Does anyone have any dings, dents etc. on their SC430? I just got my first paint chip under my Pass. Headlight. I feel sick. I dont even know where that came from.

 

first one always hurt the most, but after that you feel much better

 

I got a chip in my hood the first week I had mine, it made me sick. Thats when I got the clear coat.

 

Search some of the early posts from 2001 and you will find us early owners remarking upon the unusually high number of dings from stones this car gets while on the highway. I had an SC400 which I drove for 10 years on many long trips and it hardly got any such chips or dings. (Also, something about the airflow on that car kept most of the bugs from hitting the windshield.)

The dings I got on my road trips were so severe I got one of those Cooligan car bras to protect the front end while on the road. It's not a problem just driving around town, so that solved the problem for me.

I think the way the front end is configured and the fact that it sits so low to the ground has something to do with it. It certainly has much more vertical surface area at the front than the SC400, which has a very long, sloping hood with a rounded, not flat, front edge. I do not know anything about the physics of stones and truck tires, but it seems to me that this car is well designed to get many hits.

Be prepared for more.

 

your bound to get chips on the front end. Definently get a clear bra anyways as for the paint chips I have filled some up and it works quite well I ordered my touchup paint from lexus. I ordered 1 base coat and 1 clear coat. So basically its a 2 step process, put down the base coat, then let it dry and use the clear. The clear part has the pearl in it. If you check out the automotive section they have tutorials on how you should apply it and get rid of the excess paint. its a delicate job so be careful!

 

So true.
I have a ton on the front of my car. Freshly painted bumper waiting for install once it cures and xpeled. Hood will get repainted as well shortly and convered with a clear guard. I just cannot stand chips. Sometimes when I wash the car I am hesitant to check out the front in fear of another chip.
Lee

 

Yes. I had a rock chip not on the hood but on the fender just below the headlight. I didn't repaint the whole panel, they managed to blend new paint to cover it & it's not noticeable to the naked eye.

 

and talk about murphy law, lee.... i have clear bra for the WHOLE front end, and somehow i managed to chipped right at the edge of the clear bra several times. pissed the hell out of me.... but then i have learned how to just accept it. i figured unless i don't drive the car at all, it's going to get these anyway

you meant clear bra?

another reason is the ban on oil base paint to water base in attempt to save the environment. i forgot exactly when but that's towards the end of 90s i think. by comparison, i used to own a 92 camry and the paint on that thing is aweseome, it was hard as hell and very durable. my 02 acura tl-s (the worst i have had with paint, just plain stupid) and 03 is300 both couldn't match. my 98 gs400 is better though, but still no match to my 92 camry

 

Yes, I' ve heard a G35 owner had to repaint the whole front bumper because he got lots of chips, but the new paint is oil-based, & since then, he doesn't get them anymore . . .

 

It's like a rite of passage to get your first ding. Six months into owning my '02 I got caught in a hail storm. I stopped counting at 42 dents in my hood. At my next scheduled service I arranged for Dent Wizard guys to work on the car. It took them 3 days but they got every single dent out!

The car's been spotless (except for front chips) until 2 months ago when somebody scraped my rear bumper in a parking lot. Now I've got an estimate for $800+ to fix it! That one hurt!

As far as paint chips on the hood goes, Iwonder if it has anything to do with the aluminum instead of steel?

 

Here's what you need:,,,,,,,,,Sold at Eastwood

Armor Auto Sprayable Clear Protector

Prevent expensive chip repairs. Just use your spray gun to apply this durable 2-part urethane protective coating to the most chip prone areas on your car. Perfect for front bumpers covers, leading edge of the hood, mirrors, and lower rocker areas. One kit includes 2-pint cans to mix together. Enough to cover up to 40 square feet with a resilient chip resistant layer. Easily repaired if necessary.




Item# Product Qty Price


11170 Z Armor Auto Sprayable Clear Protector
$99.99

 

Never in a hundred years would I spray some kind of unknown gunk like that onto the hood of my Lexus SC.

Maybe my old Jeep Wrangler, but then again, probably not, because I never cared if that car had any dings or not.

 

I have had good luck with this Takes a little practice but works well with small/medium scatches and chips

JTMav