I just wanted to see if anyone else has experienced the paint on their Octavia chipping really easily.

I've got a silver 56 plate Octavia vRS that's done only 26k miles but seems to have alot more stone chips than my 9 year old MG ZS which has done some trackdays and been driven quite hard. The chips are all realy small (about the size of a biro tip), but I've got them in the usual places like the bonnet and top of the front wings but also on the a pillars on the doors above the rubbing strip, on the bottom of the rear arches (on the small bit of arch that is exposed next to the clear protective sticker) and now a few on the flared part of the rear arches. I fitted front mud flaps when I bought the car at 20k miles but I still keep seeing new chips when I'm washing it. The car only gets used for family trips (It does a fair bit of motorway work, but I don't tailgate) and is parked in a driveway at home. I like to try and keep my cars looking good and find it a bit despressing to keep finding new chips, although I haven't treated many yet, they don't seem to rust so that's a plus point. This is the most money I've ever spent on a car so hoped it would stay looking good for a while as I have no intention of selling anytime soon.

Just wanted to see if anyone is having similar problems.

Thanks

Edited 23 June, 201115 yr by Gachet

Hi,

Unfortunately most car paint chips more easily than it used to due to the use of water based paints (envioronmentally better, durability wise far inferior) instead of the old 2 pack paints. It also gets damaged far more easily from bird ****, even leaving any on there for an hour or two in the sun will badly mark the paint, so keep an eye out for it!

The good news is your car is made of galvanised steel, so won't rust much as a result, if left it will eventually spread and blister though if the chips are through to the metal, if they are only through to the primer it's not so bad.

Best bet is to clean thoroughly and touch any through to metal chips in before winter weather.

Paul

You ought to take a look at my Fabia!! Dark met blue...with all the stone chips on the front bonnet making it look like a star chart!!! Most modern water based paints are not as hard as the old solvent based ones! :(

Davy, you're dead right about the effect of modern water-based acrylics, but completely backwards about the why. They're so hard as to be actually brittle, hence why stone ships tend to be so much smaller than they used to be.

Davy, you're dead right about the effect of modern water-based acrylics, but completely backwards about the why. They're so hard as to be actually brittle, hence why stone ships tend to be so much smaller than they used to be.

That would explain why it can flake/break off easy if an exposed edge (down to the bare metal) is shown.....plus I've got a metallic so thats a touch up of colour and a touch up of clear laquer......bugger!