LouS

So I'm on my way home from work. My TL has around 100 miles on it since I picked it up this past Saturday. I'm driving along about a mile from my house and I'm shifting manually, easing the revs up a bit to try and break the car in just right. All of a sudden I look up (from looking at the tach) and I see something fly up near the left front of the car. Then I hear it hit the car on the left front side. I don't know what it was but it looked like it might have been a rock or something. I was like no way something just hit my car.

So I get home and I'm hoping it wasn't any big deal, just maybe a slight mark if anything. I don't see anything on the top of the fender where I thought it hit so then I'm thinking I must have gotten lucky. Well no chance. On the front left side of the bumper cover, there's this gash that looks like someone took a knife to the side of the bumper. It's about an inch and a half long and about 3/16" at the widest part. Whatever it was cut into the paint and even into the plastic of the bumper cover. Talk about being pissed. I'm a fanatic with keeping my cars in immaculate condition and this happens less than a week after I get the damn thing. There's also a tiny chip in the paint on the fender (metal) right where the bumper cover meets the fender. That I could have lived with but not the gash.

So I'm taking it to the dealer tomorrow to have this taken care of. I don't know what they will recommend, either repair/repaint the area or replace the bumper cover. I can only imagine what a front bumper cover for these cars would cost. Since they would have to paint the bumper cover anyway, it may be easier just to repair/repaint it. I know I won't be happy unless it's perfect.

Any recommendations would be appreciated. Damn, I am really bummed...

PetesTL

This is exactly why I have a clear bra (X-Pel) installed on my car. I commute on the highway every day and no longer have to worry about flying road debris ruining the front of my car---I had my front bumper, front fender, hood and side mirrors done. Worth every penny! For small cuts and gouges, a body shop can try to fill, sand and repaint just the damaged area, but it's very difficult to get an exact match if you have metallic paint.

J0KER

Very sorry to hear about what happened Best of luck

Modeler

That really sucks! I feel your pain. If you decide to fix it, you're looking at anywhere between $500 and $1,200 depending on whether they repaint or replace the bumper cover.

neuronbob

Just happened to me, except in my garage. I swallowed my pride and went to the body shop yesterday, paid my $250, and went on. I had a three gashes in my front bumper, and I wanted them properly filled, and you should too. A pic would help us to help you...

rynpamn21

u sure your clear bra woul've protected your car with something like that? if it was a knife or something sharp it would even probably cut thru the clear bra right? am kind of assuming and asking here....i just feel bad for LouS...things like this should never happen to TLERS

LouS

Well I am prepared to pay the price to get it fixed. I'm not happy that I will have to do so but I want it done right. Sorry but I don't want to take any pictures. I'm too pissed to even look at it anymore. Thanks for the replies.

LouS

Well some good news at least. My wife took the car to the Acura dealer this morning and they said they can fix it, no problem and they will even try to cover part, if not all, of the cost themselves. They will have their body shop do the work and they will have to bring someone in from the paint company to do the actual paint work because this paint is so new (or something to that effect). They are also taking care of a gap that I had on one of the lower rocker panels just below the driver door. The driver side had a rather large gap where the two pieces came together and the passenger side was nice and tight. Finally, the grill had a loose piece on the lower trim area that they are also looking at.

Right after my wife left the dealership, I got a call from my salesman to follow-up with everything they were going to do.

All I can say is that is some excellent service from Acura and I commend them on it. I feel a little better now...

RockBlocker

You would be very suprised how much abuse the product can take. Of course if it was knife cut it might not have, but if someone can hit an Possom and get it stuck in the bumepr intake and remove it with no damage to the front end, then I would rather have it then not have it. The strength and density of the clear bra is incredible.

caball88

how long have clear bras been around for. i wonder about the moisture getting between the bra and the paint. wouldn't it ruin the finish? i am just skeptical to the product cause it seems that having that flim stuck to your car would be bad in the long run.

Rob04TL

Caball88,
I have the clear bra on mine as well and (fingers crossed) have had zero problems with it so far. The guy who installed mine gave me a little background. It is a prduct of NASA and has been used for many years on the front of military helicopters (exact timeframe I'm not sure of, but proven track record based on that information. It can really take a beating for only being 8mm thick.

As far as your moisture question, when the product is put on, it is applied much like window tint on car windows. There is the initial moisture, but once the moisture leaves and the film pulls tight to the car (and everything degases), nothing will get underneath it.

Also, my warranty is for 4 years (free replacement) if anything goes with it, so they'll have to get it off so am sure they have a system for that in place already. I don't think it will do any kind of long-term damage due to it being backed by Acura and will not negatively affect your warranty.

Hope this helps a little.

Rob

caball88

being used with military helicopters doesn't really make me feel comfortable because their paint finish is no where near what the TL's is and what i want it to look like. i can picture the process of them putting the bra on but window tint goes on windows which do not have paint on them. i can take a razor to my window and nothing will really happen. but paint is alot more sensitive. When you say backed by Acura, are you saying that Acura warranties the clear bra?? i'm still on the fence whether to get it or not.

Sherlock

Acura said they would try to cover part of the repair.. on something that happened. God I must have been dreaming when I read that. No Acura dealer around here would do that, they don't even own up to problems they SHOULD fix. Wow, where is this dealer so we can all drive and worship them.

Rob04TL

What I meant by the comment that the clear bras are considered OEM because of the quality of the bras, not to mention that any of those aftermarket black bras have more of a change to damage paint, cause rust, etc than do these clear ones. I do understand your concerns, but the salesman was there when I was talking with the installer of the clear bra (he came to the dealer to pick up the car prior to me taking delivery). In reference to the helicopter comment, let me clarify. The clear bra was not used on the paint, but on the carbon blades to protect them from things impacting them in flight, but I suppose that gets a little off topic from your original question. Also, although paint is more sensitive than glass, the vehicle's clear coat is also a lot tougher than paint. I'm sure they have a system in place to remove these things and I would assume this question was asked before these people got into the business of applying these applications to vehicles. If it helps you out, I can give you the number of the place in southwestern FL that put mine on and you can speak with them.

nauticalx1

LouS,

The dealer is going to foot the bill fro the repairs??? it that happens, damn you are lucky! What great service! That is totally not somethign that they have to do at all. I have an uncle in Orlando, please name dealer and I will refer him to them. Also, once this is done and they foot the bill, you shoudl definitely write a nice letter about the dealers service to Acura, they should know how this dealer is providing excellent customer service just as much as they need to know about those dealers who don't provide such great service. =)

Sherlock

Didn't realize he was in the Orlando area.. I go down there twice a year, maybe I should get it serviced there. Boy wouldn't that make a statement: "this customer drives from Atlanta to get proper service"