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Mk7 GTI Paint

Twist1

Autocross Newbie
I have owned a few different tsi engined VW's but this is my first mk7. I have noticed over a couple months that the paint is EXTREMELY easy to chip, scratch , etc. It seems as though the clear and paint is just super thin and fragile. How do you guys combat this and are you seeing the same? I have a reflex silver and catch an average of one rock chip on my hood or bumper every day to work and back (60 miles highway).
It's getting to the point that I'm considering a wrap, as this is ridiculous.
 

Veedubgli

Ready to race!
Location
Saco, ME
I had my R detailed a month or 2 ago by a professional that does Terrashield ceramic coatings. He was telling me how he hates VW paint. It's soft (so it scratches and chips easily), but it's super hard to do paint correction on.

I have full clear bra kits installed on all of my cars (well, the last 5 VW's I've owned). The R had it and I just had it done on my Alltrack as well. Well worth the money for the protection.
 

Navi

Autocross Champion
Location
BK/NYC/Hamptons
I used to detail cars back in the day and the paint job is super cheap. It's pretty comparable to the paint on a 2017 civic I just picked up. I could probably chip it with my fingernail if I wanted.
 
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Gogo GTI

Go Kart Champion
Location
Boulder, CO
Car(s)
2017 GTI Sport
Yup you're not alone. My paint is as fragile as tissue paper. Seems to be pretty common. Although it seems to be hit or miss. Other owners also claim their paint is just fine.

For now I'm using dr color chip to keep the hood looking halfway decent. Eventually I plan on wrapping the hood every couple of years


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Hoon

Autocross Champion
Location
Rhode Island
My '17 looks like absolute shit already.

The only mistake I made with this car was not doing clear bra immediately
 

wlfpck

Ready to race!
Location
United States
They do paint super super thin now.

In terms of hardness, I heard that silver is the hardest due to the aluminum powder that is used for the silver color. White is the softest.

It was also explained to me that the harder the paint, the easier it is to chip. Which makes sense to me.

Maybe paint now days are worse due to the switch to waterborne paints? Maybe cost reductions call for less clear coat?
 

armedferret

Ready to race!
Location
MD
Maybe paint now days are worse due to the switch to waterborne paints? Maybe cost reductions call for less clear coat?

All of this.

It's not just VWs that are affected. My 1986 ford tempo never got rock chips on the highway, even when I physically saw small pebbles fly off a semi and hit my hood.

My 04 cavalier, 06 350z, and 13 jetta all had HORRIBLE issues with rock chips and sensitivity. Sadly my GTI is no better.
 

Twist1

Autocross Newbie
So what are your reccs for combating this? My front end looks like a 5 year old highway cruiser after two seasons as a daily! The problem is the cost for a clear bra is the same as repainting the entire bumper
 

wlfpck

Ready to race!
Location
United States
So what are your reccs for combating this? My front end looks like a 5 year old highway cruiser after two seasons as a daily! The problem is the cost for a clear bra is the same as repainting the entire bumper

Not much you can do in all honesty...

If you get a clear bra or wrap the whole car, you'll still have this issue. If a rock hits the clear bra or wrap, it may still damage the paint underneath. As a result, when you remove the clear bra/wrap, it could cause the paint to get removed in those spots.

The benefit of the clear bra is that it is thicker than normal vinyl wrap. As such, it absorbs some of the impact. However, if I'm not mistaken, the wrap and clear bra both have a "lifetime" if you will. Where it will need to be replaced.

You could plastidip... but same issue exists as with doing a clear bra/wrap.

Honestly only thing you can do is to just touch up the stuff or accept that it will happen if you drive the car. Most people don't have the MK7 as a show car only. If you daily drive it... statistic will show that you probably will pick up paint chips. Especially on the bumper cover.

If you want to touch it up to something that matches factory chemical/solvent resistance, then you'll need to apply touch up and then a polyurethane clear coat over it and not just a lacquer based clear coat.
 

Shane_Anigans

Drag Race Newbie
Location
SE MI
Car(s)
2017 GTI Sport DSG
If you get a clear bra or wrap the whole car, you'll still have this issue. If a rock hits the clear bra or wrap, it may still damage the paint underneath. As a result, when you remove the clear bra/wrap, it could cause the paint to get removed in those spots.

The benefit of the clear bra is that it is thicker than normal vinyl wrap. As such, it absorbs some of the impact. However, if I'm not mistaken, the wrap and clear bra both have a "lifetime" if you will. Where it will need to be replaced.

It would have to be one hell of a rock, assuming your clear bra was done with high-quality film, installed by a pro. I had such film on my old car, no stone chips whatsoever for 3 years. As far as the lifetime of the film, constant UV exposure will eventually cause cheaper film to discolor and degrade, but the quality stuff with have a useful life that is longer than you'll probably own your car.
 

SweetJones_29

Ready to race!
Location
Dallas
So what are your reccs for combating this? My front end looks like a 5 year old highway cruiser after two seasons as a daily! The problem is the cost for a clear bra is the same as repainting the entire bumper




Stop tailgating. haha.
 

Hoon

Autocross Champion
Location
Rhode Island
The "lifetime" of good clear bra (like 3M) is very long. You will want to replace it from the stone damage long before you will have issues with the plastic itself.

I think they guarantee it for 10 years.



Stop tailgating. haha.

This is part of my issue also...there's always some living turd blocking the left lane on a sand covered highway.
 

racerx20

Ready to race!
Location
Houston, TX
Agreed on the 3M clear bra, have had it on my 2015 Ram since day one and still looks great. The GTI needs the same treatment.
 
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