Paint Chips
Grouch wanted to know about paint touch up, so hear I go. All of our cars subjected to all kinds of airborne contaminants which many times result in those frustrating "chips". If you want a quick fix method, rather than going to a body shop for an air brushing (which can be expensive) here is what you'll need. First get a bottle of your color factory touch up, (at your dealer) get an bottle of Acrilic Laquer thinner, (hardware store) then go to a craft store and get some artist brushes. I bought a six pack of them for $3.99. After your car has been washed and dried, make a note what chips you want to touch up. Take a small amount of the thinner and put it in a small container, pour a real small amount of paint on a piece of cardboard. Dip the brush in the thinner, dab dry. (you will still have some thinner in the brush after you dab it, which is just enough to thin the paint) Next take your brush and move it around the paint, (factoy touch up paint is usually thick) then simply take your brush and touch the chip. MOST PEOPLE USE TOO MUCH PAINT FOR TOUCHING UP. Using this method you still slowly build the chip up, rather than having an unsightly "BLOB" on your car. The other problem is the brush that comes with factory paint is way to big, absorbing too much paint. You can use that brush to paint your bedroom if you like, NOT your car. By the time you touch up one chip, the brush and paint will be dried out, so start over by dipping the brush in the thinner again and proceed from step one. Remember Less is Best when doing this, YOu can always put another layer on if needed, but once you apply too much, the blob returns. Be careful what chips you decide to touch up, if a chip is the size of a pinhead, leave it alone. Touching up real small chips make them more obvious than before. (I know this drives us perfectionists crazy, but thats how it is) As far as prevention> 3M makes a clear protective coating which needs to be professionally applied, but does work well. I have seen it on outside mirrors, hoods, bumpers, around fenders, and other places stones and chips can occur. Hope that helps, Good Cruisin. Gary, Perfect Auto Finish
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