After all it's just a car right?
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Joined: Aug 2007
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'08 C 300 Sport, '01 SL 500 & '08 Nissan Frontier SE Crew Cab 4WD
After all it's just a car right?
I do all of my own detailing, I don’t believe in car washes or the automatic or automated ones either. I detail the new car once a week thoroughly, in fact I get up at about 7:00 am every Saturday and wipe down my P-car with McGuire’s and wash the Benz and hose off my work truck. At any rate it seems like every week since new the car has a new chip in the paint, bumper, windshield or the hood. In fact both headlamps have two rather large chips from what looks like rocks. I’m out in the garage the other night and my wife comes out and says “Honey I’m so sorry I couldn’t swerve away there was a big dump truck on the freeway and it was throwing rocks all over one hit the car and it was really loud” Luckily there are no door dings yet but the passenger front door has a chip from a rock, and looks like the rear wheel kicked something up and chipped the leading edge of where the bumper meets the quarter panel. Last week my wife had a “girls night out” and one of her friends opened the front pass door into the curb or ground, there was a huge chunk of clay or mud stuck in the doorjamb!!! It’s weird I don’t drive my P-Car much it’s only got 37K miles and has a clear bra etc.. I’ve got a few little things that bug me that no body else would notice but with the C300 it hurts more because I didn’t do it or wasn’t driving and every week it’s seems like it comes home with more freeway battle scars.
-End of rant
-Ryan
-End of rant
-Ryan
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Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 446
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'08 C 300 Sport, '01 SL 500 & '08 Nissan Frontier SE Crew Cab 4WD
I am so nervous about the front lip more than anything, this is my wifes first low, sporty type car. She drove my big lifted Dodge 2500 Diesel for about 1.5 years, a Pontiac G6 sedan and a 1998 Isuzu Trooper before that. I'm just waiting for the first time she pulls up to far and rips or scrapes the front bumper.
One more heads up, not sure if it's just a steel gray issue, but I purchased some Touch/up from my dealers parts dept and although the kit comes with clear coat and all the color is not even close. It comes out really dark and clumpy like nail polish.
-Ryan
One more heads up, not sure if it's just a steel gray issue, but I purchased some Touch/up from my dealers parts dept and although the kit comes with clear coat and all the color is not even close. It comes out really dark and clumpy like nail polish.
-Ryan
Last edited by CarGuru; Nov 14, 2007 at 11:32 AM.
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From: Phoenix, AZ
2014 Ghibli S Q4 & 2008 C350
Does the clear bra even help? I've seen it on some cars but they only protect the nose of the car and I've noticed on my wifes Avalon that most of chips on her car are up higher on her hood.
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From: Amsterdam, The Netherlands
C180K 2011 COMAND, AMG, Dynamic Xenon, Business Pack, H&K Audio and +
you can not do much about the chips. They will happen to the car no matter what once its on the road. I share your pain. I know how it feels. so far i havent been driving my C that much and i have not washed it yet since i took the deveivery last week i will soon check what mess i have made with my C when I wash it the first time. but yah when i bought me Mazda 6 i was so annoyed by the chips on the paint.
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From: Texas
2014 E350 Coupe Steel Gray
Interesting you mention this...when I picked up my c300 and was about to drive away from the dealership (car was in reverse), one of the managers rushed out and reminded me to be careful about pulling up to the curbs with the low front bumper - told me to always be aware of it when parking. I had a 3 series BMW that was low in the front and I had a major scratch, so I can recall how easily these things can get ruined.
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From: Toronto, ON
2011 E350 4Matic Wagon, 2013 C350 4Matic Sedan
I remember Road & Track had a long-term test Chrysler 300 SRT8 which had a lower spoiler. They replaced that bumper at least 3 times due to damage.
I am careful when parking... but also when pulling out of parking lots, ramps, and speed bumps.
I am careful when parking... but also when pulling out of parking lots, ramps, and speed bumps.
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Thread Starter
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'08 C 300 Sport, '01 SL 500 & '08 Nissan Frontier SE Crew Cab 4WD
My view point on the clear bra is "Damed if you do, damed if you don't" I've got it on the Porsche and agree it helps, but since it only goes up the hood 1/2 way I still have a few chips further up. Also a few just aft also where the CB stops at the fenders and on the mirrors. The headlamps also have a few on that car as well. Ive got x2 stone chips on the C300's hood that would not have been protected by a clear bra treatment as typically it's just the nose to 1/2 the hood. Also my grille has taken a few chips, the foglamps look peppered the most and the lower bumper area and headlamps. Seriously I could not sit her and count all the chips in the front bumper it looks like hundreds of small gouges and chips, you can only see them from about 2 feet away but it still hurts none the less. Also the Clear bra won't protect the side of the car either, like I said there is a new one on the door fro ma rock flying up on the freeway and one near the gas door
My wife drives the the busiest section of freeway in my area daily and there is no way around it. What also sucks is that there are always so many gravel, dump and big trucks that drive that section too every day. We only have 5,000 miles on the new car to boot, looks like it's three years old in the front.-Ryan
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From: Colorado
2008 C350 Sport, 2007 ML320 CDI
Of course, it wouldn't have helped the damage shown above this posting, but it helped with the minor scrapes....
