I have 2 yr old golf, which I have had from new. In the 30K miles, much of which has been on motorways it seems to have picked up an inordinate amount of stone chips on the bonnet. It's a solid red, so the chips are white undercoat. VW garage says tough luck, but I wonder if the paint could have been substandard/soft or something. I'm not really aware of driving it through any gravel sorms, athough a few gritting lorries have been passed etc in the winters. any thoughts ???? might respray in a few yrs when I sell it if it's gonna affect the resale value…

Just shout "Oi! Get off my bonnet 4 eyes"

he's not wearing white lycra is he 😐

seriously though i think they are prone to it, i've picked up a couple on the motoray in the last few months in fact we have just had the bonnet resprayed after i hit a particularly large lump of concrete on the M6

Modern car paint is rubbish – mainly because most of the substances in older paints that made them much harder and more resilient were also rather harmful to the environment.

Certain colours are worse. I'm pretty sure that solid red is the softest.

I'm pretty sure that solid red is the softest

…….and I very nearly bought a black one…….

red is faster

water based paints are crap.

Most cars are finished 'clear over base' & therefore all colours chip the same. If the paint isn't 'shelling' off in big lumps (and the headlamps & screen look the same) then its not a manufacturing defect.

Crap water-based paints, plus VAG stuff is reported to be one of the worst offenders.

Crap water-based paints, plus VAG stuff is reported to be one of the worst offenders.

I would dispute that, the Honda paint on the civic is similar to a dry wipe marker pen.

Not going to help but how close to you sit to the car in front? stone chips on the bonnet happen a lot when you sit very close to slower drivers in front…

Just had a SMART repair done on my VW Passat and it was £100 to respary a section of the bumper and repair an alloy, which was cracking value compaired to a body shop – Google places like Chips Away and similar, call them up for some quotes, it might cost a lost less to get sorted than you think.

Better on newspaper….

igmc

Strange, because my 9 year old Golf seems to have bullet proof paint on the bonnet, 110 miles, mainly motorway, all driven up the arse of the driver in front who won't pull over and only a couple of minor surface chips, no rust and no powder coat. Reflex Silver is the colour.

thanks all. Pretty sure it's either to do with the solid red colour, or that it's more noticeable 'cos it's red.

Not going to help but how close to you sit to the car in front? stone chips on the bonnet happen a lot when you sit very close to slower drivers in front…

– not particularly, try and drive quite 'safely' these days -)

Friend of mine used had a red Escort GTI and that seemed really prone to stone chips.

Might be worth getting some touch-up paint & filling in the worst offenders (particularly if they go all the way through) to the metal. Problem is, it's quite tricky to do without looking rubbish. I was advised to apply the paint in small drops with a pin (!!!). Never tried it though.

It may have been repainted,but that shouldn't make a huge difference, unless someone's used a 'smart repairer' – the guy's who come out in vans and spray bit's of your car outside.

Standard cost is £200 labour plus paint/materials to repaint a small/medium bonnet. Materials £100 approx

The solid red will still be a base (solid base) over clear.

http://www.peterflynnclassiccars.com

Pete

I can just make a few chips out, the value has probably dropped 14%

Its Friday I couldn't resist

LOL -)

Pete – thanks for info on costs, that's useful. paint is original and never been touched as i have had car from new. I think I'll hang off till I am thinking about selling and then see if it's worth getting the bonnet resprayed.

cheeers all

You can make it look a bit better by touching them in and flatting the excess laquer off after its cured depending just how bad it is, You'd need a machine polisher to bring the paint back up after you'd flatted it off though

it's a functional piece of metal. get over it you tart.