Love my "new" car and have really just recently started to drive it a lot.


I have not driven it in an adverse conditions ( except our bugs) and the new front spoiler that was put on in May before I bought the car looks awful already.


No paint chips on car paint anywhere so I didn't encounter anything odd but the clear laminate on the front spoiler is covered in white dots that you can't feel but certainly can see. Looks like tiny rocks have hit and made the laminate separate from the woven carbon fiber behind. I have one chip into the laminate and it was an easy touch up as there was something to actually fill. Is this common?


I think my only choice is to wrap it in a carbon fiber look..... as I obviously waited a few days too long to 3M protect it

 

I think carbon fiber looks awful personally. I would wrap it in black and be done with it.

 

I agree. If not wrapped then you will continue to get the chips.

Carbon fiber on a front air dam/spoiler is a waste of $$ as it will certainly take a beating over time.

 

Personally I love the look of real cf on the XKR-S (or the astons, for that matter). Pictures dont do it justice. But I had been told of the front spoiler cracking when it is knocked and costing a bomb to replace (like $4000 over here). I'd wrap it.

 

Done well the wrap can look pretty good from my perspective!

 

Why not just clear coat in a few a layers with wet sanding in between? Would be a hell lot better than some fake carbon wrap. Heck, even clear bra would be better than fake wrap.

 

in the process of doing just that; hopefully I can get it from my house to the 3M guys without more chips... I think the new one installed in May is flawed as the one that came of after 3 years of use looked about the same as the one on my car that is 2 months old

 

Are you sure it is not dried wax in the pits of the material? I have not looked at the XKR-s fiber upclose on the chin, but one option you can consider is to wet sand the material and come back with a few layers of clearcoat. That will certainly aid in protection. Any way you can take a photo of this? I specialize in carbon engineering and can certainly give you some helpful advice if needed.

 

I am surprise to read it! Mine is 35 000km and the CV still look great. Are you sure you have the original splitter? I don't know if the Mina CV is as resistant then the oem?
Guy

 

Thanks for the feedback guys. Here is a picture of the worst one. ( bad photo, color is reflection off lift and tool box and it is dusty too) This chip was a time consuming but easy fix as the clear was chipped away and could be filled, wet sanded and polished. It is now invisible. I had a few of these that are now gone. My problem is the ones that look like the circular white dot just down and to the left of this chip below the ridge. It looks like a chip but the outer surface is not marked, won't polish and seems to be in between the 2 surfaces. I have 10 of these and more each time I drive. I'm driving on highways. And not a tail gater They remain when wet sanded and re-cleared. I'm hoping they will be less noticeable when the 3m is applied and I may take my assortment of felt pens and touch them just prior to the 3M going on to hide them.
I have an invoice with a Jag part number and an almost $3k price tag so I have to assume the replacement done prior to my purchase of the car is OEM. I went to Jag dealer here and the new 2014 they have has the same flimsy part on it too.... and it chipped already.


not doing 3M until later next week so advice appreciated.

 

I have no experience in this area, so take this idea with large boulders of salt...
I wonder, if it is a separation, if you could poke the dot with a pin and then work some clear coat in there, to fill the gap? Then finish the surface like you did for the roughed off spots.

 

Weel,
I think if you put a clear bra on that, it will be worse. I have a CF specialist who I am sure he could fix it, but he is in MTL. Not the next door from Airdrie. You should be able to find somebody who work CF in your area....
Other option, Mina gallery sell splitter for less then jaguar....
Guy

 

not bad for an amateur

 

Very nice! What did you do about the white dots you mentioned earlier?

 

3 different grey/black sharpie felt pens before the clear

 

Nope, not at all. Nice work mate!

 

Very smart and easy, and the clear hides and protects it, well done.

 

I believe CF is pretty UV ray sensitive. You may want to looking a UV screen into a layer of clear coat.

 

it s got 3M completely covering it now...