massive stone chip

mjt · 19 Jan 2009 at 15:48

massive paint chip

i discovered this on my car the other day. it's on the rear wheel arch, most probably thrown up by gravel when i was stuck in snow the other day, or just from driving

either way, there's a massive one, and a few smaller ones..
because i'm in norway, the best option appears to be using a pencil and then clearcoat on top, which will cost around £50 to have done.
a respray would involve spraying most of the arch, at a cost of a few hundred, which really isn't worth the cost here.

my plan is to get the pencil and then fix it properly when i'm next in a slightly less extortionate country..
any advice?

before any tyre comments come in, i'm aware the winter tyres are in poor conditions, new ones are being fitted tomorrow

mrk · 19 Jan 2009 at 16:59

Whereabouts you located? I know a good and cheap bodyshop here

Hxc · 19 Jan 2009 at 17:02

"because i'm in norway"

mjt · 19 Jan 2009 at 17:22

basically, my question is whether touching it up with a brush and clearcoat is going to be adequate protection from lots of salty winter roads for at least 4 months, without it looking horrific.

i'm presuming the only other option is a repsray?

also, how tf can a stone cause this much damage?!

encephalopathy · 19 Jan 2009 at 18:06

looks like what a powerwasher can do when it gets under the edge of a tiny, deep chip

mrk · 19 Jan 2009 at 19:57

Hxc said:
"because i'm in norway"

Ah yes!

Clarkey · 19 Jan 2009 at 20:09

mjt said:
basically, my question is whether touching it up with a brush and clearcoat is going to be adequate protection from lots of salty winter roads for at least 4 months, without it looking horrific.

basic answer.. no, especially given there is rust in all 4 area's. I've never seen damage like that before, stone chips normally won't penetrate the primer but in your case its gone right to metal and flaked off, I'd say down to a poor paint job from the factory. You will need the whole arch taken back to good metal, treated, etch primed, 2k primed, the area base'd and the whole panel cleared. If you don't fix it properly then the rust will return quickly and you'll end up in a situation where you need a new arch welding in.

mjt · 19 Jan 2009 at 20:21

well it's only rusty because i put it through a car wash on saturday
when i noticed it last week it was grey. it's not bubbling or anything..

the bloke at the paint place said that due to it being galvanised steel, touching it up with a brush and some clearcoat should suffice for now..

NathanE · 19 Jan 2009 at 20:32

That doesn't look like a stone chip. Touching up an area that large will look ****... but hey it's not my car.

mjt · 19 Jan 2009 at 22:42

oh i know it will, it's just a temporary measure until i get it resprayed when i go back home at easter

what are the chances of warranty work? the car's 7 years old though, SEAT's paint warranty isn't that long is it?

edit - 3 years paint and 12 years rust from the inside

Mark A · 19 Jan 2009 at 22:45

Any protection is better than leaving it as bare metal. If i was you id remove as much rust as possible before putting the paint on so it wont rust under the paint.