Posted: Feb 02 2005 at 11:21am | IP Logged

I bought my Titan in September, and when I picked it up, it had two paint chips, one on the driver side door molding and one on the inside lip of the left rear fender.  The dealer agreed to pay to have it fixed, but before I got around to having it done, pits began to pop up everywhere. The paint is pitting and flaking off of all four wheel wells ,  the doors, the bed side ( including the upper area where the sheet metal is angled away from the road and should be protected from road debris), and the tail gate.  The new pits began within the first 2000 miles and everytime I wash it, there are more.  I took it to the dealer who of course stated that paint chips are not covered under the warranty.   The service manager said that there is the option of a "good will" repair, but after about a month of delay, yesterday I got the word that his "reginal rep had denied the claim." 

My complaint is that any product that you buy should be "resonably durable" for its intended use.  I live in town, drive 99% on pavement and should be reasonably able to expect the paint to last more than 3 months without pitting and rusting, as it is now beginning to do.  I have driven less than 50 miles on gravel and only one time in any significant mud.  Furthermore,  this is a 4wd with the offroad package, and if they want to claim that they have the toughest trucks in the world, and call my model the offroad package, I should be able to drive it on gravel, mud, etc. without suffering severe pait damage withing the first few months.  If the paint is so vulnerable in these locations on the body, then why doesn't the manufacturer fit the truck with protective wheel moldings and larger mud guards? If a vehicle cannot stand up to the normal use that they advertis, then it is defective.  They should repaint it and install wheel moldings.  If the paint is too thin or the primer defective they should replace it.

I am going to fight this all the way. I already have an attorney and we are beginning to put together our case.  Has any other Titan owner experienced paint durability problems.  If so, please respond.