Paint chips
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Joined: Jun 2007
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From: Hastings MN
Paint chips
So my car had a bunch of chips in the paint from before I bought it, and I finally got to cleaning them up a week and a half ago. I had some touch up paint which I thought was going to be really close... so I went ahead and tried it out on a small spot inside the door. I let it dry and it looked perfect, so I went ahead and did all the chips in the car... front end, doors, rear, t-tops, I had chips all over. Everything dried and it looked absolutely PERFECT. I couldn't see the spots except that I was looking for them, and I had to be within about 4' to see them even then. If it were a strangers car and I was walking by, the paint would have looked flawless.
Fast forward to today... I'm out with the car, and when walking back towards it I notice a bit of orange on the back. I look around, and all the spots that I painted have turned a light orange! I can see the differance from 25' or more!
It looks terrible... 
What do I do? (Note... there's no way I'm getting a new paint job. I need something to make this look decent, but cheap.)
Fast forward to today... I'm out with the car, and when walking back towards it I notice a bit of orange on the back. I look around, and all the spots that I painted have turned a light orange! I can see the differance from 25' or more!
It looks terrible... What do I do? (Note... there's no way I'm getting a new paint job. I need something to make this look decent, but cheap.)
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
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From: Columbia Missouri
First off, what brand was the touch up paint? That has a lot to do with it. I have used a lot of touch up paints before and I have never experiences a color change so obvious.
You have a few options but neither are gonna really seem like an easy fix.
You can take your fuel door into a paint shop for color match, and have them mix you up a spray can with a single stage paint to match. Rough sand a small area where the touch up paint was, and then smooth sand it. Not much bigger than the fix. Clean it very well. Spray a light coat of the touch up spray paint until the fix area is lightly covered. Let that flash for about twenty minutes, and spray another coat. Use your judgment to decide if you want a third coat.
It won't look perfect, but it'll match. The problem is you'll be using a single stage paint over an existing paint job so the clears won't match and it might look touched up.
You can always buff the whole car for a better blend too.
The next obvious answer is a full car repaint.
You have a few options but neither are gonna really seem like an easy fix.
You can take your fuel door into a paint shop for color match, and have them mix you up a spray can with a single stage paint to match. Rough sand a small area where the touch up paint was, and then smooth sand it. Not much bigger than the fix. Clean it very well. Spray a light coat of the touch up spray paint until the fix area is lightly covered. Let that flash for about twenty minutes, and spray another coat. Use your judgment to decide if you want a third coat.
It won't look perfect, but it'll match. The problem is you'll be using a single stage paint over an existing paint job so the clears won't match and it might look touched up.
You can always buff the whole car for a better blend too.
The next obvious answer is a full car repaint.
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Pro
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 634
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From: Hastings MN
The paint that I used was a mixed paint, made to match a color. Okay, so I might be exaggerating on the color change... but it is clearly visible, and it used to be perfect. Of course, it still looks okay in the garage.. the sunlight is the killer.
I was wondering if I can just dab the spots of touch up paint with acetone if I can safely take that off (but only that) and then go and get some paint matched. Would it be better to get it in a spray can or just a small can and apply it with q-tips? (that's what I did this time... the q-tips work like a charm)
I was wondering if I can just dab the spots of touch up paint with acetone if I can safely take that off (but only that) and then go and get some paint matched. Would it be better to get it in a spray can or just a small can and apply it with q-tips? (that's what I did this time... the q-tips work like a charm)
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
The dabbing is best because it won't over spray on the clear. The problem is you won't want to dab any more on unless you can get the old touch up paint off and I fear that's going to be hard without affecting the original paint.
