Discussion
Anyone had any problem with stone chips on a 2K mile three month old 3R. We're not talking the odd one or two, we are talking hundreds and thousands of the damn things!!!!
I have a feeling the front of the car has a paint problem. The front edge above the spiltter is covered in stone chips, and this after just driving down to Le Mans. Everywhere else has the normal amount you'd expect but the front looks like it has been shot-blasted!
The cars booked in with Mole Valley so they can take a look at the paint and repair my blown exhaust gasket. Other than that though, the car hasn't missed a beat.
I have a feeling the front of the car has a paint problem. The front edge above the spiltter is covered in stone chips, and this after just driving down to Le Mans. Everywhere else has the normal amount you'd expect but the front looks like it has been shot-blasted!
The cars booked in with Mole Valley so they can take a look at the paint and repair my blown exhaust gasket. Other than that though, the car hasn't missed a beat.
From what I see on this site, pretty much everyone has the same problem. Mine has done 1600 miles and looks the same as yours despite the fact that I purposely leave a bigger distance than normal between me and the car in front to avoid this problem. Maybe there is just not enough paint applied from new.
Eventually I'll have mine painted, then we'll see.
Eventually I'll have mine painted, then we'll see.
A problem on all GRP vehicles, not just Nobles.
The splitter itself can be 'painted' with a perminant black marker pen, or better still taken off (a few bolts) and a simple re-spray in your garage.
For the bigger chips, all normal Noble colours have touch-up paint available from your local dealer or factory.
For the bit above the front splitter, get it painted white! Not a lot else will help
The splitter itself can be 'painted' with a perminant black marker pen, or better still taken off (a few bolts) and a simple re-spray in your garage.
For the bigger chips, all normal Noble colours have touch-up paint available from your local dealer or factory.
For the bit above the front splitter, get it painted white! Not a lot else will help
It's down to modern legal requirements about paint. All paints nowdays have to be water based to save the environment, and unfortunatly the paint doesn't "stick" as well to GRP as it does metal. You can either spend half your life trying to touch it up, or just not worry about it and get it resprayed every few years....
The splitter is easy to keep looking nice with just a black marker pen.
J
The splitter is easy to keep looking nice with just a black marker pen.
J
Yep its the GRP body my Lotus has exactly the same problem, although doesnt sound as bad as yours, armourfend is the way to go, even though doesnt look as good stops you getting annoyed that your paint is just flaking off at the sight of a motorway!!
Actually out of curiousity, anyone know how much is armourfend on a noble and can it be retro fitted????
Actually out of curiousity, anyone know how much is armourfend on a noble and can it be retro fitted????
A.C.G. got his Noble armourfended after seeing it on my liz. Only yesterday he was saying how glad he was he did it as any areas where it isn't covering the car have exactly the problem you describe. Its worked fantastically on my Elise too. If you go the whole hog and use zymol to wax/polish it I don't agree you lose any shine either, although on close inspection the seam is visible if it can't follow the very edge of a body panel.
I'd budget 500-1000 quid for the job going by what I was quoted to do a new Exige a month ago (600). My Elise cost 1000 quid though but I think the previous owner may have been done. Can't remember what A.C.G. paid for his M12.
Micknall said:
Our demonstrator cars have Armourfend applied from new, which helps a good deal. The only downside is that it takes the shine off the bodywork and creates a line across the front section of the car.
Having my front clam resprayed after a bodge-job on the armourfend (by an independent "specialist") and will have armourfend re-applied, it does seem to work.
However, on my red car the seam is highly visible across the bonnet (red paint oxidises in the sun, but not under the plastic etc) so I'm considering this;
Have the armourfend applied to the nose, but stop just above (or below) the Noble badge. Should protect the most vulnerable area but not be quite so visible on the bonnet - a good compromise maybe?
Certainly get the lower front areas done, and the inner wheel arches.
The primer on the Nobles is white so stone chips are very visible when you take away the top layer away.
