Paint overspray problem in Bayonne (merged)

[maurick]

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[Optifire]

Thanks to everyone for the idea of a car cover. Even though we have cruised out of Bayonne twice before without any problems, we thought that the third time might be a charm so we are taking no chances and have gone to Walmart and purchased a car cover for 20.00. The weather is calling for windy this weekend and with leaving tomrrow, being Sunday they probably wont be working on a Sunday but the week while we are gone could end up with spray on our car. It is worth the piece of mind to know it is covered. Now if no one steals the cover or it does not blow off, we will have it made.

Will let you guys all know how we make out when we return on November 3rd.

[megr1125]

another solution..one we use, is to stay at an EWR area airport hotel with free parking. we leave the car there...they are not responsible, but, ah, say $10 to a bellman usually helps.

 

we did this last year, and wil do it next may. of course, i am a platinum marriott member so maybe that is why they let me do this.....

 

doesn't hurt to ask.

 

some may also have a park n fly rate....so you park n cruise, take a $40 cab ride to the pier, and you got to sleep in newark! hey....it isn't THAT bad.....

[phantom728]

Glad to know about this issue. We are planning a cruise next fall out of Bayonne and will make sure to purchase a car cover just incase.

[maurick]

Anyone getting off the Explorer in Bayonne have problems parking there?

[dad son team]

for those of you do-it-yourselfers that might want to try something on your own, you can try ERA laundry detergent, a nylon scrub brush and a good waxing. That is what the auto body shop used on my car last year when this happened to me. It has been almost a year since, and the finish still looks ok. Also, you need to keep on Ken and his crew and their insurance company. It took me 3 months to resolve the problem, but they paid the $1,300 including the car rental.

[overspray]

I finally received a return call today Oct 31st from Ken Peterson of Bayonne Drydock. He was just getting around to returning my call of Monday Oct 16th (Two weeks later). He said he was aware of the problem and just getting back to returning his calls. He told me he could recommend a local car detailing establishment which could clean the car for between $150-$300. I then informed him that I turned the claim over to my insurance company and gave him a name and phone number to contact. I also told him that the insurance company had inspected the car an approved an estimate to repair it. The car was wet sanded and compounded - a total of 34 hours at a cost of $1,861.00. He told me he has been dealing with the overspray problem the past (2) years and that this cost was excessive. I told him to call my insurance agent. Before I hung up I asked him if you knew this was a problem why haven't you done something to prevent this from reoccuring. His answer was this is a normal hazard when parking close to a shipyard !.

Personally I don't find this an acceptable answer and will pursue this matter further.

[smz4psu]

Good luck with your claim. I too got off the the Explorer on October 20 to find my car covered by the overspray. I filed a claim with Central Parking System and my claim was denied. The letter from them stated "Reasonable steps are taken to provide a safe and secure location to park your vehicle."

 

This is total BS! They have known about this problem for at least a year. I understand that these facilities are normally a "park at risk" lot, but as far as I'm concerned the Dockyard, Central Parking System and RCCL are all negligent in their handling of this situation.

 

I left a message for Ken Patterson this morning and was told that it would be a couple weeks before he called me back because he was leaving on vacation. The young lady there did tell me that they were only authorized to pay $250 to fix my car.

 

My car is scheduled for an estimate at my body shop tomorrow. I previously got an estimate from a detailing shop to just buff the paint (about $300), but I've been told by friends that the clear coat my be damaged and need to be replaced. I'm afraid this is gonna be well over what they want to pay.

 

I have a feeling that I too will be turning this over to my insurance company and then they can go after Ken at the Dockyard for payment.

 

On a related note...

 

Why does RCCL and Central Parking continue to park cars on this side of the terminal? There appears to be acre upon acre of property on the far side of the terminal. They know about this problem (since September of 2005) and have done nothing to correct it. In my opinion this speaks loudly about how they really feel about those that cruise out of Bayonne. What it comes down to is the almighty $$$. It's cheaper for them to pay our claims than it is for them to relocate or build another parking area.

 

Enough of my rant. Good luck to everyone trying to get their cars repaired and keep me informed of how you make out. I'll do the same.

