I have had the worst day, My printer ran out of ink, so had to drive 60 miles to get new cartridges, on the way home I heard this horrible noise, it was a rock hitting my new MINI. it has a small chip, and I haven't been able to schedule the installation of the clear bra, so now I have to have the chip fixed. Nothing else seems to be going right, when I got home with the ink the printer went out, Shoot what else? think I'll just go to bed and sleep the rest of this day away.

 

Sorry to hear, Sandie....tomorrow is another day!!!

I got a stone chip the other day. I have a clear bra and there's about a 1/8" gap between the clear bra and major features like grill, headlights, MINI logo, bumper strips, etc.

So guess where the stone decided to hit? Yup, in the 1/8" between my headlight trim and the clear bra. Hey, at least it didn't hit the headlight!!!

 

I know how you feel, I'd had my MINI for almost two years before my first chip. A small dent and paint chip on the passenger door caused by a lawn mower. I had the dent "Dent Doctored" out and touched up the chip. Never notice it now. Hope there's no dent to deal with for you.

 

If the damage is very minor and you decide to DIY, then this might help:

http://autorepair.about.com/cs/doity.../aa110803a.htm

 

Sandie, we have a nice crack in Angel's Windshield and a nice size rock chip in her bonnet. Look at it as a badge of courage

As far as the printer goes did you try kicking it?

 

Nothing worse than the first rock!!

Out in Missouri it is dump truck infested! Then throw in the fact that most rural roads are rock! Our poor Focus has been through two windshields and yet we have to replace it once again!

I am not trying to say our problems are worse......just trying to get out the point that WE HATE FRIGGEN ROCKS!!!!!

We feel for you and sorry about the rock.

 

Sandie -

I had my MINI for a few weeks when on a long trip to Pittsburgh I got behind a gravel truck at high speed and scored a half dozen or more chips, but only one or two larger than a pinhead. I, too, didn't think that the clear bra was a big deal - but now the dealer wants to repaint my whole bonnet (for $1000) before putting the bra on. I will just touch up all of these, let it go a year or two, and then get it repainted with the bra. Life is too short to worry about minor defacements to Maggie...

Got a world record rock chip last week - the same stone actually marked three things - the it scraped the bonnet up between the vent intakes, then scratched the chrome strip beneath the window, then left a small mark on the windshield... Man - a triple play !!! Luckily most of these marks are down below the wipers....

With all the other cars I have ever owned, I have never seen rock chips be so big an issue - it probably has to do with the height and shape of the bonnet - most of the flying rocks would be hitting other cars much lower on their front ends....

Bill

 

no pics?