Matt.S

So I don't know why rock chips keep popping up. When I got the car at the dealership a month ago I didn't see any upon inspection (then of course you notice things more and more when you actually own the car and do your own personal wash) and I'm surprised to see this considering the 77k that the PO had logged. I suppose the dealership could have given it a good detail before hiding these prior to purchase but anyway on to my actual question/concern:

I drive my car daily and conservatively (leaving 2-3 car lengths between me and the vehicle I am following, I don't follow semi's and avoid big trucks overall). I never hear rocks colliding with my windshield or car but everytime I go out I discover a new one, some light and just recently one that's kind of a gouge (hard to explain but imagine drawing a line in the sand and how the sand piles up at the end of where you drew the line). I was considering after winter getting a full detail in which the paint chips get filled in and then having XPEL applied (I live in ATL so if anyone knows a good place or a potential price of this it will be much appreciated). Then I began to wonder if the expense will be worth it or if I should just take the money I would spend and put it towards a future paint job - I will be keeping this car for a long time, really only potentially getting rid of it if I can upgrade to a C6 Z06 or ZR1 which is faaaaarrrr in the future.

Just looking for some advice, I didn't realize how prone to rock chips these cars are. I had my 330i BMW for over a year and never noticed any new one's that weren't there when it was purchased so this is all kind of new to me.

Thanks for the tips!

Photos on page 4 until I can copy and paste into here. Thanks!

Black 02

Perhaps the bumper was resprayed by the dealer and it's not as durable as factory paint? If you aren't following close and trying to avoid them, a poor quality respray is all I can think of the culprit being.

Matt.S

No respray was ever mentioned, but I almost thought the exact same thing. It's as if breathing on it can chip the paint... So if it is a possible "poor" quality paint will it be worth the money to invest in touching it up and covering it? Or just let it be till I can put down $5k on a paint job? Sucks spending over 1/3 of what I paid for my car to paint it but it is what it is I suppose...

Lee DeRaud

What color is it? Some of them show dings more, which could explain the difference between the C5 and the BMW.
And if you live in an area where gravel ends up on the road, a 2-3 car length gap is nothing: a truck 1/4-mile ahead can kick up a piece up in the air and it will still be bouncing when you get to it. Admittedly most of it gets spit out from under tires at a low angle, but the front bumper of a C5 is only a foot off the ground.

Matt.S

Torch Red - I live in suburbs above Atlanta, we don't really just have gravel laying around on the roads I travel.

JR-01

Tip: One car length for every ten mph. 2-3 ain't enough for me at 70 mph.

Matt.S

My daily commute speeds are from 30-50mph and I stay 2+ car lengths behind. During rush hour much further = people thinking you're holding the line up, even if the speeds are the same. So I adhere to your tip almost to a T JR. Still getting chips out the wazoo

WetteVette

If only drivers would observe this simple rule of the road that we (supposedly) all learned in high school drivers' education, the highways would be a safer place.

JR-01

After going through 2 windshields on my C3 due to rock chips, I don't like following anyone with my Corvette. I don't know what the answer is but I know rock chips suck. I did put on some stealth mud flaps to reduce them on the sides.

Black 02

If you leave that much room in front of you in Houston you'll end up with two trucks and a smart car between you and the car you were trying to follow

3boystoys

Bet it was Dr. Colorchip repaired or something like it and the chips are coming back.

donald4972

OP, do what you can, to keep your Corvette nice, and clean.
But at the end of the day, if you are going to drive it daily (like me), you will have rock chips, scratches you can't explain and all manor of imperfections. No matter how careful you are, somebody will leave a shopping cart which will run into you, or they'll chuck a rock at you, or something.... Ask me how I know???
Don't let it drive you crazy!

My car is beautiful. But I consider it a '10 footer'. If you stand back 10 feet, my car looks gorgeous. Always clean and shined. But, if you move closer, you start to see the rock chips, little scratches, and all that.
But I"ve driven my C5 cross country more than once, been on many long road trips, and I drive it every day, everywhere. Sh-t happens. That's not going to make me park my car in the garage and cover it...

I"m shooting for 100,000 mile club for C5's...

Drive it like you 'stole it' , as some say. And do what you can, to keep it nice and well maintained.... Mostly, enjoy driving it !!!

Don

Corvette_Ed

Don't forget the guy on the motorcycle who is trying to squeeze between the trucks.

When I first moved here I came to the conclusion that Texas drivers are nuts.

JR-01

In NY if you leave only 1 car length behind the car in front of you, those two trucks and smart car will still try to squeeze in front of you. Seems like everyone is in a race to get to someplace important.

JR-01

I have a 10 footer myself.

Lee DeRaud

Way I figure it is, I can't see any of that stuff from inside the car...

Corvette_Ed

I only see it twice a year............when I put the Zaino on.

Matt.S

Same issue with where I live. If I leave too much space I get people in real hurry to quickly turn infront of me and then drive slower than everyone else. If I repace myself back a few cars it happens time and time again. It's become an art to leave just enough space these "rushed people that drive below the speed limit" don't pull out in front of me.
This is a very high possibility as well. I thought Dr. Colorchip was supposed to be some good long lasting stuff?
My mentality exactly. I just didn't know if there were any cost effective ways to get it back to a "1 footer" and then keep it that way. Like I said if it is not cost effective to do a touch up - buff - xpel I'll just save my pennies till I completely respray it. Eventually my buddy will have his paint booth set up and maybe we'll do it together. Will it look like a 10k job? Most likely not, but I'll be able to learn and do it over and over again as I see fit.

You hand wash your car twice a year?!

Corvette_Ed

That's part of an inside joke that you'll catch on to as you spend more time here. That said, my car is never washed. Cleaned waterlessly before the cover goes on, yes, but never washed.

rrwirsi

Same in MD. I live near I95 and get all those crazy drivers from CT, NY, NJ and DE riding on your bumper and not letting you have any space up front. Soooo, because I am retired and do not have to commute, when I can advoid it, I do not to drive the expressways when I take the 04 vette out for a drive.