Interesting you say that. I started installing film in California... and worked there for almost 9 years. Its the largest market in the country with Denver being a close second. Reason being is there are a lot of nice cars there and people tend to take care of them. I know the roads all to well and there are rocks on the pavement just as anywhere else. By doing a quick search you will quickly find a lot of people in California complaining of rock chips... at least people that do not have paint protection film on. The other factor to consider is Japan has the strictest environmental laws in the world thus the paint is really soft on Japanese cars. I have always been amazed at how many Lexus vehicles I see with chipped up paint. Could be why Lexus/Toyota/Scion contract companies to install film on a lot of their vehicles once they come into port. Like I said feel free to post some new pics after a few months of driving and use of the trunk.

 

I've been living in California for 27 years and driving for 15 years now. I've had 6 vehicles (none of them had your nine years of film) and they've only had front bumper chips from debris. A small and consciously inevitable price to pay to keep the integrity of the vehicles design intact. You were here providing 9 years of literally band-aids vs solutions. Solutions foster growth, fixes only prolong your assured fall.

I'm sure a lot of people complain about rock chips in California. Hell...they probably complain about rock chips in a lot of cites around the US. Have you ran into people who rave ecstatically about rock chips?? I haven't so I'm not sure where you were going with that comment....

Did you live in socal? We may not have money to keep our public schools open but we have enough to make sure our roads are pristine. In orange county it seems like they are always closing roads to repave them. Much of these roads are repaved by gentleman who have trades in other areas such as protective film installation. A trade obviously not worth pursuing in California. It leads to supplemental professions to make ends meet or worse...leaving the state because they can't afford it here. Where do you live again?

The fact that you are defending a debate that a 2X6inch strip of film on a rear door will protect my car from rock chips is ludicrous. As if that portion alone is a blackhole for rocks. And as for the top of the rear bumper...buy your groceries in small, easy to lift episodes. I recommend P90x to start your journey to some clearly needed upper body strength. I'd start with the 5lb bells and work my way up.

See...that's what advice sounds like. Not..."we'll see what happens when he gets rock chips". I'm paraphrasing your initial comment and I apologize for that. Maybe you'll be able to add something positive to this forum next time instead of making a backhanded remark, which I can only imagine was a projection of one's jealousy?

I hope you have less rock chip problems in the future. Have a good one.

 

Rocker panel flares out more than 2IS that's why Lexus probably added protection film from rocks kicking up from font wheels. Just my speculation. It would be nice if bumper comes with factory installed film like this. Guaranteed you will get rock chips in front bumper. You should see my previous car.

 

haha...oh for sure! front bumpers, are just in for a beating.

 

I wouldn't take this off as this will protect your vehicle from scratch.
It's all about your taste.
I say just keep 'em on. . .

 

With the extra flared side of the 3IS and further outset wheels, there's likely to be much more rocks thrown at the rear sides of the car. Lexus is not alone in doing this. You'll see similar protection pieces at the rear door edge on many cars.

Subaru WRX STI (08 had a smaller piece and they enlarged it to this)

 

Porsche has it too.

 

The protective film on the 3IS is so small that I doubt it will do a whole lot of protection for the car. Lexus should have put on a bigger piece of film like Subaru.

 

Its true...its like wearing a bullet proof knee pad to a gun fight.

 

Just got a White F Sport and will need to take off the one on the rear bumper. That thing is already dirty after 2 days, while the rest of the car looks great.

 

The sooner you get it off, the easier it will be. Took mine off after a week of ownership and left some glue residue so thankfully I had 3M adhesive remover spray and the residue came off very easily with just a couple of wipes.

 

I agree with the clean look of it removed and I really don't think it does too much to protect that part of the car. I have had my 13 Nissan 370Z for about 1.5 years now, and do not have one ***knock on wood*** rock chip on my rear fenders/arches. And I can safely say that these fenders arch out a heck of a lot more than the 3IS. If it wasn't for a lease, I would be yanking those side covers off. The rear bumper application would stay though.

 

yea they don't do anything...lol. ive had mine off for 8 months now and not even a scratch... =)

 

Either way, the look with the film doesn't bother me so I will leave them on.

 

i don't mind the film and will leave it on. My S2K doesn't have the film and it has chips in the areas near the front of the rear wheel wells. Probably got most of them from autox and track events. I recall one event where the slicks were picking up gravel.