.....and just feel the very front of the rear wheel arch and tell me if you feel dimples on the paintwork, or is just me? Thanks!

The lower parts of the car have a kind of textured finish don't they?

It's more heavy duty for stone chips I think.

Do you mean that?

I think so! It's the front of the rear wheel arch. So, if you ran your fingers aroung the arch (going towards the front of the car) it's the last thing you'd feel before you got to the underside of the car.

Do you think we're talking about the same bit?

Stone chip on the sill do you mean?

Mick

It's hard to explain!

But imagine the wheel arch as a complete circle and the bit i'm talking about is at about "the 5 o'clock position" on the driver's side of the car, and the "7 o'clock posistion" on the passenger side.

In both of those positions my car feels rather "dimply".

Sounds like the stonechip, it will be on the sills too and bottom of front wings.

And the "stonechip" is quite normal i guess?

Yes, its there to protect the lower body from stone chips. Its a rubberised coating which is then sprayed body colour. Without it, your sills and wing bottoms would be covered in chips and rusting like a good un!

And the "stonechip" is quite normal i guess?

Yes more cars seem to have this now, some even partially around the arch. My MX-5 even has it on the lower part of the door.

Mick