Protecting paint from stone chips: Options?

Cricket

Cricket

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What's the best option, or combination of options, to diminish stone chips?

New paint, compounded and polished, once cured, will be sealed with Klasse Sealant:

3M Paint Defender? Another product that protects - what do you recommend?

Colgan Custom Bra, in addition to 3M Paint Defender? Made to fit the Miata, but will it damage the paint? It would be used for interstate driving, long distance travel, removed other times, never left on more than a couple of days at a time.

Pros/Cons to 3M Paint Defender? Colgan Custom Bra?

Thank you -
 
If the Colgan custom bra would be my vote for the best protection against stone chips.


Remove and clean the backside often and wash the car as dirt will get trapped between the cover and the paint and cause scratching.


:)
 
Thank you, Mike - And yes, it would be on the car as little as necessary and only when the car is first, spotless, and the Colgan Bra clean and lint/dust-free.

** Would you double the protection with a spray on protectant such as the 3M Paint Defender I mentioned?
Does a spray-on 'removable' protection like that present other problems? I would want to apply it on the front and rear fascia, lower 1/3 fenders, rocker panels, and maybe the entire hood (not a fan of the line that shows when applying to front 1/3 of hood). I'd still use the Colgan Bra for long distance interstate travel. Thoughts on this approach?

OR, I would correct stone chip damage very carefully - decontaminate/remove silicone/wax/etc, apply layer by layer with flat toothpick, top with clearcoat, polish/buff/sealant??/wax

Thank you! :)
 
For the same price, or less, of one of these Colgan units you can have Paint Protection Film (PPF) installed and not have to
ever worry about the damages a Colgan-type bra will do to your front clip. Not only do they gather, then harbor, contaminates
that will scratch the dickens out of the paint when they are removed/re-installed...no matter how tightly they're installed
(don't want them flapping in the wind); but, also because of the fact that they have to be installed as tightly as possible:
They'll also have the tendency to cause the front clip to move around, warp as it were, when heated-up by the elements.
After a while the front clip, believe it or not: May not return to its OEM-position!

I've seen people temporarily place a Colgan-type bra atop PPF
for a greater perceived sense of security while on a road trip.


Just relating my experiences with both types of front clip bras.

Bob
 
FUNX725 said:
For the same price, or less, of one of these Colgan units you can have Paint Protection Film (PPF) installed and not have to
ever worry about the damages a Colgan-type bra will do to your front clip. Not only do they gather, then harbor, contaminates
that will scratch the dickens out of the paint when they are removed/re-installed...no matter how tightly they're installed
(don't want them flapping in the wind); but, also because of the fact that they have to be installed as tightly as possible:
They'll also have the tendency to cause the front clip to move around, warp as it were, when heated-up by the elements.
After a while the front clip, believe it or not: May not return to its OEM-position!

I've seen people temporarily place a Colgan-type bra atop PPF
for a greater perceived sense of security while on a road trip.


Just relating my experiences with both types of front clip bras.

Bob
Click to expand...

+1
PPF are really nice and pretty easy to care for. I have one on my car and have no regrets about it. Just find a certified, reputable installer and you're good to go.
 
Tbanks to both of you -- :dblthumb2:
Here's the situation --

I've seen all sorts of paint protection systems on Miatas - 'Miatas at the Gap' annual event at the Tail of the Dragon, Deal's Gap, NC - I'm not a fan of the line that shows across the hood, so I'd want to cover the whole hood if I use PPF. In Atlanta interstate traffic, a decently large rock chip can hit a ways up the hood, even though I'm not following closely. I can drive my Intrepid instead, but sometimes I don't wanf to. (I work from home, live north of the city)

Ammo Skin Paint Defender -- Impressive products, videos, expensive. I like the guy - like his product based on what I've seen in his videos and reviews I've read. Wonder how that compares to 3M Scotchguard? Science speaks well to me - he's a chemist; my son is a chemist at GA Tech.

3M Paint Defender - spray can - watched a few of the user videos, pretty impressive - have read great reviews and not so great reviews on the product. Way less expensive.

Colgan Bra (thanks for the "down the road" latch warnings) - it fits super tight - leaves a very slight mar line on each front quarter panel that I can see, maybe others wouldn't, but I can. Also, I don't want to be removing a mar or scuff line every time I take it off. I imagine it would leave a mark on the PPF, too? Also, this paint isn't finished curing yet - my Intrepid was unavailable and I absolutely had to make an emergency trip to Ohio last week - 1200 miles of snow, salt, rain. 4 days with a Colgan Custom Bra on the car. Back home, carefully removed the CCB, no noticeable debris trapped underneath it, hosed/rinsed the car thoroughly, put it in the garage and gave it a good waterless wash, finished with detail juice. Can't tell it ever left the south. :relief:

Is PPF ever supposed to be polished or waxed? With a DA polisher?? I want the paint protected, but I will miss seeing/washing/etc "real" paint. Road rash, however, is unacceptable and problematic to repair.

