Battle scars from the Autobahn!!!

[simon1966]

Returned from a fantastic trip to the AMG factory late Monday night. I had a feeling my car was going to be a bit battered as we hit a new stretch of autobahn and I got blasted with newly laid chippings

The motor was in a bit of a state as the weather was pretty bad on both legs of the journey, so I couldn't hold back any longer and gave it a good clean up yesterday. I spent a good 5hrs giving a really thorough going over. It was also the first time I have used my DI vessel for the final rinse, what a difference it makes. I still dried it but it comes up totally spotless and the car has come up lovely

My front bumper though is totally peppered with stone chips and I don't know if there's a product on earth that will help

There were a quite a few stone chips on it before but now it's a different level - I can only think of a repaint

 

[simon1966]

Thankfully - the rest of the car looks OK though.

 

[Sp!ke]

All that damage is one trip on the autobarn?

Was that original paint as well or had it been resprayed at some point in the past?

 

[st13phil]

My front bumper though is totally peppered with stone chips and I don't know if there's a product on earth that will help

There is - it's called a spray gun

Glad you enjoyed the trip, but sorry for the damage

Over the last couple of weeks Bucks County Council has gone berserk top dressing large sections of my 23-mile route to work. I spent half of last Saturday spraying Tardis on my E63 to get the tar spatters off so I know what you're going through...

 

[simon1966]

All that damage is one trip on the autobarn?

Was that original paint as well or had it been resprayed at some point in the past?

No - it had a fair scattering of chips before the trip, but the autobahn stint has finished it off.

I had a few scuffs in the original paint on the bumper so had it painted earlier this year and it was totally mint. The original MB paint is very hard but the new lacquer just isn't anywhere near the same hardness. My brother painted it for me and he generally does ground up long term award winning restoration jobs. Trouble is time was an issue for me when it was done and it had limited time in the oven, next time I think it will need far more baking!!

Even so the stone chip rash is alarming, but as said I got totally sprayed on the autobahn by chippings to an extent I've never experienced before, I'm just relieved it was the bumper that took the punishment.

I'm thinking I will get it painted and then maybe covered with a clear protective film which will help in future.

 

[bing]

Repaint and consider armorfend !

 

[simon1966]

Repaint and consider armorfend !

That's the sort of thing I was thinking of - thanks

 

[daveenty]

Gutted for you Simon though, as mentioned earlier, nothing that a bit of paint won't put right.

Still think yours is one of the best I've seen, and remember loads of people walking around it at MSL saying "I don't normally like after-market wheels, but..."

They really are the dogs.

 

[martyz]

I have seen "road rash" removed by mixing paint with lacquer applying with a sponge
(looks awful at this stage) allow to dry then use cutting compound,polish then wax.
The result was fantastic.

 

[Alex]

Thankfully - the rest of the car looks OK though.

Nice garage Simon!

 

[bing]

That's the sort of thing I was thinking of - thanks

Aside from newly surfaced roads causing this, fast cars like yours are very tempting , especially on the autobahns , so in a safe manner you tend to come up close to the car infront knowing they'll move over ( rare practise on British motorways these days, but mainland and autobahns they respect fast cars) and the drawback is you may get peppered. But unlikely worrying about this since you're enjoying the kickdown when that car moves over .

Personally, I would protect that beauty with Lamin X on the lights and cling film a quarter of the front

 

[simon1966]

Nice garage Simon!

Shame it isn't mine Alex. It's a building I did for one of my clients to house some of his car collection and I use the office upstairs. I've been careful not to show too much of the cars in there!! It's a nice place to park and good area to give the car a good clean, unlike my drive at home!

 

[simon1966]

I have seen "road rash" removed by mixing paint with lacquer applying with a sponge
(looks awful at this stage) allow to dry then use cutting compound,polish then wax.
The result was fantastic.

That sounds very interesting. I will investigate this option further.

 

[cb1965]

Gutted for you Simon though, as mentioned earlier, nothing that a bit of paint won't put right.

Still think yours is one of the best I've seen, and remember loads of people walking around it at MSL saying "I don't normally like after-market wheels, but..."

They really are the dogs.

BBs, they're the future

 

[mikec32]

Unfortunately a re-paint is the way forward when it gets a few too many chips may I suggest xpel self healing film. It really is fantastic stuff

Love the garage btw, epic

 

[simon1966]

Unfortunately a re-paint is the way forward when it gets a few too many chips may I suggest xpel self healing film. It really is fantastic stuff

Love the garage btw, epic

Thanks Michael - just looked at the xpel website and they do a bumper kit for my car. I'm pretty handy with stuff but this looks like it should be fitted by someone who knows what they are doing. Do you know of anyone who fits this film?

 

[mikec32]

I normally have paint shield do my clients cars, but there uber expensive. If you wait till wednesday next week im detailing the new La Ferrari and the guy who owns it just used another guy from london who is suppose to be very reasonable. Ill find out for you, if you can wait!

 

[Rashman]

Holy Moly!

I had not idea you got pepper that much!

If I recall, the loose chippings we encountered were when we left the services.

Colin went shooting off.
I enjoyed abit of ESP-off action before exiting the services.
I entered the motorway and immediately hear the ting-ting-ting of stone chips on my underside and backed right off.
I think I remember radioing to you guys to warn you.
There really were a lot of chips on the road.

Thankfully, I backed off enough to have no cars in front of me.

I seemed to have gotten away extremely lightly... although I suffered a cracked fog light lense at some point on the return journey.

Hope you get it dorted soon bud.
Although it looks like a re-spray to me

 

[simon1966]

Holy Moly!

I had not idea you got pepper that much!

If I recall, the loose chippings we encountered were when we left the services.

Colin went shooting off.
I enjoyed abit of ESP-off action before exiting the services.
I entered the motorway and immediately hear the ting-ting-ting of stone chips on my underside and backed right off.
I think I remember radioing to you guys to warn you.
There really were a lot of chips on the road.

Thankfully, I backed off enough to have no cars in front of me.

I seemed to have gotten away extremely lightly... although I suffered a cracked fog light lense at some point on the return journey.

Hope you get it dorted soon bud.
Although it looks like a re-spray to me

Yeah it was that section Rash. I was at the back of our convoy and as we gunned onto the autobahn I was behind Ricky. The radio warning came through, but I couldn't hear it clearly and then it was too late and I got a proper splattering. I have picked up a couple more on the front pillar and mirror but they are minor. It's the hazard of being the car at the rear I guess.

As said it wasn't all from this trip as I had a few chips anyway and picked up quite a few on our recent journey up to MSL when I was behind Don's CLS, when our peddles hit the carpet

I know the only option is a repaint, but I may leave it until after winter now as the roads here will be at their worst then. As you know my car is an everyday car so I think a clear protective film will be a good move to keep it at it's best.

 

[simon1966]

I normally have paint shield do my clients cars, but there uber expensive. If you wait till wednesday next week im detailing the new La Ferrari and the guy who owns it just used another guy from london who is suppose to be very reasonable. Ill find out for you, if you can wait!

Sounds good Michael thanks. I'm in no rush as it is going to need a repaint anyway, which I may delay until early next spring.