Are there any challenger owners here that can PLEASE check their cars for me so I can see if the body shop ruined my entire front nose/bumper ? I had my new 2013 Challenger returned to the dealer for several cosmetic issues such as misaligned panels. One of the areas was a small 5 inch section at the side of the front nose ( or bumper as the dealer calls it) where it meets the fender. The edge stuck out past the fender about 1/8 inch right at headlight level so the entire nose was removed and repainted because the dealer saw a black line on the edge & said it should be corrected & painted. here's the deal, when the body shop reinstalled the nose, I see they tried to get the section that stuck out tucked back in. I just noticed that the complete edge of the plastic nose where it joins the fender has a "rounded" edge line. I don't remember seeing that before it went in to the body shop. It looks like a welders bead that you can see when looking at the nose/fender seam line when you are standing or kneeling at the front corner & looking down the panel line. The other side has it also. I don't see that on the rear panels of the car. I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER CHALLENGERS to do the comparison with so if a few of you can please take a close look at their cars so I can know for sure if I need to return my car to the dealer. If this is normal then I wont need to. I saw my bumper/nose sitting facing up at the body shop when they were getting ready to repaint & clear coat it & I am not sure if this rounded bead is normal or if the body shop did something to cause this. It could be where they let the paint run down and build up to much at the edge. I may have to demand a new front nose/bumper from the dealer IF the part was ruined. Thank you for any help you guys can provide. Bert
Does the dealer have any other Challengers on his lot? If so, compare your car with one of them side-by-side.
I think they have one left. I noticed that the edge of the nose part on the side where it attaches to the fender has a "rounded bead" running the length of the nose part. you have to look from the side & in front standing on the corner of the car. I also noticed yesterday that the top circle shaped area of the fender is touching the windshield pillar on the windshield side and is a hair from touching it. I can tap that corner and it clicks against the pillar which will hit anytime I hit any kind of bump or going in & out of the driveway. I don't remember seeing this before it went to the body shop. the paint will be bare metal in no time as I can see a small dot where it is touching. it's turning out I am not liking what the bodyshop did afterall as they removed my back bumper to replace that warped balch facia around the taillights and the driver side body line sits lower than the rest of the body line. this whole thing is making me very angry. 10 days in the body shop and the front of the hood is wider on driver side and narrow on right side. the side gaps look good as they fixed those but now I see the front of the hood has a wider gap on driverside where it meets the nose. this car is solid white and small things are hard to see or notice unless you focus on a 5 inch area. I will see if I can post pics as the new computer refuses to recognize my camera and I need to rely on my wifes phone camera. I feel like returning this car to the dealer and getting my money back but fat chance of that. It runs great but I am starting to think that this car was somehow damaged at the factory before they finished building it. it isn't a lemon unless it's mechanical and safety related.
Go down to a local dealership on Sun when they are closed or hit a local car cruise where there are always challengers around. Compare.
