Scraping bumper/side-skirt every MONTH URGHHH!!

[clementwcm]

Was parking in the rain last night and blo*dy H*ll scratched the front bumper (down to black plastic) at another one of those steep drive-ways AGAIN. This is like the 3rd time since I bought my ZR6 since february and it's sooo frustrating. I've found that with certain steep driveways it's almost INEVITABLE for the front bumper to be scraped. With this sportivo bodykit so low I'm now starting to get phobia driving up driveways with this car. Never had trouble with my old camry altise.... this is really driving me nuts. Glad I didn't get my last scratch (right side of bumper/front side-skirt) fixed yet (quoted $300 for respray). Probably will accumulate a few more scratches before getting it all fixed up. I'm also contemplating fixing it myself with matched spray-paint (never done it before though). Anyone has any experience with that?

[dannywss]

I think u meant Front side bumper/Right side skirt? correct?

how steep is that? mind taking a picture? hv u try different position to enter the driveway? not sure how to explain this, like turning max right, when your tyre is at the lowest spot, then turn the other way, then drive up.. sorry for bad explaination.. a pic will help more..

You should only be able the see the scratch under right? if you still gonna stay there.. and there is no way you can escape the scratch, just leave it... OR take the body kit down.. aurion body kit isnt that low, try driving camry with the body kit(sportivo) u will cry

[funkd]

Can you take the driveway on an angle?

[DJKOR]

I haven't really had any issues with the front end scraping. I found that the front clears the inital step in driveways (that use the angled gutters) pretty well. The only problem I do get is with the rear end. After having some metal scraping (a really painful sound, luckily it was the muffler and not the tips) I no longer take any chances with steep looking driveways. Bit of a bummer since most of my mates have driveways that would put my Sportivo at such an angle that the rear will scrape.

In situations where the front doesn't clear, taking it at an angle works wonders. Unfortunately though, that has it's limits to helping out with the rear. On my Camry, I could angle it cause it only had one muffler; can't win with the Aurion though, it's one or the other. I don't think I would be able to put up with it if I got it lowered. I just covered my scrape marks with touch up paint. I wasn't too fussy with getting mine absolutely perfect though since you have to look under the front to see it.

Edited June 4, 2008 by DJKOR

[clementwcm]

This is not my own driveway but a random one that I turned into in order to do a 3 point turn kinda thing. Previously driving a non-sportskit camry altise I rarely scrape the bottom of the bumper. Just that now I'm doing it a lot more especially if I'm in a bit of a hurry. The scratch on the bottom aspect of the front bumper... I can feel its now rough and basically the black plastic is exposed. The scratch can't be seen unless from below. However I already did a similar scratch which is A LOT more visible at the front right corner of the bumper while parking 90 degrees to the kerb. It's ~8cm x 0.5cm exposing also the black plastic (my ZR6 is silver ash). I got quoted $300 for respray the other day and glad I didn't get it fixed yet. I'm just telling myself that these things are almost inevitable with sportskits and steep inclines. I've been reading online about how to respraying (including the clear coat) but just wondering if anyone here actucally fixes this kinda thing themselves with good results. I live in Zetland in Sydney and would like to know if there any good paint-mixers in the area closeby.

Edited June 4, 2008 by clementwcm

[alpappy]

This is not my own driveway but a random one that I turned into in order to do a 3 point turn kinda thing. Previously driving a non-sportskit camry altise I rarely scrape the bottom of the bumper. Just that now I'm doing it a lot more especially if I'm in a bit of a hurry. The scratch on the bottom aspect of the front bumper... I can feel its now rough and basically the black plastic is exposed. The scratch can't be seen unless from below. However I already did a similar scratch which is A LOT more visible at the front right corner of the bumper while parking 90 degrees to the kerb. It's ~8cm x 0.5cm exposing also the black plastic (my ZR6 is silver ash). I got quoted $300 for respray the other day and glad I didn't get it fixed yet. I'm just telling myself that these things are almost inevitable with sportskits and steep inclines. I've been reading online about how to respraying (including the clear coat) but just wondering if anyone here actucally fixes this kinda thing themselves with good results. I live in Zetland in Sydney and would like to know if there any good paint-mixers in the area closeby.

