Just noticed that the chromework on the boot lid handle of my less than 2 year old Fiat 500 is covered in bubbles under the surface! Not impressed to be honest. Surely the handle is made of plastic underneath, so why would this happen? Is this going to be covered by the warranty? Is it a major job to replace the handle or does it just unscrew? Anybody else had this problem?

I've never used any abrasive polish on it- just washed the car as normal with car shampoo. I don't wear any jewellery that could have damaged it whilst opening the boot. In fact, i hardly ever use the boot at all- hence why i've only just noticed it. I haven't washed it since before Christmas as I have never had a day free when the weather has been good. It wasn't like this the last time I washed it. I've tried to take some pics but the bubbles don't come out very well... but I wiped the chrome clean first, so every one of those dots that you can see is a bubble in the chrome.

Take it into the stealer. Warranty job I'd think

The bodywork appears equally damaged. Is it?

This may be an attack from salt and grit thrown up from the roads, especially as you haven't washed it This has been a filthy winter. I have shoved my car through the car wash a number of times, not to keep it clean, that's impossible, but to get rid of some of the surface muck.

This may not be the problem, but it can't be rust, so must be a chemical 'attack' from the elements.

Don't forget, chrome is porous and itself vulnerable to damage from salt. In the days of chrome plating it was not the chrome that rusted but rather the steel beneath. Then it was best policy to barrier protest the steel with a layer of zinc plating before the application of the chrome. Chromed plastic is just as vulnerable but doesn't 'rust', instead it separates, eventually.

I'd wait. Tell the dealer, but make sure you keep the filth of the roads washed off; even a bucket of shampoo water on the vulnerable bits in the mornings will help.

It may well polish out to be honest, but do keep your car clean.

Looks like water on the bodywork to me but if it is bubbling it would appear to me that it's an issue with some sort of chemical fallout. Any heavy industry nearby?

until a few weeks ago i hadn't washed the car for 3 months

has come up fine with no probs

use a decent wax before the winter and you don't need to worry
excessive washing may even strip the protective wax coating, especially agressive automatic car washes

RobW said:

until a few weeks ago i hadn't washed the car for 3 months

has come up fine with no probs

use a decent wax before the winter and you don't need to worry
excessive washing may even strip the protective wax coating, especially agressive automatic car washes

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b0ll0cks! Your car looked nice and shiny at Cosford

I still haven't washed my car and it's looking tres skanky

306maxi said:

b0ll0cks! Your car looked nice and shiny at Cosford

I still haven't washed my car and it's looking tres skanky

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yea that was why i washed it

RobW said:

yea that was why i washed it

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Argh I was speed reading your post :facepalm:

excessive washing may even strip the protective wax coating, especially agressive automatic car washes

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Well, my old bus is seven now and has never (OK,once) been washed by hand. Always car washes. They wax too if you pay a bit more, as i have a couple of times in the last month.

Admittedly wheels need to be done by hand. But when I replace my car, even if it is with a small one, i will continue to shove it through the car wash every couple of weeks, and pay a bit more for the waxing every month or so.

Better than leave a car to rot under the salty mess thrown up from the roads, surely.

There is no damage to the rest of the car- it's just filthy after i've driven it in the rain today. It's piddling down again outside so I still can't wash it. I cleaned and dried the boot handle just to take the pic. There is no water on the boot handle - all the blemishes you see are bubbles under the chrome surface. Can't see how it can be chemical fallout as it's been sat in the garage relatively clean. I've only driven it 653 miles since it was last serviced in July 2009, as I havent been too well.

Ulpian said:

Well, my old bus is seven now and has never (OK,once) been washed by hand. Always car washes. They wax too if you pay a bit more, as i have a couple of times in the last month.

Admittedly wheels need to be done by hand. But when I replace my car, even if it is with a small one, i will continue to shove it through the car wash every couple of weeks, and pay a bit more for the waxing every month or so.

Better than leave a car to rot under the salty mess thrown up from the roads, surely.

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you cannot seriously think that the 'wax' applied wet in an automatic car wash does anything more than make the paint look shiny...???

Lloyd sort him out

chrome500 said:

There is no damage to the rest of the car- it's just filthy after i've driven it in the rain today. It's piddling down again outside so I still can't wash it. I cleaned and dried the boot handle just to take the pic. There is no water on the boot handle - all the blemishes you see are bubbles under the chrome surface. Can't see how it can be chemical fallout as it's been sat in the garage relatively clean. I've driven it less than 1000 miles since it was last serviced in Jun 2009, as I havent been too well.

