TBone2004

Have you guys noticed that these front qtr panels seem to attract chips kinda easily? I just got a matching chip on my front left qtr to match the one on the front right. Same spot - up kinda high, right on the outermost part of the fender.

Touch-up paint to the rescue I hope...

rets

IMO, 04TLs have some serious problems with their paint finish. For whatever reasons Acura/folks have been addressing, you will continuingly get those chips in the entire ownership years unless you have some protections on.

TLGator

rets, I agree with you but I don't think this problem is limited to Acura. In the last year friends of mine who have bought a Mitsubishi, a Nissan, a BMW, and a Honda have all complained about easily-damaged paint finishes.

It seems the problem is the strict environmental regulations for car paint. The manufacturers haven't yet figured out how to make paints that comply with the regulations but which are as durable as in the old days. Although, no one I know with a Lexus seems to have any problems, but that is the exception as best I can tell. I wonder what they are doing better than the rest.

rets

Sure. That's one of reasons I've learned. So bad... I love to drive my car, but those chips are really killing me. With dozens of thousand miles later, I bet my 04TL will be cheese-like vehicle... the touch-up paint is never working as perfect as the factory's painting machine. I hate to look at my engine hood...

TLGator

Yeah the finish on the hoods gets really bad eventually. When I turned in my leased '01 CL I was afraid the inspector guy would ding me hard for all the paint chips in the hood. Nope. Got listed as "normal wear and tear." Charge to me - nothing. (As it should be.)

swtjazz

It's a little expensive but you may want to get ClearBra or some equivalent to protect the front end.

dseag2

Nothing. Check out the SC430 forum on ClubLexus. When I had mine I had to get an X-Pel clear bra installed because it was getting so many paint chips. And they weren't just on the front... they were up the hood. This is a common problem experienced by many SC430 owners.

Same complaints from owners of the G35 Coupe. Seems to have a lot to do with the design of those nice sleek front ends (like the TL). Sure don't have any chips on my box-on-wheels QX4!