Does the paint protectant help protect the surface metal on the S2000 (hood and fenders) from stone-chips, etc.

The one thing that has always irritated me about Honda is that the paint seems to be extremely thin - the slightest stone or pebble sometimes results in a nice-sized chip. Plus, even though specified in the introduction / promotional literature, Honda never introduced a nose mask for use on the highways.

Any feedback would be appreciated.

 

I have used waxes, sealants, all sorts of "protectants" on the paint over the years. None of these will guard against rock chipping. It's simply too thin. I have my nose area covered with the 3M Scotchcal film. It's 8 mil thick and this can take a good hit from a small stone. I know of people who also put this stuff on the car's paint immediately behind each wheel opening to protect against the "sand blasting" from the debris thrown up by the tires. I find that the S2000 design is such that the post-tire areas do not get that kind of abrasion. The 3M film goes by many names. The most well known being Stongard and Xpel. Do a search on these words on the forum to find out some background. When put on properly, this film is nearly invisible. A 40 mil thickness film is generally used to protect the very expensive headlights. But this is a matter of personal choice and paranoia.