I've had the full system installed and covered 15k miles and it still looks great. There's a few tears in the Armourfend from high speed runs and where I've nudged stuff whilst parking. But it's considerably cheaper to replace a single panel of Armourfend than it is to have a respray.
If you intend to drive your car enthusiastically down B roads etc then you're the type of owner who'll benefit from the product.
NB the people I know who have gone down the re-spray route normally have Armourfend fitted afterwards so I'll let you draw your own conclusions.
I've had the full system installed and covered 15k miles and it still looks great. There's a few tears in the Armourfend from high speed runs and where I've nudged stuff whilst parking. But it's considerably cheaper to replace a single panel of Armourfend than it is to have a respray.
If you intend to drive your car enthusiastically down B roads etc then you're the type of owner who'll benefit from the product.
NB the people I know who have gone down the re-spray route normally have Armourfend fitted afterwards so I'll let you draw your own conclusions.
Does anyone have Armourfend on an indigo blue car or another dark color car? It seems that on a dark car the line may show more. Any perspective on this? Is it still worth getting if the line shows? Where exactly are the worst chipping problems? I am trying to figure out the minimum area to use the Armourfend.
Thanks
Thanks
richsd said:
Does anyone have Armourfend on an indigo blue car or another dark color car? It seems that on a dark car the line may show more. Any perspective on this? Is it still worth getting if the line shows? Where exactly are the worst chipping problems? I am trying to figure out the minimum area to use the Armourfend.
Thanks
Shows up less on dark colours. I test drove an Indigo Blue car and didn't spot the Armourfend until told it had it on.
Did noble have this on their 'R' at the N.E.C show recently? Seem to remember seeing something that ressembled Armourclear on at least one motor. Could have been Lotus if not. I have come across this product before and other similar products. Would deffinately consider it. The only other alternative is to have a respray somewhere other than Noble direct and have a solvent based automotive paint used with 2 coats of clear rather than the usual one. Depends how fussed about the paint warranty you are I guess! Does the Noble warranty cover paint defects by the way?? If so is it for the full 12 months?
I have used solvent based paint on all sorts of surfaces and as long as you use epoxy primers and flexing agents the adhessions is as good as any metal surface. Another product to use and that can be used whether applying solvent or waterbased paint is Dupont 800R. It's a bonding agent primer and you can spray it direct to any shiny surface without even preping the surface (except plastic) and then paint directly onto it!! This stuff is amazing!! I would however reccommend preping the surface just to make sure that it has something to key to. But believe me there's nothing like it!!!
I have used solvent based paint on all sorts of surfaces and as long as you use epoxy primers and flexing agents the adhessions is as good as any metal surface. Another product to use and that can be used whether applying solvent or waterbased paint is Dupont 800R. It's a bonding agent primer and you can spray it direct to any shiny surface without even preping the surface (except plastic) and then paint directly onto it!! This stuff is amazing!! I would however reccommend preping the surface just to make sure that it has something to key to. But believe me there's nothing like it!!!
Car returned all fixed, thank god. However, stone chips would look out of place on a £10K car let alone a £50K one, there words not mine!
That said, apparently the warranty excludes paint. Hmm sounds more like 'fit for purpose' to me!
My only option is to write to Noble which I shall do.
I love the car very much, but am not prepared to accept that a £50K car (GRP or not) requires a respray every 1500 miles or Armourfend from new. I have owned many cars, TVR and Lotus included and none have had this problem apart from a 996 TT which needed the front PU resprayed due to a paint fault!!!
Given that Noble are looking to go upmarket the problem is only likely to get worse.
That said, apparently the warranty excludes paint. Hmm sounds more like 'fit for purpose' to me!
My only option is to write to Noble which I shall do.
I love the car very much, but am not prepared to accept that a £50K car (GRP or not) requires a respray every 1500 miles or Armourfend from new. I have owned many cars, TVR and Lotus included and none have had this problem apart from a 996 TT which needed the front PU resprayed due to a paint fault!!!
Given that Noble are looking to go upmarket the problem is only likely to get worse.
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