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      10-30-2011, 09:01 AM   #1
James T. Kirk
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Road Rash a fact of life?

Despite my ownership of a couple of M cars over the years, I was always a stock car kind of guy. You know the type: daily driver, non-tracker, concerned about warranty, chasing dings and scratches, and basically just trying to keep his M as cherry as possible.

The 1M is changing things for me. I'm planning on a flash tune, KW coil overs for a suspension drop, Lux angel eyes and some IND kidneys and side makers. Once done, I'm even considering starting to track along with keeping it on as my DD.

As it is, I'm barely able to clear some drive-up parking lots with my stock suspension. Drop it a couple of centimeters and, well, you know... it's the thing no one likes to think about. ROAD RASH. PAINT CHIPS. Clear film protection can only go so far when you hit a dip on the road or need to go up a steep driveway with a dropped suspension.

Is this a fact of life? How do you guys cope with it? Is anything that's not visible fair game?
.
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      10-30-2011, 09:42 AM   #2
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How about some thick Gorilla tape at the bottom of the front lip?

Should not visible unless 1. someone intentionally bends over to look, or 2. when it's jacked up at the shop/garage?
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      10-30-2011, 10:18 AM   #3
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Own the car, dont let the car own you. This does not mean trash the car, but by no means should you let such a wonderful experience of owning a car like this pass you by. The joys of driving the car and using it to its potential should far exceed the few nicks that come along the way. Each nick is a memory of just how great the car is.
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      10-30-2011, 12:42 PM   #4
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My CA said that scrapes under the front bumper are a fact of life. I have a Clearmask bra up front and have already repaired a rim rash (described in these forums) and a scrape on the driver's side front bumper. Cosmetic damage due to the dimensions of the car are part of ownership and easily mitigated.

I'm OCD about my cars to the point that I towel dry them after driving in rain (and I live in Oregon where this happens half the year), wax them even in the winter, and only burn ethanol-free fuel in the 1M. I understand your perspective. My philosophy is: if there's any doubt about the car's ability to go where you want, then don't take it.

We have ZipCars up here and I like the airline miles I get from rental car agencies. If it snows, or if I have to go on bad roads, I find that it's cheaper to rent, than cough up the money for a repair.
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      10-30-2011, 01:05 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by James T. Kirk View Post
Despite my ownership of a couple of M cars over the years, I was always a stock car kind of guy. You know the type: daily driver, non-tracker, concerned about warranty, chasing dings and scratches, and basically just trying to keep his M as cherry as possible.

The 1M is changing things for me. I'm planning on a flash tune, KW coil overs for a suspension drop, Lux angel eyes and some IND kidneys and side makers. Once done, I'm even considering starting to track along with keeping it on as my DD.

As it is, I'm barely able to clear some drive-up parking lots with my stock suspension. Drop it a couple of centimeters and, well, you know... it's the thing no one likes to think about. ROAD RASH. PAINT CHIPS. Clear film protection can only go so far when you hit a dip on the road or need to go up a steep driveway with a dropped suspension.

Is this a fact of life? How do you guys cope with it? Is anything that's not visible fair game?
.
Captain, for me, the paint chips are a fact of life. I take care to minimize paint damage by waxing and keeping a spray bottle of Meguiars Quik Detailer and a microfiber towel to wipe off bird droppings and bugs right away. I also take a little extra care parking at work and built the AWAK device at home.

On the other hand small paints and chips are going to happen and in a weird way, I take pride in driving my car every day. I'm a car guy and these cars were meant to be driven and my circle of friends admire people that drive them every day.

My boss has a 2007 Shelby GT-500 that is a daily driver. He constantly runs into people with his same car and they have 2000 miles on it. They are old and will probably die with their car only having 8K miles...He asks them regularly..what is the point? ..so your kids can inherit it and auction it off or THEY can drive it every day?

Last week at Cars and Coffee there were a bunch of beautiful Ferraris in a Ferrari area, then off to one side sitting all alone was a Ferrari 360 Modena with a couple of parking garage stickers and tiny daily-drive paint chips.

Both of us stopped and stood around this car, ooood and aweeeed and we both said....this guy gets it! We wanted to find him and shake his hand but, he was out and about. He wasn't standing by his car giving tours on his daily driver, but admiring other beautiful cars!

