Boxster 981 - stone guard

[mpt964]

Has anyone located proprietary vinyl film stone guards that can be fitted between the door and the rear wheel.

Model is very prone to stone chips below vent.

 

[tjb]

Ours seems more prone to chips on front bumper, lower front spoiler and on the bonnet, not had any on the sides. I certainly would consider paint protection for the front if I bought another 981 so would be interested to hear if Porsche provide anything like this as an extra or failing that something fitted by a specialist who deals in stone guard films.

 

[6DW]

I had the area below the centre line around the side vents down to the sill fitted with a stone guard protection film just after purchase three years ago as I did think that area could be susceptible to chipping. I was a real success. However, I have unfortunately picked up a few small chips on the front bumper but fortunately not on the bonnet. The car is Solid Black, and I love it !!!

 

[mpt964]

Where did you get the stone guard from? Was it specifically for the 981?

 

[IainCameron]

Has anyone located proprietary vinyl film stone guards that can be fitted between the door and the rear wheel. Model is very prone to stone chips below vent.

Peter,

I am not alone! I have asked others about this stone chipping but they all say that they do not have this happen. Maybe they do not drive their cars .. lol.

My car is only 3 months old and has done only 1,500 miles and I have stone chips along the sides. Must be the way the new air intakes are sticking out into the airstream thus allowing the stones to strike the sills and side panel. Also, this panel that starts off as the sill behind the front wheel extends to become half a panel where the air intake is located. I think this is allowing stones to chip the paint more easily. All previous 986 and 987 models had a tough plastic guard fitted just before the rear wheel arch but somehow Porsche have decided that this model does not need one! Maybe they thought it was too expensive to fit it along the side of the whole car to protect this plastic panel.

I am about to invest in some [link=https://www.xpel.com/products/xpel_ultimate_paint_protection_film.asp]Xpel Ultimate self Healing film[/link] (10 yr warranty for the product, NOT chipping) that cover these panels. Not cheap at about £500 fitted but I am assured that this will stop the stones getting through and chipping the paint. I could, of course, put up with the stone chipping and unsightly view for a couple of years and get the panels resprayed. But the process will start all over again.

I am sure you can ask an installer to fit the product just at the half panel in front of the rear wheels and you may get a cheaper price.

 

[BrianJ]

I have exactly the same problem on the nearside in the side vent area. Car has now done about 12k and is seriously peppered. Will need a respray of this area before applying any such film. Iain - we can compare in Sept!

 

[Lambert]

Just picked up this message thread having just purchased a 981 with tiny mileage but noticed some minor stone chips on the inside trailing edge of the rear wheel arches. I guess this is the location where debris coming off the rear tyres is most prone to do damage

I noticed that on my friends Ferrari 360, the main dealers or Ferrari themselves have fitted some very nice semi-translucent film to all the trailing inside edges of the front and rear wheel edges. This 'sacrificial' film can be easily taken off and replaced, but essentially, it prevents unnecessary respray's.

Is anyone out there aware of where I could obtain such a product for my 981?

Thanks

 

[IainCameron]

I have exactly the same problem on the nearside in the side vent area. Car has now done about 12k and is seriously peppered. Will need a respray of this area before applying any such film. Iain - we can compare in Sept!

Looking Forwards to seeing you in September Brian. We can kick wheels over this chipping while we wait in the traffic jam for the Tunnel. lol

After looking at other 981's I see that the chipping as much more evident on cars fitted with 20" wheels. The 20" rims stick out a little bit further than with the 18 or 19" wheels allowing stones to be flung up and back into the sills and air intake area.

 

[gouldian]

My 986 S (Basalt Black) with 35,000mls. had far less chipping when sold than my current 981 S (Basalt Black) with only 13,000mls. Bonnet, bumper and side vent area all peppered. On the other hand my Discovery 4 (Santorini Black) with 29,000mls of every day motorway A, B and C roads/lanes etc. has virtually no chipping at all. I reckon Porsche paintwork is pretty dire and getting worse. Why on black cars cannot the undercoat be black to avoid "white rash".