Stephan_S4

Hello fellow Audi owners and enthusiasts. I own a 2005 S4 (b6). I bought the car about 11 months ago and love it to this day. I bought the car expecting it to be a mechanical nightmare. On the contrary, the car has been very good to me mechanically. Although what I never expected was for the exterior to be the issue!!!!

Little time into my ownership, the car started acquiring many small and big stone chips on the hood and along the front bumper. At the time I wasn't too worried. UNTIL, it then started happening to the fenders, rear wheel wells, the doors, the roof, and the A pillars. I just don't understand. It went from being a near perfect car when I bought it, to now being basically ruined. I’ve never seen anything like this in my life. I have a lot of experience with German cars, and this is the first I’ve ever seen something like this. The car literally gets nicked and chipped everywhere I go and it keeps getting worse. Every time I look at the car there is always something new that makes me want to pull my hair out!! Does anybody else suffer from this, or am I just cursed?

gilgameshie

There are many tutorials on the web to help you learn how to maintain your exterior. Typically you want to wash your car regularly (google: how to wash car) and you will also want to wax your car every X amount of washes.

TL;DR take your car to a professional detail shop every now and then.

DOALLAR

Stephan…not sure if there are any perfect solutions to your issue. Since I recently daily drive a black (b7) S4, 80 plus miles round trip, I too have notice a large amount of nicks and chips on the bumper/fenders/A pillars/roof. Agree - waxing every so often does help manage the not so deep blemishes. The only two options for me are, clear bra or purchase a daily beater to commute. I’m leaning towards purchasing a beater in order to keep the miles down on the S4.

Stephan_S4

Thanks for your response, and I get what you are saying. But it is more than just the hood, bumper, wheel wells etc. It's also the doors, and that's what really pisses me off. And it's all the doors too, especially driver's side. I can easily get a bumper or hood repainted, but the doors.... This is a very ****ty situation. They aren't that big. They are about the size of the tip of a ball point pen, and some a tad bigger. It's enough to annoy me and knowing it's only going to get worse. I hand wash and spray wax the car every week, but it does not live in a garage. I understand it's more prone to attain blemishes without a garage, but it's definitely attaining more than normal. Although that's all about to change because starting next month it will be garaged. But that's still not going to fix what's already there. The car is silver btw.

DOALLAR

Silver is my absolute favorite and is one of the better paints for hiding blemishes. Truly, I should've held out for bright silver.. I forgot to mention another expensive alternative is to vinyl wrap your car. Good luck with which ever route you decide. Cheers!

Don Nguyen

Vinyl won't be that good of a solution to this issue, since the rock chips are already there. The rock chips (basically anything that you can feel with a finger nail) will show through.

-Don

DOALLAR

Truly you are right. I suggested doing (expensive) vinyl wrap, more as a cover, to protect his paint going forward... Of course he would have to fix the nicks etc.. before doing so. Thats all... Thanks!