Thin Paint on FRS Release Series 1?

[Slowmotion]

So, within a week of owning my release series, what I thought was a big black bug, was actually a nice large chip taken out of the from bumper. From the looks of it, it went through everything, clear, paint and primer (though, I do not know if the primer under yuzu yellow is actually black or not).

(No pictures of the damage as it promptly went to the shop after I found it, but I will show pictures the fix once I get the car back from the tint/paint protection film shop.)

I was wondering, has anyone else found rock chips on their releases series yet? It seems like the paint is quite thin, though I am comparing it to my VW and Audi, but I wasn't sure if this was just the release series or if this was the same for all FRS's.

[gramicci101]

Thin paint is a Subaru trademark. All these cars have the same issue.

[tennisfreak]

Paint is thin on all toyota made cars regardless of lexus, scion, or toyota.

I own a scion and a lexus and just lost a tacoma pickup. They are all the same.

If you dont want to deal with chips then get the 3m film protection put on the bumper.

As for myself, I am just dealing with the chips and staying on top of touch ups.

[VacantSky]

Same for all FR-S/86/BRZ I'm afraid. That's the one thing I don't like about most Japanese cars. Paint Quality. My hood looks like the stars at night, and my bumper is riddled with black chips. I owned cars from the early 90's with over 150,000 miles that had better paint than this car does currently

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by gramicci101

Thin paint is a Subaru trademark. All these cars have the same issue.

Yep!
Get yourself a touchup stick and you will soon have enough practice that you can do almost invisible repairs.

[gramicci101]

Originally Posted by tennisfreak

and just lost a tacoma pickup.

... like, in a parking garage? Did it escape? Will you be able to find it again?

[gramicci101]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Yep!
Get yourself a touchup stick and you will soon have enough practice that you can do almost invisible repairs.

I got a chip on my door from my jack stand. It BARELY touched at all, but went straight through the paint. Sigh.

[Burrcold]

Full front end paint protection film (fenders, full hood and full bumper) and two years later without a single stone chip. These cars need it (low and crappy paint are not a good combo). Will save a lot of money down the road and for me kept my OCD in check

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Burrcold

Full front end paint protection film (fenders, full hood and full bumper) and two years later without a single stone chip. These cars need it (low and crappy paint are not a good combo). Will save a lot of money down the road and for me kept my OCD in check

I have it as well but still took a hit hard enough to peel it back as well as the traditional hit 1/2 inch past where it stops marks.

[Burrcold]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

I have it as well but still took a hit hard enough to peel it back as well as the traditional hit 1/2 inch past where it stops marks.

Imagine what it would look like if you didn't have the film. If a stone hits hard enough to peel the film back, that would have been a nasty chip. Still worth it. Also, that's why I didn't do the 1/2 hood and did one single piece to cover the entire thing. Plus you don't get the ugly dirt collecting seams.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Burrcold

Imagine what it would look like if you didn't have the film. If a stone hits hard enough to peel the film back, that would have been a nasty chip. Still worth it. Also, that's why I didn't do the 1/2 hood and did one single piece to cover the entire thing. Plus you don't get the ugly dirt collecting seams.

Exactly!
The hit I took that missed the film was on top of a fender just past the seem line from the bumper where the film ends. Rock/debris shot out sideways from a truck I was passing just at the wrong second.
I am on the 401 for 14 hours a week so take a beating.

[stonenewt]

Thin paint on basically every car on sale in the UK. Japanese cars seem to have much softer paint than most of the Euro brands, no idea about US brands. Take Audi paint, it isn't thick as just very hard.

[extrashaky]

The very first week I had this car, I got a 1/2" chip in my hood that went through the paint and dented the tinfoil. Because of the dent, the body man says it will cost $600 to fix because the hood will have to be repainted. My deductible is $500, so it's not really worth it. I think I'll just put that $600 toward a kevlar hood later on.

I have never had a car with paint this fragile.

[Turbo95eg6]

Originally Posted by Burrcold

Full front end paint protection film (fenders, full hood and full bumper) and two years later without a single stone chip. These cars need it (low and crappy paint are not a good combo). Will save a lot of money down the road and for me kept my OCD in check

Wish that was the case for most… Even with my clear bra I've had debris go through the film. If anyone looks close enough at their paint, there will be little specks here and there especially the roof, sides and maybe the trunk... If you don't, you're either blind, your clear coat was magically coated in diamond or you're not driving the car as you should.