Rock Collector Body Location Likely Leading to Surface Wear/Rust?

[Rupes]

May 2024 build here. I can confirm my rear tire area also has this rock collector hole as seen in the OP's image below.

 

[silent cilantro]

yeah all cars have the rear opening. OP is talking about an opening in the front fender liner behind the tire.

 

[netsinah]

I owe everyone an apology and here it is. I checked my car this morning; the first time since being at the detailer on Saturday. The holes I described ARE in the rear wheel wells. They’re in front of each rear tire (closest to the door) and the rock accumulation area is the outside cavity next to each rear tire. There are no holes behind the front tires.

FWIW, I had emergency dental implant surgery a week ago. (Do NOT get an implant if you have another viable option.) My trip to the detailer was my first time out of the house, after which I slept. I should have double-checked which wheel it was before posting, and again before “doubling-down” on my error, with my last post on this thread. I did take the photos at the detailer so the fault is with me and not the detailer.

I wouldn’t blame you for questioning that excuse, but FWIW attached is a photo taken this morning, showing my throat bruising from the throat tube they inserted during surgery.

That said, those who questioned which wheel it was, were 100% correct to do so. Thanks for pointing out my mistaken description and I’m sorry for creating this unnecessary confusion.

 

[Nick Sticks]

Well it got me looking at my wheel arches and I'm now trying to think of a way to stop those stones from collecting.

 

[Rupes]

I owe everyone an apology and here it is. I checked my car this morning; the first time since being at the detailer on Saturday. The holes I described ARE in the rear wheel wells. They’re in front of each rear tire (closest to the door) and the rock accumulation area is the outside cavity next to each rear tire. There are no holes behind the front tires.

FWIW, I had emergency dental implant surgery a week ago. (Do NOT get an implant if you have another viable option.) My trip to the detailer was my first time out of the house, after which I slept. I should have double-checked which wheel it was before posting, and again before “doubling-down” on my error, with my last post on this thread. I did take the photos at the detailer so the fault is with me and not the detailer.

I wouldn’t blame you for questioning that excuse, but FWIW attached is a photo taken this morning, showing my throat bruising from the throat tube they inserted during surgery.

That said, those who questioned which wheel it was, were 100% correct to do so. Thanks for pointing out my mistaken description and I’m sorry for creating this unnecessary confusion.


View attachment 48270

All good man, we all make mistakes. Sounds like you were a little loopy at the detailer though, I bet he has some fun stories he's telling his buddies too.

 

[silent cilantro]

you had us all going! haha

 

[Tomwa]

For those who are thinking of ways to stop the rocks from collecting between the side-skirt and the quarter panel. It won't help with body repair, but you could run a line of silicone or something along that edge to keep stuff from wedging in there. Or just ..occasionally blow it out with a leaf blower or something? Maybe grab a piece of cardstock and come in from the bottom and knock it all out.

Does have me thinking though, with so many other sports cars making an effort to vent out the high pressure air trapped in the front wheel well why the Emira doesn't have any of these features.

 

[netsinah]

you had us all going! haha

Wish I could say it was an April Fool’s joke, but it’s July (sigh). At least I put this rock accumulation location on the radar. I now wonder if ALL Emiras have this same hole at each rear tire wheel well?

 

[KJD]

Ah ha! We have an explanation.

I was considering asking for a recommendation as to what you had been smoking but it turns out it was dentist’s drugs. Get well soon.

The hole has been there since (before) day one.
This is a pic I took of the pre-production roadshow car in November 2021.

It’s mainly an aero thing. Pressure reducing airflow through the wheelwell that exits out the vents at the back. Helps cool the brakes too.

Blocking it up is probably a bad idea. Mudflaps on the front would do more to stop the stones.

 

[virtualmacho]

So, it's official? We call it the "Rock Collector" now?

 

[crestima]

For those who are thinking of ways to stop the rocks from collecting between the side-skirt and the quarter panel. It won't help with body repair, but you could run a line of silicone or something along that edge to keep stuff from wedging in there. Or just ..occasionally blow it out with a leaf blower or something? Maybe grab a piece of cardstock and come in from the bottom and knock it all out.

Does have me thinking though, with so many other sports cars making an effort to vent out the high pressure air trapped in the front wheel well why the Emira doesn't have any of these features.

For those who are thinking of ways to stop the rocks from collecting between the side-skirt and the quarter panel. It won't help with body repair, but you could run a line of silicone or something along that edge to keep stuff from wedging in there. Or just ..occasionally blow it out with a leaf blower or something? Maybe grab a piece of cardstock and come in from the bottom and knock it all out.

Does have me thinking though, with so many other sports cars making an effort to vent out the high pressure air trapped in the front wheel well why the Emira doesn't have any of these features.

Yeah, now that this rock collection issue came up, I'm also trying to figure a way to stop it from occurring or at least minimize it, but not at the detriment of negatively affecting air channeling.

I, for one, am really glad that Lotus didn't go beyond what they already did in applying airflow and venting on the Emira. I think it has plenty of airflow channeling already thank you, they're tastefully designed and importantly are functional. Other manufacturers, particularly and understandably for their higher performance models, have added so many vents and cutouts that there's barely a clean panel left on those cars (think Swiss cheese). Some may think that it's cool looking, I just think it subtracts from the cars elegance. But that's just me.

 

[Nick Sticks]

Well, after cleaning out all the small stones trapped in here I had a look in my garage to see what I had to stop this.
I've applied one strip of this 3mm thick draught excluder closed cell foam.
It's tricky to do but I pushed it into the gap a very small way and then lifted it up to stick it on the vertical surface.
Hopefully the stones will hit this and bounce on their way out the hole.
I would have preferred it if it was black so If it works reasonably well I might change it. You can't see it though unless you're looking directly at the hole at ground level.

 

[crestima]

Well, after cleaning out all the small stones trapped in here I had a look in my garage to see what I had to stop this.
I've applied one strip of this 3mm thick draught excluder closed cell foam.
It's tricky to do but I pushed it into the gap a very small way and then lifted it up to stick it on the vertical surface.
Hopefully the stones will hit this and bounce on their way out the hole.
I would have preferred it if it was black so If it works reasonably well I might change it. You can't see it though unless you're looking directly at the hole at ground level.View attachment 48350

Well, after cleaning out all the small stones trapped in here I had a look in my garage to see what I had to stop this.
I've applied one strip of this 3mm thick draught excluder closed cell foam.
It's tricky to do but I pushed it into the gap a very small way and then lifted it up to stick it on the vertical surface.
Hopefully the stones will hit this and bounce on their way out the hole.
I would have preferred it if it was black so If it works reasonably well I might change it. You can't see it though unless you're looking directly at the hole at ground level.View attachment 48350

I took the liberty of using your idea to also solve to the stone and debris collected at the end of the side skirts' tunnel on my Emira. I purchased the (pictured) tool on Amazon (don't know its official name) to carefully clean out the existing debris and purchased a trim, generally used between a car's dashboard and windscreen. That trim, (also pictured) easily and perfectly wedges in and seals the crack where the debris collects and gets stuck. No need for the assistance of any glue as that trim once pressed stays firmly in place. I'm also including a picture of the final result. Hope this can help others and thanks for your initial tip. That's what this forum is all about.