Discussion
I had an Elise 111R in Aspen White (before upgrading to a black Evora) and I did notice that with the armourfend that the corners of the film did get dirty and was certainly noticeable when looking at the car close up.
Having said that I got the Armourfend replaced after 2 years and also got the car detailed so it did not look so bad.
My car prior to the S2 Elise was an S1 in Norfolk Mustard and that did not show up the Armourfend.
Cheers
George
Having said that I got the Armourfend replaced after 2 years and also got the car detailed so it did not look so bad.
My car prior to the S2 Elise was an S1 in Norfolk Mustard and that did not show up the Armourfend.
Cheers
George
On getting my SC in Ardent Red errlier on this year it was picking up chips at an alarming rate (even though I was trying to be careful who and how closely I was following on the road) Needless to say I wis I had got Armoufend applied at the dealers. Since having the film put on the car I have not picked up any more chips. As for the visibility of the film it is not until you get really close that you can actually see the film. Most people who have a look at the car have to be told there is film on it.
A definate must have before you turn a wheel in anger.
A definate must have before you turn a wheel in anger.
21TonyK said:
I've got it on my titanium storm Exige and it's not noticable (5 years old). Makes a massive difference to stone chip damage, paint on mine still looks like new
Ditto - I had a new Elise in 2003 - sold it in 2008.I had armourfend fitted from new - best few £ I spent on the car.
I now have it on my Leon Cupra.
If you're paying thousands for a special paint finish, I'd *definitely* go with the Armourfend or similar paint protection film.
Otherwise you're stuck with the familiar Lotus 'front end respray every couple of years' which is fine with normal paint but expensive with some of the funny finishes you get these days.
My new Exige came with the most expensive paint option (AFAICT) so I definitely wanted some film on the damn stuff. Don't get me wrong - the burnt orange looks utterly gorgeous but if I'd specced the car I'd probably have chosen the other orange (which is cheaper) since £2k on paint seems excessive. But that's what the car had, and TBH it's beautiful and perfect... and I drive the thing on the roads whenever I can. Long journeys are no problem in that car so big motorway drives are done without a second's thought.
At the end of August I went on a road trip to the South of France, some days involved 6 hours non-stop driving (most were around 4 hours). Put this way, I've already got a small crack in my windscreen, presumably bad luck from a stone. However I've got no stone chips in the normal nose area, and the film did a good job protecting against an obviously *hard* impact with a sharp stone (the film is damaged at the impact site but not the paint beneath).
I took delivery of the car last December and without the film it'd need a front end respray by now, by the looks of things. I haven't asked the price of a front end respray in burnt orange yet, but I'd guess that it costs more than the film treatment cost me, so it's paid for itself already.
I'm also a lazy b
d who prefers to drive than polish, so anything that makes cleaning easier is a no-brainer for me. Equally, whilst I'm a 'driver' rather than a 'polisher' (if you can categorise), that doesn't mean I'm happy with a huge rash of paint chips on the front end. Yes, my car is usually dirty, but the paint is in good condition underneath the dust and grime.
The S2 Exige is also more susceptible to stone chippery because of the increased frontal area, splitter, angular bits and its shape (if that makes sense). On top of that, the new 2010 models have a spoiler that is just *begging* for being scratched to bits by putting things in the boot (if your car is a trackday weapon or a 3rd sunny sunday car, not a problem, but if you use your boot extensively, as per me, then you *need* to protect that damn spoiler). On top of that, we Exige drivers tend to do more trackdays, and if someone has spun into the gravel then there's a chance of a high-speed stonechip. If *you* spin into the gravel it's even worse
Luckily I've not done that yet (touch wood).
My previous Exige was a 2006 model in yellow with the film - and even though I suppose yellow cars won't show a yellowing film (heh) - it hadn't visibly degraded or started to peel. Keeping an eye on the film and ensuring it's pressed back into place if it starts to lift *regularly* is the key, AFAICT. The performance of the film on the yellow car is what makes me recommend it now, TBH. If you've got a white car then a stonechip is less visible anyway, but isn't one of the pearly whites the £2k option? That'd be a difficult call since if the film yellows at all, you'll see it most on white.
Otherwise you're stuck with the familiar Lotus 'front end respray every couple of years' which is fine with normal paint but expensive with some of the funny finishes you get these days.
My new Exige came with the most expensive paint option (AFAICT) so I definitely wanted some film on the damn stuff. Don't get me wrong - the burnt orange looks utterly gorgeous but if I'd specced the car I'd probably have chosen the other orange (which is cheaper) since £2k on paint seems excessive. But that's what the car had, and TBH it's beautiful and perfect... and I drive the thing on the roads whenever I can. Long journeys are no problem in that car so big motorway drives are done without a second's thought.
At the end of August I went on a road trip to the South of France, some days involved 6 hours non-stop driving (most were around 4 hours). Put this way, I've already got a small crack in my windscreen, presumably bad luck from a stone. However I've got no stone chips in the normal nose area, and the film did a good job protecting against an obviously *hard* impact with a sharp stone (the film is damaged at the impact site but not the paint beneath).
I took delivery of the car last December and without the film it'd need a front end respray by now, by the looks of things. I haven't asked the price of a front end respray in burnt orange yet, but I'd guess that it costs more than the film treatment cost me, so it's paid for itself already.
I'm also a lazy b
d who prefers to drive than polish, so anything that makes cleaning easier is a no-brainer for me. Equally, whilst I'm a 'driver' rather than a 'polisher' (if you can categorise), that doesn't mean I'm happy with a huge rash of paint chips on the front end. Yes, my car is usually dirty, but the paint is in good condition underneath the dust and grime.The S2 Exige is also more susceptible to stone chippery because of the increased frontal area, splitter, angular bits and its shape (if that makes sense). On top of that, the new 2010 models have a spoiler that is just *begging* for being scratched to bits by putting things in the boot (if your car is a trackday weapon or a 3rd sunny sunday car, not a problem, but if you use your boot extensively, as per me, then you *need* to protect that damn spoiler). On top of that, we Exige drivers tend to do more trackdays, and if someone has spun into the gravel then there's a chance of a high-speed stonechip. If *you* spin into the gravel it's even worse
Luckily I've not done that yet (touch wood).My previous Exige was a 2006 model in yellow with the film - and even though I suppose yellow cars won't show a yellowing film (heh) - it hadn't visibly degraded or started to peel. Keeping an eye on the film and ensuring it's pressed back into place if it starts to lift *regularly* is the key, AFAICT. The performance of the film on the yellow car is what makes me recommend it now, TBH. If you've got a white car then a stonechip is less visible anyway, but isn't one of the pearly whites the £2k option? That'd be a difficult call since if the film yellows at all, you'll see it most on white.
Tim Netherton said:
jondude said:
Tim Netherton said:
I had armourfend fitted from new - best few £ I spent on the car.
I now have it on my Leon Cupra.
Few £?? It's hundreds of pounds, is it not?I now have it on my Leon Cupra.
(3m Scotchguard - 'recommended by many car manufacturers' according to the website )
Tom at Paintshield in Peterbourgh (formerly Grantham) is very very good, has done three of my cars. Worth the drive!
One tip cover the front of the car with low tack masking tape to avoid picking any chips up on the way! People used to say use vasealine but its a pain to get off, the masking tape just pulls off and leaves little residue which a quick polish soon removes (done by Tom as part of the prep).
One tip cover the front of the car with low tack masking tape to avoid picking any chips up on the way! People used to say use vasealine but its a pain to get off, the masking tape just pulls off and leaves little residue which a quick polish soon removes (done by Tom as part of the prep).
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