Stone Chipping again

[drum]

Up here , North Scotland, we call it `road rash` and it happens to all sorts of vehicles irrespective of make or fitting of mudflaps etc. From observation I have kind of concluded that its all down to styling, wide track, wide wheels, and flared wheel arches, looks good but doesnt work well in the real world. You would imagine that this problem would become obvious to manufacturers in their so called extensive testing instead of leaving it to owners to uncover the fault. Interestingly I owned 4 Subaru Impreza Sports from new and drove to a high mileage, none exhibited this problem and I recall that they all had flared extensions along the bottom of the cill covers,none required even a light bulb change in my time of ownership so perhaps its down to real testing.( dont reckon Subaru are any better than the rest now hence the Yeti ).

[900000]

You are right. It is something that they should pick up in their thousands of miles of testing. But alas seems they don't for some reason.

[soccerc]

You are right. It is something that they should pick up in their thousands of miles of testing. But alas seems they don't for some reason.

I've to drop my SM into a dealer for the respray and foils to be fitted Monday week under warranty.

During discussion with the dealer they admitted there is a Tech Bulletin for this extensive problem and that Skoda have indicated that the foils were somehow omitted from the assembly stock inventory only on RHD's built for the UK and Irish market. (I remain unconvinced)

[900000]

I've to drop my SM into a dealer for the respray and foils to be fitted Monday week under warranty.

During discussion with the dealer they admitted there is a Tech Bulletin for this extensive problem and that Skoda have indicated that the foils were somehow omitted from the assembly stock inventory only on RHD's built for the UK and Irish market. (I remain unconvinced)

Cars are built to a very specific specification for each country. Hence there being options in the computer to set it for Saudi Arabia and Australia and what not. Each of these settings have been tailored to that country - e.g. a speed warning beep coming on at 74mph if you set the car to Saudi Arabia. So in the same way I think the UK and Irish importers set the spec for their cars to NOT include the foils as they thought they can save a few bob - or more precisely, make a few bob by selling it only as part of the Rough Road Pack... But then I'm a cynic.

[g6zru]

Cars are built to a very specific specification for each country. Hence there being options in the computer to set it for Saudi Arabia and Australia and what not. Each of these settings have been tailored to that country - e.g. a speed warning beep coming on at 74mph if you set the car to Saudi Arabia. So in the same way I think the UK and Irish importers set the spec for their cars to NOT include the foils as they thought they can save a few bob - or more precisely, make a few bob by selling it only as part of the Rough Road Pack... But then I'm a cynic.

You sound more like a realist to me.

Fred

[soccerc]

Booked in for 9am tomorrow for a 4 day procedure.

Dealer tells me both doors and rear quarter panels to be stripped back and repainted before foils added.

Wonder what courtesy car I'll get?

[nokiauk]

I'd agree Scotland has been a problem, mine before Winter had some chipping only to the rear doors so this has been sprayed under warranty and foils fitted.

Since the winter took hold proper in December/January possibly made worse by Edinburgh Council's grit with boulders and they fact they used too much, also stones lying about from the destroyed/potholed roads I now have:

- A good number on the leading edge of the bonnet

- One or two chips on the front wings

- A few chips and loads of other rash marks on the bottom half of both front doors

- A crack on the black plastic A pillar

- Small dent (but oddly no chip) on the roof just after the windscreen.

I've tried to touch these in as best as possible but can still be noticed close up. I think paint qulity is crap and I can see a blow over spray jon being required on the front of the car if we get another winter like last.

Am I correct in thinking that Skoda's are galvanised prior to spraying to stop rust developing, as no doubt I will be missing the odd chip and can't spend each weekend washing the car to hunt for more!

[BossFox]

I know it's too late here, but anyone wanting to help stop this should get a signwriter to wrap the main parts in clear vinyl.

A full coloured wrap is about £1500 but you'll pay a third or less than that to just have some clear stuff stuck on.

Had a Land Rover done befre, offroaded it and did 57k miles over two years. Several marks in the clear coat but when the stuff came off it was like brand new again!

