Rock Chips

[Atipical]

Greetings all,

How has everyone’s experience been with rock chips? I’ve driven the car to FL from VA and will be driving back later this week. I have so far counted nearly 20 rock chips on the hood and fenders, and picked up a multiple chips and a crack on my windshield in the 800 miles I’ve driven the car. I’ve never experienced a car so prone to rock chips. Even my 911 (which sits lower!) has far fewer. I’ve had the car a week and the chips are really putting a damper on my happiness with the car so I’ve resigned to getting PPF done in a couple of weeks. Just want to see if my experience has mirrored anyone else’s.

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[Genau]

I drive my Taycan between Virginia and Florida several times a year, returning tomorrow actually. After 33,000 miles I have no paint chips or windshield cracks, although I've taken some pretty loud hits, and the PPF and windshield protection film have some scars. Last week I was going >80 mph when a large piece of gravel hit my windshield, with no visible damage. I also drove to Michigan during highway construction season with some loud gravel impacts. Protective films for the win!

 

[Archimedes]

8,000 miles, zero chips. Paint is still perfect. No PPF here.

 

[Redhot2474]

Greetings all,

How has everyone’s experience been with rock chips? I’ve driven the car to FL from VA and will be driving back later this week. I have so far counted nearly 20 rock chips on the hood and fenders, and picked up a multiple chips and a crack on my windshield in the 800 miles I’ve driven the car. I’ve never experienced a car so prone to rock chips. Even my 911 (which sits lower!) has far fewer. I’ve had the car a week and the chips are really putting a damper on my happiness with the car so I’ve resigned to getting PPF done in a couple of weeks. Just want to see if my experience has mirrored anyone else’s.

Are u sure they are chips and not just dirt and grime?

 

[Atipical]

Oh no. They’re definitely chips. It’s pretty bad. I ordered touch up paint out of desperation and sadness.

 

[timo]

I got 1 on the hood driving back from LA before I had PPF installed locally.

There was a new 911 in the shop that had been driven from a dealer in South Carolina that looked like someone took a shotgun to it. It was a sad sight.

 

[Atipical]

I don’t know what it is about these roads and this car but they’re not getting along. I’m worried about filling in the rock chips before PPF install. Will they be able to be taken care of and at least be filled in or will I just have to deal with it? I’ve never done PPF before so I’m quite concerned.

 

[Jhenson29]

@Atipical If it were me, I would just get a respray and then apply the PPF.

I did that on an M3 when the front bumper got peppered from a road trip.

 

[Scandinavian]

I don’t know what it is about these roads and this car but they’re not getting along. I’m worried about filling in the rock chips before PPF install. Will they be able to be taken care of and at least be filled in or will I just have to deal with it? I’ve never done PPF before so I’m quite concerned.

I would have the detailer asses what he thinks is best. I would probably do a re spray since any blemish will be visible under the PPF. I got a stone chip on the front spoiler when driving the car to the detailer yo get the PPF installed. He did his best to fill and polish it out, but it is still visible but very faint.

You probably also will need a polish to correct any paint defects from the factory before PPF is applied.

 

[WuffvonTrips]

I took a "smart" paint repair policy from my dealer, but my first prominent stone chip came so soon that I figured my repairs per year allowance probably wouldn't keep up with the chip rate, plus I'd have all the hassle of multiple mobile paint man callouts, so I made what may be my only claim- to get the first chip fixed (which took several hours but is invisible as far as I can tell)- then straight off to get the PPF installed.
Incidentally, my SA advised at least getting the small factory-standard piece of PPF ahead of the rear arches replaced with a full rear door cover, as many of the vehicles they were getting in for resale had needed a full panel respray of the rear doors.

 

[Atipical]

Yikes. I’m hoping to avoid a respray but I guess we’ll have to wait and see what the detailer says. I’m just kicking myself for not getting PPF at the onset. I didn’t realize this car was such a rock magnet.

 

[bj33813]

I did a road trip from FL to California and back and got peppered with chips. I learned to stay far back from jacked up pick up trucks, jeeps, and semis as they throw up all kinds of crap. Had to do a respray as there were some severe deep gouges from nails in some of the junk that flew back at me.

 

[Atipical]

I did a road trip from FL to California and back and got peppered with chips. I learned to stay far back from jacked up pick up trucks, jeeps, and semis as they throw up all kinds of crap. Had to do a respray as there were some severe deep gouges from nails in some of the junk that flew back at me.

I learned to stay back from jeeps the hard way a couple days ago. How much was the respray if you don’t mind my asking?

 

[RAHRCR]

I had my Taycan trailered from the dealer to the detailer without me driving it a single mile….told the dealer to do a wash only. No dealership wax or tire goop upon delivery. Car is now fully PPF protected, coated (including wheels/calipers) and tinted. This isn’t cost effective though, so I can’t recommend in good conscience but if peace of mind and ease of maintenance is important, it’s the tax one must pay.

Given where the OP is now, respray and PPF of the front clip is likely the best path forward.

 

[bj33813]

$1100+ and yes, ouch! It's a Porsche! Thought about telling them it was a '66 Chevy but , you know. Pick it up later today. Probably could have found someone who would spot paint it, but I opted to be sure it looked right and did the entire hood, as there were lots of smaller chips scattered around. Have no experience with ppf, altho I had a Vette that I had Xpel put on, and did not like the results several years down the road.

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