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From: Mid-west
IS300
I do all of my own detailing, I don’t believe in car washes or the automatic or automated ones either. I detail the new car once a week thoroughly, in fact I get up at about 7:00 am every Saturday and wipe down my P-car with McGuire’s and wash the Benz and hose off my work truck. At any rate it seems like every week since new the car has a new chip in the paint, bumper, windshield or the hood. In fact both headlamps have two rather large chips from what looks like rocks. I’m out in the garage the other night and my wife comes out and says “Honey I’m so sorry I couldn’t swerve away there was a big dump truck on the freeway and it was throwing rocks all over one hit the car and it was really loud” Luckily there are no door dings yet but the passenger front door has a chip from a rock, and looks like the rear wheel kicked something up and chipped the leading edge of where the bumper meets the quarter panel. Last week my wife had a “girls night out” and one of her friends opened the front pass door into the curb or ground, there was a huge chunk of clay or mud stuck in the doorjamb!!! It’s weird I don’t drive my P-Car much it’s only got 37K miles and has a clear bra etc.. I’ve got a few little things that bug me that no body else would notice but with the C300 it hurts more because I didn’t do it or wasn’t driving and every week it’s seems like it comes home with more freeway battle scars.
-End of rant
-Ryan
-End of rant
-Ryan
I've been through the same situation and I got super pissed off because I am really picky about details. Here is my thread showing what I had to go thru: https://mbworld.org/forums/c-class-w203/208558-rock-chips-my-car.html
I had the same situation where a truck was spilling all over the road and it was completely unavoidable. I wrote down the truck company's number and name and where it happened +time. I called the company filed a complaint and went through with insurance. If you are going to sell the car soon or you are going thru a lease, then I would leave it alone if I was you. If you are going to keep this car for longer then I would reccomend doing what I did. Next time you see a truck spilling rocks, take down the info and you can get it all fixed. I've read thru the information and rules, (Michigan rules) and if the rocks fall from the top of an uncovered truck, it is their fault. If the rock is kicked up from the truck's tires then you can't do anything about that.
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From: Tampa, Florida
06 SL65 / 97 993tt /11 Suburban/ 2012 GTR (AMG è la mia Famiglia la Bestia è la mia protezione)
I do all of my own detailing, I don’t believe in car washes or the automatic or automated ones either. I detail the new car once a week thoroughly, in fact I get up at about 7:00 am every Saturday and wipe down my P-car with McGuire’s and wash the Benz and hose off my work truck. At any rate it seems like every week since new the car has a new chip in the paint, bumper, windshield or the hood. In fact both headlamps have two rather large chips from what looks like rocks. I’m out in the garage the other night and my wife comes out and says “Honey I’m so sorry I couldn’t swerve away there was a big dump truck on the freeway and it was throwing rocks all over one hit the car and it was really loud” Luckily there are no door dings yet but the passenger front door has a chip from a rock, and looks like the rear wheel kicked something up and chipped the leading edge of where the bumper meets the quarter panel. Last week my wife had a “girls night out” and one of her friends opened the front pass door into the curb or ground, there was a huge chunk of clay or mud stuck in the doorjamb!!! It’s weird I don’t drive my P-Car much it’s only got 37K miles and has a clear bra etc.. I’ve got a few little things that bug me that no body else would notice but with the C300 it hurts more because I didn’t do it or wasn’t driving and every week it’s seems like it comes home with more freeway battle scars.
-End of rant
-Ryan
-End of rant
-Ryan
I share your pain...I just got through lecturing my wife on the pitfalls of running her C300 through a gas station carwash. I finally broke down and told her that I would just wash and clean her car.
We drove up on a dirt/rock hauler last week, two days after I picked up the car for her birthday, and I slowed down and took an exit two stops from our house and took a back way home. She looked at me strange, but I didn't feel like looking at paint chips two days in.
I even lecture her and my daughter on how to properly open and close a door w/o putting fingerprints on my black 55. She rolls her eyes but I don't let up. ..thank God for microfiber cloth and meguires quick detailer that are permanent fixtures in my trunk.
