I answered "road rash" also. I owned the car about 4 hours before that part was scraped in my driveway trying to get into my garage. In fact, I had to reorganize my entire garage to park the car on the other side because the dip in the driveway isn't as steep on that side. It's impossible for me to pull into, or out of, the right side of the garage without scraping it. I also can't pull out of the parking garage at my office without scraping, no matter how slowly I go or what angle I take it. Fortunately I usually don't commute to work in it and take my other car instead.

As long as it doesn't actually break (where it would be obviously visible to someone standing nearby), or come completely off, my plan was to wait until my lease was almost up then buy a new one and put it on my way back to the dealership.

 

The issue is really self limiting. After several dozen scrapes, it wears down to the right height. Just for looks, I replace the lip on my lowered MINI every 4 or 5 years. (It sits 2.5" lower than a stock F-Type but doesn't have nearly the overhang). Usually occurs at rain troughs at intersections.

 

I thought it might but decided to move the car to the other side of the garage rather than wait to see how long that would take, especially with the neighbors hearing me scrape along the driveway every time I left and came home in the meantime.

 

Even without clearance issues, stealth mode is not a feature of these cars.

 

Make sure the active exhaust is on and you're neighbors won't hear the scrape sounds...

 

I'm planning on replacing my chin spoiler each year with annual maintenance service visits.

I really wanted to lower the car, but after scraping on the mildest of dips/driveways I've changed my mind. Wheel gap be damned.

 

Has anyone's cracked yet? Even though mine scrapes you really can't see any damage unless you are under the car. Every wash I just run a wet rag over the edge to pull off any burrs that might have occurred. Seems like the only reason to replace it would be if chunks are taken out or it cracked.

Edit, looking at the poll 2 said it broke.

 

I started the poll, because mine was cracked / broken. I'm having it replaced while it's in the body shop for the broken under nose fairing panels that got trashed when someone backed into me. The spoiler got broken on week 2 when I had to drive out of a severely angled parking lot exit with cars parked to either side of the exit limiting my ability to angle out. I went as slowly as I could, but it scraped hard, and ultimately cracked. After another couple minor hits, the cracked part needed to be broken off. I fully expect I'll be replacing regularly.

 

Phew!! And I thought it was just me!! We picked my Wife's new F-Type today after waiting a couple of months of waiting. I scraped the front leaving the Dealership for a test drive, again when we left for home, then it doesn't matter what I do, how slow I go, it scrapes every time when I drive in and out of our Garage, so she is going to scrape the bottom at least twice a Day. I got on my hands and knees and yes, it's that little plastic lip.

This is my first post by the way, I'm looking forward to "meeting" you all and will try and contribute whenever I can. Great Forum by the way!!

Cheers then!

 

Welcome to the forum!
Don't worry about those chin pieces. They are inexpensive and easy to replace. Just plan on replacing them every few years.

 

I scrape a little at least once or twice a week. There are a couple of places I frequent where it's difficult to avoid. The first time it happened I really cringed, but once I looked at the design of the pieces I calmed down.

Their purpose it to scrape first and give a clear audible signal to the driver, but to not suffer any real (non-cosmetic) damage itself. They're sacrificial pieces. The cosmetic damage can be cleaned up with sandpaper. I'll take a look at mine later, if the weather turns a little more clement, and see what from my abrasives collection seems most fitting.

 

It's hopeless. Why bother replacing it unless it is broken and falling off. It is not visible unless you get down on your knees and you will just scrape the new one within a week.

 

+1. This ^. It's incredibly trivial and not worth worrying about.

 

Thanks for the replies Guys. At least we don't need to get them painted....

 

I'm hardly worried about it, but a little cleanup of the scruffy edges just takes a couple of minutes and keeps the car looking nice. I do wash it from time to time, and that's a bigger effort.

 

1100 miles and still pristine. The only real risk here in South Florida (the land of a lack of elevation changes) is the bumpers at the front of parking spaces. I am coming out of 5 years of owning 2 Nissan GT-Rs which are lower than the FTR in front. I learned quickly to always back into parking spaces and continue to do so with the Jag.

 

Yeah, FL would be easy, and I've mastered the art of stopping 1' short of the parking space curbs. I could stop 3' short and still be sticking out many feet less than all the Suburbans and F-350s. Now if I can just figure out a good way to stop in the middle of a congested street and back into those steep-graded driveways.

 

Lol, I only have 360 miles on my R and I've had to back down driveways to avoid scraping the front splitter on those dreaded business park driveway gutter dips an embarrassing number of times. I've escaped some severe scrapes that no angled forward attack could save. The plastic undercarriage "warning" bits won't last long and are basically disposable.

 

Waking up this old thread and voted. Was glad to see i'm a part of a majority. Still, that scraping sound is disconcerting.

 

For anyone that wants to touch up the panel from time to time as opposed to buying a new one, hit it with some plastic dip and it'll look far better than scratched. If you wipe down the piece, you can pretty much spray it and be done in 60 seconds. It's certainty not perfect, but it looks much better than the contrasting scratch marks.