Is 250 Se Paint

[enquiries@frzr.com]

Having just completed 1300 odd miles, I am concerned to notice a number of stone chips on the bonnet (metallic paint). I had two Mercs before this car and never noticed so many chips appearing in so short a time. Is the paint coat thinner on the Lexus? Any suggestions?

[Parthiban]

Having just completed 1300 odd miles, I am concerned to notice a number of stone chips on the bonnet (metallic paint). I had two Mercs before this car and never noticed so many chips appearing in so short a time. Is the paint coat thinner on the Lexus? Any suggestions?

That's a little worrying, seems not much has changed from the old IS then in this department......

People have said good things about those films you can get to stick across the front of the bonnet to prevent chipping, armourfend I think

[Scarlet Pimpernell]

3m are probably the best, but not cheapest. Try eBay!

[BernardTamHK]

talkin about the chips which are already there ... any good recommendations on how to get rid of stone chips on an IS bonnet? any good brands of products?

[Arcane]

My bonnet is peppered with small stone chips. The smaller ones I touched up with paint and polished out. The larger ones it seems will eventually lead me to having the whole front end repsprayed.

Before the Lexus I owned a Volvo S40 which had the the same amount of miles on the clock as the Lexus and that only had one stone chip.

[Northern Boys Luv Gravy]

Having also owned a Mini and an Audi and frequented their forums, one of the main causes of complaints there is also stone chips, and the fact that the MINI/Audi seems more prone than other cars. Maybe I'm just unlucky with my choice of cars. I picked up a chip on the A pillar within 300 miles and a few weeks ago picked up a large one on the leading edge of the bonnet. I touched it up as best I can and there's no point in worrying about it.

Maybe we travel faster/closer these days, maybe it's the new water based paints or the fact that there seems to be more debris on the road. Nissan has developed a new self healing paint that recovers from chips and scratches with the heat of the sun/warm water and they should start using it soon. Other manufacturers will no doubt follow suit.

[Hando]

I've only just had my entire front end re-sprayed (month or so ago) and already I have 2 small chips and one huge mother one.

I'll touch them up and polish them soon - but overall I've decided not to stress too much over it: it's inevitiable especially on an everyday car with lots of motorway/A road driving (although wish I'd done what The Don did and got black primer)

ho hum.

[koshime]

I';ve driven 3500 miles...over 6 months and intiially I had 2 small stone chips, then i decided to profesionally seal and polish the car 4-6 times... have maybe 1 minor chip. I do try to drive far from lorries, and speeding cars in front..though

[Andyscooke]

Only last week I was appauled at the number of specks on my bonnet and surprise surprise, it seems that I am not alone.

The odd lump I can understand when hit with a stray rock but there are a number of little specks where the primer is showing through - dark blue car, grey primer, not ideal.

I have several coats of polish but do not seem to have kept the debris at bay. Is this a paint problem or just the state of our roads?

[Kremmen]

Nope, same here

I have been doing the same journey for 15 years and this car is the worst for chips.

A previous Xantia had nothing !

I put it down to the manufacturers now having to use water based paints instead of lead? Not as durable?

I am also looking at a bonnet and bumper spray soon

[scott]

This is my third Lexus and all acquired a large number of stone chips. Unfortunately it's part of Lexus ownership .

My IS220d has two chips and one large scratch after 3000 miles, at some point I will just put it in for a respray of the bonnet and front bumper ... and specify black primer!

[Steve ( West Mids )]

Kremmen if yours is a 2004 car then you need to take it back to Lexus and ask for repair under warranty. They should paint bumper, bonnet and top od the wings if there is evidence of loose paint where the chips have happened.

[Kremmen]

Thanks Steve

There is no evidence of loose paint, it's definately normal stone damage and I put that down to the M25 roadworks that have now finished. There does not seem to be any new chips appearing since they finished the roadworks.

Hando had the same problem with the same stretch of road.

I've kept them all under control with touch-up. You can only see them when you are closer than about 3 or 4 feet away. Hopefully later this year I will get the bonnet & bumper re-done.

One point here - I had been using the Lexus official 'Montrose Blue' touch-up paint but I am not that clever with a paint brush and the paint is definately too dark. Whilst in Halfords I noticed that Rover Tahiti Blue is an almost perfect match and those kits come with a 'nib' applicator that allows far more accurate delivery of the paint - proper job.