Mercedes paint

[tonloc08]

My wife has a 2014 Mercedes ml350 that has rock chips galore on the hood. At this point there isn’t much of an option but to repaint it. Is this a known issue with Mercedes paint? We live in the Midwest and are at risk for the occasional rock chip, but this is beyond normal. None of our other vehicles (Ford and Audi) have more than a couple tiny superficial chips. The mercedes has hundreds. I plan to have a protective film installed after it’s repainted, but what gives?
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[gsbell]

In my experience it relates to the waterborne paints in use now and your driving environment.

My 11 Dodge Charger started acquiring chips immediately and after five years (98,000 miles) it had hundreds of little pock marks all over the front bumper cover and hood. My wifes 13 Nissan Xterra (25,000 miles) just has a few chips here and there. The biggest difference other than miles is the driving conditions, I have 45 miles of bumper to bumper highway commute 5 days a week. This kicks up a tremendous amount of crap that is pelted off the front of my car.

When I bought my 16 Challenger just over a year ago, within 3 days I had an xpel clear film applied. 15 months and 18,000 miles later I have just one chip, I had a very large and sharp piece of debris penetrate the film. I saw it kick up in front of me, I broke moderately but nothing was going to prevent that one.

Repaint the front end and apply a good quality clear film.

[gsbell]

Let me add this, Dr. ColorChip will do an ok job of minimizing that ugliness. It will put matching color in all those pock marks and from 20 feet make it look better, but it will still drive you crazy when you're up close to it.

[Desertnate]

I think the harder German paints are more brittle and prone to chipping vs softer paints.

My 2014 VW has far more paint chips than my wife's 2013 Toyota. She drives FAR more miles than I do and most of her time is spent on small two lane rural roads which are covered in debris and frequented with farm equipment and large trucks while I drive on well maintained lightly trafficked roads . Despite that, the soft paint on her Toyota only has one or two serious chips, while my VW is starting to look like your Mercedes.

[tonloc08]

I think the harder German paints are more brittle and prone to chipping vs softer paints.

My 2014 VW has far more paint chips than my wife's 2013 Toyota. She drives FAR more miles than I do and most of her time is spent on small two lane rural roads which are covered in debris and frequented with farm equipment and large trucks while I drive on well maintained lightly trafficked roads . Despite that, the soft paint on her Toyota only has one or two serious chips, while my VW is starting to look like your Mercedes.

Good point. Interestingly, we drive in the same roads and my Audi has next to no chips. It may have something to do with the angle of the hood as well I suppose. Next time we’ll be getting film protection from the get go.


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