[968Oz]

When I bought my 968 a couple of years ago the polyurethane (I think that's what they are made from) bumper covers had a few very fine cracks in the paint. I had them resprayed and everything was as good as new. Now about a year after the spray job, I have found a new occurrence of these cracks, as shown in the picture. This one emanates form the front wheel arch. Its not as bad as it looks here because the flash sets it off. But annoying enough! [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/mad.gif[/img]
Does anyone else get these? Is there some underlying damage to the bumpers? I wonder if they are caused by impact such as a stone hitting the lip of the bumper facing the wheel?
Cheers
Ian

   

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[gryphon]

I am guessing that the painter did not add the appropriate amount of flex agent, if any.

Tom

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[rxter]

Sure they are not scratches rather than cracks?

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[Gotter]

<!--quoteo(post=74638:date=Jun 27 2009, 02:26 AM:name=gryphon)-->QUOTE (gryphon @ Jun 27 2009, 02:26 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I am guessing that the painter did not add the appropriate amount of flex agent, if any.

Tom<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

My old 944 had the same thing going on after it got repainted...

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[968Oz]

<!--quoteo(post=74639:date=Jun 27 2009, 05:56 AM:name=rxter)-->QUOTE (rxter @ Jun 27 2009, 05:56 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->Sure they are not scratches rather than cracks?<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

I'm sure they are cracks

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[flash]

i was going to ask the same question - from the shot, they do not look like cracks, but rather scratches - to be sure, if they are cracks, you will be able to get under the paint - if not, they are scratches

if they are indeed cracks, they either didn't put flex in the paint, or it took a hit there with a focused enough blow to crack it - like somebody kicked it

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[968Oz]

<!--quoteo(post=74654:date=Jun 27 2009, 04:09 PM:name=flash)-->QUOTE (flash @ Jun 27 2009, 04:09 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->i was going to ask the same question - from the shot, they do not look like cracks, but rather scratches - to be sure, if they are cracks, you will be able to get under the paint - if not, they are scratches

if they are indeed cracks, they either didn't put flex in the paint, or it took a hit there with a focused enough blow to crack it - like somebody kicked it<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Hmm, my crack diagnosis was based upon the extreme uniformity and sharpness of the marks. But since two of you reckon they look like scratches perhaps I'm mistaken. I'll give them a going over with a scratch removing compound and hope the problem stops there.
Thanks guys.
Ian

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[968Oz]

OK, just in case anyone is still interested. While I was trying to de-emphasise the marks with scratch remover I noticed that as the cover flexed the cracks opened up or closed depending on which way the cover was bending. So it looks to me like they most likely are cracks and the paint was not flexible enough to deal with the flexing of the cover. I'll see what the paint shop has to say.
Cheers
Ian

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[Gotter]

still placing my bet on cracks.. and I like the idea of a kick.... looks like some kind of indentation by the edge between the three cracks close to each other.....

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[968Syncro]

I think the need for flex agent in the paint is not an absolute concept. Perhaps some paints need it and others don't. When I repainted my front bumper cover and the 2 plastic side panels I asked about flex agent at the paint shop. This is a shop that does only auto paints and related materials. He said the flex agent issue is a myth, and I wouldn't need it. Since then I've hit ramps with the front bumper cover, and other flexing (mine is a DD car) and there is absolutely no cracking in those areas. The cover was so flexed once I had to remove it to straighten the Grieman grille (sheet metal). So I was close enough to examine it, and no cracking, and I had painted without adding an flex agent. Maybe it is an issue about the brand of paint or brand of clear coat, or how how thick it was applied, or how much reducer was added to those materials before spraying.

I had cracking in the rear bumper cover once (the old paint), and it was more of a spiderweb affect with many closely spaced, barely visible, cracks rather than these few large cracks in this picture.

Roland

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[flash]

i think a lot of it has to do with the nature of the impact

color also likely plays into it - darker colors get hotter - that would tend to age the paint and "dry it out" - i know for a fact that the waxes don't last as long on the dark colors

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[968Oz]

<!--quoteo(post=74659:date=Jun 27 2009, 05:51 PM:name=J.C.)-->QUOTE (J.C. @ Jun 27 2009, 05:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->still placing my bet on cracks.. and I like the idea of a kick.... looks like some kind of indentation by the edge between the three cracks close to each other.....<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

yes JC, I noted those ripples too and don't think their proximity to the cracks is a coincidence...
Ian

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[hryden]

There are several potential causes of these cracks if they are indeed cracks. If you just had the bumper resprayed last time, there could have been a previous repair underneath that is starting to crack and this is cracking the paint. Not knowing the history and only having this picture, my initial thought is that there is a previous repair in that area that is starting to deteriorate. The ripples and indentations near those scratches suggest to me that the area may have taken an impact in the area that was repaired. This impact has caused the filler used in the repair to crack which eventually lead to the paint on top of it cracking as well.

If that is the case the only real solution other than replacing the cover would be to have the bumper stripped down to the plastic, re-repaired if needed (and possible), properly surface prepped and re-sprayed.

Hope this helps.

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