Rock Chips on the Highway
 

Damn IDOT truck kicked up a hole bunch of rocks onto the highway and left me and several other cars with this. Like an idiot, I didn't take down the plate number because it didn't semm that bad, until I got home and saw the front end. The Windshield has numerous very small chips in it, and the plastic grill is damaged. My radiator and Oil Cooler also have some small rockets embedded in em'. My body shop says they'll need to paint the whole front end and the roof if all the chips are going to be fixed. What do you guys think?

The pictures are taken with a BlackBerry, so please mind the quality. By the way, I'm waiting to get an estimate from the insurance company so this won't be out of my pocket except for a $250 Deductible.

Oh Yea forgot something, yes that is a clear bra on the front of the car. At highway speeds it did not protect the car from the rocks.....they went through the plastic and chipped the paint in two spots. These rocks were not very large either, considering the sounds when they hit the car were very light.

IDOT seems to be missing an extra I between the D and O to make IDIOT. :icon17:

Dude that stinks... nearly every morning the route to work is also the same for the construction workers, so I find myself behind construction vehicles (cement mixers and concrete loads). There were a few times I found myself dodging pieces of concrete falling off the truck. My windshield sparkles like stars.

Hope you get it fixed fast.

If the rocks were a sharp aggregate then the clear bra simply absorbed what it could until the rock pierced it. Better than no clear bra. What do I think? I think rock haulers suck, and should be held to higher level of regulation and enforcement, but in today's economy who has the money to do so. The default are the values of the person driving the hauler and the company that owns it = you're screwed.

I just got my 2011 because they are so low to the ground it's gonna happen. I would just use some touch up paint and dab the spots carefully.... It's only gonna happen again. In this situation it's better to do less that's my experience

i cant see any of the chips you circled, but that sucks man...

my whole bumper is riddled with rock chips...

Get if fixed and 3m wrap the front! Front of the roof edge too (I had that on my G35c)

Currently I have the front (hood, bumper, lights, mirrors, and fenders done):tup:

OP, take kenchan's comment, turn it into a petition, and get the official name of your state transportation department changed to IDIOT :tup:

I'm pretty sure if you contacted IDIOT (formerly IDOT) they'd be able to identify the truck that was responsible.

Around here if rocks come off an uncovered truck, the truck driver is responsible for the damage.

Sorry for you and the Z.

:icon18::roflpuke2:

How the hell did you get a 24' ladder into your Z? :hello:

bummer

bummer. it just comes with the territory its gonna happen.....
i got some touch up paint from nissan it does a good job...

it use to drive me up a wall worrying. i gave it up and decided just to enjoy
my car and just be as careful as i can................

the same thing happened to me last week except it was a tractor trailer that ran off the road and threw rocks all over my car. i guess its to be expected if its ur DD. if you get it fixed more than likely its just going to happen again. it seems like the more careful you try to be with your car thats when something bad happens to it.

That sux man.

Dont follow so closely and it wouldnt be a problem

rock chips are inevitable. I gave up too. I just wanna enjoy my ride now =)

damn, I effing hate that bs. They should pay for that sh!t!!

:werd:

I gave up on caring about rock chips too.

Same here. I let go of some of my OCD about the chips and I sleep a lot better at night now.
It's not like I'm planning to enter my car in a concours.


I just figured out what you were talking about! :bowrofl:

+2, they also just tend to show in places that even the "mighty" clear bra can't protect. Everytime I wash the Z or the Max it seems like a find a new nick.:rolleyes:

That's what I hate about washing my car.

never move to alberta canada. rock chips all over. Nerxt car is gettign a complete wrap. The rockers on the FX are this plastic **** and it it all picked to **** too. FML. Dr. colorchip works great but when you need to buy it in 45 gal. drums it gets pricey

Go with Dr. Colorchip, do the best you can to fix it and then just enjoy your car. I was the same way, but no more! After the first couple I've learned to live with it and can tell you I enjoy my car a hell of a lot more now. On another note, after reading your post I'm glad I decided to forego the clear bra. Had I spent all that money only to end up with a chip would have made me crazy mad! I would contact the manufacturer of the clear bra and see what type of warranty it has against such a problem, if there is any warranty against this. Good luck.

I've found a new problem now. Apparently birds love to crap on my Z :mad:

Those bird doo doos are potent. It leaves a mark on the clear coat almost instantly.

Grrrr :mad:

I'm hoping the rain tomorrow will take care of it.

I know the feeln' all to well!

Dude! Please don't tell me you are leaving the birddoo on there over night :eek: That will eat away at your clear coat leaving permanent damage. I always carry several microfibers, a bottle of water, and detail spray for events like that. I know it's OCD but......

Say bu-bye to your clear coat in that area. My wife let bird crap sit on my car for two days. Took me a long time to get the etching from the poo out of my clear coat with a PC and swirl and haze remover.

Do yourself a favor and get a bottle of detail spray and a good microfiber cloth and leave it in you car for just these emergencies.

Kirkster, I feel your pain... wife did that on our daily driver too, and though using a PC or Flex (DA) will fix it up, what it inevitably is doing is grinding downing your clear coat to the lowest point of the etching created by the doodoo in the first place. So, technically, your clear coat can only take so much etching and buffing before you totally wipe out your clear coat....

I know it sucks, but what can you do :( I too have this problem. So whenever I get to my cars (leaving and arriving) in the parking lot, I always do a "walk-around", with microfiber and detail spray in hand to inspect for doodoo and door dings. OCD much? YES SIR!!! :)

Damn, it's too late now. I will go clean it up as much as I can when I leave for school soon.

That sucks, I think we can all relate. But its going to happen, it just hurts more in a Z. If it makes you feel any better, I have bigger and more chips than that =).

Yea, I know. Only so much clear coat to go around. She has learned her lesson.

Well the bird crap was gone when I checked out the car. The microfiber towel is in the trunk now for next time :tup:

I suggest some Ventureshield Ultra or similar after the touch-up paint is cured. Every area that was hit on your car is covered with a kit that will run you around $1-1200 installed. The one on my 'vette has saved me dings like that already with all the oilfield trucks we have around here. I have a few ripples in the Ventureshield (barely noticeable) that would have been gouges in the paint.

Also, it will prevent that highway "sand-blasting" that just tends to happen over time that insurance won't pick up the tab on.

How close is too close? I have been over 100 yards back and had stuff hit my roofline leading edge before. You can't help it sometimes. Usually those oilfield dicks are whipping in and out of traffic at about 80 and if you are hanging back from a semi or something, they will cut in front of you and dump gravel all over the place. You just can't avoid getting hit with it on occasion.