After Winter DD'ing.
 

I'm on the fence about DD'ing my FRS in the winter. I'm curious as to how well the front lip fares after the year.

Anyone do any highway driving with the FR-S when it's harsh or mid-winter where weather tends to be worst? How did it go?

If possible, can you release information on whether you were at stock height or lowered x" at (condition). I plan to be at stock height throughout winter. Thanks.

Been through two winters now and the front end is still perfect. Although I do have PPF.

Stock height, 2 winters, starting to look a little sandblasted.

BRZ bumper didn't have any damage from the one winter it's been through. I will say that I didn't do a lot of highway driving this past winter so it didn't really get blasted.

I survived last winter, without a problem, driving 50+km everyday. I dented my rocker panel on a frozen snowbank entering my driveway, but that was my fault, and I won't be doing that again.
Was at stock height. Lowered 1.5" this year, but not too worried.

Thank you for all your inputs! Appreciated :cheers:

If you do a lot of highway driving a clear bra is key.

2 winters, lowered 1.4inches. Not a DD.

More imperfections for parking at curbs that rubbed underneath the lip than from anything driving related.

After one winter driving through several construction zones and about 80km per day my front lip, and indeed the entire front bumper, is covered in tiny pits with a couple of bigger gouges thrown in for good measure.

I don't sweat it. At some point I might get the front repainted.

I'm more annoyed at the big dents on my hood that I got this summer when a truck threw up a chunk of pavement that skipped off my hood. I was surprised it didn't break the windshield when it hit.

Used to winter drive an suv, spent last winter driving my stock brz with 16 inch steelies with bridgestone ws70. Had a blast.

Only thing I kind of regret is not getting a protection film. I can count maybe 5-6 small rock chips on my front bumper but I daily drive on the DVP so kind of expected. Easily covered up with paint touch up.

Been through 2 1/2 winters and almost 90% of my chips etc were done in the warmer months. Juts from bad luck being behind dump trucks and when people weave out of thier lane and ride on the shoulder where all the gravel/crap is. I have 3M on my front bumper, half hood and side mirrors, but I have chips ABOVE the 3M on my hood, and my windshield of course!
I love driving the car in winter (sanbags and winter tires are a must), and this is my only car and it get's driven evry day, every temperature, every condition. No problems!
Cars......all cars.....will get chips no matter what, and if it doesn't, it means you are not driving it, and missing out on what it is supposed to be. A car to enjoy. If you don't want to enjoy it....sell it and buy a beater, because if you think storing it for the winter will prevent you from ever getting chips or dings etc, then you are wrong. Just drive man. That is all.........

What touch-up paint do you use? I'm considering Dr. Colorchip.

Your car is black, don't bother. If you want more explanation, keep reading.

Honestly, I've been over this in my head so much, I just can't see how PPF is cost effective, when realistically, it costs about $400-500 for the front bumper for a good quality film. The high cost is because the front bumper has a highly irregular shape and takes a lot of time and finesse.

At the end of the day, the damage to the front bumper is purely cosmetic, because there is no chance of rust. Then you have to weigh a couple small imperfections over, some smudges that those rocks will leave on the film, and the fact that the film isn't perfect optically, so you'll see it every day.

Finally, at some future day, you'll want to remove the PPF to reveal the imaculate bumper! or perhaps it won't be... and the colour will likely be less faded than the paint on the rest of the car, similar to if you just got a new bumper, or a respray.

A respray or a new bumper might be similarly priced to the PPF, various things to consider. Raven will be the cheapest to respray, and also the least effected by rock chips. The pearls and metallics will be the most expensive. SWP/Whiteout being the most affected by rock chips, and also the most expensive to respray.

I have a SWP brz, and still didn't get the PPF, because I can't justify the expense. I'd only get PPF if I did full fenders, bumper, hood and 'A' pillars because I think that PPF seams across panels are disgusting, and I'd be worried about tan lines.