Stone chip protection

[JAB]

Hi all

As a lot of us are aware, there have been a number of issues over the problem of stone chips in particular to the front of the car e.g. bonnet, wings etc. I myself have contacted HUK and had the usual line of "get it checked at the dealers for paint depth", its a water based paint, design is liable to chips because of the shape!
Any way had enough of excuses and suggested to them that there was clearly a problem which they needed to resolve if they were to maintain any customer brand loyalty especially in these recession times. To be fair the representative agreed and said they would look into it,(but I would not hold your breath).
So, I decided to look into this idea of a protective film which can be fitted to the vehicle. I sent 3M an e-mail and was given the contact details of various suppliers in my part of the UK. I contacted them and was given even more details of garages fitting this material. However, on contacting them was I told that the film was only supplied big enough to protect very small areas of the car e.g. wheel arch and bumper edge's etc.
Any way after further research I found a company in Hainault in Essex called 'Amourfend'. There I spoke to guy called Dean who advised me that 3M no longer produced this film in a size large enough to protect those areas we know are vulnerable to stone chips. They imported a material from the USA which they then patten cut into the various vulnerable areas of car bodies depending on make & model. These could be bought as a kit and then fitted either by the individual or professionally by a recognised fitter. The good news is that they have a list of recommended professional fitters all over the UK that may even be able to fit it at your home address. They have sent me a price list for the kits but this price does not include the fitting charge as this obviously depends on the number of areas you want doing. However, he did say that the most you could pay is £250-00 plus the price of the kits required.
I also mentioned to him CIVINFO and what about a discount for members. He said, "that would depend on the number of kits bought" but he gave me a 15% discount for my order straight away! You never know we may be able to improve this if we can get enough people interested in the product.I have put the price list at the end of this mail for members to have a look at but would suggest that for any further info, give Dean a ring at this number 0208 501 6346, he was very helpful and informative.

All the best
JAB

Detailed below are the available areas for the HONDA CIVIC
Part Number Description and Unit Price
HD/1118/09 Bonnet £46.00
HD/1118/01 Bumper £138.00
HD/1118/05 Bumper Fins £12.00
HD/1118/03 Bumper Inserts £12.00
HD/1118/06 Bumper Strip £41.00
HD/1118/04 Door Mirrors £12.00
HD/1118/07 Headlights £29.00
HD/1118/02 Lower Skirt £61.00
HD/1118/08 Spotlights £12.00
HD/1118/10 Wing Ends £12.00

Instructions are supplied when purchasing Armourfend for self-installation.

N.B. All prices are subject to VAT and are correct at time of going to press.

[Spaceman]

You will have to let us all know how you get on with this.
IMHO I'm not convinced this is necessarily a good way to solve large panel areas, reason being if you get a scratch and it does tear the vinyl how would you get the rest off to replace /repair ? After a few months this stuff sticks like s**t to a blanket and may even pull paint off removing it.
What does any everyone else think ?

[cylon2007]

Have you tried Invisible Patterns ?

[gadgetman68]

Originally Posted by JAB

HD/1118/08 Spotlights £12.00

Interesting, could this be used as an invisible protection for the spotlights??

[Neily03]

Originally Posted by Spaceman

After a few months this stuff sticks like s**t to a blanket and may even pull paint off removing it.
What does any everyone else think ?

No it won't.

[Spaceman]

Originally Posted by gadgetman68

Interesting, could this be used as an invisible protection for the spotlights??

In short no, the only thing it would do is stop the glass falling apart, it wouldn't stop it breaking. I say this as someone who has owned a business and worked with self adhesive vinyl products for over 10 years.

[Neily03]

Another option would be not to drive so close to the car infront.

[gadgetman68]

Originally Posted by Spaceman

In short no, the only thing it would do is stop the glass falling apart, it wouldn't stop it breaking. I say this as someone who has owned a business and worked with self adhesive vinyl products for over 10 years.

cheers for answering quickly Spaceman

[utecki]

For those who are in Germany and Poland there is Bruxafol company, which does such thing:

Bruxsafol - Bruxsafol - Zuverlässig, sicher, dekorativ&
Bruxsafol - folie samochodowe, ochronne i antyw?amaniowe, dekoracyjne, przyciemnianie szyb

[Spaceman]

You will find companies like Porsche use small areas for example on the rear arches to protect from stone chips. This is made from the very thick American type/3M vinyl referred to as cast vinyl meaning it is manufactured as a sheet and will stay in the shapes and mouldings of the vehicle, it has an an acrylic glue. Once this type of vinyl is applied the bond just gets stronger, and after a few years will be very difficult to remove. This is in my view is the only type to offer any real protection to the paintwork, however I personally would not use it for large panels, only small vulnerable areas due to the potential difficulty in removing. The type of vinyl used for vehicle wraps uses a water based adhesive so that it can be removed after 3 years, this type of vinyl is referred to as monomeric meaning it is made of single chain molecules and as such will always try to return to it original shape. If you look at commercial vehicles, I am sure you will have seen it pulling away from the corners and splitting, 'this is why'. There are other types of vinyl but in my view none of these will offer significant protection from stones etc.
I hope this helps you all make an informed decision as to weather to go with vinyl on your vehicles. A van is one thing, your pride and joy is quite another.

[Unknownsoldier]

Originally Posted by Neily03

Another option would be not to drive so close to the car infront.

NSS! I've got tonnes of stone chips and never get close the car in front, people who don't even drive their cars that often end up looking like someone has peppered the front of their car...

T

[Spaceman]

Unfortunately the season for chucking loose chippings everywhere is fast approaching

[deadkenny]

Indeed. The loose chipping resurfacing method that relies on the weight of vehicles to do the compacting really pisses me off. It's a lazy cheapskate way of resurfacing that ruins car paint and doesn't provide a smooth roadsurface even after the compacting has finally occurred months later.

Even if you drive at 20mph or less and no one is in front or passing the other direction, you still get stones flying up.

Then in winter we have the over the top salt gritting (which few other countries who have "real" winters ever do to this extent), which aside from rotting the car, results in a spray of hart grit/salt mix when the gritters speed past. The recent snow in the south was ridiculous especially as gritting is not the solution for snow, ploughs are, but again cheapskate councils at work. Then they ended up using too much on the snow so they ran out and had nothing for the subsequent ice and everyone skidding about all over the place.

[Kremmen]

Originally Posted by Neily03

Another option would be not to drive so close to the car infront.

That is easier said than done. In my area, if you leave that sort of a gap then another joker pulls into it.