[Ratboy]

Hi folks,
Been interested in these for awhile. Came across a 2018 Challenger in Octane Red at a Northern California chevy dealer. I think they said it was a trade in. I'm concerned it may have had some paintwork. The Carfax comes up clean, but there just seemed to be several small what I'll call champagne bubbles here and there in the clearcoat in places where you can't really reach with the buffer, which generally indicate non-factory paintwork. Also, as you run your fingers along various surfaces, you'd feel it catch like there were specs in the clearcoat. The car was pretty dirty, so I couldn't tell any color mismatch of the panels, but also the hood didn't align perfectly along one side, nor along the front fascia. I'm just not familiar with the fit/finish on these, so would that be considered normal? I've owned quite a few Corvettes over the years, and while the gaps are fairly wide on them, they tend to line up well. Maybe the po was a member here? Can't be many 20k mile Octane Reds in the bay area...

Thanks!

 

[Dennis H]

Caveat Emptor. Have a Pro inspect it.

 

[TommyPierson]

What dealer?

 

[Ratboy]

What dealer?

McConnell in Healdsburg. Honestly, I felt bad walking away. They hardly had any inventory to sell!

 

[Blickie]

Hi folks,
Been interested in these for awhile. Came across a 2018 Challenger in Octane Red at a Northern California chevy dealer. I think they said it was a trade in. I'm concerned it may have had some paintwork. The Carfax comes up clean, but there just seemed to be several small what I'll call champagne bubbles here and there in the clearcoat in places where you can't really reach with the buffer, which generally indicate non-factory paintwork. Also, as you run your fingers along various surfaces, you'd feel it catch like there were specs in the clearcoat. The car was pretty dirty, so I couldn't tell any color mismatch of the panels, but also the hood didn't align perfectly along one side, nor along the front fascia. I'm just not familiar with the fit/finish on these, so would that be considered normal? I've owned quite a few Corvettes over the years, and while the gaps are fairly wide on them, they tend to line up well. Maybe the po was a member here? Can't be many 20k mile Octane Reds in the bay area...

Thanks!

It's used car with a hugely inflated price due to the market, and the market will go back down and you will get hurt. That's two very good reasons to walk away. Willing to bet the used price is not that far away from new. Walk away!!!!!

 

[baabootoo]

Buy now, or "forever hold your piece".........

 

[Rockster]

A google search of the VIN turns up the car has been offered for sale in San Bruno CA, Folsom CA, Santa Cruz, CA. That the car has not sold suggests something about the car is turning prospective buyers away.

My 2018 Octane Red Challenger Hellcat -- no it is not the one you are looking at. Its VIN ends in: 4498. My Hellcat had good panel fit. And no signs of any wrenching on the hood or front fenders. My (earlier) 2018 Challenger Scat Pack had good panel fit but the hood fasteners had been wrenched on to adjust the hood fit. This I read is "common".

Look for signs of wrenches on the hood hinge fasteners. Look at the bolts that hold the front fenders to the car. Look at the fasteners for the radiator/AC condenser, and hardware in that area.

That the car is not washed and shined up like a new penny is suspect. The dealer could be hoping to let the dirt hide paint issues.

Ideally the car should be clean so you can view is in sunlight and from different directions looking for panels that don't match. That it is not clean well, that in itself raises questions about the car.

Check under the weather stripping for paint tape ridges. This is a sign of low quality paint work.

 

[Dennis H]

Normandin in San Jose is a shyster. Avoid. ADM. Service $$$$.

 

[Slowpoke387]

Hood and fender alignment has been a factory issue from day one on these cars. The defects In the clearcoat has not however.

 

[2ndAmend]

Hood and panel alignment on my 2020 was far from perfect, but the seam widths were perfect which is most important. A mechanic friend pointed out that the rear edge of the leading panel was consistently slightly above the front edge of the following panel, like maybe it was intentional for high speed aerodynamics. Made sense to me. I did adjust the hood stops to even it out a bit.

As far as the specs in the clear coat, that might be overspray that got under the masking, tiny droplets hardened on the panels that were poorly masked. (This can be buffed out.) I bet if you look carefully at the glass, you will see the same tiny specs, they can be removed with a razor blade.

Personally, I would walk and see Jake.