Road Rash

sofasurfer · June 17, 2015

So..how is everyone's front bumper? I don't know if it's just the USB colour that is massively affected by road rash but mine looked as if it was a spotty teenager. I used the Chipex pack today and whilst it is a lot better, it's not perfect. My whole front was resprayed late last year but still it looked bad. I'm guessing that a white ISF will not show it so much as when the blue paint has chipped off, there is a lovely white mark which I am guessing is the undercoat.

I know Japanese paint is supposed to be very soft but it really does take a battering on our roads.

I'm interested in how other owners cope with it or are affected as much as I know it bothers the hell out of me. I can't keep on filling in road rash indefinitely and I suppose the next step is to get just the bumper resprayed and then cover just that part in some kind of film. I'm sure I saw a solution advertised in a car mag.

madasahatter · June 17, 2015

You can have them clear vinyl wrapped, but dont suppose its cheap.

Ace8800 · July 7, 2015

I have a white one and tbh your pretty much right, you cant see a stone chip as bad as your Blue maybe, I had a small chip on the car when I bought it home from the dealers but you cant even tell, I have had a very very close look and I think my front end has been painted too by he previous owner for that very reason.

I used to have a similar blue on a M3 and it was a bit of a nightmare when it came to scuffs, surface scratches and chips, black is also a another nightmare.

since then I have had silver and now me and Mrs have white cars.

PS* I do still love that USB tho.

madasahatter · July 7, 2015

Last car was black first and last, red looks bad as does any dark colour once chipped.Back onto silver this car has chips but dosent

look to bad to be honest, i was after a pearl white nothing about in my price range looks a beautiful colour and chip hider as well.

Ace8800 · July 7, 2015

agreed.

Stuno1 · July 7, 2015

I'll be getting either a clear wrap on my next car for areas most at risk or one of those shield cover thingies.

madasahatter · July 7, 2015

Think the clear wrap looks better than those bra things been fitted,as you say mainly bonnet and wings and strangly wing mirror covers.

Stuno1 · July 7, 2015

... And side skirts on the isf and maybe the roof as well.

madasahatter · July 7, 2015

Yes just put lots of loose chippings on roads near where i live english roads are rubbish. Cause lots of accidents really dangerous

20 mph signs dont mean a thing.

Womble72 · July 7, 2015

Mine looks bad close up, as do many, I suppose, not bad from a distance, my black one noticed a lot more, they seem to be stoning all my local roads too, to the point that I'm avoiding them altogether at the mo, have two chips in my screen of my daily driver of late. Typical (cheap fix) for our roads these days

rayaans · July 7, 2015

White is pretty bad too - if you drive enough and have deep stone chips, the base coat on the Arctic Pearl cars is actually black lol. It ends up looking like you have tar spots all over

Ace8800 · July 8, 2015

+1 for clear wrapping

sofasurfer · July 8, 2015

+1 for clear wrapping

Do you know of any good ones? I think I am going to go down the respray of the front bumper section and clear wrap it.

Stuno1 · July 8, 2015

+1 for clear wrapping
Do you know of any good ones? I think I am going to go down the respray of the front bumper section and clear wrap it.

Rob, who did my detail knows a guy near chafford hundred who does them on high end super cars. I got a quote for the evora and it was roughly 1500 for most the car and was about 800 for half bonnet, mirrors and wings. I can get his details if you would like?

sofasurfer · July 8, 2015

+1 for clear wrapping
Do you know of any good ones? I think I am going to go down the respray of the front bumper section and clear wrap it.

Rob, who did my detail knows a guy near chafford hundred who does them on high end super cars. I got a quote for the evora and it was roughly 1500 for most the car and was about 800 for half bonnet, mirrors and wings. I can get his details if you would like?

That would be great Stu..thanks for that.

Stuno1 · July 8, 2015

I over egged it a bit. See below. This was for an evora.

Standard kit £650+vat will need overnight, half bonnet & wings, mirrors etc..

Full kit £1150+vat will need two nights, full wings and bonnet, mirrors etc..

http://www.mintcondition-uk.com/

Personally I would ask for option 1 with a full bonnet wrap.

madasahatter · July 8, 2015

Well seems expensive untill you get up off the floor from paint quotes, the water bourne paints are rubbish at 650 its a steal if you plan on

keeping the vehicle. I cant get over how low and agresive the car looks from the front,especially with wing mirrors folded back.

Stuno1 · July 8, 2015

True. I'll definitely be getting a clear wrap on my next car. Just the full bonnet, wings, wing mirrors, maybe roof and side skirts as they pick up chips.

sofasurfer · July 8, 2015

I over egged it a bit. See below. This was for an evora.

Standard kit £650+vat will need overnight, half bonnet & wings, mirrors etc..

Full kit £1150+vat will need two nights, full wings and bonnet, mirrors etc..

http://www.mintcondition-uk.com/

Personally I would ask for option 1 with a full bonnet wrap.

Many thanks Stu

rayaans · July 8, 2015

I had clear wrap on my black RX300 - took it off after 2 years as I got fed up with it. The main issues I noticed:

1) Its expensive for what you actually get - a respray a year is cheaper if only using for 2 years

2) Although the paint doesnt come off, it pits, leaving a golf ball effect on the car. On my RX300 it wasnt too bad as the bumper is quite high, still noticeable though! Id imagine its worse on the IS-F considering the bumper is lower

3) Scratches are ALWAYS put in when the clear wrap is installed - you can sometimes see these in sunlight under the wrap! That particularly ****** me off as I couldnt polish them out!

4) Did have a slight tinge of yellow to it making the car appear darker at the front - not a cool look at all. This was supposed to be the 3M industry standard.

5) You can see the clear coat sitting on top of the paint if you're close enough

Stuno1 · July 8, 2015

All my concerns right there! Hmmmmm

Stuno1 · July 8, 2015

Having a good relationship with a paint shop I may well opt for re-spray every 3 years.

All those issues mentioned plus maybe having to get the wrap replaced and the detailing needed when the wrap is removed make it seem more effort than it's worth.