Looked at a few red mk4s wife wants one ,all low miles but all full of paint chips on bonnet and bumper/wings and I mean loads . Are all colours bad for this ? Like there no paint on them
It would seem that the NC and ND models have the thinnest paint coats known to mankind… sadly 
Yes, thin paint especially delicate on Soul Red.
I reckon my Copper red MK3 chips when it’s just standing there!! The bonnet has loads of them and even the resprayed front bumper has got a few back. 
My 12-plate Sport Black in white keeps the white/black theme by seeming to have a black undercoat to make each stone chip painfully obvious.
The windscreen is also made of sugar.
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worst thing about my black nd is the paint absolutely atrocious I can scratch it just by polishing it I have considered getting the bonnet resprayed. but it’s finding someone to do it approached two paint shops both of them weren’t interested
My meteor grey nd is terrible for it, I’m sure it chips just for fun… record so far is about 3/4s of the way up the bonnet. Will need both wings and the bonnet done at some point as it does my head in…
I’m starting to think my machine grey ND is a magnet for stones. But you’re spot on, the paint isn’t sympathetic at all to any objects bouncing up off the road. I have a lovely 1.5 inch silver stripe halfway up the bonnet made by an object on its way to also scratching the windscreen. 
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What can you expect? Roads are in an appalling state and the Mx is lower than other cars so collects more?
36k+ and I’ve a few tiny chips you have to really look to see if a chip or tar spot. And you can’t see them when driving.
At least the front end and bonnet can’t rust!
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After 35 years of practice you’d have thunk they might have something up their sleeve by now, but I take your point the roads really are naff and it doesn’t help that most of us are partial to a nice B Road.
I asked this question on the forum over three years ago before buying a new one in Soul red. So i was paranoid from the start. 3 years later and 10k on the clock, yes I have a handful of stone chips to touch up. They all appear smaller than I’d imagined maybe 1mm or less, not the big 3mm jobs I’d imagined. Would I choose another colour next time NO, would it put me off buying another MX5 NO. I think tho a lot of NDs on sale are ex-lease so maybe that’s part of the problem ?
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I got mine at 3/4 years old, it came pre-chipped at 37k I’ve put a few more miles on it since then, all cars get chippy bonnets and it might the the dark paint with the white/metal under that makes it standout so much but much like yourself if I had the choice again would I have taken a different path… hell no! 
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That’s a blessing in disguise. That says they are probably not skilled enough to be able to do it. So leave them in the rear view mirror and search for someone with some ability.
I’m a recent ND owner and the dealership gave it a ceramic coating. Seems OK so far, but still early days. Our road is going to be redressed with chippings on Sunday so I hope everyone keeps to the 20mph limit!
It’s more the modern paints they have to use as opposed to not perfecting the process. It’s not just mazda, my civic and mustang both chipped very easily.
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This is in reality the only car I’ve owned in a long time that i genuinely care about… don’t get me wrong the past ones have been cleaned and serviced as required, but there is something different about the 5… I mean I’ve spent money on bits for it, got him a private plate etc… I’ve never done that before, so maybe im just a little precious about it 
although I think I’d also be gutted about stone chips on a stang.
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Was probably my fault in part for lowering and putting spacers on it. Both sides were peppered 
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Despite the cars I’ve had before I too am thoroughly enjoying the mazda.
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Maybe a clear wrap, ideally on a new car?
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Has anybody made a car that stones bounce off?
Ours is a 2017 with 31,000 miles. Blue Reflex Mica. The paint finish is superb. The paint is very thin, but I’m not sure that thick paint would be any better. Probably just chip off in bigger lumps.
It does have stone chips, mainly on the bumper and the front of the bonnet, exacerbated by the droopy nose, as one would expect, and presumably being low. On the plus side the chips are small and don’t go through the primer.
Nor much to be done if a car is to be used, other than paint protection film. And leaving a decent gap, and keeping off the gritty bits. Maybe car bra’s will stage a come back. Although ISTR they used to cause rub marks on the paintwork.
So far I haven’t done any touching up.
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Not that you directly mentioned it, but a ceramic coating will do not one iota to prevent stone chips. It’s essentially just a coat of wax/sealant.
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