joeandcarol2

Washing my car this morning and there it was. Front way down low. Not big but the red paint is definitely off. How does one toughen up this skin to prevent this from happening?

Beelzebub

ClearBra

GD196

ModAddict

I covered mine up with an OEM Body Kit!

Titand19

What is a OEM body kit? I have rock chips on my car, there nothing you can do. Clear bra will help, but once you hit a certain speed, nothing is gonna stop the rocks.

ktgumbo

Sell the car! Hahhaa I have some rock chips on my car, and it bugs the ish outta me. Nothin you can reall do man!

ModAddict

It's the Ground Effects package made by Accura. I bought the kit and as I was installing it, I fount a large paint chip, but fortunately the new front lip covered it. Prolly by now the new lip is dinged up, and I'm sure I'll have many more to come.

6speedS

go to your local window tint place and they may have what's called a the 3M stone guard, it's a clear coat of protectant you can get on any part of the car

Nicky Pass

No chips = No driving....oh well!

gregshin

rock chips = the facts of life...mostly driving behind big rigs can chip up your car too

once you get one...they start to appear in masses.

whats worse is when i see the rocks bending my intercooler fins on my frount mount...GRRRG :angry:

ModAddict

What's even worse than that, is car parts flying up in front of you. Welcome to the Motor City!

Beelzebub

3M Stone Guard = ClearBra

I have it on my car and it works beautifully. I got 4 small chips before put it on and none since.

I can post pics if needed, It is very hard to see unless you get real close to the car.

JRock

A friend of mine is a professional XPel installer. Xpel is, I believe DuPont's version of StoneGuard. It's pretty nice stuff. He's been installing it on Benzes and Porsches lately, and did the entire kit (hood, bumper, sidemirrors, and headlights) on Kai's C70.

If you're in the DC metro area, he can offer you a great price on the kit for your vehicle (or any part of the kit), including installation.

Beelzebub

I believe that they are all made by 3M

http://www.xpel.com/paint/scotchal.html

JRock

Ah cool, well I definitely recommend xpel as I've seen it being installed and after being installed on several cars now and it's sweet.

Beelzebub

It definitly works and is probably the only defense our cars have against rock chips.

dfreder371

Let's get this clear guys and gals:

ANY PAINT WILL CHIP! I know, I apply and test paint for a living.

Paint is a miracle as that it works as well as it does, and it is a pariah when it comes to their shortcomings.

Paint chipping is a matter of eventuality, not reallt quality control. 25 years ago, on the way to Florida from Chicago, I wittnessed a semi tire come loose, vault the lanes, and clear our car by about 10 feet, at maybe, 120 mph. I think, the paint, if contacted by such an object would definitely yield.

C'mon guys, this is paint!

gto2050

Clear bra is undetectable from 5' away.

gto2050

My car is 3 years old and the front is peppered with white where rock salt, rocks, etc have chipped the paint off. Acura has the worst paint on these cars. I know all the old timers here agree.

Doc.Booty

I was washing my car a few days ago and noticed not only a ton of chips on the hood (fuggin gravel haulers on the road... grr....) but 3 giant chips/scratches where someone hit me with their door, and some scuff marks down low that came from god knows where.

foe

How much is clear bra?

jproy

where can I get Clearbra and how much is it? I am in Lafayette Louisiana.

Thanks,
Jim

ktgumbo

Me 2, i want i want!

Beelzebub

Foe

It will run from about $200 to 450 depending on what you get. I got the hood and the bumper for 400 and got them to throw in the lights which would run for 50 bucks.

Jproy, Ktgumbo

go to this link and put in your zip

http://www.xpel.com/support/installation/zipsearch.asp

here are the pictures of it applied

ktgumbo

This might be a dumb ?, but how much would be to get a layer of clear coat added instead of this? Would that do n e thing for the chips?

MJMeucci

We had the 3M stone guard on our Volvo Crosscountry and that stuff was amazing. We always used the Volvo to go skiing and stuff and I would fly (well not fly, it was a Volvo Wagon) down the freeway and the passes. Wehn we ended up selling the car there were very few rockchips at all and none where the stoneguard was applied. If you do decide to get stone guard get it put under the door handles as well, it prevents you from getting those annoying little fingernail scratches. Also if you do get it put on dont hesistate to be an ass about it. My friend was a black C70 and he did nto get his put on right and it looked like crap. When we had ours put on we refused to pay until it was put on correctly an straight. I had an estimate done for my 1st gen CL but theyy told me that the paint had too many imperfections and that I woudl be taking the risk of the stuff bubbling up pretty badly so I never had it done. If i ewver repaint the CL it will definitely be somethign that I put on.

jproy

I have read that this stuff has a useful life of about five years on eon of the links. can it be easily removed after five years without leaving a trace? Anyone?

Thanks
Jim


Thanks for the link and pics Beelzebub.

Beelzebub

No problem

I asked about that when I had it installed, the guy said that if you wanted to take it off, they have a special remover that will take it off without leaving a trace.