camoe

My TSX now has 14,000 miles on it and the front end is not holding up well at all. My bumber is plastered with tiny chips along with my hood, except where the clear bra is. I was curious as to how others have held up. Granted, in Colorado, it is pretty bad as the DOT uses gravel on the snow and when it melts those rocks fly everywhere. However, I've had many American company cars whose paint held up much better. While driving through the mountains yesterday, I hit a gravel storm (thats the technical name.. and thousands of little pieces of gravel were flying through the air right into my car while driving. I just about shit myself as there aint a lot you can do in that situation. The after effects nearly had me in tears. The pitting is god awful now. I'd take some pictures and post them but it's just too painful now... to look at.

MemRheins

well rockblocker sells a clear bra, i would get one, but my bumpers bad enough allready that its not worth putting the clearbra on, unless I get my car fixed first...my Fronts not really the problem either, my side doors have so many rockchips/other crap... I cant stand it... Honda/Acura REALLY decided to fuck-us over on the paint

virtualbong

Damn! I thought the Northeast was bad for the salt and dirt, but they use gravel for the snow there in CO? F that!

I'm still trying to decide whether or not I want the 3M Clear Bra or not. The guy who did my tints told me that there's a Llumar version out there that is stronger than 3M and less noticeable. I think he said its about the same price range too ($600 installed). I'm trying to decide whether or not its really worth the money here in the Northeast...I mean, I don't think many people have it and if it was a serious problem, then alot of people would.

MemRheins

Virtual, I regret not buying a clear bra, my friend w/ a BMW M3 just put one on his car, you cant notice it unless u really look for it, when I get my Mustang, its gonna be the first thing I do

Kawaii

I haven't had any problems, I've had my car for almost a year now. I bought it in Connecticut during the summer but moved to Florida a couple months later..so it's never seen the snow, i guess that might be why.

camoe

The sad thing is...I've got the clear bra. Unfortunately it doesn't cover the bumber or the entire hood. One of the reasons I bought this car was for Mountain driving. I take her up at least once every two weeks and I don't plan on stopping. I fear I won't have any paint left after next winter. I even put 3 coats of wax on in December to help protect against this...silly me.

camoe

[QUOTE=virtualbong]Damn! I thought the Northeast was bad for the salt and dirt, but they use gravel for the snow there in CO? F that!

Paint damage is only half the problem. You can count on replacing your windshield here every one or two years if your are lucky. Even if the windshield isn't cracked...it's gonna be pitted as hell. My windsheild got toasted yesterday as well...

virtualbong

Wait, so where do you have the clear bra installed? I would be getting the full kit, which would cover the bumper, part of the hood and the side mirrors. The only thing I'm worried about is that I have the OEM Kit on and I don't believe the clear bra covers the OEM Front Spoiler.

supraken

iTrader: (1)

ehh.... my front bumper has millions of tiny chips on it.... at first I thought it was white paint or something because it looked like someone sprayed a light mist of paint on it, but realized it was chips.... learned to live with it.... as long as I'm not washing my car and get up close I don't notice it as much....esp when the car is dirty like it is now....

went to my dealer a while back to complain, they did touch up the larger paint chips.. but can't do anything about those tiny ones....'normal wear and tear'

virtualbong

Hmmm....so maybe I'll look into getting it then...that would mean I'd be down $600...and it wouldn't be a fun mod

camoe

Here is a picture of my hood..note the clear bra only covers the front.

supraken

iTrader: (1)

My front bumper looks just like that (same color too), and I thought it was bad.... I guess I'm lucky at least it didn't happen to my hood

then again, maybe the car is too dirty that I haven't noticed it yet...

slobeatz

I have some nasty chips on my roof that are starting to rust a little. I can't wait until it gets warm up here so I can fill them.

virtualbong

Well, it could be because he lives in Colorado and you live in New York. Does New York use gravel? I won't flip out if they used gravel here in Mass.

matelot

wow mountain-driving ? in a 4-cylinder 3000lb+ nice little family sedan ?
sorry but am I the only one here that thinks the TSX is just not suitable for that ?

supraken

iTrader: (1)

Actually, most those damn chips were from driving on 290 and 495 in Mass. I lived in Mass for about a year when I first got my TSX. Haven't done much highway driving in NY after I moved back here, so I'm not sure how bad NY roads will chip the TSX..... I had a Civic beater before, and I wouldn't notice chips that are less than 2" in diameter on that car....

majin ssj eric

Um, something tells me that if you drive your car through a "rock storm" it's not going to matter what kind of paint you have.

camoe

The chips just didn't appear after the rock storm. It just worsened the problem. I was just using this to illustrate the thin paint this car has

Fibonacci

I feel your pain - here in Motown, the patch crews fill monster potholes with shitty grade asphalt which only lasts about two weeks then breaks up and gets kicked up by trucks and large suv's.

Very nice...

Godwhacker

I know what you mean...Pittsburgh is just awful with rocks as well. The stuff they use for patching in the winter is pretty much just ammo for the trucks and buses to throw around. Not to mention all the debris from all the freakin potholes that the 'Burgh is notorious for.

I have had several makes of cars here, and there aint no paint that helps. Bras dont protect the windshield or the sides of the car. Until they start making roads out of diamonds or cars that fly, I dunno what the solution is. My CR-V has the plastic all around the bumper, which certainly doesnt chip, but isnt the nicest looking car around, not to mention that the hood still gets a good bunch of rock hits...