What's the best brand of PPF product, and how difficult is it to remove? There's a 3M Scotchguard installer in Marietta - I'll visit him and get some pricing/info.

I'll contact Larry at AmmoNYC. At $65/bottle, I doubt I can do that -- unless I can do it myself and not turn it into a catastrophic nightmare. I'm patient, and an artist, so who knows.

Mike Phillips - you mentioned you'd choose the Colgan Custom Bra - Why and what are your opinions/experiences with a Paint Defender type product such as 3M Scotchguard PPF, 3M Paint Defender, Ammo Skin Defense Coat?

thank you very much, all of you,

Cricket :)
 
Cricket said:
Mike Phillips - you mentioned you'd choose the Colgan Custom Bra - Why and what are your opinions/experiences with a Paint Defender type product such as 3M Scotchguard PPF, 3M Paint Defender, Ammo Skin Defense Coat?

thank you very much, all of you,

Cricket :)
Click to expand...


I think every option has benefits and features.

I don't like the clear paint protection films myself as the get swirly just like the paint. I never can use a car with a PPF on it for any demos, projects, TV work or videos as it hogs up too much valuable demo real-estate.

I own a truck that sits high and only has a strip of paint about 2" thin across the front that can be impacted by bugs or rocks and this just never happens so these types of problems are never problems for me.

No rock chip problems by choice
1987_Chevy_Moster_Truck_077.jpg




I'd say, weigh your options, make a decision and move forward.

With the bra, you can easily take it of and on. You can polis out any scratches inflicted from time to time. On some cars they look cool.

PPF, well that's up to you.

The other options are temporary but offer some good benefits. Weigh everyone's input and then make a decision and move forward.
 
I had a bra on a black 1990 Ford Bronco. I was very careful about I how I used it and had minimal marring. I took it off every time I washed the truck and I usually applied a coat of wax (Meguiars #16) before reinstalling it. This truck was a daily driver so I was taking the bra off and on a lot. IMO is looked great on the Bronco and I think that one would look great on your Miata. But know that a bra can become a real pain in the butt when it comes to maintaining your Miata's finish.
 
Mike.Phillips@Autogeek said:
I think every option has benefits and features.

I don't like the clear paint protection films myself as the get swirly just like the paint.

...<snip>...

With the bra, you can easily take it of and on. You can polis out any scratches inflicted from time to time. On some cars they look cool.

PPF, well that's up to you.

The other options are temporary but offer some good benefits. Weigh everyone's input and then make a decision and move forward.
Click to expand...

Yes, Thank, Mike! Moving forward is something I need to do - I tend to over-research/analyze things. Swirls on vinyl would look pretty terrible, imo. I don't mind polishing and waxing.
When I polish, I'd have to reapply sealant - to the whole panel? Or just the area I polish?
Btw, I love your truck! And the beautiful floor beneath it!

tguil said:
I had a bra on a black 1990 Ford Bronco. I was very careful about I how I used it and had minimal marring. I took it off every time I washed the truck and I usually applied a coat of wax (Meguiars #16) before reinstalling it. This truck was a daily driver so I was taking the bra off and on a lot. IMO is looked great on the Bronco and I think that one would look great on your Miata. But know that a bra can become a real pain in the butt when it comes to maintaining your Miata's finish.
Click to expand...

Thanks - I'm glad to hear this -- I don't mind maintaining the finish, as long as it doesn't mean a return to the paint bay. :) Thanks again!

Here it is with the Colgan CB in Ohio...
 
ppf on my z.. never regretted it.. take care of it just like the paint
 
Love that truck... Just curious what year, size tire and lift is it?

Mike.Phillips@Autogeek said:
I think every option has benefits and features.

I don't like the clear paint protection films myself as the get swirly just like the paint. I never can use a car with a PPF on it for any demos, projects, TV work or videos as it hogs up too much valuable demo real-estate.

I own a truck that sits high and only has a strip of paint about 2" thin across the front that can be impacted by bugs or rocks and this just never happens so these types of problems are never problems for me.

No rock chip problems by choice
1987_Chevy_Moster_Truck_077.jpg




I'd say, weigh your options, make a decision and move forward.

With the bra, you can easily take it of and on. You can polis out any scratches inflicted from time to time. On some cars they look cool.

PPF, well that's up to you.

The other options are temporary but offer some good benefits. Weigh everyone's input and then make a decision and move forward.
Click to expand...
 
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