Rusting Lug Bolts

[Stiletto Pat]

I'm new to this forum, and a new owner of a '03 Boxster S that seems to be in great shape except for a few cosmetic things for which I'm hoping to get some sage advice. I've found this forum a great source of instant eduction on all things Boxster / Caymen.

1) The lug bolts are rusting, and detract from the look of the car. I do live very close to salt water, which might be helping the rust along. I'm looking for the best solution to address this fairly permanently, and it seems sandblasting and painting will break down as the bolts are used for wheel removals. Is there a special paint? Is there a service out there that applies some type of special coating?

2) The disc brake calipers are fading from red towards orange. I'm assuming that I'll just have to pull the calipers, have them repainted, new Porshe decals, then reinstall. Any other options - people that do this as a cottage industry?

3) The paint is very good on my car (Seal Gray Metallic), but I've been noticing that every time I take it out driving, I seem to get new nicks on my hood - I assume it's because it sits so close to the road that anything that is kicked up bounces off the hood. I saw one article where people were complaining about the Clear Bra product, but since my car is a Garage Queen, then it probably shouldn't be too bad a solution, right, after fixing the paint chips? I'm looking for any sage advice on this situation, as it's taking away a lot of the fun of owning and driving the car.

Many thanks in advance,
Pat

[Wayne 962]

Hi there. The lug bolts from Porsche are terrible. We sell aftermarket ones that are polished and look fantastic. I have a photo in this article here: Pelican Technical Article: Tire and Wheel Sizing - 986 Boxster (1997-04) - 987 Boxster (2005-08) I would probably just avoid using the ugly factory ones.

I haven't heard of actual calipers turning orange, that is odd. We sell caliper paint, it's pretty straightforward to paint them (we have tech articles on this too), but it seems like a lot of work though...

The problem with the clear bra product is that it protects the paint in the front, and then if you ever take it off, the paint becomes mismatched, and there is a line permanently in your paint. I just suggest that people take their car out and enjoy it. These are high-volume cars that are not collector cars - they will decrease in price in the future, and all the worrying about an occasional paint chip won't really make a dent in the resale value of the car in the long run.

Hope this helps,

Wayne