Is the respray going involve taking the bumper off I was quoted 500 with the bumper off also to re rust proof the front of the chassis rails as this was removed as well funny as I was given corrolla as a loan car did not scrape on my steep drive way at all!!!

[Wulfkind]

Mate... I clipped a gutter with the bumper of the SX6 I've had for all of 4 days (still gotta learn where the corners of the car are) tonight, took a big chunk of paint off... Did you end up getting the respray? If so, how much and where in Sydney? Did it come out looking alright?

[apg39]

I've made many scrapes on the middle black piece of the SPortivo kit, actually cracked it too but I've popped it back together. Some of the exterior plastics polish should make it look a bit better. I've heard $180 to respray a front bumper, but thats in country NSW for a Rolla.

Take the driveway at an angle and really creep in, slower you go - quicker you can stop if you scrape and it seems to scrape less. My driveway is borderline steep - slow is ok but any quicker & it scrapes.

[Fidzeh]

damn, that sure would get ya frustrated. I guess try alot of angles? not sure how steep your driveways are up where you live or go O_O but luckily for where i live my car would just make it if i creep slowly.

would anyone else agree with me that the aurion sportivo's seem abit low for stock? maybe its the kit that makes it look abit low

[BONDIE]

Yeah scraped my front bumper down to black plastic. Ive got the most ridiculous designed driveway. My house is down from the level of the rd, so there is the biggest dip. And it didnt just scrape it gouged.

But when i lowered my beast it covered it up,and you cant see unless you put you head right down there. But my only problem is i couldnt even get down my drive way.

Now to fix this problem i brought some secondhand bob cat loading/unloading ramps (heavy thick steel ramps, 2-3 man lift). I then dyno bolted them into the cemented drive way. From then screwed on top, some thick black form ply. And weather proofed it.

Any now have filled the dip in the driveway with a huge ramp straight into my garage. Works well, but the only problem is the kids come from down the road and im always catching them on there push bikes on it.

Mannn it was a mission, but now sweet as and my problem is solved.

Edited October 2, 2008 by BONDIE

[Pumped]

Ive got a wicked steep driveway

Just got to angle it in and it never scrapes

reversing out at an angle is a pain but its worth not damaging the car

[DJKOR]

would anyone else agree with me that the aurion sportivo's seem abit low for stock? maybe its the kit that makes it look abit low

I would agree with you there. The kit on the Sportivo makes it seem lower than it really is, but the car itself feels pretty low to me... for a car that left the factory with that specification. I am extremely unlucky in that all my friends have some of the worst driveways imaginable. I always have to take that little bit of extra care when attempting to take it on, and even still, I sometimes manage to scrape.

But at this point in time though, I am no longer worrying about that to a degree. I just measured something under my car, and found that I have just 90mm of ground clearance with it. I don't what to think about the effect of going over a speed bump with a weighed down car.

The bumper issue reminds me of this:

Please wait a few seconds for Video to Load!

[RXSeven]

Yeah scraped my front bumper down to black plastic. Ive got the most ridiculous designed driveway. My house is down from the level of the rd, so there is the biggest dip. And it didnt just scrape it gouged.

But when i lowered my beast it covered it up,and you cant see unless you put you head right down there. But my only problem is i couldnt even get down my drive way.

Now to fix this problem i brought some secondhand bob cat loading/unloading ramps (heavy thick steel ramps, 2-3 lift). I then dyno bolted them into the cemented drive way. From then screwed on top, some thick black form ply. And weather proofed it.

Any now have filled the dip in the driveway with a huge ramp straight into my garage. Works well, but the only problem is the kids come from down the road and im always catching them on there push bikes on it.

Mannn it was a mission, but now sweet as and my problem is solved.

Giant Sig is Gianttttttt. Golden.

[Wulfkind]

Mate... I clipped a gutter with the bumper of the SX6 I've had for all of 4 days (still gotta learn where the corners of the car are) tonight, took a big chunk of paint off... Did you end up getting the respray? If so, how much and where in Sydney? Did it come out looking alright?

Just scraped the edge of mine again on a gutter... mind wasn't on the job sadly... Cars going to the smash repairer tomorrow to fix the damage I took when I got hit in the rear so I'll get it fixed then.

By the way, first time around this cost me $280 for a respray, just so you guys know.