After a year of my 997 TT daily usage, including 20 track days i see a lot of small stone chips on front. Over black paint they are a bit visible upon closer look.

Now I've got 991 GT3 and I intend to use it at least same hard. DD + as much track and other driving events as i can attend. So obviously paint will suffer the same way.

I do not care about the looks. Small chips here and there is not a big deal for me. The question is: will stone chips badly affect car sale price in few years, if we are talking about "market average" GT3, not low-mileage garage queen or rare PTS collectors item.

Should i invest 1000-1500 Euro in protective film on front now, or stone chips won't affect car price that much?

Thank you!

 

I have the front wrapped because I think it's "mandatory" for this car...resale and otherwise...I also bought a roll of TrakkTape for the track days to minimize damage...
http://trakktape.com/

 

Depends on your market. In the US all anybody seems to want is a zero-mile bubble wrapped car. My sense is that Europeans aren't so AR and you've already said that you'll be selling with high miles. Payback seems more questionable.

 

Use the car to your hearts content and if there are stone chips on the wheels that bother you or your potential buyer have the wheels power coated to new. That finish will probably hold up better than the original paint finish. The cost will be offset by your not spending a bunch of money on the clear wrap up front.

SORRY THOUGHT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE WHEELS ONLY - ABSOLUTELY CLEAR WRAP/BRA ON FRONT.

 

For the track it's a must. At least around here, the car gets pummeled with rocks. I even add tape over the clear wrap and it's still not enough.

 

Haven't taken my car to the track yet. Having it wrapped now. Where do you add tape? Have a photo?

 

ABSOLUTELY MUST WRAP THE FRONT.

 

Thank you all!

Should be done, as i see. Let it be then.

 

Another question: full bonnet or 1/2 - 1/3 of bonnet?

I see no other reason to wrap full bonnet but color fading.

What is your advice?

Thank you again!

 

You said you don't care about looks. Given that statement then a partial cover should be fine for you. Obviously you may get a chip above wherever you choose to stop the plastic. The reason many of us like full panels covered is to not have the line visible and have to worry about it with maintenance products. I don't know which product you're planing on going with, here in the US the general consensus is that Xpel is the category leader. I can tell you from experience that fading is not an issue with Xpel. I would think the same is true for most products today but you should research the product that you're planning on using. Best of luck.

 

Thanks a lot! All clear now.

 

Then you should not do any sort of wrap.

Save yourself the money. Use it on gas.

Drive the car. Refuel. Drive the car. Refuel. Repeat as necessary.

That's the best way to spend your 1-1.5k Euros if really "do not care about the looks"

 

doesnt hurt to wrap it, plenty of quality guys out there to get the job done

 

The entire front bumper and in front of the rear wheels.

 

Condom the whole car. Both my street and race cars are full wrap. Would do it again in a heartbeat.