So the bottom line for me is that the daily drive paint chips, while keeping them to a minumum, are a point of pride... It says you are about the driving the car not having a garage queen...that is cool.

If you don't believe me think about this. Everyone thinks Steve McQueen was one of the coolest guys ever. If he owned a 1M do you think he would have a clear bra on it? Do you think he would only drive it only on Sundays? Nah, what made him cool is that he DROVE his cars on the road, on the track on the back roads.!

Warp 9 Captain Kirk!

Last edited by nachob; 10-30-2011 at 01:11 PM..
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      10-30-2011, 06:28 PM   #6
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Thank you very much for your sage wisdom, guys.

I look back at my first car a 4MT Sentra and my subsequent Acura Integra and I think most fondly on those two cars. Back then, I couldn't afford chasing body work or upgrades. I just drove them everywhere with abandon. I kinda lost that as my cars got more expensive.

I want to get back to that feeling, and it starts with letting go of the dings and scratches of everyday driving.
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      10-30-2011, 11:45 PM   #7
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I have a friend with a 2011 GTR who was worried about the front bumper and steep inclines as well.
What he did was buy a few packs of what I believe are called furniture bumpers...
For some reason I can't recall what they're called.
Those things you place on the bottom of furniture so it does not scrape.

They're hard plastic and applied with the adhesive bottom
Although they are slightly visible, laid out symmetrically, they almost seem to be normal and have saved his car from a lot of potential damage.
Although the front lips still has a few scratches, it is nothing compared to the amount of scratches felt on the hard plastic bumpers across the bottom lip.

The 1st image is similar, but the ones my friend purchased were long and rectangular as well as triangular ones.
If you look closely you can see the sliders across the bumper of the front GTR
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Last edited by DooBs; 10-31-2011 at 12:05 AM..
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      10-31-2011, 08:12 AM   #8
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Drive it, enjoy it, repaint it when necessary, repeat.
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      10-31-2011, 10:31 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tuned1 View Post
Drive it, enjoy it, repaint it when necessary, repeat.
Captain, I was thinking in 7-8 years if my 1M has bad road rash, I might repaint it Interlagos Blue? Just a thought.
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      10-31-2011, 01:29 PM   #10
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Originally Posted by nachob View Post
Captain, I was thinking in 7-8 years if my 1M has bad road rash, I might repaint it Interlagos Blue? Just a thought.

You make a good point. Damage is always a great excuse for UPGRADES!

Hell, if you scratch a rim, you might as well get new wheels!!
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      04-15-2012, 02:34 PM   #11
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If you can source some 1/4" thick about 6-7mm zytel cut and mount it to the scrape prone areas with counter sunk flat head screws, yeah I know but it's going to be scraped away anyway if you just leave it. It will slide on the road pretty smoothly and protect it well. Works wonders for a friends Ferrari. Also an easy replacement when they wear down.
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      04-19-2012, 12:00 AM   #12
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My first few scratches hurt . . . Now I am debating whether to even other with tape when I start autocrossing. I think. Will just go drive!
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      04-19-2012, 07:09 AM   #13
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I am in the same boat currently. I put clearbra all over the front end of my 1M, I wash it every week and have stopped drying it with towels in favor of blow drying with a leaf blower to mitigate swirl marks. I feel so lucky that I got such an awesome car that I really want to keep it pristine. I chronicled "my first wound" on the forum, a little bump from someone with a license plate frame to my rear. Left two phillips head screw driver marks that are barely noticeable but left me distraught for a few days (still kind of am). I park as far away from others as I can in public settings.

I am having an internal conflict now. I obviously am going to go out of my way to keep this thing as nice as possible, but should I be doing so in a way that limits the amount of fun I have with it? Whenever my lady and I go somewhere we take her car, I don't want a valet touching my car. I am afraid that until I can justify a daily driver I will likely continue these habits.

I plan on taking it to some autocross and eventually track events. If I don't I feel as though I will only be scratching the surface of this cars potential. I love my 1m and hope I never have to sell it.
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      04-19-2012, 07:15 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lcrain View Post
I am in the same boat currently. I put clearbra all over the front end of my 1M, I wash it every week and have stopped drying it with towels in favor of blow drying with a leaf blower to mitigate swirl marks. I feel so lucky that I got such an awesome car that I really want to keep it pristine. I chronicled "my first wound" on the forum, a little bump from someone with a license plate frame to my rear. Left two phillips head screw driver marks that are barely noticeable but left me distraught for a few days (still kind of am). I park as far away from others as I can in public settings.

