Yesterday, a rock kicked up from a semi chipped my windshield.

The glass repair guy I called said he's seen a bunch of 07 Toyota Camrys for rock chips.

He wondered if the new outer mold line design creates aerodynamics that suck rocks towards the windshield!

FYI.

 

First of all I think that a rock heading towards a car is not going to be influenced a heck of a lot by aerodynamics. However, if it were I would think the opposite would be true. The low Cd means that the air tends to flow unimpeded around the car. So if the aerodynamics were going to effect the rock it would have the effect of moving it around, rather than into, the TCH.

Now if the driver were trying to hypermile by drafting a dump truck...

 

LOL, Orcone. That reminds me, a few weeks ago I had to call the non-emergency number of the state police to report a dump truck loaded with gravel that was driving down I91 with his gate partially opened spilling hundreds of little rocks all over the road and nearby cars...

 

I have to agree with Orcrone on this. I don't think I get as many bugs on my windshield. This, I think, has to do with the aerodynamics. I know my other cars will get covered with bugs while driving on the interstate in the high 80s the TCH less than half as many. I did have a rock hit mine too, only made a very small nick.

I did have a SUV kick up some large piece of something, probably a chunk of tire, and hit the front bumper cover. It made a scuff mark as big as my hand and one pea size chip in the paint. Some clear coat polish removed the scuff completely. I will order some touch up paint for the small chip.

Told my wife, when I get a new car I ought to chip the paint and nick the windshield first thing and get that over with. It always happens.

 

I've usually said the same thing myself. But I can't even say it in jest with the TCH.

 

I'm still kind of surprised they haven't gone to a plastic hood like they have with most of the lower body components. My 3ry old Sienna has the same plastic front and rear bumper setup as the TCH and it's been great. In fact, one time my wife banged up the rear quarter panel area (if they still call it that) and instead of wrecking or denting it the entire panel just popped out. A firm fist and all was good again.

The front bumper area has a number of tiny divots and such from numerous rock impacts but they won't rust and are easier to feel that see. I have the hood deflector on my Sienna too which as helped quite a bit, but I still have 2 or 3 decent size chips in the hood paint. Since the hood really gets pelted you'd think plastic here would be a good idea too. I see on the TCH the small panel area below the doors is now plastic too. On my 04 Sienna this was still metal.

 

I'm wondering how well the plastic would hold up to the heat of the engine.

 

There's also the safety issue. The hood is part of the front "crumple zone" of a car and in a head on crash the rear part of the hood is meant to catch on the car's body and then absorb energy by sort of accordian folding during the impact. On some cars you can actually see the point at which the hood is supposed to catch as well as the points where the hood is meant to fold. I'm not sure plastic would have the same energy absorbing properties as a metal hood.

 

Well, they make the plastic bras that you stick onto the cars now. It's a clear plastic to help with rock dings. I'm considering getting this for my car since it's silver and rock dings are very noticeable...I've already got 2 dings on the hood


Has anyone tried the clear plastic protection or know how much they cost?

 

I posted something about this on GreenHybrid or some other forums recently. I had a rock chip in my windshield within the first two weeks of owning my TCH. What interested me was that the rock didn't seem to hit the glass with that much force yet the windshield cracked immediately. These windshields are sound insulated and feature a layer of plastic between two layers of glass. I wonder if this design makes them more susceptible to such damage?