager is entirely dependent on your wording and how professional and respectful you sound. The same way it is when approaching your insurance company about mods. All the kids on here told me I was crazy and stupid for asking State Farms permission to install an exhaust, intake and lowering springs. They all said I'd be turned away and have my policy cancelled. If you approach them maturely and with an articulate course of reasoning, you'll typically get positive results. As I said originally, I wasn't expecting or asking to get anything for free, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask. Turns out I was right - Erin Mills Mazda took great care of me, owned up to their mistake and turned an angry customer into a happy one. They'll spend $50~ re-painting my brakes, and get thousands of dollars in parts and service over the next five years. If I decide to buy an RX8 or MS3, I'll do it through them. Unlike some people here, they see the bigger picture.


anyways, I'm just about done with this thread. The issue was resolved, and I know what to expect next time. Thanks for all your input TM3 :D

[Dave_The_BMXER]

iif the 3 has been lowered more than an inch, it's TOO LOW to avoid road hazards

Heh.

[McGuyver_3]

Different departments, same company. You're right that on a plant-floor level they don't interact, but they're governed by the same administration, and my customer profile would reflect purchases made through sales and service. If they run an even somewhat competent business they'd employ a holistic approach to customer profiling, and would take note of money spent up-front, as well as on parts & service, which is where they'll yield the greatest profits. Perhaps the service manager might not care how much I spent in the showroom, but the general manager sure as shit does. Its their job to generate sales through BOTH departments, so rest assured, someone is watching both, and wont let one department lose a customer for the entire dealership.

Car dealerships don't make any money from one time sales, just as Gilette doesnt get rich selling you 1 razor. They need you to come back and keep spending money. They want you to tell your friends and family how great an experience you had. Make no mistake about it, customer service is imperative to both the service and sales departments, and they do care how much you spend.



The brake is still a piece of OEM equipment. Its function or operation has not changed - The procedure to service or repair it was not modified. All I did was apply a decorative coating, that doesn't void any warranty or make it suddenly "not OEM". And there is no mention of the scratches on the service report, which I have.

I think the outcome of approaching a higher level manager is entirely dependent on your wording and how professional and respectful you sound. The same way it is when approaching your insurance company about mods. All the kids on here told me I was crazy and stupid for asking State Farms permission to install an exhaust, intake and lowering springs. They all said I'd be turned away and have my policy cancelled. If you approach them maturely and with an articulate course of reasoning, you'll typically get positive results. As I said originally, I wasn't expecting or asking to get anything for free, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to ask. Turns out I was right - Erin Mills Mazda took great care of me, owned up to their mistake and turned an angry customer into a happy one. They'll spend $50~ re-painting my brakes, and get thousands of dollars in parts and service over the next five years. If I decide to buy an RX8 or MS3, I'll do it through them. Unlike some people here, they see the bigger picture.


anyways, I'm just about done with this thread. The issue was resolved, and I know what to expect next time. Thanks for all your input TM3 :D

Its not how much you spend but THAT you spend. And of course they want you to be a repeat buyer of the product.
When it comes to service they are generally more leniant on cars that were purchased at the dealer then the ones purchased elsewere. Thats what I have seen from the dealers I have been to
As for approaching the higher authority its not how you speak to them but as soon as you say the word not factory, aftermarket, and or something was done to this car that is not original the manager generally says let it go.
you said that the brakes were not altered which is true BUT you also said that there is a decorative coating which AGAIN IS NOT ORIGINAL
We can sit here all day an argue and you are right the issue did get resolved but next time simply look at things from a different perspective and ask yourself why. I work on the service side hence my strong input on this subject

[cwp_sedan]

IMO you are lucky they are going to pay to repaint because if it were me I would have eventually told you **** off (no offence). There is always that chance to damage them and they shouldn't be responsible if a mod you have done is not OEM and could cause a problem during the service.

You are getting it paid for so I don't think there is much for you to complain about until your next brake service...lol. ;)

[bubba1983]

case in point, to avoid a flame thread....locked..