I am having an internal conflict now. I obviously am going to go out of my way to keep this thing as nice as possible, but should I be doing so in a way that limits the amount of fun I have with it? Whenever my lady and I go somewhere we take her car, I don't want a valet touching my car. I am afraid that until I can justify a daily driver I will likely continue these habits.

I plan on taking it to some autocross and eventually track events. If I don't I feel as though I will only be scratching the surface of this cars potential. I love my 1m and hope I never have to sell it.


I would never hand my keys over a to a valet guy especially with a manual transmission. They're as likely to grind your gear box as they are to tear away in your 1M.

Having said that, go ahead and enjoy your autocross dreams. You will be scratching it if you do, but you'll also enjoy it fully. Therein is the balance.
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      04-19-2012, 08:59 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by James T. Kirk View Post
I would never hand my keys over a to a valet guy especially with a manual transmission. They're as likely to grind your gear box as they are to tear away in your 1M.

Having said that, go ahead and enjoy your autocross dreams. You will be scratching it if you do, but you'll also enjoy it fully. Therein is the balance.
.
I am wondering if I should add clearbra to a few more areas. I already have the full hood, front bumper, mirrors, front fenders and splash areas behind the tires. Might go ahead and do the full side skirts and do the front of the rear fenders as well.
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      04-19-2012, 10:10 AM   #16
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Originally Posted by lcrain View Post
I am wondering if I should add clearbra to a few more areas. I already have the full hood, front bumper, mirrors, front fenders and splash areas behind the tires. Might go ahead and do the full side skirts and do the front of the rear fenders as well.

That's up to you. I don't clear bra because, for me, I can see it a mile away.
.
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      04-19-2012, 11:04 AM   #17
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Originally Posted by James T. Kirk View Post
That's up to you. I don't clear bra because, for me, I can see it a mile away.
.
Yeah, this is the first car I have had it done on. My brother has some on his car on a 1/4 of the hood and it looks really bad (been on there for a few years). That's why I did the whole hood, so you can't tell as much. The areas like splash areas are easy to tell, but those are cheap to replace once they start to bother me. Guy who did mine did a great job so I honestly can't tell much of a difference and any non-car person has no idea. It was very expensive though (for a layer of film) so unless you do track/autox or drive on the highway a lot it may not be worth it. For me, it was for peace of mind.
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      04-19-2012, 01:15 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tuned1M View Post
Drive it, enjoy it, repaint it when necessary, repeat.





Reminds me of the (porsche?) commercial a few years ago where the guy gets up early on a weekend.. the sun is coming up... and he goes out and lovingly washes the car... dries it off.. then IMMEDIATELY goes out driving in it... they show him tearing through the hills and then he returns home at dusk.. and as the sun is setting... he's washing the car again..
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      04-19-2012, 02:09 PM   #19
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Minor scratches, and minor paint chips are normal wether you drive the car 7 day's a week or 3-4 day's a week like me....I ONLY take my car out in good weather and or when i can appreciate it on good roads that are not congested or after work on nice nights..I get no satisfaction driving to my job(15 minutes away) with my car on 34-45 mile per hour speed limit where the roads are pot hole stricken and congested at times..Maybe it's me, but i get bored very quickly with every car i have ever had when i drive it every day, even my BMW, and the 1M would be no different. Not using it every day has kept the BMW fresh and exciting..usually my excitement wears off in 2 years but the 135i i have has been really fun andi can be picky on what raods i take it on, which has been a blessing. I also have OCD on keeping my car looking clean and good..Indeed i have paint chips, and the usual but getting in a pristine car keeps the excitement for me...The way it looks now the BMW will stay in my family...it's that good a car....so my family will appreciate the condition i am giving them the car..I also think it's pretty cool to have a car looking almost new and just about paid off. I put 6000 miles a year on the bMW.....with 21,000 on the car it still excites....but that Porsche CarreraS is still haunting me when the 1 goes to my son or daughter. But i still with have a AWD car for hauling the kids and dogs and for bad weather..I am a partial garage king. But i do respect when folks need to drive there cars daily to justify them, but for me i do not, it does not work for me.
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