Feel free to add any tips I may have missed:

-avoid highway travel

-if on the highway (or any road), avoid the far left and right lanes; these are where most of the pebbles and rocks the DOT spreads during the winter accumulate

-avoid freshly repaved roads; many times, the road crews leave leftover asphalt strewn everywhere

-do not tailgate the car in front of you; follow the 3-5 second following rule (this is probably the best defense)

-avoid following cars that don't have mudflaps or equivalent

-get a clear bra (this may be cost prohibitive because the average cost is $500; you could get a new bumper or repaint your old one for close to that)

-avoid following SUVs, pickups, or long haulers

-have I mentioned DO NOT TAILGATE?

 

You can do all that and more, and still get them.

Its gonna happen. Its unavoidable.

The best method is to just learn to live with them.

 

don't drive if you are worried about rock chips

 

Want to avoid rock chips?

Don't drive it.

 

Excellent idea, I'm going to leave work early, go rent out a storage space, and shrink wrap the 350 and store it as a four wheeled time capsule for all eternity so Haley Joel Osment, Captain Kirk, and Spock can dig it up in the 25th century.

 

....

 

+1000 ever

 

....

 

interesting....i thought taking the far left lane was the best since you dont run the risk of someone passing you on your left and bouncing rocks to you on its way, so you can only get hit from the car in front or someone on your right... ...kind of like parking next to the curb for dings...
...and yes im ocd about chips lol...but yeah they still happen.

 

Addition:

Get a sick a$$ suspension set up and some really really sticky tires and dodge the rocks as they come.

 

u cant avoid them if you actually drive

 

Hard to avoid but the OP made some good suggestions. I use them all the time.

Think rocks are bad on your bumper. Imagine then on your body following a semi on a bike. that sux.

 

Nice response. Good 'ol Hale Joel!

I thought they were good tips...we all know its going to happen regardless but by having a few things in the back of your mind it can help you avoid them.

Thanks for the tips.

 

You could get a new bumper and repaint for close that. But you'd have to end up doing it all over again after several hundred miles. Or pay it once and fahgeddaboutid...

 

Just got a nasty one today coming out of the gym when i took the highway on my hood. Ugh!!! sucks a big one.

 

cant live without rock chips

 

Drive without bumper and hood.

 

Yup. 8,000 miles so far with clear bra... no chips on the front.

 

^ and keep it inside a garage, with car cover

 

Clear bra actually do help if you do it entire hood and perhaps the bumper.