help on paint touch up
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 25
Likes: 0
help on paint touch up
hey everyone. Just chipped a little of the paint off the drivers side door on my victory red 06 coupe.
The chipped paint is only about 1/2 to 1 inch in length located right below where the door latch is.
Is there a way to touch it up or would i have to get the entire door painted?
Thanks for any suggestions in advance.
The chipped paint is only about 1/2 to 1 inch in length located right below where the door latch is.
Is there a way to touch it up or would i have to get the entire door painted?
Thanks for any suggestions in advance.
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 142
Likes: 18
What you do depends on how **** you are about your car. Since you read CF, I'd presume you are pretty ****, like the rest of us.
I have touched up my car with the kits you can buy and paint from body shops specially formulated to match your car. There's a little procedure you have to follow to make it look as good as you can.
My eye always goes to that spot that I touched up. Usually most people won't notice it, BUT I DO!!
I pay and have them done professionally. Usually after I get a few, because my car isn't in the shop any longer for 3 than for 1.
I have touched up my car with the kits you can buy and paint from body shops specially formulated to match your car. There's a little procedure you have to follow to make it look as good as you can.
My eye always goes to that spot that I touched up. Usually most people won't notice it, BUT I DO!!
I pay and have them done professionally. Usually after I get a few, because my car isn't in the shop any longer for 3 than for 1.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 340
Likes: 0
From: San Diego CA
If you find a body shop that's extremely good, they can touch it in and you'll never be able to see it. Having my dad own a body shop, I can tell you that it can be done. However I'll warn you that there are a lot of shops that won't be able to get the job done properly and they'll suggest that you have to spot paint it to make it go away.
Instructor
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 208
Likes: 0
From: Mesa, AZ, USA
Dang, that's a big chip. Is it as wide as it is long? If so, a hunk of paint that big can't be fixed effectively by a do-it-yourself-er.
Still, you could give it a go. For chips smaller than that, I begin by applying one or more coats of touch-up paint. The final coat should overfill the void a bit, raising up like a little blister. Let it get good and dry (for something large, a day should do).
There's a 3M safe-for-clearcoats rubbing compound I use that you can get at Checker Auto. At my store it's on the paint equipment aisle with sandpaper and stuff, not the wax/polish aisle.
Get a credit card (or similarly sized piece of flexible plastic) and sheath it in two layers of cotton t-shirt, stretching it taut across the plastic. Apply the 3M product to the t-shirt and then use that flat surface to gradually polish down your touch-up. You'll make your best progress as you feel the 3M product starting to haze. It's more "grippy" then--not as fluid and oily as when you first apply it. Go round in circles, then alternate with up-down and diagonal strokes. Wipe off the haze, move to a clean portion of t-shirt and start over.
The trick is knowing when to quit. If you go too far in trying to get the touch-up perfect, you'll end up wearing through the surrounding clear coat. With these larger touch-ups, you also may find that you have little voids or pits in the touch-up paint. Fill 'em, let 'em dry and repeat the above procedure until you're happier with the look.
And if all else fails, have a professional paint your door.
Still, you could give it a go. For chips smaller than that, I begin by applying one or more coats of touch-up paint. The final coat should overfill the void a bit, raising up like a little blister. Let it get good and dry (for something large, a day should do).
There's a 3M safe-for-clearcoats rubbing compound I use that you can get at Checker Auto. At my store it's on the paint equipment aisle with sandpaper and stuff, not the wax/polish aisle.
Get a credit card (or similarly sized piece of flexible plastic) and sheath it in two layers of cotton t-shirt, stretching it taut across the plastic. Apply the 3M product to the t-shirt and then use that flat surface to gradually polish down your touch-up. You'll make your best progress as you feel the 3M product starting to haze. It's more "grippy" then--not as fluid and oily as when you first apply it. Go round in circles, then alternate with up-down and diagonal strokes. Wipe off the haze, move to a clean portion of t-shirt and start over.
The trick is knowing when to quit. If you go too far in trying to get the touch-up perfect, you'll end up wearing through the surrounding clear coat. With these larger touch-ups, you also may find that you have little voids or pits in the touch-up paint. Fill 'em, let 'em dry and repeat the above procedure until you're happier with the look.
And if all else fails, have a professional paint your door.
Racer
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 363
Likes: 7
From: Pflugerville TX
From past experience, do not even try to buy the touch-up paint that you can buy in the small tube from your local GM dealership - it never matches the paint. Instead, go to a local body shop that does paint, and have them get the exact paint match color in a small bottle for you. This way, you have it on hand for future nicks and it matches 100%.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,066
Likes: 2
From: New Hampshire
Originally Posted by spiked
hey everyone. Just chipped a little of the paint off the drivers side door on my victory red 06 coupe.
The chipped paint is only about 1/2 to 1 inch in length located right below where the door latch is.
Is there a way to touch it up or would i have to get the entire door painted?
Thanks for any suggestions in advance.
The chipped paint is only about 1/2 to 1 inch in length located right below where the door latch is.
Is there a way to touch it up or would i have to get the entire door painted?
Thanks for any suggestions in advance.
http://www.paintscratch.com/
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 5,335
Likes: 0
From: Eagle River AK
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09-'10,'14
Originally Posted by chris36053
I used this place and got the paint pens, 1 for base and 1 for clear, it was a perfect match for LMB. My scratch wasn't that big though. It might be pretty hard for you to touch that up without some paint experience. Hope this helps.
http://www.paintscratch.com/
http://www.paintscratch.com/
Customer service with these people was great. The color was perfect.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 7,242
Likes: 8
Originally Posted by GM Kid
Dang, that's a big chip. Is it as wide as it is long? If so, a hunk of paint that big can't be fixed effectively by a do-it-yourself-er.
