I'm going to need a new front bumper...

Slacey · May 28, 2003, 15:12

After 14000 miles in 10 months, the front bumber (now minus number plate, see topic in General) is in a right state. There aren't many large stonechips but there are literally thousands of tiny ones, and it looks awful (to me, anyway). So, suggestions - do I get this one re-painted, or go for an aftermaket part? If I go for aftermarket, I would only want the bumper, not a whole kit.
Ideas?

Anonymous · May 28, 2003, 19:40

Was very interested to see that you own a black model. Any idea how so many chips were picked up? - motorway driving or just general?
Please keep us posted as to what route you take. This seems to happen an awful lot on the black model.

Slacey · May 28, 2003, 20:09

I've no idea how it picked up that many chips - I'm not at all happy with the paint finish. I'm in two minds as to whether to take it up with the dealer, but I don't think I will get anywhere. As for roads, it's a good mix (I only use the car for weekends and business trips in the week) of both motorway (70%) and country lanes (30%).
Looking at other roadsters, they never seem anywhere as bad - anyone want to give me a quick report on theirs (with mileage) that I could poosibly then use with the dealer?

Anonymous · May 28, 2003, 20:18

Yellow 2years old 43000km 2 very small stone chips hardy visable thanks the lanka on bonnet.

Victor

Chris · May 28, 2003, 22:30

Black does unfortunately seem to be the weakest colour in standing up to stone chips - I had mine nearly 4 months now and have noticed that it's fairly susceptible to chipping and even scratching when washing! (or at least more than I remember my blue one being)...

I may well have to investigate this langka stuff...

Anonymous · May 29, 2003, 09:07

Quote from: "Chris"I may well have to investigate this langka stuff...

It really is the dogs danglies... It's hard to get a perfect finish on metallics, but still probably the best DIY result you could achieve. Flat colours should be pretty much perfect.

See http://www.langka.com

Darth Paul · May 29, 2003, 14:13

Yep. black is sh*te. My bonnet looks like the night sky. Black with thousands of tiny white stars... The Langka deals with the bigger ones, but I have to rely on black coloured polish for the small ones.

As for the bumper, it looks like an army of Lilliputians have attacked it with machine guns. It's really awful. s:cry: :cry: s:cry:

Hey, ho. Can't see it from the driver's seat... s:twisted: :twisted: s:twisted:

DP

Comer · May 29, 2003, 14:29

Quote from: "Darth Paul"The Langka deals with the bigger ones, but I have to rely on black coloured polish for the small ones.

What black coloured polish do you recommend?

Slacey · May 29, 2003, 15:45

QuoteAs for the bumper, it looks like an army of Lilliputians have attacked it with machine guns. It's really awful.

EXACTLY was I was getting at, and very nicely put!

Anonymous · May 30, 2003, 10:36

I can't believe that after 14,000 miles you should have to buy a new bumper! Would other car owners accept that?!

Have you contacted Toyota about this at all, I wonder what their take on it is?

--H--

Slacey · May 30, 2003, 12:06

As I stated earlier, I am debating taking the matter up with Toyota - the dealer I use in Shrewsbury is excellent, but at the end of the day he needs head office approval to do anything. I might pop in at the weekend and see what happens. s:(

s:(

Anonymous · May 30, 2003, 12:30

As other owners report, the chipping on black models eventually spreads to the bonnet. I had my one for 2 years and in the end it really did get to me. I was so pleased when I managed to part ex it for a new silver model. It got to the point where I was more excited about getting rid of it than getting a new one.
Half the trouble is that the finish is so good that anything will show up. Another problem is that I believe they really should have had another coat of paint on it. If you use a torch at night up close to the paint you virtually see through it. Would be really interested to see what Toyota have to say. I didn't have much luck with mine.

