Rock Chips (How To Prevent Them?)

[jacob9582]

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]

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]

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

 

[Vis Croceus]

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]

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]

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/ProductDetails.aspx?productID=355

 

[6 Shooter]

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

 

[nyernga]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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!

 

[Achilles]

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

 

[scorp508]

Don't drive the car and/or don't follow as close to others.

 

[8388]

don't follow as close to others.

Around here the one with the most, is the slower car

 

[scorp508]

Around here the one with the most, is the slower car

:L If I ever visit i'll be sure to do a hood check before calling anyone out!

 

[markone]

Don't drive the car and keep the body highly waxed. Seriously, if you drive it, it will get chips, no matter what you do. That's why we have "trailer babies".

markone

 

[Tom Martin]

Front end protection

I've yet to try a bra but . . . I had a '16 Limerock green convertible that I bought with 385 miles on it and it had 3M on it. The rock hits on the 3M showed up as cloudy areas in the plastic about the size of a dime and were worse then a rock chip would be. I asked the dealer how much to repaint the front bumper area and they quoted $757. Yes, outrageous!!
There's no way I'd put plastic on my car again, this wasn't the first time and it was never has been what it was advertised to be. As far as my research goes, the only bra I'd put on my car, currently a '16 Shark Grey Z-06, might be an Auto Lingerie body color bra, the match to the paint is nothing short of amazing. I've seen both a red Vette and a yellow Vette with that bra on them and they looked really good. Maybe the only negative is that I understand that they might be a bitch to put on and take off.

 

[DonB]

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

When stopped in traffic I don't pull up as close as I normally would to the car in front of me. I normally leave at least 10 feet when I'm driving my Vette.

 

[GS Diva]

You can get chips just driving down the street...not just on long trips. I have had the Invisible Bra put on my last 5 Corvettes and they have been great. For the most part, they are truly invisible. I have a new 2016 Z06 now and had one put on when the car had only 80 miles on it. Even had the rocker panels done. Wouldn't be without one!

Elaine