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I was only saying it was chemical fallout IF the bodywork was bubbling as well.

you cannot seriously think that the 'wax' applied wet in an automatic car wash does anything more than make the paint look shiny...???

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Yep, it makes it, er, shiny. Which is what it's supposed to do.

Please leave poor Lloyd out of this. He has car cleaning OCD as you well know and it will cause the poor boy to have a relapse

If not fallout then perhaps it is a fault. What is the chrome at the front like - is there any?

Ulpian said:

If not fallout then perhaps it is a fault. What is the chrome at the front like - is there any?

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The rest of the chrome seems fine from what I can see, but the car is filthy as i say having just driven it down the motorway in the rain. I'm not standing outside in the rain washing it just to check.

It wasn't really that dirty up until today as I haven't driven it for ages cos of being poorly. It was just sat in the garage gathering dust. I ought to have flogged it really, but what started out as a minor operation has turned into a year off work sick, which I wasn't expecting.

Oh dear. Well, more important things than the chrome to think about then.

I'd ask the dealer to change the offending part, and then keep it washed and fettled. Try to drive it when the sun comes out.

It may not look so bad in the sunshine, and polishing might help if the dealer doesn't.

Ulpian said:

Well, my old bus is seven now and has never (OK,once) been washed by hand. Always car washes. They wax too if you pay a bit more, as i have a couple of times in the last month.

Admittedly wheels need to be done by hand. But when I replace my car, even if it is with a small one, i will continue to shove it through the car wash every couple of weeks, and pay a bit more for the waxing every month or so.

Better than leave a car to rot under the salty mess thrown up from the roads, surely.

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1st of all, the wax they apply is very poor and will wear off after a few days. It won't protect your car at all after that point.

2nd, whacking it through a car wash every couple of weeks will do more damage than just leaving salt on waxed paintwork. You'll be marring the surface. If you look at your cars in the sun you'll see thousands of 'swirl' marks from car washes and sponges. These can eventually lead to big paint problems if constantly subjected to a harsh car wash.

If you want to see the real damage done, watch this;



That was only after one wash. Imagine it after a few months, let alone a few years!

But that's up to you, personally since I've spent £9,500 on something I want to look after it. I've had my car 1 1/2 years and it's washed using 2 buckets and a cheap wash mitt from Halfords, but because I'm careful with it the paint is in a better condition than most brand new cars after just one wash. It won it's first show and shine last year using only budget products too, beating off a car that had had £30,000 spent on it including a full brand new respray.

But I'm going against my own rules here and going completely off topic, so let's get back to discussing these bubbles, eh?

Bubbles.

There.
Now. My bus is now seven years old, and bar a few dings and a bad scrape, which I had buffed and touched up myself - get out the smelling salts - it looks just fine. I really couldn't give a damn about the fine details, but somebody did say how smart it looked only the other day. It's a workhorse.

Hey, it's serviced and maintained properly, and I keep it fettled. One day soon it will be scrap, and I will have had very good service from it. It's a car, only a car.

I'm afraid that after the first six months that's how I feel about all my cars. If I had a Maserati coupe like the stunning blue one a friend bought a few months ago, it would be shoved through the carwash just the same

Sorry Lloyd Are you OK by the way?

Bubbles.

Like I said, it's all down to personal preference. I can see why people don't 'get' my detailing hobby as it is considered incredibly sad and completely OCD but I enjoy it and I enjoy the results. Most people just want a car that hasn't got mud on it and that's understandable.

Ulpian said:

Sorry Lloyd Are you OK by the way?

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I was a bit depressed this morning as I kept thinking 'why do this crap with women always happen to me?' and I've had a lot of bad luck lately, but my work mates soon pulled me round to make me realise it was her loss!

I'm assuming that's what you meant, if not then that probably sounds really random! But yeah I'm going way off topic now so I'll be quiet.

I was being a bit facetious re the OCD , but I'm glad you're feeling a bit better now. Ahhhh; love .

I remember it well, it mucks you about good and proper. Glad you have good friends anyway.

Bubbles etc., to stay on topic.

And I was really only joking about the OCD

is the 'chrome' finish actual chrome plating, or is it a chrome effect paint buffed to a shine??

personally i'd be returning to the dealers if the cars still under warrenty.