Anonymous · May 30, 2003, 13:28

I just think that people over here seem to accept things like this to easily. Fortunately I don't have a problem with stone chips at all but if I did, after so few miles, I'd sure pick it up with Toyota before I even thought about parting with any of my hard earned cash!

--H--

Anonymous · May 30, 2003, 14:19

could be worth buying the protective film or getting the new bumper sprayed with more laqour by an independent body shop so it dosent stone chip so easy. you can get this done for around £60

Anonymous · July 20, 2004, 08:04

Quote from: "Hardcore"I can't believe that after 14,000 miles you should have to buy a new bumper! Would other car owners accept that?!

Have you contacted Toyota about this at all, I wonder what their take on it is?

--H--

This will make you laugh I have a silver 02 model done about 60k on the M4
front is just full of chips. Spoke to a Toyota dealer and they said that the "piss poor paint work wasn't covered on the warranty", but invited me to talk to toyata UK after I pointed out that my Saab that did more milage on worse roads went back at the end of the contract with just 3 chips and that includes the underside of the number plate.

Toyota first told me that the anti corrosion waranty did not include any surface rust that was caused by stone chips, and was actually only there to cover rotting doors etc, and better still that the fact that their paint work was so bad and as a result was in such a bad state was "an act of god" as it was sheer chance as to wether the car was infront of the stone when it got kicked up s:twisted: :twisted: s:twisted: This guy actually thought that it was a good answer s:roll: :roll: s:roll:

I am also in the process of beating a complete set of replacement alloys out of them after they told me that the bubbling was nolonger covered due to the fact that the car was so close to the 60K warranty when I pointed it out! (the fact is that the problem has been there for the last 30K) I am going to see the dealer principle to take the point up that they had just replaced the front disks and pads (again down to corrosion !) and in the process removed two of the faulty wheels in the process so if they missed the obvious stuff then what else do they miss that needs closer attention ?

So sad that such a great car is let down on the easy stuff s:-( :-( s:-(

Anonymous · July 20, 2004, 08:45

Quote from: "Slacey"After 14000 miles in 10 months, the front bumber (now minus number plate, see topic in General) is in a right state. There aren't many large stonechips but there are literally thousands of tiny ones, and it looks awful (to me, anyway). So, suggestions - do I get this one re-painted, or go for an aftermaket part? If I go for aftermarket, I would only want the bumper, not a whole kit.
Ideas?

And I can tell you it isn't just the black that is suspect. I have (as you know Sean) a Lagoon Blue and the front of my bumper, after only 28K miles looks like one of the toothbrush spray paintings you see from 4 year olds on Take Hart!!! Its horrendous! And I too don't know what to do about it. I have tried (and am still in the process of) to get rid, or at elast cover, the major chips with touch up and Lanka, but the tiny ones....................I could be here for the rest of the year.

I think, when the time comes, I am going to go for the front respray option. Less hassle I reckon.............. s:evil: :evil: s:evil:

Anonymous · July 20, 2004, 10:26

I am in the process of doing just that, but unless you use the overpriced clowns in the local toyota bodyshop you can say goodbye to the bodywork waranty s:lol: :lol: s:lol: not that it is worth the paper that it is written on....

I is worth noting that the body work of the MR2 is not galvanised so if you break the surface of the paintwork it will eventually turn into a rust spot.

something toyota are well aware of and probably why they have taken such a poor stance to date, with regards to hadling the issue s:(

s:(

heathstimpson · July 20, 2004, 12:17

Mine has only done 11K and has some really bad chips on the front end s:shock: :shock: s:shock:

Anonymous · July 20, 2004, 12:30

Sean, unfortunately if you went for an aftermarket bumper on its own of course the drop is likely to be too much in comparrision with the rest of the car?

Possibly time to upgrade to an 03 front if you go that route? I know a few people who have show cars and have chosen to have two front bumpers, so that one can be resprayed whilst the other is on the car. If this is a regular thing then you can often get much better rates from a decent body shop.

good luck with whatever route you decide to take matey