Bonnet protection

[cgtmiles]

I have only done 800 miles in my van and have already noticed a rather large stone chip on the bonnet. So I was wondering what the best way to protect against this is? I’m not a fan of bonnet bras etc so what other options are available.

Is it possible to colour match a wrap to match the rest of the reflex silver body? Or is there another approach? What have other tried to guard against this?

 

[Tourershine]

I have only done 800 miles in my van and have already noticed a rather large stone chip on the bonnet. So I was wondering what the best way to protect against this is? I’m not a fan of bonnet bras etc so what other options are available.

Is it possible to colour match a wrap to match the rest of the reflex silver body? Or is there another approach? What have other tried to guard against this?

I'm on my 2nd bonnet and 4th bonnet respray. Thankfully I have a good relationship with a bodyshop that does all my business paintwork, so tend not to pay daft money for all my paintwork, plus I do all the prep myself.

The only thing that will stop it is PPF, but that won't hide any chips you've already picked up sadly.
I'm on my 2nd bonnet simply because I purchased a spare one to have painted, then left to cure for several weeks before PPF wrapping, but the PPF quote was pretty much the same price as me painting my bonnet 5 times, so I never bothered in the end.
My mate has his done on his Red T6 Edition and it's never chipped since.

 

[cgtmiles]

Excuse my stupidity but what is PPF? (Probably should google that first but hey)

Is there any chance of getting a colour match with a wrap?

Looking at the prices for wrapping and your comment as well as those on other threads I guess paying for a respray every now and then does actually seem the most viable option.

How long do you go between bonnet respray/new bonnets then, sounds like you change them more than I change my socks!

 

[Tourershine]

Excuse my stupidity but what is PPF? (Probably should google that first but hey)

Is there any chance of getting a colour match with a wrap?

Looking at the prices for wrapping and your comment as well as those on other threads I guess paying for a respray every now and then does actually seem the most viable option.

How long do you go between bonnet respray/new bonnets then, sounds like you change them more than I change my socks!

PPF is basically a thick clear wrap that protects the paint. It's not cheap, but apparently much harder to apply than a standard vinyl. Plus the quality of the actual finishes seem to vary.

I can have a bonnet painted and pick up stone chips the next day, but mine will look bad after about 6 months, this is where it tends to be peppered with chips. Most of my driving is Motorway and i'm up and down the country every day, so maybe I pick up damage a bit more than most.
The pain with painting as a normal bodyshop customer is the loss of your van for a few days, where as for me it's just a simple case of me making an excuse to take a couple of days off, which gives me a welcomed break to Caravans and Motorhomes.

I do now have a good guy that does all my wrapping work and he also does PPF. He tends not to take the pee with prices too, so if you ever go down that route, drop me a PM with any quotes and I will see if his prices justify a few hours in Leicester for you.

 

[cgtmiles]

Superb cheers!

I have clear wrap strips bought to protect my bike frame. Do you think running a strip of this along the front (more vertical) edge would look any good? Thinking a similar product is ok on the rear to protect under bike racks

 

[Tourershine]

Superb cheers!

I have clear wrap strips bought to protect my bike frame. Do you think running a strip of this along the front (more vertical) edge would look any good? Thinking a similar product is ok on the rear to protect under bike racks

It would do the job, but visually you'd obviously see the edges of the strips.

 

[DaveD]

My 2016 T6 which I bought last September has picked up more stone chips in 40K miles than all the cars I've ever owned. Some of those cars did over 200K miles and still had few chips on them.
Is it the shape of the van that makes it vulnerable or is the paint particularly crap?

 

[Spaghetti]

@Sabre had PPF fitted at the last meet. His is the red camper you would have seen, and the quality and fitting of the film was excellent! Drop him a message.

 

[cgtmiles]

I remember, nice looking van and I certainly didn’t notice any difference. The problem is with this though is that I already have one chip so surely clear wrapping it would just immortalise the chip for ever more.

I have some reflex silver paint so tempted to go out and dab it with a cotton bud but that would not go well!

 

[Spaghetti]

I think the chap that fitted the film carries out paint prep before it’s fitted. I’ve got a few chips on mine so haven’t bothered with PPF. I just keep way back from people so as not to catch so many stones flicked up by them.

 

[AK06FR]

I've had the bonnet, mirrors and front bumper done with an XPEL film. The finish is good enough for me and I would highly recommend it. If you look carefully you can see where they made the cuts but thats not an issue for me.

here below are a few pics:-

 

[cgtmiles]

Hi @Sabre
Sorry, I didn’t get much of an opportunity to chat with you at the last meet or look at your van properly, there was so much to see and so much to take in!

How have you found the wrap on your bonnet? Who did yours and was it prohibitively expensive?

 

[Sabre]

Hi,
I had a bonnet bra on for almost a year, so anything was worth the cost after that. It was £240 for the bonnet. Takes 24hrs and is well worth it. Mine was done at auto wax works in Biscester. An Xpel cover.
Top tip do it on Thursday cos picking up Friday afternoon, the brewery next door is open after 4pm!

 

[cgtmiles]

Ok, forget the bonnet, tell me more about the brewery

 

[cgtmiles]

£240 is a lot more reasonable than I’ve read elsewhere. People were talking £1k ball park.

 

[Tourershine]

£240 is a lot more reasonable than I’ve read elsewhere. People were talking £1k ball park.

Cheapest I originally got was £500 just for my bonnet, hence why I never bothered. At £240 I certainly would of had it done.

 

[AK06FR]

€800 in France. That was the bumper, bonnet, wing mirrors and strip across the top of the wind screen. Nothing is cheap here in France !

 

[cgtmiles]

If think I’m sold at £240! But I guess it’s art of the price difference is because that is for the bonnet only

 

[Sabre]

That is just for the bonnet but I thought that as I have a full plastic bumper any stone chips are not going to rust it so eventually, at about £350-£400 I can have the bumpers resprayed. The bonnet would rust while I'm waiting so it was a no-brainer.
Give them a call, ask for Charles and book it in. He does super car wraps in this stuff and there is a little coffee shop in his reception with nice cake.
And, the wriggly monkey brewery is across the forecourt and branded as 'beer for petrol-heads'. It opens at 4 on a Friday.
Do not look at the Quattro on the way in cos I really want that!

 

[Sabre]

And if you're picking up on Friday afternoon, let us know I feel a mini-meet coming on!