I do wonder if the older cars, with the sqare front ends didn't have as much of a problem cause most of the rocks hit the front grille, headlights and the chrome. Todays cars with less grille and more "slope" on the front end may be more prone to rock damage. Also the older cars had bigger trunks and mud guards to block the rocks from being thrown. MMMM...I'll have to put in for a grant to study that one....maybe I could use a Chrysler 300 and see if it chips as bad as the TSX....

NightShredder

Actually the TSX is perfect for mountain driving. Having lived in Vail and Breckenridge I just ordered the TSX exactly for the mountains. It handles the curves perfectly and hugs the road in a way that allows you to really puch it around the many curves and bends. Most of the year the streets are dry in the mountains here. Snow is usually gone in 24-48 hrs because the sun melts everything alot quicker at 10,000 feet. Even when it snows A lighter car with fwd that has reasonable power for the uphill grades is preferable to an SUV or something heavier. Remember stoping is the really dangerous part when you are dealing with driving in the rockies. TSX 6MT is one of the best I have seen here, add some snows with studs and you are driving a beast on the road. I used to have a Ledgend with studed snows and I drove by countless SUVs in the ditch, me always smiling as I pased right by.

The paint might not be suitable, but show me one car anywhere that has a paint job that will stand up to prolonged driving in an high alpine environment.

jonpfive

Actually, the less mil thickness the better. The thicker the paint/clear, the more likely it is to chip. The problem is all of the environmentalist wackos making a stink about paint products polluting. This has forced Europe and Asia to use waterborne paint systems that are just not as durable as urethane based products. Look for the US to follow suit in the next 5-10 years.

matelot

agree with the handling & fun factor.

But you're talking about going DOWNHILLS right ?
Do you feel the same way going UPhills ?
I mean i think you probly gotta nearly floor it to keep the thing from rolling back (ok i am exaggerating)

leftride

iTrader: (1)

I have the same problem on my bumper, but my hood isnt bad at all. and the rest of the paint is pretty much flawless....oh and I have about 29k miles and its been up to the mountains over a dozen times this season so its not like it isnt gettting driven.

camoe

Maybe the Paint Gods are angry at me... There are more Colorado peeps here than I realized. We should have a meet in the mountains and compare chips...

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

dude, you might as well get used to the rock chips because nearly all car companies are switching to the water-based paint, which is far less resilient, but far more environmentally friendly, than the old style paints

camoe

And it pisses me off....bloody ridiculous. However, I know research is being done at several places "building" the paint at the molecular level for improved strength; looks very promising. Better living through nanotechnology..gotta love it :-)

NightShredder

That is true matelot. You really have to stomp it to move on the uphill. I guess I will be hitting the vtech alot. My old Ledgend L (160 hpw, I think) used to pull 85-90 mph up to the Eisenhower tunnel which is probably the most challanging uphill streach of I-70 in the Rockies.

Yeah, all of us should compare the craters...I mean chips we get from driving on top of the world.

NightShredder

I am going to fight the chips as much as I can.

Going with the paint protection along with a full clear bra on the front and rearviews. I know paint chips will still be a problem, but hopefully I can put off painting the thing for a a few extra years. Just a fact of life that I will have to get used to.

btw. Does anyone think that you will get more underbody/sidepanel protection from mudflaps or the OEM bodykit? I was wondering because the bodykit curves out right where the mudflaps attach.

Stokeless_TSX

You know I have the same problem I read somewhere that it is because Honda/Acura switched over to a water based paint which isnt as strong or durable as the oil based. Its go for the environment but shitty for us. I think I am gonna repaint my car one of these days anyway. I will use stock acura paint with a hefty clear coat from an oil based paint.

camoe

I'm not sure. I have splash guards and don't have a problem with any of my side panels.

Bootlegged

I'm currently considering investing in a clear bra from Xpel. The only 2 shops around here that professionaly install the thing are quoting me at an average of 1,000 dollars for the install and purchase of the product (this includes the customized portion of the front under body spoiler).

Does this seem to be a bit over the limit in terms of pricing or is this standard??

moda_way

I just had my front bumper repainted under warranty because I'm 1 of 1 to have their clear coat bubble up on the car. Although I'm very glad to have had the repaint done, I'm not happy with the quality, so it goes back in again to be look at. The bubbling is now starting on my hood too. So yeah, I can't say I'm very happy about the crap paint Acura/Honda has put on these cars.

NightShredder

That sounds almost double what you should pay. My Acura dealer put me in touch with someone who installs clear bras on all their new cars and he quoted me $495 including labor for front nose and custom cut bumper.

stogie1020

Ok, so has anyone found out how much a NEW OEM hood and front bumper would cost?

jonpfive

Why do you want a new hood and bumper. A good body shop that does quality work can make your existing parts look new again, and they can refinish with a urethane product system that will outperform the stock paint. If you want to check into the new parts, go to www.sunnysideacura.com, I think they sell at 20-25% off.

jonpfive

Sorry, wrong link. www.acuraparts247.com

moda_way

Totally agree. You'd think factory would be hard as a rock because they actually bake on the paint, but no, the air dry crap the govt. forces body shops to use here is so much better.