A £1100 Paint Chip?

[NemesisUK]

Just a couple of months into ownership of my Sonic Red RC I've collected a stone chip on the bonnet. Because of the 5 stage paint process an invisible spot repair isn't possible. Lexus have quoted £1100 for a complete bonnet and wing blend respray. Not an unexpected sum but worth spending on one chip?

I've also been offered a repair using a touch-up pen, under bodyshop control FOC. Lexus say it won't be perfect but I'm sure it'll be better than any attempt I could make and will camouflage the present white blemish.

I'm thinking, what's to loose? Go for the touch-up and unless it's a complete wart of a job, I'll collect a few more to make it worthwhile getting the £1100 job done.

Stone chips are an unavoidable hazard on a daily driver but I'm a little surprised at the size of the chip, considering I was completely unaware of anything contacting the bonnet, only discovering the crater during washing the car.

Oh well, just off to drive the rust from the discs after cleaning yesterday's rain of the car.

Any excuse 

[bobmc]

Oh I bet that's annoying and a potential £1100 bill makes it doubly so!

I'm sure I've read about some kind of protection that can be applied to reduce the impact of stone chips so that might be worth investigating.

I think I'd be inclined to see what the touch-up repair looks like and put the full respray on hold for the time being

 

[NemesisUK]

Yes, I'm thinking that way also. I know there'll be more stone chips, may as well make it worthwhile!

I looked at protection films for my previous car but discounted it because it always shows and can discolour the paintwork. They do work but in a sacrificial way, so it could still end up looking rough. 

[Big Rat]

5 minutes ago, NemesisUK said:

Yes, I'm thinking that way also. I know there'll be more stone chips, may as well make it worthwhile!

I looked at protection films for my previous car but discounted it because it always shows and can discolour the paintwork. They do work but in a sacrificial way, so it could still end up looking rough. 

Peter 

I think I'd run with the touch up this happened to me on my isF the morning after I picked it up in broadly the same place as you 😡

Now 1100 squids so far on my 'F' has covered a 40k service, spark plug change and a full second set of used genuine IsF wheels.

Just a thought matey.

Big Rat

[NemesisUK]

True, Paul. That sort of money could be reserved for a good tidy-up sometime in the future. There will be more I'm sure, it's the nature of things.

I'll see what they can do with the touch-up option. It'll be a battle scar 

[Big Rat]

49 minutes ago, NemesisUK said:

True, Paul. That sort of money could be reserved for a good tidy-up sometime in the future. There will be more I'm sure, it's the nature of things.

I'll see what they can do with the touch-up option. It'll be a battle scar 

@NemesisUK

Peter yes it is the nature of things,  I don't know if you do much motorway driving but the poor condition of the road surfaces in recent years I feel exasperates the problem.

I drove M5 North from junction 20 to the interchange at Bristol and the condition of what is major motorway is appalling the potholes and damage to the surface were too numerous to count but all that gravel from the damage is everywhere.

Just leads to the damage we've both suffered.

Big Rat

[NemesisUK]

My two previous cars had full front end resprays to tidy up the gravel rash. I guess I'm looking at the same for the RC, although my mileage has dropped considerably it doesn't seem to equate to fewer stone chips... 

[rayaans]

I wouldn't be spending that much on a stone chip!

Definitely go for the touch up pen repair. If you feel confident, give it a wet sand and it'll looks virtually non existent unless really up close!

My RX has 44k miles on it and has 4 stone chips :). I think it must be something to do with the ride height being higher and spending more time in the fast lane on the motorway so don't get pummelled by rocks from trucks! 

[NemesisUK]

I'm thinking the RC is going to be prone to stone chips on the bonnet, had look at the couple of examples in the dealer and they both had bonnet chips.

It was always going to be the touch in repair TBH. I couldn't justify that expense. As the dealer has offered a free touch in repair I'll let them have a go. 

[Big Rat]

3 hours ago, rayaans said:

I wouldn't be spending that much on a stone chip!

Definitely go for the touch up pen repair. If you feel confident, give it a wet sand and it'll looks virtually non existent unless really up close!

My RX has 44k miles on it and has 4 stone chips :). I think it must be something to do with the ride height being higher and spending more time in the fast lane on the motorway so don't get pummelled by rocks from trucks! 

@rayaans

Which is the fast lane on a motorway then, as you're permitted to do 70 mph in all three 😂

Big Rat

[rayaans]

53 minutes ago, Big Rat said:

@rayaans

Which is the fast lane on a motorway then, as you're permitted to do 70 mph in all three 😂

Big Rat

Oh really?! 

I just stay in the one with all the BMWs and force them to move out of the way 

[Big Rat]

24 minutes ago, rayaans said:

Oh really?! 

I just stay in the one with all the BMWs and force them to move out of the way 

@rayaans I'm just jealous of the RX, I popped into Lexus Cheltenham and there was one in the showroom, I resembled a small boy with his faced pressed up to the sweet shop window 😳

Big Rat

[lockeyboy]

3 hours ago, Big Rat said:

@rayaans I'm just jealous of the RX, I popped into Lexus Cheltenham and there was one in the showroom, I resembled a small boy with his faced pressed up to the sweet shop window 😳

Big Rat

 

23 hours ago, Big Rat said:

Peter 

I think I'd run with the touch up this happened to me on my isF the morning after I picked it up in broadly the same place as you 😡

Now 1100 squids so far on my 'F' has covered a 40k service, spark plug change and a full second set of used genuine IsF wheels.

Just a thought matey.

Big Rat

How come you bought a second set of wheels for the isf?  Just for spares?

[Big Rat]

11 hours ago, lockeyboy said:

 

How come you bought a second set of wheels for the isf?  Just for spares?

@lockeyboy Mark the car is a long term prospect and I just want to try and guard against a few unforeseen eventualities.

The wheels on an IsF are corner specific, they are rare and are the thick end of 1600 quid each 😳

I got four off a member on here for just over 500 quid.

I suppose if we ever get a winter again they could have a set of winter tyres on them !

Big Rat

[Flytvr]

@NemesisUK 

 

 

[Guest]

Remarkable

Sent from my STV100-4 using Tapatalk

[NemesisUK]

That's an awful lot of coats sprayed there.

I wonder what the cost is to prep and spray a car front? Compared with PastiDip?

[Guest]

Cheaper than your respray.

I have 2 dings in mine that ideally need repair. I really can't bothered at that sort of money so will just have a painter friend do a good enough job that the eye misses it unless looking specifically for it. It's only going to get another one anyway. 

 

http://blog.lexus.co.uk/lexus-paintwork-look-good/

 

http://blog.lexus.co.uk/how-lexus-paintwork-turns-back-time/

[NemesisUK]

I'm wearing that chip as a badge of honour 😏 

It seems to be warding off any further damage, so far anyway....

If one's car has the more standard metallic finishes it would be cheaper to repair and be far less noticeable once touched in.