Not another thread about soft paint on the soul red crystal!
I've read plenty about the complaints before buying my 2019 touring in red, and definitely prepared myself for the day I would get my first rock chip. I was hoping it would be more than a week after the purchase but oh well. The chip is on the hood, quite large (size of my pinky), and it looks grey, which I assume means it goes down to the metal. I'm quite worried about it rusting but I'm not in a snowy region. How long do I have to fix this before it rusts?
I've been doing a lot of research about my options for the fix, and it seems like there are three choices:
1. Dr ColorChip. I've read good reviews for this - even read that it's better than the OEM touch up pen. The basic kit is $40 which seems very affordable. Obviously I'll be getting more chips in the future, and buying this kit and touching up seems like a good investment. The only negative I can think of is that the lack of clear coat will mean over time the touch up paint might fade quicker, which means it'll be more noticeable as the car ages.
2. Repainting. Would only apply if I ended up with lots of paint chips. The estimates vary wildly, I've seen some people say $300 while others say several thousands. It seems like the red is a very hard color to match, which probably means it'll be in the thousands. It also means there'll have to be some blending which I really don't like. And the fact that there is no turning back really makes this option unattractive for me.
3. PPF. With and without filling in the paint chip. I got quoted around $1500 to $2500 do the front area (full hood, bumper, lights, fender, mirrors). I'd consider it if I got the top of the line signature trim but it seems pretty expensive since the car is only $26,000? Or can it be justified since it might help with the resale value? And eventually there'll be a big enough rock that'll go through the film, at which point I'm not sure what happens. Do you have to remove the film to fix the chip and then reapply the film? That would mean another thousand or so for the labor every time the film gets punctured, right?
Any other options? I'd be interested in pure anti-rust fixes that leave the cosmetic chip.
I've read plenty about the complaints before buying my 2019 touring in red, and definitely prepared myself for the day I would get my first rock chip. I was hoping it would be more than a week after the purchase but oh well. The chip is on the hood, quite large (size of my pinky), and it looks grey, which I assume means it goes down to the metal. I'm quite worried about it rusting but I'm not in a snowy region. How long do I have to fix this before it rusts?
I've been doing a lot of research about my options for the fix, and it seems like there are three choices:
1. Dr ColorChip. I've read good reviews for this - even read that it's better than the OEM touch up pen. The basic kit is $40 which seems very affordable. Obviously I'll be getting more chips in the future, and buying this kit and touching up seems like a good investment. The only negative I can think of is that the lack of clear coat will mean over time the touch up paint might fade quicker, which means it'll be more noticeable as the car ages.
2. Repainting. Would only apply if I ended up with lots of paint chips. The estimates vary wildly, I've seen some people say $300 while others say several thousands. It seems like the red is a very hard color to match, which probably means it'll be in the thousands. It also means there'll have to be some blending which I really don't like. And the fact that there is no turning back really makes this option unattractive for me.
3. PPF. With and without filling in the paint chip. I got quoted around $1500 to $2500 do the front area (full hood, bumper, lights, fender, mirrors). I'd consider it if I got the top of the line signature trim but it seems pretty expensive since the car is only $26,000? Or can it be justified since it might help with the resale value? And eventually there'll be a big enough rock that'll go through the film, at which point I'm not sure what happens. Do you have to remove the film to fix the chip and then reapply the film? That would mean another thousand or so for the labor every time the film gets punctured, right?
Any other options? I'd be interested in pure anti-rust fixes that leave the cosmetic chip.