Even a scuff down the side from someones wing mirror had not penetrated the protective layer and the scuff came off with the vinyl leaving a perfect finish.

[soccerc]

Took possession of my SM this afternoon following the respray and foiling of rear doors. (Not happy with blistered foil application but that's another days fight).

While in for the repair, four days, the dealer also replaced, under warranty the OS Mirror Indicator as it was full of moisture.

Dealer and another Irish dealer have both confirmed that all Yeti's imported andsold in Ireland prior to Dec 2010 will have foils applied under warranty as per VW/Skoda Ireland bulletin whether there is paint damage or not.

As previously posted the foils application was omitted from RHD models for UK and Irish market assembly inventory.

.

[allena]

I wanted foils fitted before my car ever went on the road, here in France. Unfortunately the supplying dealer couldn't be ar*sed, and so I am still suffering, because it is quite clear that dealers can't fit them as well as they get fitted in the factory.

I took photos on Friday which clearly show streak like scratches under the foils. I believe these scratches were made by the dealer when the area was cleaned prior to fitting the foils. There are a couple of scratches having the same 'trajectory' outside the area of the foils, too, which is why I reckon this was done when the dealer cleaned the paintwork.

I've had the foils fitted twice, now. Both times there was some kind of discoloration beneath the foils, that did look like moisture trapped under the plastic - the last dealer told me this was discoloration of the adhesive layer which would disappear over the course of days. It did. I think it took about a week for it to totally clear. But there still seems to be some discoloration where the foil wraps around the very edge of the door - but none on the inside of the door (where it is actually difficult to see the foil.)

[nokiauk]

I'd agree I had my third set fitted last week and finally they are now bubble/streak free. However they are not wrapped round the back of the doors but trimmed to fit the curve of the arch, this was done last tima as well and I was told they had trouble getting the foil to stick to the back of the door.

Can't be bothered with another trip back however so will live with it, the main area of the door is protected. Will be glad any replacement Yeti will have this film as standard!

[DaveLees]

I've sent photos of the air bubbles/blistering to the garage after their latest attempt to fit foils 4 weeks ago (this was their second attempt), and am waiting for a response.

It looks to me as if the paint has blistered rather than air bubbles, they did have to respray the area as they took the paint off when they removed the first foil.

The bodyshop is 60 miles from me hence I've had to send photos. I cannot go to another garage to get the work done under warrenty as it will have to be sorted out by the original garage

[allena]

@ nokiauk:

I can of course sympathize with you. But I'm bound to say (IMHO) it is the edge of the door that would get splattered from small grit and the like off the road surface, so if it was me I wouldn't accept the cutting of the foils to miss that area. I suppose Skoda themselves wouldn't be very happy to hear that a dealer was 'modding' a spare part like that: they obviously make them to cover the door edge, don't they?

As the customer I feel we can so easily be 'worn down' by these kind of things, and I for one won't stand for it! (*puts on suit of armour, picks up sword, and exits stage left*)

[nokiauk]

Well the bodyshop/paint manager works out of a different branch and I was planning to see him anyway regarding some paint issues on the front doors, so will be mentioning them as well, will be phoning tomorrow to see when he's next at the branch.

[lee67]

I've sent photos of the air bubbles/blistering to the garage after their latest attempt to fit foils 4 weeks ago (this was their second attempt), and am waiting for a response.

It looks to me as if the paint has blistered rather than air bubbles, they did have to respray the area as they took the paint off when they removed the first foil.

The bodyshop is 60 miles from me hence I've had to send photos. I cannot go to another garage to get the work done under warrenty as it will have to be sorted out by the original garage

as said last week, my rear doors esp drivers side, has blistered and it is defo the paint...not happy at alll on a car 6 months old, my last car a focus never had this issue in 3 yrs from new!

[DaveLees]

Scarlet will be going back to the bodyshop (again) on Monday for their 3rd attempt to fit the foils.

An interesting comment from the bodyshop manager when I said that I did not want another rush job -As you say it may remove the paint if it dose the car will be here most of that week as i believe the problem with the decals is due to the solvent in the paint and the stickers being put on to early so i would like to let it settle if we do need to repaint. I am doing another Yeti this week so that will confirm my thoughts.

