Dear Tom and Ray:

I have a dark green 1993 Lexus ES300 with 97,000 miles on it. It rides great, and I love the car, but about a year ago, the clear-coat finish started to fade. I had it "detailed," and that helped for a short time, but now it looks like somebody poured milk all over the hood, trunk and roof. Lexus believes I must have done something nasty to this car, and feels no responsibility for the problem. Do you think the finish on a $30,000 luxury car should fade so badly starting after three years of driving? The car never went through a car wash, was only hand-washed, and was waxed once a year. Any thoughts on this? -- Jeffrey

Tom: Well, if it were my car, I'd look on the bright side. Your Lexus is now probably less likely to get stolen.

Ray: Actually, you're probably out of luck, Jeffrey. It may be a manufacturing defect, but it's going to be awfully hard to prove. And to be honest with you, we've seen very few other late-model Toyota/Lexus cars with failing paint. So if it is a manufacturing problem, it's probably an isolated one, which makes it even harder to prove.

Tom: In cases like this, sometimes the manufacturer will offer to pay for part of the repainting cost. But with nearly 100,000 miles, they can legitimately tell you to go flake off (so to speak).

Ray: And something "nasty" may indeed have happened to this car, Jeffrey. You say you waxed it once a year. But certain waxes are not compatible with clear-coat finishes. While most modern waxes are fine for all finishes, many older waxes have abrasives that rub off the clear coat. And if you used a can of wax that had been sitting around in your basement or garage for a few years, you may have been responsible for paint damage.

Tom: I'd write a nice letter to Lexus and give it your best shot, Jeffrey. Tell them how much you like the car, how you've only owned it for four years, and how you'd consider buying another if they would help you solve your paint problem. I wouldn't expect too much, but you never know.

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It's NEVER cheaper in the long run to buy a new car. Want proof? Order Tom and Ray's pamphlet How to Buy a Used Car: Things That Detroit and Tokyo Don't Want You to Know. To order, send (check or money order) to Ruin, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. You can also order online.

© 1997 by Tom and Ray Magliozzi and Doug Berman Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

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