Still, you could give it a go. For chips smaller than that, I begin by applying one or more coats of touch-up paint. The final coat should overfill the void a bit, raising up like a little blister. Let it get good and dry (for something large, a day should do).
There's a 3M safe-for-clearcoats rubbing compound I use that you can get at Checker Auto. At my store it's on the paint equipment aisle with sandpaper and stuff, not the wax/polish aisle.
Get a credit card (or similarly sized piece of flexible plastic) and sheath it in two layers of cotton t-shirt, stretching it taut across the plastic. Apply the 3M product to the t-shirt and then use that flat surface to gradually polish down your touch-up. You'll make your best progress as you feel the 3M product starting to haze. It's more "grippy" then--not as fluid and oily as when you first apply it. Go round in circles, then alternate with up-down and diagonal strokes. Wipe off the haze, move to a clean portion of t-shirt and start over.
The trick is knowing when to quit. If you go too far in trying to get the touch-up perfect, you'll end up wearing through the surrounding clear coat. With these larger touch-ups, you also may find that you have little voids or pits in the touch-up paint. Fill 'em, let 'em dry and repeat the above procedure until you're happier with the look.
And if all else fails, have a professional paint your door.
Still, you could give it a go. For chips smaller than that, I begin by applying one or more coats of touch-up paint. The final coat should overfill the void a bit, raising up like a little blister. Let it get good and dry (for something large, a day should do).
There's a 3M safe-for-clearcoats rubbing compound I use that you can get at Checker Auto. At my store it's on the paint equipment aisle with sandpaper and stuff, not the wax/polish aisle.
Get a credit card (or similarly sized piece of flexible plastic) and sheath it in two layers of cotton t-shirt, stretching it taut across the plastic. Apply the 3M product to the t-shirt and then use that flat surface to gradually polish down your touch-up. You'll make your best progress as you feel the 3M product starting to haze. It's more "grippy" then--not as fluid and oily as when you first apply it. Go round in circles, then alternate with up-down and diagonal strokes. Wipe off the haze, move to a clean portion of t-shirt and start over.
The trick is knowing when to quit. If you go too far in trying to get the touch-up perfect, you'll end up wearing through the surrounding clear coat. With these larger touch-ups, you also may find that you have little voids or pits in the touch-up paint. Fill 'em, let 'em dry and repeat the above procedure until you're happier with the look.
And if all else fails, have a professional paint your door.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,835
Likes: 295
From: Phoenix AZ
Originally Posted by GM Kid
Dang, that's a big chip. Is it as wide as it is long? If so, a hunk of paint that big can't be fixed effectively by a do-it-yourself-er.
Still, you could give it a go. For chips smaller than that, I begin by applying one or more coats of touch-up paint. The final coat should overfill the void a bit, raising up like a little blister. Let it get good and dry (for something large, a day should do).
There's a 3M safe-for-clearcoats rubbing compound I use that you can get at Checker Auto. At my store it's on the paint equipment aisle with sandpaper and stuff, not the wax/polish aisle.
Get a credit card (or similarly sized piece of flexible plastic) and sheath it in two layers of cotton t-shirt, stretching it taut across the plastic. Apply the 3M product to the t-shirt and then use that flat surface to gradually polish down your touch-up. You'll make your best progress as you feel the 3M product starting to haze. It's more "grippy" then--not as fluid and oily as when you first apply it. Go round in circles, then alternate with up-down and diagonal strokes. Wipe off the haze, move to a clean portion of t-shirt and start over.
The trick is knowing when to quit. If you go too far in trying to get the touch-up perfect, you'll end up wearing through the surrounding clear coat. With these larger touch-ups, you also may find that you have little voids or pits in the touch-up paint. Fill 'em, let 'em dry and repeat the above procedure until you're happier with the look.
And if all else fails, have a professional paint your door.
Still, you could give it a go. For chips smaller than that, I begin by applying one or more coats of touch-up paint. The final coat should overfill the void a bit, raising up like a little blister. Let it get good and dry (for something large, a day should do).
There's a 3M safe-for-clearcoats rubbing compound I use that you can get at Checker Auto. At my store it's on the paint equipment aisle with sandpaper and stuff, not the wax/polish aisle.
Get a credit card (or similarly sized piece of flexible plastic) and sheath it in two layers of cotton t-shirt, stretching it taut across the plastic. Apply the 3M product to the t-shirt and then use that flat surface to gradually polish down your touch-up. You'll make your best progress as you feel the 3M product starting to haze. It's more "grippy" then--not as fluid and oily as when you first apply it. Go round in circles, then alternate with up-down and diagonal strokes. Wipe off the haze, move to a clean portion of t-shirt and start over.
The trick is knowing when to quit. If you go too far in trying to get the touch-up perfect, you'll end up wearing through the surrounding clear coat. With these larger touch-ups, you also may find that you have little voids or pits in the touch-up paint. Fill 'em, let 'em dry and repeat the above procedure until you're happier with the look.
And if all else fails, have a professional paint your door.
Great info!
I have a metallic silver chip to repair and everytime I try the above, it turns black.
Any advice how to do a metallic chip?
Thanks!
Drifting
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 1,427
Likes: 1
From: Central FL
Originally Posted by Rob4092xx
GM Kid:
Great info!
I have a metallic silver chip to repair and everytime I try the above, it turns black.
Any advice how to do a metallic chip?
Thanks!
Great info!
I have a metallic silver chip to repair and everytime I try the above, it turns black.
Any advice how to do a metallic chip?
Thanks!