[futaba951]

I finally received a return call today Oct 31st from Ken Peterson of Bayonne Drydock. He was just getting around to returning my call of Monday Oct 16th (Two weeks later). He said he was aware of the problem and just getting back to returning his calls. He told me he could recommend a local car detailing establishment which could clean the car for between $150-$300. I then informed him that I turned the claim over to my insurance company and gave him a name and phone number to contact. I also told him that the insurance company had inspected the car an approved an estimate to repair it. The car was wet sanded and compounded - a total of 34 hours at a cost of $1,861.00. He told me he has been dealing with the overspray problem the past (2) years and that this cost was excessive. I told him to call my insurance agent. Before I hung up I asked him if you knew this was a problem why haven't you done something to prevent this from reoccuring. His answer was this is a normal hazard when parking close to a shipyard !.

Personally I don't find this an acceptable answer and will pursue this matter further.

 

That is excessive. Way excessive. I used to paint cars professionally and to color sand and buff a whole car is no more than an 8-12 job at most. At their rate that is less than $700. $250 seems a bit cheap on the shipyards part but they may get a volume discount from a jackleg detailer.

[futaba951]

I've been told by friends that the clear coat my be damaged and need to be replaced.

 

Not likely. That is one of the advantages of base coat/clear coat systems. The clear coat is very durable and resilient. Sanding and buffing can be done without any damage to the finish. The overspray is just nesting on top of the clear and is very unlikely to have damaged it in any way. In fact, if you washed and rubbed on the car's finish everyday for a while, the overspray would likely wear itself away after a while. (A long while).

[maurick]

This thread should be at the top at all times. To warn future passengers thinking about parking at Bayonne. And if RCCL reads these posts, they can see that sometjing should be done about this. My family and I refuse to park there and cruise from Bayonne until this problem is gone. Good luck to everyone on their claims.

[smz4psu]

futaba951...thanks for the input. Whats your thought if it isn't overspray (paint) and if it is the chemical, petroleum based, that they use to remove the paint from the ship at the Dockyard.

[futaba951]

futaba951...thanks for the input. Whats your thought if it isn't overspray (paint) and if it is the chemical, petroleum based, that they use to remove the paint from the ship at the Dockyard.

 

Paint stripper is a gel and is too heavy to get air bourne. Usually they sand blast ships anyway so that is not likely. Paint will drift with the wind whichever way it is blowing at the time. That is why the paint problem at Bayonne is hit or miss on different cruises. If you paint finish feels rough and has tiny little specks with color to it, it is overspray and will come off with a good buffing. Worst case it will need color sanding and then buffing. If your paint was kind of dull to start with you may even wind up with a shinier car. :)

[Cruiser052]

Thanks for more info on the overspray problem at Bayonne. We just booked a cruise from there for October 2007 - hopefully, they will have the problem solved by then. I was reading a thread the other day in reference to this problem and someone made mention to putting a cover over your vehicle while gone. Is this a good idea and will it keep care from overspray? Thanks for any advice. Not so sure I am looking forward to cruising out of Bayonne - doesn't sound like a very nice port compared to the ones in Florida.

 

Cruiser052

[Sue L]

Thanks for more info on the overspray problem at Bayonne. We just booked a cruise from there for October 2007 - hopefully, they will have the problem solved by then. I was reading a thread the other day in reference to this problem and someone made mention to putting a cover over your vehicle while gone. Is this a good idea and will it keep care from overspray? Thanks for any advice. Not so sure I am looking forward to cruising out of Bayonne - doesn't sound like a very nice port compared to the ones in Florida.

 

Cruiser052

 

 

We used a car cover and it worked great. Others our same sailing had problems and we had none. I would suggest you get one with some sort of tie down system as it is quite windy there. Costco has a decent one.

[smz4psu]

Just got off the phone with Vannessa at the Dockyard regarding the overspray on my car. Very nice lady and got some interesting info.

