Brand-new Hyundai Tucson found to have paintwork issues during inspection: Lawyer demands vehicle replacement

Gizem Gülsen Günaştı, a lawyer living in Yalova, took her brand-new Hyundai Tucson, which she purchased on July 8 for 2 million 385 thousand liras, to an inspection center immediately after taking delivery. Günaştı stated that the inspection report identified "removal-installation adjustment" on the vehicle's front hood and a higher paint thickness compared to other sections, and she demanded that the vehicle be replaced with a new one.

Günaştı said that before buying the brand-new vehicle, she had been informed that another vehicle of the same model at a different dealership had factory-related paint issues on the rear fender, which is why she decided against buying that car. Günaştı stated that at the dealership where she eventually made the purchase, she specifically requested a flawless vehicle and was told that the car was indeed flawless.

Explaining that she took the vehicle for an inspection immediately after taking delivery, Günaştı expressed her great surprise at the report's findings. Günaştı said, "I had already decided not to buy the car at the other dealership by saying, 'I am buying a brand-new car, I want it to be flawless.' I specifically stated that I wanted a flawless vehicle. They told me they had a flawless vehicle in stock. I took the car to an inspection immediately after taking delivery. I was shocked by the result."

REPLACEMENT REQUEST DENIED

Stating that she took the vehicle back to the dealership in Bursa following the inspection report, Günaştı alleged that her request for a replacement was denied. Saying that she initially received the response "We didn't know either" from the dealership, Günaştı expressed that she wanted to exercise her optional rights granted by law as a consumer.

Stating that she is concerned about the vehicle losing value in the future, Günaştı said, "When I try to sell this car next year, I don't want to have to explain the removal-installation process on the front hood to the buyer. The reason I bought a brand-new car was to be able to use it for a long time without worrying about any defects or loss of value."

Günaştı said that the vehicle at the other dealership, which was reported to have factory paint on its rear fender, was offered for 2 million 320 thousand liras, but she chose to pay a higher price to get a flawless vehicle. Stating that her plans to go on vacation with her twin children were also canceled due to the process, Günaştı noted that she had not even removed the protective plastic films from the vehicle.

COMPANY: WITHIN STANDARDS

Günaştı said that there are two separate inspection reports and an expert witness report regarding the vehicle, and that a mediation process was conducted between the parties but no agreement could be reached. Stating that her demand is for the vehicle to be replaced with a "substitute," meaning a flawless new vehicle, Günaştı expressed that she expects sensitivity from the Ministry of Trade and relevant authorities.

Hyundai dealership officials, on the other hand, stated that the removal-installation adjustment seen on the hood bolts could be due to hood adjustments made during the shipment and transport process of the vehicles, and that this does not constitute a production defect or a flaw. The officials pointed to Hyundai's production standards regarding paint thickness.

In the official warranty information of Hyundai Motor Turkey, it is stated that paint thicknesses on all exterior panels of the vehicle can vary between 50 microns and 300 microns. In Günaştı's inspection report, it was recorded that the hood is "original," there is a "removal-installation adjustment" on the engine hood bolts, paint application was performed on the hinge bolt areas, and the hood micron value was measured at 140-160, while the rest of the vehicle was measured in the 75-90 micron range.