Discussion
Quite - that chip is the dawn of inevitability. No real escape from it. Some folks use armourfend on the front, but others not so keen.
Go the touch up route until it gets noticeable, then get a respray ~£400 - £500. Probably every couple of years or so. With touch up paint, you will hardly notice. That is one of the quirks of such a low car.
As Gooby said - Eliseparts. You can also try Bell&Colvill online shop if you have no joy - they have most colours. Costs about a fiver if I recall.
Go the touch up route until it gets noticeable, then get a respray ~£400 - £500. Probably every couple of years or so. With touch up paint, you will hardly notice. That is one of the quirks of such a low car.
As Gooby said - Eliseparts. You can also try Bell&Colvill online shop if you have no joy - they have most colours. Costs about a fiver if I recall.
lol at Gooby!!
Thanks all- I'll order that touch up pen (probably even have to start saving for that!!).
I realise it's going to happen, but it niggles- a tiny speck of white on my red car. I like it to look perfect all the time.
Not that bothered about the grit- I'll be using the commuter car for the winter (don't laugh- skoda felicia, but hey, it allows me to jump in a Lotus at the weekend!)
Thanks all- I'll order that touch up pen (probably even have to start saving for that!!).
I realise it's going to happen, but it niggles- a tiny speck of white on my red car. I like it to look perfect all the time.
Not that bothered about the grit- I'll be using the commuter car for the winter (don't laugh- skoda felicia, but hey, it allows me to jump in a Lotus at the weekend!)
I looked into the armour fend idea. The reasons I chose not to is that I have stripes and it wont go over the stripes also the armour fend costs circa £300 and a respray costs circa £400.
You cant polish armour fend.
When the respray happens I will 'fend the areas below the lights, keep it minimum!
You cant polish armour fend.
When the respray happens I will 'fend the areas below the lights, keep it minimum!
I've got Armourfend on my S1 with stripes, I put the stripes over the armourfend rather than underneth though so I could remove if I wanted...Paid £500 for the front clam & 2 sills & worth every penny, been on over 2 years & no chips as yet...
gooby said:
I looked into the armour fend idea. The reasons I chose not to is that I have stripes and it wont go over the stripes also the armour fend costs circa £300 and a respray costs circa £400.
You can get an excellent DIY stonechip / scratch repair kit made by a company called Farecla. It contains a video with detailed instructions on repairing stonechips etc...I bought mine from paints4u.com complete with a 100ml of paint colour. You need to be brave though as the repair involves rubbing down paintwork with wet and dry paper!!! Its worth it though as you can't see the repairs when complete.
jez o said:
Aaaghhh! Found a stone chip on front left hand side of front clam where it curves round towards the wheel.
The car's Ardent red and you can see white. Can I get a touch up stick like a 'normal' car? If not, how best to deal with it? I know it's inevitable but still annoying. Cheers.
Hi Jez
Me and Boggy have also got an Ardent Red 111R and suffer with the same problem, we've bought a touch up pen to sort out the chips but haven't used it yet! Probably worth getting it resprayed in a year or so... wonderful colour but shows up the chips!
I've touched up the worst ones now (chips not girls!),
but am looking at some sort of paint protection film. To be honest, the sills seem to get peppered more than the front. And why didn't Lotus make the rear arch protector plastic go right to the edge of the bodywork!! It doesn't actually cover the part that sticks out furthest- madness!
Still love the colour though.
>> Edited by jez o on Wednesday 19th October 20:52
but am looking at some sort of paint protection film. To be honest, the sills seem to get peppered more than the front. And why didn't Lotus make the rear arch protector plastic go right to the edge of the bodywork!! It doesn't actually cover the part that sticks out furthest- madness!
Still love the colour though.
>> Edited by jez o on Wednesday 19th October 20:52
Mrs Boggy said:
Aaaghhh! Found a stone chip on front left hand side of front clam where it curves round towards the wheel.
The car's Ardent red and you can see white. Can I get a touch up stick like a 'normal' car? If not, how best to deal with it? I know it's inevitable but still annoying. Cheers.
Hi Jez
Me and Boggy have also got an Ardent Red 111R and suffer with the same problem, we've bought a touch up pen to sort out the chips but haven't used it yet! Probably worth getting it resprayed in a year or so... wonderful colour but shows up the chips!
...and when you do Lynds you want to have a chat to Rick from Kent Lotus about getting the Invictashield that I've got on El Beast fitted. It's done in sections so you can replace anything that gets nicked or scuffed at low cost while keeping your paint nice and shiny underneath
S Works said:
jez o said:
Aaaghhh! Found a stone chip on front left hand side of front clam where it curves round towards the wheel.
The car's Ardent red and you can see white. Can I get a touch up stick like a 'normal' car? If not, how best to deal with it? I know it's inevitable but still annoying. Cheers.
Hi Jez
Me and Boggy have also got an Ardent Red 111R and suffer with the same problem, we've bought a touch up pen to sort out the chips but haven't used it yet! Probably worth getting it resprayed in a year or so... wonderful colour but shows up the chips!
...and when you do Lynds you want to have a chat to Rick from Kent Lotus about getting the Invictashield that I've got on El Beast fitted. It's done in sections so you can replace anything that gets nicked or scuffed at low cost while keeping your paint nice and shiny underneath
Cheers Tim, will mention it to Stew.... will talk to you and Rick about that at the next Kent meet!
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