Taking delivery of a new exotic: the paint checklist dealers skip
What to inspect before you sign, why new cars arrive swirled, and the ideal order for correction, film and coating.
Taking delivery of a new car you have waited months or years for should be a flawless experience. But the paint on a brand new car often is not flawless. Between the factory, transport, port processing and dealer preparation, many hands and many towels touch the car before you do. Here is how to protect your investment from day one.
Why new cars arrive with defects
Cars are shipped with transport wrap on some panels, but not all. At the port and the dealership, they are washed, often quickly, and prepared by staff under time pressure. The most common defects we see on delivery are wash marring, light holograms from a quick polish, adhesive residue from transport film and occasionally small sanding marks from factory paint repairs.
None of this is visible under the showroom's diffused lighting. It shows up the first time you park in direct sun.
Inspect before you sign
- Ask to see the car outside, or bring a small LED flashlight and look at the hood, roof and doors at an angle
- Check the lower panels and behind the wheels for transport scuffs
- Look closely at gloss black trim and piano black interior surfaces, which scratch easily
- Check wheels for curb marks from loading and unloading
- Ask whether any paint repairs were carried out before delivery
- Politely decline the dealer's complimentary wash if you plan to have the car professionally prepared
Declining the delivery wash is the single easiest way to keep new paint perfect.
The ideal order of work
If you plan to protect the car, the order matters. Doing things out of sequence can lock defects under film or coating, or mean paying for work twice.
- Decontamination wash to remove transport residue and fallout
- Paint inspection and depth readings
- One-stage enhancement polish to remove delivery marring
- Paint protection film installation on selected panels
- Ceramic coating over film and paint
- Interior protection for leather, carbon and fabric
Timing your appointment
Film and coating require the car to stay indoors for several days, so we recommend booking your studio slot before delivery day. Many clients arrange for the dealer to hand over the car directly to our enclosed transport, so it goes straight from the showroom to the studio without a single mile of unprotected driving.
For high-demand deliveries, especially in spring, reserve your slot three to four weeks ahead.
Photograph everything
We document every new car with a full lit photo set before work begins. It is useful for insurance, it protects both you and the dealer if a transport issue is discovered, and it makes a surprisingly satisfying before and after record when the car leaves the studio.
