My Jeep Story.
By Lindel R Creed - Owner of a Jeep Grand Cherokee Freedom Edition - O4 Year.

I have been having a problem with my jeep from the time I got it with the quality of the paint job
When I got my Jeep from Abernethy in Lincolnton North Carolina I had noticed that the paint job had some light swirls.
The sales rep told me I could bring back the car and get it cleaned and that would probable take care of the swirls as it was just need of a hand wax.
A few days later I waxed that car by hand with a recommended hand wax from the local NAPA dealer.
The problem did not get any better and I noticed the situation more after I made the car shine.
I also started to see the bars on the bottom of the jeep were chipping. I took the Jeep back to Abernethy and got with the service manager named Barry.
Berry said he would have to contact the Service Rep to come in and look at the situation. Barry called me back and said that the rep did not need to look at the bars and that Jeep was not interested in taking care of the chipping as that was not covered under warranty and the bars were going to get chipped as they were bush guards. I informed him that my jeep had not been off road and that these chips were from simply getting in and out of the Jeep with my wife's shoes.
Barry informed me to bring in the Jeep and they would take the Bars off and repaint them but the Rep really had to be the one to look at the paint on the car.

I waited for my car to be serviced with oil change and walked around the lot. I looked at other Jeeps as well as other cars on the lot and noticed they also had many swirls and they were very noticeable under the bright sun. There was another sales man walking around and I ask him to take a look at the swirls and if he had any suggestions of how to get rid of them. The salesman I spoke to and showed was the Sales Manager at Abernethy and he said he could only contact the rep also.
The 1st appointment was set up with a day notice that the rep was going to be in and I could not change my appointments and could not make it on such short notice. I ask Barry to reschedule and please try and give me a weeks notice so I could clear that day to take the car in and speak with her.
Well a couple of months went by and I called Abernathy weekly to check with Barry on when the rep would be in and the answer I always got was we have you listed as needing to see her but do not know when she can come in.
After getting frustrated with trying to get it resolved thru my dealer I sent a letter to Jeep directly.
I got back a response from
Stacie
Senior Staff Representative
DaimlerChrysler Customer Assistance Center

Here is the response we got back from her.

> Dear Lindel,
>
> Thank you for your reply.
>
> According to Barry, the condition with your paint is considered normal.
> However, they would like to leave the decision up to their District
> Manager. That person would make the decision if repairs will occur or
> not.
>
> I have left a message for the District Manager with your request. Please
> stay in contact with your dealer.
>
> Thank you again for your email.

As you can see the dealer said the paint was normal but it is anything but normal
Well a few more weeks went by Barry called and said that the rep would be in and for me to come by.
I took the jeep over and just as it would be the weather was gloomy and not a sun ray in the sky.
Now I will say when the sun is not shinning then you can not see the swirls at all and the paint job looks great but when the sun is shinning they jump out like rays of light off a mirror finish and show up great. The rep said she could see not a thing wrong but did know what I was talking about as she also saw those marks on other cars as well as new cars on the lot. She said that it was normal for these marks to show up and that it was just the way it was. She said it was not a manufactures defect at all and that my paint job looked great. I informed her that when the light hits it it looks terrible and she said she was sorry I felt that way but that is just the product that Jeep puts out with all their new cars. She said that she felt the factory could not be matched in quality or looks of the paint by anyone and that I would be wrong to want to have the car painted by anyone else as the factory quality could never be had. If this is factory quality then I say some one needs to fire the paint department person in charge because they have the wrong idea about what is good and what is acceptable.

I informed the Jeep rep that I would like to have someone else look at the car and tell us what they felt was acceptable.
I suggested that the BBB look at the car and give their input and she said that she did not have to go to arbitration anymore and that no one else would be available to look at it above her. I informed her that I would contact Jeep direct and she said fine as they would just send it back to her and she was convinced that it was the best it would be. I suggested that Abernethy have their body shop give an input on how to get rid of the marks and she said that they would not be an acceptable input as they were not an authorized Jeep body shop. Crazy that you would be a Jeep dealer and they would not listen to your input.
 

So now I would like to show everyone the pictures of what I am talking about and please let us know if you think this is normal and good quality from Jeep.
Please feel free to contact me at lcreed@vendweb.Com with your inputs.
Thanks and maybe with the help of all we can get Jeep to make things right.

Hood	More Hood Area	Hood
Hood	Hood	Side Top
Front Side	Side Rear	Back Corner

My Jeep
2004 Grand Cherokee Freedom Edition
 

I sent a letter to Jeep and here is what they sent back.

Dear Lindel,

Your email has been received and the concerns raised are fully
appreciated.

After thoroughly reviewing your request and the files on this matter, we
respectfully concur with the decision rendered by the District Manager.

We appreciate you taking the time to communicate with DaimlerChrysler
Motors Corporation, and regret a more favorable reply could not be
provided.

Thank you again for your email.

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