I am saving up to get myself a 2001 IS. I have been reading a ton about the soft paint issues with the IS. Would silver be my best bet for a 60 mile round trip highway commute everyday? I want an SBM but if it is going to look like crap from stone chips then forget that. I figure the silver would hide any chips the best
Question about the IS soft paint and highway driving
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11,061 Posts
If you are going to be on the highway a lot, you might consider a bra. Seems like those nasty semi trucks are just lying in wait.
Silver hides just about everything, but some of the chips I have are black and show up easily. But you have to be close to see them.
I can go a couple weeks without a wash (although I don't usually do that) and it still looks good, as long as I get the dust of the rims. It's not the most fun color, but it's the most practical if that's what you're looking for.
I can go a couple weeks without a wash (although I don't usually do that) and it still looks good, as long as I get the dust of the rims. It's not the most fun color, but it's the most practical if that's what you're looking for.
IS300envy
I would say that you may want to get Silver. I have a solar yellow. And I drive about 500 miles every weekend. I have a Lexus Nose Mask on my car. It covers the car pretty well.
After the trip, I always clean the headlight, the rear mirror, and the windshield.
Now, even though I have the nose mask, the bugs and chips still hit the hidden spot. There are a lot of chips on my windshield.
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It is unbelievable. Mostly, they are tiny one. But they annoy me.
Meanwhile, I have a lot of bug residue on my headlight and fog light.
Again, I really want to buy the Xpel clear bra. But the problem is there is no place that can install them around my area.
I would say that you may want to get Silver. I have a solar yellow. And I drive about 500 miles every weekend. I have a Lexus Nose Mask on my car. It covers the car pretty well.
After the trip, I always clean the headlight, the rear mirror, and the windshield.
Now, even though I have the nose mask, the bugs and chips still hit the hidden spot. There are a lot of chips on my windshield.
Meanwhile, I have a lot of bug residue on my headlight and fog light.
Again, I really want to buy the Xpel clear bra. But the problem is there is no place that can install them around my area.
It's a clear film that attaches part way up the hood and on the front bumper. Much better than a standard bra.
For more info: http://www.xpel.com/paint/applications.html
For more info: http://www.xpel.com/paint/applications.html
If you can't find an official installer, try calling some tint shops since the xpel installs with the same techniques they use for tinting cars. And if all you're doing is the hood and mirror kit, you could actually do it yourself after I saw mine being installed - but you need a lot of patience. It was well worth the $50 to get someone else to do it.
I took a couple 1000 mile trips and got a lot of tiny windshield chips too. Can only see them in certain sunlight, but it sucks.
I took a couple 1000 mile trips and got a lot of tiny windshield chips too. Can only see them in certain sunlight, but it sucks.
It works. Click my sig for a pic and here's another from a shot straight on.
http://www.extremefx.com/IS300/IS300_xpel.jpg
These shots are very representative of what you'll see, which is nothing, when standing about 6 feet from the front. The only thing you'll see standing directly over it is the line where it ends.
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103 Posts
I hear that. My hood is peppered with little chips. I've already spent a day about 3 months ago fixing any chip would hold paint. If you look closely at the front end it looks like someone sprikled silver pepper on the hood. I'm very frustrated and am going to attempt to get Lexus to pay for this. It is rediculous the amount of damage to the hood. Don't get me wrong, I still love my IS, but damn. XPEL clear bra for me next time, no doubt!
The xpel is supposed to last about 7 years, but even if it didn't, I would pay $150 every couple few years to have a chip free leading edge. The xpel can be removed easily with a heat gun, without any damage to the paint.
It's nice not to have to worry about that area, especially on long trips. And since I put it on right after we bought the car, the paint is chip free just like it was from the showroom. Well worth the cash.
It's nice not to have to worry about that area, especially on long trips. And since I put it on right after we bought the car, the paint is chip free just like it was from the showroom. Well worth the cash.
I have the hood kit on my SBM and ask any of the guys who have seen it, you can barely tell unless you look closely at the line. Sometimes it looks like a nice straight scratch in the paint, but take it from me, after 15k miles, the stuff is worth it's weight in gold !!!
Mark
Mark
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90 Posts
anybody have the xpel on GGP? I'm curious if it's noticable. Getting car next week and I'm scared of the paint chips!
Generally, the lighter the paint, the more noticable it's going to be. I wouldn't recommend it on white, as the xpel is 97% clear, and may give off a yellow tinge on the white paint. But anything like Silver or darker is supposed to do really well.
Consider what's worse, a black bra you have to remove, wash, and scratches your paint when it's on, not to mention is extremely visable - or a clear bra you leave on rain or shine, waxes like the rest of the car, and is completely invisible unless you're standing over the car, something most people don't do anyway.
Consider what's worse, a black bra you have to remove, wash, and scratches your paint when it's on, not to mention is extremely visable - or a clear bra you leave on rain or shine, waxes like the rest of the car, and is completely invisible unless you're standing over the car, something most people don't do anyway.
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90 Posts
It looks like there are 2 kits for the IS - a hood kit and a bumper kit. Which one is better or do we need both?
Hood kit covers 10" up the hood and also the mirrors
Bumper kit covers the entire bumper below the hood. I felt the bumper kit was expensive, and since the bumper is plastic and not very visable except when you're cleaning it, I didn't bother with it. The hood, on the other hand is metal.
Bumper kit covers the entire bumper below the hood. I felt the bumper kit was expensive, and since the bumper is plastic and not very visable except when you're cleaning it, I didn't bother with it. The hood, on the other hand is metal.
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