W207 cabriolet 2015 - 'missing' lacqeur behind both rear wheels

[Automac29]

I just noticed that the top-coat lacqeur is 'missing' on the lower edge of both my rear wheel arches of my W207 cabriolet 2015 (42,00 miles).

I took the car into a local paint shop today and, showing the paint guy, I said I suspected that a defective earlier paint job had caused this loss of lacquer. He told me “no”, he said that it is the result of road chippings that are thrown off the tyre’s edge (which protrudes slightly outside the edge of the wheel arch as the bodywork curves downwards and inwards) that basically ‘shot blasts’ the lacquer away. He said that the lacquer is less able to adhere to today’s water-based paints and wears off for this reason. He added that it is very much his ‘bread and butter’ work as many other folks have the same problem. He suggested getting some transparent vinyl and cutting a protective patch to cover that specific area - adding that I would have seen other vehicles with such a patch (which I have). Asking a local sign-maker later if he had some suitable vinyl that he could sell to me, this gent said that he didn’t think that regular vinyl would stand up to the job, so I must go in search of some after-market ‘mini mudflap’ or similar.

Would any club member have a remedy to stop this repeating in the future. I notice that some vehicles are fitting with 'mini mudflap' that protrude slightly from the edge of the wheel arch and so protect the lacqeur).

 

[SpikyMikey]

If you go for the tape option, search for 3M Leading Edge (or "helicopter") tape.
Used to protect the leading edges of aircraft wing, helicopter rotor blades and wind turbine blades.

 

[StMarks]

T
Fwiw there are "Paint protection" adhesive patches available for many motorcycles these days, presumably that would be the optimium material for this sort of application.?

 

[KennyN]

Looks like there has been some previous paint done to the vehicle , if you look at the orange peel on the top part of the bumper on the offside it looks more "peely" than the stock factory "peely" finish plus there are other area where the lacquer is coming off that wouldn`t be in the firing line from abrasive road debris.

It also looks like there have been spacers fitted , not a good recipe for keeping paint on the arches.

As the effected area is only going to get worse i would get the bumper re-lacquered , remover the spacers (if fitted) , and fit some paint protection film.

K

 

[Automac29]

Looks like there has been some previous paint done to the vehicle , if you look at the orange peel on the top part of the bumper on the offside it looks more "peely" than the stock factory "peely" finish plus there are other area where the lacquer is coming off that wouldn`t be in the firing line from abrasive road debris.

It also looks like there have been spacers fitted , not a good recipe for keeping paint on the arches.

As the effected area is only going to get worse i would get the bumper re-lacquered , remover the spacers (if fitted) , and fit some paint protection film.

K

Thanks Kenny. I have to assume a rear bumper repaint but until this 'peeled' laqeur it looked absolutely AOK - annoying!! No spacers fitted - thats just how far the standard wheel overhangs the bumper - effectively the culprit!! I'm currently planning on getting 'Stone chip spray' and sanding / masking a very neat area as a cost effective fix. If the rest of the bumper does prove 'bad' it will be a 'bumper off' job with many imagined ££s. Local paint shop was already quoting £350 for a 'bumper on' rectification - no doubt local dealer would be multiples of that!! Any further advice happily accepted.

 

[Automac29]

If you go for the tape option, search for 3M Leading Edge (or "helicopter") tape.
Used to protect the leading edges of aircraft wing, helicopter rotor blades and wind turbine blades.

I shall check that SpikyMikey. Thanks!

 

[Automac29]

T
Fwiw there are "Paint protection" adhesive patches available for many motorcycles these days, presumably that would be the optimium material for this sort of application.?

I will check into that StMarks - thanks!