# Winter destroyed my car



## Luigi (Jun 16, 2013)

It was finally nice out a few days ago, So I washed my car inside and out, and then used some detailer on the outside. While I was wiping it down I noticed that my car is now covered in chips, scratches, and blemished. This winter was super rough on my car. It's cold again outside, but sometime this week I will take pics of the major problem areas and post. Anyone else have this problem? One of the big areas is the flat part on the back bumper right where the truck lid is. it's discolored and has scratches all over it.


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## giantsfan10 (May 25, 2013)

the chips are going to be from whats used on the ground. i avoid driving near sand trucks, and giving more following distance to avoid the car infront throwing up the salt and sand. and the scratches could be from when you brush the snow off your car. i only wipe off the windows and no scratches


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## ErikBEggs (Aug 20, 2011)

I haven't noticed this on my car at all.


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

The flat part on the rear bumper is very soft and easy to chip. There is a $50 clear bra piece for this. I had to have mine cleaned, degouged, and repainted and then I had the clear bra put on it. Here's the link: Rear Bumper Fascia Protector landing page


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## money_man (Feb 25, 2014)

That's a great idea. But $50!!


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## brian v (Dec 25, 2011)

Wow 50.00 $ well spent . A good investment that can actually pay for itself with preserving the integrity of yer bumper .

But then again that guy cry's to much ! And now he will get the hint that to own a vehicle in a severe weather climate you need to prep the vehhicle for the up coming inclimate weather and do not skimp on the preperation of said protectaints . A real good wax job goes a long way from November to say like early spring . And definately do not stop there , slush guards are nice to help keep the slush from building up on the doors .
There are also underbody protectants ................


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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

money_man said:


> That's a great idea. But $50!!


Considering that chip removal and repainting will run you close to $200 I think it's very well spent. Because of the location it is very easy to drop something on it.


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## ls1vazquez (Jan 25, 2013)

It might be an insurance claim. Look into it.


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## giantsfan10 (May 25, 2013)

clear plastidip.


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## CHEVYCRUZE RS (Mar 29, 2011)

as stated before, a nice clear coat of vinyl or 3M's product should do the trick.


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## UpstateNYBill (Jan 14, 2012)

All I have to say is I am glad I drive 40k per year. In five years I will have 200k on the Cruze and I will have to buy a new one to stay under compliance for my reimbursement program through work.

I don't have to worry about rust because it can't rust out in 5 years, no matter how little I wash it. I don't have to worry about scratches and chips because it is going to happen no matter what I do, since I drive so much, so who cares?

You guys have it rough.... all the worry and stress about your baby. I don't have to waste time with detailing because what would be the point? Mine is a disposable Cruze, I'll turn it over to one of the kids when I'm done with it. I've got it pretty easy, really.

Good luck though. Really. Some day, when I retire, I will have to worry about these things. :wink:


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## WhiteAndBright (Mar 4, 2013)




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## brian v (Dec 25, 2011)

No Dawg that is why the peoples in Geogia have to spend the night on the frozen Highways , there are none of those down there in Georgia , Florida , Alabama Etc.Etc.


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## PanJet (Jun 18, 2013)

You have no idea how much seeing those trucks aggravates me. I grew up in an area with harsh winters with no salt, and I've only lived in an area that salts (Minnesota) now for just over four years. I cannot get used to it. I am so glad I will be moving to a salt-free region again in about a month. Once I get there, I'm going to wash every square inch of the car and be so glad I don't have to deal with salt anymore.

When I was in Vegas last fall (first time), I almost cried at how clean the undercarriages of cars were there. I saw ten year old cars that looked brand new.


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## brian v (Dec 25, 2011)

Yep that would be a good plan to escape these Environs for a salt free Existance .


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## gmenpg (Oct 22, 2013)

ya i got my car in august..it was so hard to see my baby all dirty..now its getting better and everyone keeps saying..DAMNNN DUDE..your car is so shiny =) 

Its the best when it starts getting nice, and all the lazy people still have dirty cars and your car is just BLINGINGGG down the road haha. I paid like $14 for a wash and wax...it turned my metallic blue into the best blue i have ever seen. Normally im too cheap and do it my self, but i duno, i think its worth it doing it this way. It stays clean longer too


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## Blue Angel (Feb 18, 2011)

Luigi said:


> One of the big areas is the flat part on the back bumper right where the truck lid is. it's discolored and has scratches all over it.


I might take a guess and suggest you may just need to be more careful while loading/unloading your car? Also, how is it discolored? That doesn't add up for me... looking forward to pics.

As for the fromt of the car, I find the Cruze to be very susceptible to stone/salt/debris damage compared to other cars. Having said that, if I wanted to keep ANY car in good shape and I had a daily commute on a highway or other high speed road with lots of traffic, I would get the front end covered in paint protection film. It costs a few bucks up front but will save you from having to repaint the car down the road.


