Paint damage

Most road debris comes in the form of dirt/ICE clods containing rocks falling off vehicles or being kicked up back on the road by vehicles drifting off/back on to the road surface.

The closer the vehicle is to the ground the more likely it is to get hit by these small projectiles. Truckers, for example, rarely get windshield dings.

Finally, softer paint due to environmental concerns/regs.

 

What colour?

 

If you guys use salt on the roads in Pennsylvania, that doesn't help. My driver side fender sustained a small ding from a careless person opening their door and it hasn't peeled or anything at all. You can see the grey underneath.

I'm still pissed about this after all these years because it happened before I even made the first payment.

 

pretty sensitive, a lot of complaints over the years. aero shape of the front doesn't help.

a lot use clear bras

 

Mine came from the factory (or maybe the port in California) with a paint protection film on all the leading edges/surfaces. This stuff might even be self-healing since a while ago I had a pretty good gouge in the hood that I can't find anymore. Arizona is a pretty harsh state, very abrasive to things moving through its environment. Lots of rocks, sand, and gravel and plenty of pickup truck tires to fling that around. I've gone through three windshields since purchase. The vulnerability is assumed, and the insurance is compensatory.

 

Waterborne is probably as good as urethane base and top. In my experience the priming system that Toyota uses is not to bad. As long as you keep an eye on the chips that haven't penetrated the primer for oxidation the only other issue is appearance. Be aware, most body shops do not spray waterborne, even if they assure you they do, in case you're thinking of having the work done.