 

1. Ken Paterson is only authorized to approve claims under $250.

2. He is leaving on vacation for 2 weeks. It will then take him 4-5 weeks to process the claim and get me a check.

3. I was told that they have never paid a claim over $250.

4. the paint on my car is a polyurethane paint and can be clayed off.

5. I need to fax them an estimate and proof of parking in the lot on the specific date. They prefer the receipt.

 

Here's the interesting part...this is a quote from Vannessa "Mr Patterson is responsible for all safety aspects at the Dockyard and these claims are not his highest priority." Wow. How's that for a slap in the face.

 

I've taken my car to 1 body shop and 2 auto detailing shops. The body shop wanted alittle over $500 and the detailing shops want between $300 and $350.

 

This should never happen to anyone that cruises out of Bayonne. As I've posted before, all parties have been aware of this problem since September of 2005! You think they could have come up with some solution by now. Guess I'll be turning everything over to my insurance carrier to cover this. I've spent too much time and energy on this already.

 

BTW...I'll never cruise out of Bayonne again and am seriously considering giving up on Royal Caribbean also!

[smz4psu]

Just wanted to add... The car cover idea is great but we should not have to go to that expense, I know they are pretty cheap, to protect our cars when a solution should have been provided by the dockyard, Central Parking and Royal Caribbean a long time ago!

 

Also, I need to park in the handicap spaces and with a car cover my license plate and/or placard would not be visible and my car would be subject to towing. Think I'm b@tching now. Think what I'd be doing if I had come out to a towed car! LOL.

[overspray]

After hearing from Bayonne Drydock that paint overspray is a normal hazard when parking adjacent to a shipyard I decided to send a memo to Deptartment of Consumer Affairs and New Jersey Attorney General's Office

to question how can Central Parking continue to operate this facility when they Know cars are being damaged by paint overspray on a regular basis and claim no responsibility. It appears to me that both Bayonne Drydock and Central Parking have been negligent since they are aware of this ongoing problem. Will keep all advised of response.

[cruisedaze1929]

I have been reading all the problems at NJ port liberty I think i have found a solution.

 

There are two hotels one in Newark that will cost me 185.00 includes:

 

Overnight room

Gated security parking on site for length of cruise

round trip transportation shuttle(15min ride)

 

The other is in Elizabeth NJ:

Includes all of the above but is 15.00 more and is comprable to a Hampton Inn. I have stayed in them before and they are fine.

 

So if you figure what the port is charging and what the hotel (INN) is charging there isnt much difference. Plus no hassle with driving in and unloading car and then parking then a shuttle.

 

PLUS NO WORRY ABOUT PAINT RUNING MY CAR.

 

This is a no brainer for me, I just booked the Hampton inn.

[smz4psu]

glad that solution works for you, but the point is that you shouldn't have to do it.

 

the cruise line, parking authority and the drydock should provide a safe and secure area for their paying customers to park! at 15 bucks a day, i don't think that's too much to ask.

[cruisedaze1929]

Why cut off your nose to spite your face.

You still have to pay for the port parking, And paying a hotel instead.

 

Now i dont have to worry about paint, Unloading and then finding a parking spot, PLUS i get a room overnight.

 

If you want to prove a point then park in the port lot and pray your not downwind.

[smz4psu]

cruisedaze...you're missing the point!

 

there should not be an overspray problem!!! If this were in Miami, I guarantee that this would have been fixed by now.

[smz4psu]

the only point that needs to proven is that the cruise line, the parking lot and the drydock need to FIX the problem.

[overspray]

I thought all those who have damaged cars might enjoy this. Yesterday I called Cape Liberty Cruise Port phone number (listed under contact us on web site). I called to get the local phone number of Central Parking to inform them I had my Credit Card Company put a hold on the parking payment until this issue is resolved. The gentlemen on the phone who was very nice said "What paint overspray problem - That was solved a year ago. I am not aware of any problems lately". It sure doesn't appear this problem will be solved in the near future when the parties involved will not even admit it exists!.:(

[ChristieNJ]

There's also a Best Western in north Jersey that will shuttle you as well. However, that may solve the problem for those from out of state...but it doesn't solve the problem for those of us that drive there because it's local. That's why we're taking a limo! :D :p