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## spacedout (Dec 7, 2010)

Just a reminder for those of you that live in winter areas that use salt or sand. When you go to wash your car at a carwash, use the manual wash the first time. 

When using the manual wash the fist pass on your car do not squeeze the trigger on the water gun, using the gun this way will only use low pressure. That way you can get all the sand/salt off without sand blasting it into the paint.


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## Sunline Fan (Jul 29, 2012)

Mine is terribly scratched from the car wash this winter. I have a lot of polishing to do when it warms up. Can't wait to control my own washing again.


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## Blue Angel (Feb 18, 2011)

Sunline Fan said:


> Mine is terribly scratched from the car wash this winter. I have a lot of polishing to do when it warms up. Can't wait to control my own washing again.


I just skip washing altogether in winter... unless you're going to commit to washing your car twice a week it will be dirty all the time anyway, and washing it does little to get salt off the bits you can't see. With the exception of twice at the manual coin wash, once in December and once about a week ago, my car has just stayed the same shade of "dirty" the whole time, just squeege the windows when I filler up.

I do plan to take all the aero panels off the Eco this spring and giver a good belly blast to get all the salt out, up and inside all the nooks and crannies around the engine bay and around the fuel tank/rear facia as well.


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## WhiteAndBright (Mar 4, 2013)

brian v said:


> No Dawg that is why the peoples in Geogia have to spend the night on the frozen Highways , there are none of those down there in Georgia , Florida , Alabama Etc.Etc.


Your exactly right..


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## hificruzer226 (Mar 27, 2013)

obermd said:


> The flat part on the rear bumper is very soft and easy to chip. There is a $50 clear bra piece for this. I had to have mine cleaned, degouged, and repainted and then I had the clear bra put on it. Here's the link: Rear Bumper Fascia Protector landing page


Be very cautious of putting PPF on a repainted bumper it will likely peel the paint when you remove it. You will want to remove it when it blisters cracks or yellows ...considering it was only $50 bucks it may do that before you are done with car.


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## Sunline Fan (Jul 29, 2012)

Blue Angel said:


> I just skip washing altogether in winter... unless you're going to commit to washing your car twice a week it will be dirty all the time anyway, and washing it does little to get salt off the bits you can't see. With the exception of twice at the manual coin wash, once in December and once about a week ago, my car has just stayed the same shade of "dirty" the whole time, just squeege the windows when I filler up.
> 
> I do plan to take all the aero panels off the Eco this spring and giver a good belly blast to get all the salt out, up and inside all the nooks and crannies around the engine bay and around the fuel tank/rear facia as well.


I only washed it about once a month, and only at the spray and wash. I'd pop when the windows would be so dirty that I'd have a hard time seeing out. In doing so, I was diligent about getting in the wheel wells and underneath the car, even though it will need a better undercarriage wash this spring.

I'm curious how dirty your car is under the panels.




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## obermd (Mar 3, 2012)

hificruzer226 said:


> Be very cautious of putting PPF on a repainted bumper it will likely peel the paint when you remove it. You will want to remove it when it blisters cracks or yellows ...considering it was only $50 bucks it may do that before you are done with car.


It's Clear Bra brand. My wife's Solara has had a Clear Bra on the front since we bought the car in 2007. It hasn't yellowed, peeled, or bubbled.


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## Blue Angel (Feb 18, 2011)

Sunline Fan said:


> I'm curious how dirty your car is under the panels.


Me too... it will be the first time they've come off. I intended to do it last year but never got around to it. I'll post pics if I do it.


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## sciphi (Aug 26, 2011)

The Eco under-panels do a fantastic job of keeping the salt away from the underside. I didn't rustproof under mine this year since the rustproofing from the previous two years was pristine. 

I hand-washed mine for the first time today. We had a day warm enough to hook up the hose, so I washed our cars. Darn it shines now!


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## Sunline Fan (Jul 29, 2012)

Blue Angel said:


> Me too... it will be the first time they've come off. I intended to do it last year but never got around to it. I'll post pics if I do it.


My panels are a little dirty on the back, and there was dirt above them on the car, but it wasn't by any means caked in there. But without knowing the kind of life that car had, it's hard to say how much they keep out.


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## Sunline Fan (Jul 29, 2012)

obermd said:


> It's Clear Bra brand. My wife's Solara has had a Clear Bra on the front since we bought the car in 2007. It hasn't yellowed, peeled, or bubbled.


Such bras are common in the RV world, and becoming more common. They used to just wrap the fronts of fancy motorhomes with it, now they do everything it seems. My parents had one, drawing a blank on the brand, on the front of their motorhome. It was new in April 2003 and when they sold it in September 2009, it still looked brand new. Had 20k on it, but it sat outside all summer long uncovered and south facing, so it had plenty of sun.


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