Rock Chips (How To Prevent Them?)

jacob9582 · 05-21-05, 04:32 PM

ive had my vette about a month now. came with aboslutely no chips and now i have two, i know its normal wear and tear but i still hate it. do you guys use anything to prevent them.

i dont want to put a bra on it cause it will destroy the paint as well. i have heard of this clear 3m type of stuff but im afraid that will look bad as well. let me know what you guys think.

how much is it to have a bumper resprayed? i could just do that every 5 years or so if its not too much.

Edmond · 05-21-05, 05:01 PM

Proper maintenance with a bra will not damage the paint. If it's clean, you won't damage the paint. A lot of the bra's out there today even advertise themselves as being "breatheable."

It should run a couple hundred bucks to have the bumper resprayed.

jacob9582 · 05-21-05, 05:08 PM

how are the bras they advertise from ecklers? there is one for 69.99 in there.

Vis Croceus · 05-21-05, 06:00 PM

My experience on one of my cars, and with friends cars, has been that even the most expensive bras, used in the most anal retentive fashion (only used for highway trips, only installed after washing and waxing the nose, never left on after rain or dirt gets on it, etc.) will still damage the paint.

But most of that experience was 15-20 years ago so maybe they're a lot better today.

I doubt it though.

jacob9582 · 05-21-05, 06:37 PM

i was under the same impression. i guess there is probably no fail safe solution but ill prolly just get some touch up paint for them as they come and then get the bumper resprayed every 5 years or so.

Aurora40 · 05-21-05, 06:43 PM

The 3M film will help a lot and is fairly invisible. I always worry about taking it off after 5 years of it being on the paint.

There are also temporary protectants that claim to help with rock chips. I doubt they are as effective as they claim, but it can only help. I use ProWax's Bug Guard, and it at least helps with bugs:

http://www.prowax.com/specialty_prods.shtml#S-10

http://www.hueychemical.com/webstore...?productID=355

6 Shooter · 05-21-05, 08:26 PM

Keep her in the garage or give her a little more space up front.

05-21-05, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jacob9582

how much is it to have a bumper resprayed? i could just do that every 5 years or so if its not too much.

I just finished painting mine today. Paint and supplies maybe 120.00 and labor depends on how anal you are. There are pics of the paint job in the general discussion forum under the title: I finally did it"

Len

WNH · 05-21-05, 08:34 PM

Keep your distance from trucks on highways.
They are the ones that kick up rocks.

I get them too and every time I see a new rock chip I go ballistic.

Corvettes are low up front and get hit by low bouncing rocks.

atmmac · 05-21-05, 08:39 PM

I am taking a trip to ohio this summer. Im definetly putting on my bra to preven tome of the chips on the highway. I would NEVER leave it on all the time.

Aurora40 · 05-21-05, 08:52 PM

Just FYI, but you can buy that 3M film in bulk rolls. You could 1/2 ass it on the front for a road trip and then peel it off when done.

jacob9582 · 05-21-05, 10:20 PM

im like most of you guys, i am anal about my paint job and i too go balistic when i see a single chip. i am trying to keep my distance from other cars and trucks, like 3 lengths at least but sometimes it is just impossible with chicago drivers and sometimes you just feel like you wanna go fast and well you all know what happens then

i am pretty good with the compressor sprayer i have, i repainted doors and stuff on my jeep before so if i absollutely have to ill repaint it. i am going to buy a bra from ecklers unless you all have a better reccomendation. ill throw it on for trips over an hour but other wise just play it smart and hope for a little luck!