Tuscan exterior

[blackmonday]

Curious to here if anyone else experienced the frail nature of the Tuscan exterior? Chips and scratches more than my Chimaera did.

http://communities.com/tvr

[sixspeed]

I've noticed a fair number of chips on the front of mine. I've been trying to hold back from traffic ahead of me as well to keep chipping down to a minimum, but its still picking them up quite quickly. Car has 2500 miles on it now and there's well over significant 40 chips on the front end at my mate's last count!

-andy-

[blackmonday]

Sounds like mine!? No matter how carefull I am to avoid them they keep multiplying. I've also noticed that the metal sockets on the roof panel are scratching the paint on either side fo the car. Again, no matter how patient and careful I am it's getting scratch I since put felt surrounding these little devils and hope this sorts this problem.

[hector]

So it's not just mine then,I've done 2900 miles and have an outrageous amount of chips for the mileage,lots on the side sills and behind the front wheels.I think its worse if you have 18"ers as I have.
The other night I was probing about under the car with an inspection light and by chance shone it directly at the body,I don't advise this as it is really upsetting there were literally thousands of little chips and nicks.I am going to repair the big ones and forget the little uns until its time for a paint job then maybe think about armourfend.Any one got any experience with this stuff?My mate has it on bits of his Lotus and says even this marks.

[bryanlister]

quote:
I was probing about under the car with an inspection light and by chance shone it directly at the body,I don't advise this as it is really upsetting

Oh boy, how I know that feeling! Looked under my Chimaera once with a light and experienced the same unveiling of paint chip hell. In daylight it looked like it was in mint condition!

I recently had a drive in a Tuscan demo car with 6K on it. The stone chips were worse than on my 17K Chimaera. Saying that, the chips on the Chim are worse than my 26K Lexus! It must be down to the GRP body and paint type - my experience has been that TVRs are worse for this than metal body cars. It would break my heart to pay £2000-£3000 for the reflex paint job and get it chipped. Silver seems to be the best colour to avoid problems.

[paul-wh]

I had armourfend recommended by my dealer when I got my Chimaera but decided against it as it is noticeable when you are close to it. I saw it on another TVR and it didnt seem to affect the paint colour.

I am considering changing soon to a Tuscan which has recently been rebuilt and hence had a full respray. Given the previous posts about how easy the Tuscan paint chips I might reconsider having it fitted although it is interesting that it seems that may mark aswell.

[richb]

Saw a rather nice mica blue (well mid-blue metallic) Tuscan in Bedford Square last Wednesday. Parked up withthe other mundane stuff they certainly still look stunning. It had the Armourfend applied to the nose and whilst it didn't affect the colour you could distinctly see the lines where it ends. Not sure myself ? Rich...

[redone]

I've owned 2 non armorfended Griffs and currently own a Tuscan which I had armourfended... Personally I wouldn't bother with it.

On dark colours it looks like the car has been keyed in a wobbly manner across the front and draws more attention than a few stone chips.. Also my car has been reversed into and the armourfend is gouged by the offending cars exhausts (who pi55ed off) and looks terrible. It saved the paint work to a degree but will need to be remove before the paint can be sorted and then reapplied. Thus twice the cost of repair (though I don't think I'll get it replaced).

For the sake of a touching up stone chips every so often and maybe a respray every couple of years if so desired I don't think the cost/benefit makes it worth while.

At the end of the day unless you are really fussy (
like I was when I first got the car) nobody really notices.