Just wanted to let you know you are not alone...
Last edited by AMGfan; Nov 17, 2007 at 05:47 PM.
Out Of Control!!
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 18,414
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From: West Michigan
2007 E63
Ryan,
I share your pain...I just got through lecturing my wife on the pitfalls of running her C300 through a gas station carwash. I finally broke down and told her that I would just wash and clean her car.
We drove up on a dirt/rock hauler last week, two days after I picked up the car for her birthday, and I slowed down and took an exit two stops from our house and took a back way home. She looked at me strange, but I didn't feel like looking at paint chips two days in.
I even lecture her and my daughter on how to properly open and close a door w/o putting fingerprints on my black 55. She rolls her eyes but I don't let up. ..thank God for microfiber cloth and meguires quick detailer that are permanent fixtures in my trunk.
Just wanted to let you know you are not alone...
I share your pain...I just got through lecturing my wife on the pitfalls of running her C300 through a gas station carwash. I finally broke down and told her that I would just wash and clean her car.
We drove up on a dirt/rock hauler last week, two days after I picked up the car for her birthday, and I slowed down and took an exit two stops from our house and took a back way home. She looked at me strange, but I didn't feel like looking at paint chips two days in.
I even lecture her and my daughter on how to properly open and close a door w/o putting fingerprints on my black 55. She rolls her eyes but I don't let up. ..thank God for microfiber cloth and meguires quick detailer that are permanent fixtures in my trunk.
Just wanted to let you know you are not alone...
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From: Tampa, Florida
06 SL65 / 97 993tt /11 Suburban/ 2012 GTR (AMG è la mia Famiglia la Bestia è la mia protezione)
I'm like that too. Since the door handles on the W163 aren't painted, I tell everyone to close the door hanging on to them, instead of the door itself. When closing to trunk, I tell them to grab the "built in handle" underneath and close it with enough strength with one swing. That way they don't have to grab the outside of the trunk a second time.
I've had too many dissatisfying experiences to ever go back to a car wash...half the time I ended up wiping down the car myself AT THE CARWASH.
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From: Turkiye
Waiting for W204 Facelift
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From: East Bay, CA
MB w204 C300 Sport, Audi B7 A4 2.0TQ, Porsche Cayman 981
My thinking over the years has turned into your way of thinking, Ryan.
"After all it's just a car, right?"
I've owned several cars, spent some $$$ on a clear bra with some, some without. But I cleaned, washed, waxed, polished, and basically pampered all my cars weekly.
Believe it or not, because of this behavior, I got rid of some perfectly "good" cars....as an example, quick story...
I owned a 2004 BMW M3 convertible. I bought a clear bra for it - worked flawlessly. Owned it for 3 years and kablamo - a coworker backs into it in the parking lot while it's parked!. $6000 damage. I had it fixed, the paint looked ok and you would never know there was any damage to the car. Well, that was the day I stopped pampering my cars. Clear bra didn't help and all the polishing, washing, waxing, detailing felt useless.
Long story short, I ended up getting rid of the M3 because of this. It just wasn't the same. But the lesson learned was not to get too fanatical about it. Or take some pills for my OCD hahaha. Don't get me wrong, I still care for my cars...I'm just not as fanatical about it so when stuff like that happens, I don't end up killing someone lol.
Get 'er fixed and be happy.
"After all it's just a car, right?"
I've owned several cars, spent some $$$ on a clear bra with some, some without. But I cleaned, washed, waxed, polished, and basically pampered all my cars weekly.
Believe it or not, because of this behavior, I got rid of some perfectly "good" cars....as an example, quick story...
I owned a 2004 BMW M3 convertible. I bought a clear bra for it - worked flawlessly. Owned it for 3 years and kablamo - a coworker backs into it in the parking lot while it's parked!. $6000 damage. I had it fixed, the paint looked ok and you would never know there was any damage to the car. Well, that was the day I stopped pampering my cars. Clear bra didn't help and all the polishing, washing, waxing, detailing felt useless.
Long story short, I ended up getting rid of the M3 because of this. It just wasn't the same. But the lesson learned was not to get too fanatical about it. Or take some pills for my OCD hahaha. Don't get me wrong, I still care for my cars...I'm just not as fanatical about it so when stuff like that happens, I don't end up killing someone lol.
Get 'er fixed and be happy.
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2008 C350
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From: stamford, CT
1993 Mercedes 300e 4-matic (m103 motor)
scotch guard and other companys make a full car spray on. When my mom almost bought an A$ the salesman offered that to her. They cover the whole car in essentially what is another thicker clear coat. I would think that would be worth investign in.
