Worried about buying S1-poor paint quality

[Head baker]

Had the test drive,love it. I'm reading quite a few issues with poor paint quality and stone chipping. I had the same on my Edition35 golf gti. Was so soft I fitted a full venture shield kit to protect it. I've heard similar tales from golfR owners who have paid 35k and are having front end resprays! I really don't want a return to this problem but is it inevitable with new cars now due to Eu laws on paint finishes? I ended up selling the 35 and got an edition 30. Paint a lot better in 2008!!! I'm so ****** fussy about my car and it breaks my heart to see so many stone chips on a new car.
what's the general consensus? Am I worrying too much?
Thank you for any feedback.

 

[josedebardi]

Paint on all new cars is crap. My S1 has got a few stone chips on the bonnet and had a small defect in the sill of the rear door (which the dealer has repair - it wasn't a biggy thanks to it's location but still).
My RS3 on the way I've decided to fork out £1400 on a full detail with Crystal Serum protection plus XPEL self healing film on bonnet/bumper. I figure the amount I spend on making good over ownership I may as well protect it up front this time and save money later.

 

[andy l]

4 months no stone chips!

 

[acprc]

Same here. No issues with paint or stone chips. Mines Mythos Black. They do say though that stone chips get worse the closer you are to the cars in front. I am generally passing them!

 

[nezhayley]

had mine 5months 3500 miles and no chips yet,mines mythos black.so i think the paints not that bad.i had a gtc vxr and the paint on that was shocking.that had a complete respray after 6 months.

 

[Benash20]

had mine 5months 3500 miles and no chips yet,mines mythos black.so i think the paints not that bad.i had a gtc vxr and the paint on that was shocking.that had a complete respray after 6 months.

Arden blue by any chance?

 

[nezhayley]

Arden blue by any chance?

no mine was a red one,but the design of the side skirts just allowed stones to be thrown up the sides,it was a nightmare

 

[Benash20]

no mine was a red one,but the design of the side skirts just allowed stones to be thrown up the sides,it was a nightmare

I work for a Vauxhall body shop and these are a problem on the gtc we have resprayed several now.

 

[Bobstar]

I work for a Vauxhall body shop and these are a problem on the gtc we have resprayed several now.

Yep came from a arden blue gtc vxr myself hundreds of white dots all over it after only a year of ownership. As for the sepang blue S1 I got 1 stone chip on the bonnet as a result of stupidly finding myself on a 6 mile road which was being resurfaced and had no turnings to get off it, I was doing 20mph as the signs suggested all the way down but of course impatient assholes wanted to carry on doing 60mph and overtook me spraying my car with loose chippings.

When I finally got off it I pulled over expecting to see loads of damage on a week old car but only 1 I think it held up quite nicely considering the showering of chippings.

 

[DTYME83]

Stone chips are generally caused by driving to close to cars in front the rear tyres kick up the stones.
DTYME83

 

[MikeParkin]

My S1 is going back to Audi and I'm having a S3 replacement. Basically the paint was to hard as it was covered in chips and paint was flaking off the bumpers. I told the I wasn't having it painted so replacement it was and a huge bonus for me. Going for ibis white this time, S1 is Mythos black.

 

[PastS1Owner]

I had an S3 as a courtesy car and to be honest it bored the pants off me. Yes was quicker but the S1 is more fun to drive.

 

[DTYME83]

I had an S3 as a courtesy car and to be honest it bored the pants off me. Yes was quicker but the S1 is more fun to drive.

Well there is an easy fix to that. Stage 1 remap with a Sachs clutch upgrade and then the S1 & S3 are evenly matched @skiman

DTYME83

 

[MikeParkin]

Like wise for the S3 stage 1 and it's evenly matched with RS3. Can go on and on.

 

[RMJ891]

Jealous that you managed that as a courtesy car, though - they were reluctant to give me one in the first place, and then I had no choice but an entry level diesel A1!