Rockers chipped?...

[RandyB]

Originally Posted by elp_jc

A word of caution folks. And I've experienced this myself, and heard it from many other people all over the US. A respray job doesn't hold up like factory. Don't know why is that; my bodyshop supposedly used exactly what the factory used (paint and clear), including the 'flexible' stuff on bumpers. So my advice is DO NOT repaint any panels until they look like crap. Maybe the same would have happened to factory paint, but doubt it. Just a heads up. Good day.

I have always found this to be true also. That's another reason the factory paint is so precious, orange peel and all.

[kmac1980]

Originally Posted by slammedm3

I haven't seen this new product yet, and perhaps that would change my mind about doing clearbra. But as you know, Andrew from Exoticare is a big fan of it and recommends it to all his customers with high end cars, but he has never been able to sell me on it.

Let me ask you this, who are you saving the paint for? The next owner ? Thats very nice of you, I mean I would love to buy your car because I would rip off all the clearbra and your right I would have a brand new car underneath it all. So it works out great for the next owner, but meanwhile you dealt and had to look at the orange peel and yellowing and the lines all over the car.

Heres a relevant story, my uncle used to lease a new Honda every 4 years, and the day he would pick up the car he would put 3-4 carpets into each area of the car, one on top of the other for extra extra protection. He barely every cleaned his car throughtout the lease (so he isn't car crazy or care much about the car in general). When his lease would come up in 4 years, he would take out all those carpets and underneath you would LITERALLY have a brand new car. I never understood this... : WHAT was the point? To give Honda a brand new car back? and for the 4 years he had it, he had 3 or 4 ugly layers of carpet to protect the car's carpet for the next owner or to make it easier for Honda to sell it ? The clearbra reminds me of that, and I simply see no point.

This is sooooo true, I've never really understood the whole clearbra thing myself, unless you plan on keeping the car for 30 years as a collector and insist on having original paint only.

The whole car eventually starts to show wear and tear from being a DD, and paint is expected to take a beating, might as well enjoy while you have it.

Reminds me of people who buy a $5000 couch and cover it in a plastic wrap

[GS997S]

If it makes you feel any better, I have rock chips on the lower part of my Carrera S bumper cover right behind the rear wheels. My rockers are in good shape though. I am very careful where I drive, but the high performance tires pick up every bit of debris on the road and throw it at the car.

[AMPowerJ]

Originally Posted by kmac1980

Reminds me of people who buy a $5000 couch and cover it in a plastic wrap

+1000

Exactly what I was going to say! Do all of you guys leave those little plastic shields that come on electronics on all the time too?

[SlammedR8]

Originally Posted by AMPowerJ

+1000

Exactly what I was going to say! Do all of you guys leave those little plastic shields that come on electronics on all the time too?

hahahaha
+10000000000

Its crazy...it really is..to each their own though. Like I said, those people are only helping someone who wants a used M3 in perfect shape, and on top of that, they can expect to get no more than 1k-2k more then a used M3 without all the clearbra (meanwhile they probably spent over 2k to full cover their car in the first place)

[Moxie]

Originally Posted by slammedm3

hahahaha
+10000000000

Its crazy...it really is..to each their own though. Like I said, those people are only helping someone who wants a used M3 in perfect shape, and on top of that, they can expect to get no more than 1k-2k more then a used M3 without all the clearbra (meanwhile they probably spent over 2k to full cover their car in the first place)

Think you need a clear bra for the autobahn. Way to easy to pick up chips going ~140MPH. Bugs are a PITA to get off. Clear bra allows you to get aggressive on getting the guts off without worrying about scratching the s**t out of the bumper. I'd rather replace my clear bra than repaint anything on the car.

[montreal red]

i took mine to a couple of track days and got my rockers chipped really badly on one side of the car when i went off the track slightly...kind of sucks but nothing much one can do. I rather enjoy the car then to keep it perfect in the garage at home.

[quality_sound]

Originally Posted by slammedm3

funny that both of you mention painting because I was planning to repaint mine as my car is in the body shop for 3 days to have my front bumper re-sprayed from stone chips. I like to start the spring/summer with a freshly painted front bumper and Im not a fan of the 3M clearbra all over the car. I rather respray my front bumper once a year for a couple hundred bucks then pay close to if not the same in having a clearbra that will eventually turn yellow and have that cleartape all over the bumper.

It doesn't yellow if you take care of it and it IS removable.

[quality_sound]

Originally Posted by AMPowerJ

+1000

Exactly what I was going to say! Do all of you guys leave those little plastic shields that come on electronics on all the time too?

I do.

[Kyoshi71]

Originally Posted by JohnyRangr

Anyone elses rockers all chipped to hell and back?

Car only has about 1,600 miles on it and I'm wondering if there will be any paint left after 10k.

I also have 1600 miles and my rockers look like they were shot with a gatling gun. It's just where the tires launch all the rocks