Ok so I was using my clay bar (omg so smooth now) on my car when I noticed this...



Went in for a closer look


I'm SO upset because my car is a couple days over being a month old, and I have a small gash in my front bumper plastic!! Heard about Scion having cheap paint and other things, but didn't think it would happen to me. I haven't hit any curbs or anything, but I do remember going over something on the freeway going to school the other day, but didn't think anything of it. My '99 Corolla went over so much crap and never had anything like this happen!

Is there anything I can do to repair this?? Take it to the dealer see what they do/say?


Also, if I got a clear bra for my car, would the installer be able to buff out the small nicks in the paint? This is really bothering me that the car is this suseptible to road rocks. Had I know this before, I might still be driving my Corolla...

 

dang sucks to hear that bro...

 

That sucks...I drive on the highway ~50 miles a day and haven't had anything like that happen to me, hopefully it doesn't, I would take it to the dealer and see what they say.

 

Sorry to hear bout that........good luck getting the dealer to do anything about it tho.

 

Clear bra yo!

 

Would a clear bra keep something from doing damage the highway? If it was able to do that without him really noticing would the bra be enough protection?

 

thats a pretty deep gash, clear bra *may* have lessened it, but I doubt it would have stopped it.

 

don't feel back it will be okay......I back into a pole. Be happy you didn't lose your car in a major accident.....

 

it looks like you hit something, maybe highway debris. you cant really blame that on the paintjob.....

 

Damn, that really sucks. Damn Southern California and all the road debris. Stuff flying everywhere on the highways. I remember one time I was on the 57 heading OC and a ladder flung out of a truck. And another time when I was heading home from work on the same freeway I think there was a whole bunch of packaging popcorn that was floating around all over the freeway. lol

 

Buffer and touch-up paint.

 

mcd: The plastic is actually torn away from the bumper. The black is the plastic. If I buffered it I don't think it would make things better.

findingmikey: Yea!! There is so much crap on the roads its really unbelievable. I see so many tires from semis on the side of the road (whole strips) and bits'n'pieces scattered in the road. Too bad CalTrans doesn't have a sweeper go by like every 6hrs or something to pick up that crap.

Grrrr.

I'm thinking of calling a company that fixed my old car (an old woman hit me, damn living near a retirement community (Leisure World)) since they did a nice job fixing it. Then I'll probably get a hold of the clear bra guys and see how much it would be tofully protect the car. Maybe the shop can buff the smaller dings out too.

Hm.

 

I happen to think that the bra would most likely made a huge difference. The stuff is amazing. I had it installed on my IS350 the first week I got it, and it's paid for itself many times over.

I hit, I think a tire, on the express way, it sounded horrible. After looking, there was a gash in my bumper where it wasn't treated (near the fog light), and the fog light got all scuffed up and pushed back. The area that was treated I just brushed away the dirt and that was it. It really is good stuff.

 

Bummer- I know how much you love that car- as do we all.
Bring it to your dealer's body shop. Even torn, there may be a rather simple solution. Whatever you do, get it fixed, cuz it's never good to let little repairs slide- they have a way of getting outta control. I speak from experience.......:-(


As an aside, should one be using a clay bar on such a new finish?

 

Using a clay bar just takes off the grit that washing or waxing doesn't. It brings it back to that slick, brand new feeling it had right off the lot. Don't see any bad things with using a clay bar when it feels gritty to the touch.

Yea I'm going to get it repaired, but I'm jusst afraid at how much this is going to cost me since I'm already low on monies.

 

I know I would be disappointed too (and I know I will be when I inevitably have someone scrape my bumper while parking), but think of it as battle wounds. Your xD now has some character!

 

I will somewhat agree on your paint comment... my xD already has a bunch of chips in the front bumper and hood... my 240's paint stood up better than the xD's... but the color choices available from scion are amazing... so idk...

 

Sorry to hear it bro

We had that happen to our Sienna - my wife had a semi blow a tire in front of her and it show the husk back at her - trashed the front bumper scratched down the srivers side. Put the claim through insurance and they paid it (luckily the tire was airborne when it first hit). But it sucks when it happens.

 

IMO it looks like you hit a tire tread on the highway. What would make me say this you ask? Glad you did ... cause towards the back end of the indentation youll notice it looks like you have feathered scratches. Those look alot like the steel bands they use in tires. You may have hit it and not known. Can you account for every minute your driving ever since you had the car ... probably not. It happens.

Now to fixing it. Your in Southern Cali which should be a good thing. Im thinking you should have lots of body shops at your dissposal. Time to go out and get some estimates. Tell them your paying cash out of your own pocket. Dont get insurace invovled because the damage looks like its only going to run you about $500 - $700 at the most. Maybe as little as $300 depending on how deep the scratches are. The other thing you have in your favor is that the car is white with no flake in it. Meaning it wouldnt be as hard to match the rest of your paint if they re-paint that one piece.

Good Luck

 

umm.... silver streak mica...