Id like to know the outcome if this turns into a lawsuit..

 

18,000+ miles, ZERO chips (I have a clearbra)...

04, TB/W, Nav, Aero, 6MT, etc...

 

There is no denying that some cars... ...even entire model lines have been known to have paint that chips too easily (excessively). Not sure what the recourse is for current owners.

One thing that I want to add, and this isn't an excuse because I have yet to even take delivery, it's a simple observation that I've made over the past several years:

The G, the coupe specifically, carries an extremely low coefficient of drag. You can't expect to drive such an aerodynamic vehicle without encountering some real-world issues. One of these issues is a natural and direct result of the low drag numbers. The airflow over such a low c/d producing car is smooth and hugs the body. So what's going to happen when that rock/pebble comes flying toward your front end? The lack of a "buffer zone" created by poor aerodynamics will not only allow the rock/pebble to hit with more force, it's also going to have more chance of hitting further back on the vehicle. Drive an 80's truck and notice what happens to debris flying at you when it encounters that brick's buffer zone. And remember the Porshe commercial several years back where the bug is just missing windshields due to the barrier of wind created by the aerodynamically challenged? When the bug encounters the Porshe... ...*splat*.

That's not an excuse and it's not placing blame on the driver. The paint may have issues with chipping easily, but knowing that, and also keeping in mind that ANY debris you encounter is going to streak along your G's slinky body, you simply have to adapt and increase your distance behind others to avoid flying pebbles.

My '97 Eclipse GSX had the just about the lowest coefficient of drag of any production car in '97... ...at .32cd. The G coupe bests that by several points! I had the same issues with the GSX, and noticed that rocks/pebbles wouldn't JUST chip the paint more easily, but they also would tend to scratch the paint as they followed the contour of the body before or after impact. I had streak scratches along the top of the REAR fenders! One look down the top/side of the car and it was obvious the scratches ran just as the wind would flow around the body.

The manufacturers don't seem to touch on the downside of being extremely aerodynamic, do they? [img]/w3timages/icons/wink.gif[/img] But then again, the benefits seem to overshadow the downsides in most cases.


'05 IP(or ?) 6MT... ...Never too soon to think about modifications!!

 

Unfortunately orange peel is a fact of life with todays paints. Since the high quality paints are bad for the environment (those that contain/release hydrocarbons), the environment friendly ones have a tendency to orange peel. I did see an article on a new facility that Ford is testing that is able to recycle the hydrocarbons and not release them into the atmosphere. Hopefully it will pan out and other manufacturers will follow suit.

2003.5 Blk/Blk 6MT/Premium/Aero/Nismo CAI

Previous cars:
1994 Acura Integra GSR
2002 Corvette Z06

 

I also have a red coupe. Mine has orange peel and several paint chips on the hood and above the front tire areas. I do have a clear bra, but that only protects the front area, not the whole hood. I agree with the frustrations, the paint does SUCK.