Paint Chip Touch-Up

**The Critic** · 06-26-2011, 02:08 AM

I have a 2011 Prius with the Winter Grey Metallic. I have only had the car for a week and just returned from a 700 mile trip. I have an appointment scheduled for a clear bra next Saturday, but it appears that I got a rock chip from my road trip.

Rock chip:

I bought a tube of the touch-up paint brush/pen from the dealer and tried to improve the chip using a toothpick and the pen's ballpoint tip. So far, this is what I am able to do:

As you can tell, the fill by the touch-up paint is not completely flush with the original finish. I would guess that it is about 90% there--so the touch up paint is just slightly below the original finish.

I have no intentions of wetsanding the finish (because I don't trust my own skill) and I also understand that the appearance will not be perfect since it is a touch-up. Also, this is the first coat, and the bottle says I need to apply two.

What do you guys think I should do? Should I go back and apply a second coat, which will most likely cause the touch-up paint to be slightly higher than the original finish? Should I leave it alone? My main concern about leaving it this way is that if one were to run their finger across the surface, the sharp edges of the original paint can still be felt, and I am afraid that one can cause further damage to the existing finish around the chip.

Thanks.

**XSFDetail** · 06-26-2011, 02:57 AM

Having done many touch ups with these (stupid) pens, I am aware of the difficulty in using them. What you have done is good. Although one more coat won't hurt, it will help the paint match even closer as the second coat will be closer to the real color, no primer shade showing through. It should still not go over the top of the chip, but even if it does, once you have applied the 3M, it will virtually disappear.

**jpegs13** · 06-26-2011, 05:11 AM

This stuff is amazing:
Dr. ColorChip Paint Chip Repair, repair paint chips, touch-up paint, Doctor Color-Chip Paint Chip Repair

**guess23959** · 06-26-2011, 07:29 AM

i bought the dr. colorchip system for my gtp and it didnt do a thing for me. imo, it was a waste of $60+ when i followed all the steps to the t. oh well, ya win some, ya lose some and that was definitely a loss for me.

**POPPAJ** · 06-26-2011, 09:04 AM

Dr Colorchip worked for me, of course I didn't follow the directions. I used the red fibre applicator and didn't use the smear technique, just built up in the chips. Solution supplied worked great in removing blobs with a t-shirt backed by a plastic card. Did leave scratches that polished out. On road rash I applied the paint with a paper shop towel just smearing it in. Turned out great, some spots could have used a second coat, but a 95% improvement on black paint.

**guess23959** · 06-26-2011, 09:25 AM

something's not right if it didnt work for me and i followed the directions and it worked for poppaj and he didnt follow the directions. i wonder if its the way the paint is mixed cause my car is 10yrs old so after all my car is laquor black and not enamel.

**richy** · 06-26-2011, 09:42 AM

The pens are awful. Take a plastic lid out of your recycle bin and dab some on there (obviously making sure it's clean). Now, and this is the key, take a pointy toothpick, not the flat kind, and dip it in the dab. You're better to put not enough on the tp than too much. Put the end in the chip and let it wick down. Repeat if you did not put enough on. The key is several small coats rather than a big "blob".

**POPPAJ** · 06-27-2011, 07:36 AM

Originally Posted by fabiolas4

something's not right if it didnt work for me and i followed the directions and it worked for poppaj and he didnt follow the directions. i wonder if its the way the paint is mixed cause my car is 10yrs old so after all my car is laquor black and not enamel.

My black Marauder is an '03. Let's face it, some of us got it some don't.

**guess23959** · 06-27-2011, 05:28 PM

the fact i have to face is that my car is a daily driver not a show car, i keep forgetting that, specially since im up here in ct. if it were my 77 grand prix or my 59 impala it would be a rolling mirror, literally. (both former show winners, now both sold) i think i maybe a tad too anal yet my dad has a jeep grand cherokee he beats the crap out of yet spends $$$ keeping it like new. i dunno, it is what it is i guess.

sry for hijacking this thread btw.