this front bumper paint job is about 2-3 months old. Is this considered "standard" or normal? I'd like to get the facts straight before I decide on what to do.

I paid top dollar for this paint job and and very surprised to see these little blemishes on a paint job no more then 3 months old.

what u think guys ? this was done locally and hence, in local southern cali section.

these pics are just pics of the biggest chip blemishes, there are other tiny ones but I'd have to take over 15 pics to show it all.

 

Its normal for the guy who painted your car. However, it is not normal for the rest of the industry. I had my Cobra painted and after 5 years it still looks like brand new. Take it back....

 

the chips, you can't blame the shop, it's all from driving. a lot of times paint are still a bit soft when leaving the body shop, but it's your decision to drive it

but i am looking at 2nd to last picture. what is that, a bump?!

 

yes that's a bump.

so how long am I suppose to wait before I can drive it ? and as a fyi, it didn't happen the first few days after leaving the shop. it just happends throughout the 3 months I've had it.

 

that's what I'm thinking, every other car that I've seen who's had their bumpers painted has not shown any signs of such obvious, huge crater sized rock chips.

for the price I paid, I think it's fair to expect top quality. At least NOT big crater sized rock chips within 3 months.

 

the bump is definitely not right, i would bring it back to have them check

how long the wait, it depends on the shop and a lot of variables. some good shops, they will go bake your bumper to harden the paint before putting it back on, so it's more durable, etc...

but some shops, they might not do it, just paint and put it under the sun for a day and call it done. so it depends. and of course, summer time would help too. on the other hand, it COULD be mistreatment on their side too, like using primer that doesn't match with the paint so the paint doesn't stick well, etc... i am not sure how to check that

you can definitely try bring it back and see what they say, but i am not sure if it will be your say his say thing. it's been 3 months, that's not a short time. they can say you might get behind a dump trunk or so. understand i am not doubting you, but i am giving you the scenario

 

well "SUPPOSEDLY" it was baked. who freaking knows.

and also, the crater sized rock chips are all at different areas which makes it obvious that it was NOT from any sort of dump truck. Although I will probably hear this kinda bullcrap excuse if I took it it back anyways.

thanks for the help romini

 

Think its time you consider a clear bra installed, it will prevent all kind of rock chips like that from happening.

 

Lot's of "ifs" here...

depends on what 'top dollar' means
depends on the paint material used
depends on whether or not you follow gravel trucks, etc.
depends on how many miles you drive - more driving = more exposure to rocks

Urethane bumpers traditionally will get chipped-up after a while, and they are notoriously difficult to paint. I had a friend who painted his outer rims on his three-piece wheels and they were chipped up after just one day.

I'd re-spray it and clear bra it right away. When I had my car painted I wouldn't even drive it until the clear bra was installed.

Hope you get it all worked out.

 

The painter was probably "baked" too...but having a paint shop help you out over rock chips is going to be hard. Good luck.

 

well it's only been 3 months, so how many gravel trucks could I have followed? how many miles could I have driven in three months to have such crater sized rock chips like that ?

I'd understand if this was a 200 dollar job, but I paid much more than that to make sure something like this didn't happen again.

i've seen may other front bumpers that's been painted for years without clear bra, and none of them with crater sized paint chips.

 

You have to factor how many times is been painted. The thicker the paint
the more fragile it get.

Definitely take it to the shop and ask for more details and maybe they work something out for you.

Even you bake the paint not 100% will prevent rock chip. I know for a fact is harder if you bake it.

Thats why paint company start making CERAMIC clear is 3 time harder than convetional clear. If you look on factory stock wheels they clear those with ceramic clear. Now days they using it for body parts.

Hope that helps.