I plan on getting a new bumper cover and having it painted, however the last time I had a bumper cover painted it was full of rock / bug chips within a week. What Do I need to do to make sure this doesn't happen? any special type if clear coat or prep work that need to be done so that it will hold up like factory paint?

 

pretty much you gotta let the clearcoat harden up/cure for a while, if you drive it as a d/d your gonna get screwed, someone posted about a clear plastic bra that molds to your front end and is supposed to be removable, do a search, otherwise you gotta let it cure for at least a week so it is good and hard so it will be more resistant to dink/scratches, wont be 100% but it will help

 

Actually letting it cure for a week does pretty much nothing. I painted my car and even a month after, rock chips were being created just as much as before. There is a special kind of clear that is applied to the front but it kinds has a yellow tint and I dont know if it is still being used today.

 

yeah beleive me mine had time to fully cure, it sat at the body shop for 3 months after the front bumper was finished.

 

The best cure to protect against all of the road's nasty elements would be the GARAGE, unfortunately, my car is also a DD and rock chips are just a part of life...the best thing a DD can do is buy that 3M clear bra that is custom fit to your front.

 

ya ive heard of this clear stuff that you cant even see that is like one of those leather bras but you cant see it. Maybe you oughta google and try to find it maybe its not to expensive.

 

I know 3M makes the clear bra, my best friend has it on his 350Z. I had actually planned on doing this, but I still want a paint job that is done correctly. I wish you could buy factory pre-painted parts

 

I think what Justin is saying is that his non-stock paint job chips much easier than the factory paint did. I have this same issue on my front bumper cover which was repainted when I had the hood installed. I too wonder what was done differently like maybe the painter didn't use enough coats of clear or maybe not enough base coats?

 

exactly.


I've heard lots of stuff, like you have to use a really flexable paint and clear on the bumper so that when it's hit by a rock it will flex with the bumper and not break, but I've also heard the opposite, the paint and clear need to be harder so that the rock will bounce off. I've heard my painter used Dupont paint ancd clear which is known for being soft and scrach/chips easy. the one I heard most recently makes the most sense to me. Paint repair shops who even use baking to cure paint can only go to about 175 to 180 degrees, where at the factory is well over 200.. I dunno, I just know I don't want a junk paint job on my new bumper.