It looks as if Scarlet will have some company whilst she is there!

[allena]

I had wondered how they get them off. I'm assuming they heat them with some kind of hot air gun to soften the adhesive?

[nokiauk]

I had wondered how they get them off. I'm assuming they heat them with some kind of hot air gun to soften the adhesive?

Yes they do but in my case they took the paint off with them despite the heat gun. had to be resprayed.

[dmat]

Up here , North Scotland, we call it `road rash` and it happens to all sorts of vehicles irrespective of make or fitting of mudflaps etc. From observation I have kind of concluded that its all down to styling, wide track, wide wheels, and flared wheel arches, looks good but doesnt work well in the real world. You would imagine that this problem would become obvious to manufacturers in their so called extensive testing instead of leaving it to owners to uncover the fault. Interestingly I owned 4 Subaru Impreza Sports from new and drove to a high mileage, none exhibited this problem and I recall that they all had flared extensions along the bottom of the cill covers,none required even a light bulb change in my time of ownership so perhaps its down to real testing.( dont reckon Subaru are any better than the rest now hence the Yeti ).

Just thought that I would mention that when I noticed the chipping problem on rear doors, and took the Yeti back to the dealers, Silbury Skoda, Cramlington, they were very helpful, and arranged to have the doors resprayed, and foils fitted under warranty. Also supplied a courtesy car. Other than that, no problems to report. car is 1 year old, and going well.

[geordiebroon]

Just done a quick survey of towing vehicles ( no Yetis ) on Caravan Club site. Majority had mudflaps which seemed almost 100mm closer to the ground than mine. Will no doubt stop a lot of spray along the sides of vehicles.

Having said that mine has no chips yet. (10,000 miles)

Very confusing.

[900000]

Just done a quick survey of towing vehicles ( no Yetis ) on Caravan Club site. Majority had mudflaps which seemed almost 100mm closer to the ground than mine. Will no doubt stop a lot of spray along the sides of vehicles.

Having said that mine has no chips yet. (10,000 miles)

Very confusing.

The chips on the doors are mostly only on non metalic cars which don't have the extra clear coat layer metalic paints have...

[geordiebroon]

The chips on the doors are mostly only on non metalic cars which don't have the extra clear coat layer metalic paints have...

Many thanks Johann. Much less confused now..

[ejstubbs]

The chips on the doors are mostly only on non metalic cars which don't have the extra clear coat layer metalic paints have...

Mine is Black Magic Pearl which I think does have a clear coat. Mind you, I've only picked up one stone chip so far, despite the fact that Edinburgh Council have only in the last couple of weeks got round to sweeping away the drifts of grit which have been sitting in the gutters since the December snows, so maybe that does kind of support your theory.

However, the nearside of my car does now sport two slight scratches which look like they were caused by someone parked next to me opening their door without due care and attention. (Either that or one of the local scrotes likes to key new cars but only a very little bit.) So that's two blemishes I'm going to have to fix myself, and one stone chip about 2mm across. I think I'll do the job myself to be honest, and fit the paint protection film that I already have to the rear arches at the same time.

On which subject, I note that the instructions for the paint protection film kit that I have do recommend only fitting the film when the ambient temperature is at least 13C. Otherwise the general procedure is almost identical to that in the document posted a while back by Great Yeti. I wonder whether the problems that some forum members have reported with the dealer-fitted foils might have arisen because they were fitted earlier this year when it was too cold?

[allena]

I've had the mud flaps fitted since new. Should have had the foils too, but they came about five or six weeks later. Anyway, the mud flaps don't seem very effective at stopping stuff being sprayed up the sides of the car. I wonder if some enterprising company will produce a more effective model?

[allena]

This business of trimming the foils around the profile of the wheel arch/door, rather than folding it and sticking it on the inside of the door: does anyone know if this might be some kind of official Skoda 'get out of trouble' ploy? (Since the dealers find it so difficult to do.)