Dreaded stone chip scratch through the front wheel vent

[Fish Fingers]

I specced power charge port to avoid this issue. That being said I found an iron rod in front vent. Glad it didn't hit front bumper or any other part of my car. During CA winter storm, I found all kind of debris there. It was pain to clean up.

I couldn't get the scale of that.
I thought it was lying on the floor at first ?
Then I just noticed your finger on the left!

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[Fish Fingers]

Great job. Any mesh will reduce aerodynamic efficiency, but not as much as the e-port's blocked off vent which Porsche think is acceptable. Have you noticed much clogging from debris build-up?

No clogging at all.
And range appears unaffected - but I think the concensus on here is that the vents would only have very marginal effect on range anyway.
Probably most at higher speed.

No idea if this shows that the vents do or don't let air through now??

 

[WuffvonTrips]

No idea if this shows that the vents do or don't let air through now??

Interesting (idk but guess that does indicate flow through the vents)- you might have just started a new category of Taycan gallery. Pity I didn't photo mine the other day- it had dirty streaks running across most of the length of the front and rear doors- but I hate washing my cars so much I just wanted to get it over with asap.

 

[f1eng]

When I looked into it I could see no direct line of flight from the tyre contact patch through the vent which could cause a thrown up stone to cause a scratch. In fact if you look down through the vent towards the contact patch the flight path would be blocked by the guide vanes in the vent.

I don't dispute a scratch, obviously, but can't see any way in which a stone could be travelling fast enough to scratch paint coming through the vent, certainly in my car. Certainly not thrown up by my own front wheel anyway.

I do get quite a bit of road grit carried by rainwater collecting in the bottom of the vent but no stones.
I am careful cleaning grit out of the vents not to scratch the paint myself.

 

[Donlam]

I haven't got this problem on stone scratch thru vent so far. I only have problem entering the multi level car parks barrier curbs. I have to very careful not scratching the wheels. Glad I have the 360 camera doing the good job.

 

[RAHRCR]

The stone chip through the vent scenario is extremely unlikely if it’s even possible. I had a Panamera with the same vent geometry for years. While it was a stone chip collector for sure, it never damaged the paint…which is mostly likely why Porsche didnt add the mesh from factory.

 

[SThurlow]

Another option - https://www.suncoastparts.com/product/pk9j1clss.html

 

[Darius]

Well it happened - scratch on the drivers door courtesy of a stone from the front wheel vent. Luckily in this pic you can’t see it but I know it’s there

Picking up my car today after over a week in the shop….stone chips on the freeway 3 small scratches through to the metal. $3000 latter!

 

[XLR82XS]

Picking up my car today after over a week in the shop….stone chips on the freeway 3 small scratches through to the metal. $3000 latter!

<--- PPF from day one. Worth it.

 

[Weezer]

I don’t understand why people spend six figures on a car, then baulk at a few grand for PPF. I‘ve had it on my last three cars and now just factor it into the overall cost.

There’s a nasty scuff on my bonnet’s PPF, but I know that would be a stone chip down to the primer if not the bare metal without it.

 

[Montetorro]

I gave observed that cars with powered charging ports do not have vents in the wheel arch in order to protect the opening mechanism. Therefore any suggestion that blocking the vent will have a detrimental effect is simply untrue.

 

[whitex]

I don't think it will create additional drag to affect range but Porsche must have a reason to omit this from factory?

It will obviously produce some air resistance, but might be a compromise worth while for some.

PS> Full disclosure, personally I don't really care about this for my Taycan - for me a car is for driving, rather than for showing. A car will get stone chips over its lifetime if you're going to drive it. I don't ppf either.

 

[f1eng]

I gave observed that cars with powered charging ports do not have vents in the wheel arch in order to protect the opening mechanism. Therefore any suggestion that blocking the vent will have a detrimental effect is simply untrue.

It is certainly aerodynamically worse by a small amount, putting a mesh in will be too.

The small aero loss is the price you pay for the (totally pointless IMHO) electric opening hatch gadget.

It is a choice, I went for aero efficiency since being an experienced vehicle aerodynamicist with 2 hands I am able to open the hatch and plug in the charger with zero inconvenience

 

[tchavei]

the first scratch/ding/chip hurts the most but after crying and whining about it for a day or two, it becomes part of the car's life.

It could be different if I traded cars regularly (keeping value etc) but I don't.

 

[abrookesuk]

I saw a thread here on how to add a mesh behind the vent and I did that as soon as I got my CT. Did PPF on all 4 doors for good measure. I don't think it will create additional drag to affect range but Porsche must have a reason to omit this from factory?

I have tried to find the thread but I am unable to find it. I have found the mesh on Amazon and would like to know how to fit it. Can you remember where you found the original post?

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