458 chipped headlight assembly

Looked at a pre-owned 458, was pretty clean, except the chipped passenger side headlight assembly. Most wouldn't see it, but for me, as soon as I see a big enough flaw to me, it just continues to bug me. Looked and $4500 retail. Looks like you cannot just buy the top clear plastic piece. Anyone had to replace or use a crystal clear resin to repair one yet?

 

From what you said, the chip is in the clear plastic cover. If it is not too deep, it may be amenable to an aggressive grinding/polishing job. You can buy a commercial kit that will fit your electric drill or a good body/detail man can do it. I did this once on a 997 911 and it virtually disappeared.

Maybe bring a good body/detail guy to look at it with you. If it is judged addressable, you can wrangle the $4500 out of the price and get it.

 

$4500 is retail, I am sure I negotiate better than that. Cost is probably $2250 or less. I would just have them do it at cost.

I think the chips are too deep to grind it down. It's on the right front edge, when looking at the front of the car. Must be from the cheap clear bra that was on the car and has been removed. Probably didn't to the edges really well.

Wonder if there are and Ferrari Dismantler type places around. I am sure there have been a few 458's wrecked already. Too bad you can't send it back to Ferrari, to have them replace just the clear plastic cover. Having to buy a completely new assembly is ridiculous.

 

Wow! What cost!

 

Yup thats what these car can cost to repair. I has a 3 inch small scratch on my 458 and the cost to fix it was $7 grand.

Good luck to you my friend

Lee

 

Why don't you contact one of the windshield repair company's and see if the repair they do to the windshields, where they inject a resin into the crack can be done to the headlight first.

 

Jeez...what happened? Where was the scratch and why was the repair so much? TIA

 

Aluminum body and very few people who can repair them. That is what I was told by the dealership. The sad thing was this was the cheapest option I was given. When I got it back the car looked perfect.

I have bought three Ferraris from them and I admit I trust them

Lee

 

Yup, these are pricey and yup you have to replace the whole thing. I've always wondered (but haven't bothered to check) if the silly Carbon Fiber ones on the Scud/16M are also "one piece" and afraid of how much those must be!

BTW - this is a good spot to remind folks to get clear bra over the headlight covers!

 

There are many benefits to paint protection film (aka clearguard).

1. protects from road debris
2. protects the plastic lenses from clouding and hazing over time

If there is a pre-existing chip, there is not much you can do to polish this out.

 

That's what I thought, a scratch ok, but a chip, could only be filled by some type of clear resin, but it would still stand out.