Paint chip fixes
 

Hey guys
I'm getting quite annoyed by the stone chips on the car. Every car wash makes the car even more chip apparent. I'm finding the brz to be way too prone to chips. Anyone have recommendations for products to cover these chips? I've read on random forums that Dr.Colorchip is a decent product?

I need to know this too for touch up paints. But for car washes do them yourself.

Dr. Colorchip gets great reviews from everyone who takes the time to apply it correctly.

Once you fix the chips, don't follow so close to the car in front of you and consider getting a clear bra if you want to minimize the damage.

I actually stay a pretty decent distance... Its just during our stupid canadian winters, you can't tell if its salt or stone thats gonna get flung at you...

On darker colors the chips will be more noticeable since the undercoat and primer are gray in color. You can pick up a touch-up kit that has a small tube of clear coat and one of primer and a tube of filler. Depending on the depth you may not need every layer. You'll buy the paint color seoarately, all the subaru dealers should have them or you can get them on ebay. It takes practice to properly fill a rock chip, if you have a buddy with an older car ask if you can practice on their car.

I was wondering this as well because I have a ton of chips in the front of my FRS. It is actually very noticeable as well because it is silver, but the chips are black.

Is this something that is expensive to have professionally done?

Langka makes a nice leveling kit. Chip repair is never perfect.

For some of the smaller ones, I just use a similar color Sharpie Permanent Marker. The red one seems to work good on Firestorm, covers up the lighter colored primer so you can't see them unless your right on top of them. Bigger ones get factory touch-up paint using a toothpick or matchstick.

I used the touch up paint from subaru. They sell a 2 stage paint that works really well. Apply the touch up paint as instructed then follow it up with a little rubbing compound and wax to blend. There are a few good tutorials on youtube. I had a dime size nick on the lower rear bumper and after a few rounds it is good as new. Im sure this method will work wonders for those very tiny specs.

I ordered some bottles of touch-up paint for my Whiteout from Automotivetouchup.com. Works quite well, especially for pearlescent paint -- can't tell unless you're looking for it up real close. I don't know how it compares to Dr.Colorchip or dealer touch-up paint.

Depending on how gnarly your paint chips are, you may need to sand the area down. I had a rock take out a fingernail-sized bit of paint all the way down to the plastic on my front bumper, and had to do that to smooth out the edges of the paint that were lifting.

^Yes. When you use the toothpick be sure to put the paint in the chip but do not put any on the good paint surrounding the chip. Let dry and apply again. If necessary, do it again. When dry give it a good buffing and only you will know it's there.

As someone who also lives in Toronto, I know exactly what you mean. Especially when the weather starts to warm up and all the salt chunks and little stones are not frozen on the ground anymore, they can get kicked up and hit your car. I travel on the 404 quite often and when i don't have my radio on, i could hear my car gets hit. I've had stone chips on my altima coupe, but after i purchased my BRZ i had clear bra installed on the entire front bumper right away. I've driven my BRZ around town in Feb, march and now april, i have not had any paint chip thus far. I HIGHLY recommend you get clear bra.

1) Do car washes by yourself
2) Repaint it (If you have the money)
3) Put a clear bra on it

Hopefully you get it fixed

How much was clear bra and where did you get it done?

I have plus plus paint chips as well. I was planning on using some touch up paint to help it. Never do this so I need some help.

Also, should I be washing, waxing, detailing prior to the touch up? or do that after I touch up?

I ran into this the other day. Touch up paint from Dupi-color. Has anyone used it? Good? bad? http://www.duplicolor.com/products/scratchFix/. Should I just stick to Toyota paint?

I got it done at Auto-Links. You can find their pricing on their website. I got my clear bra and tint together so i got a discount.

You should definitely wash it well before applying touch up paint. I heard Dr.Colorchip is good and easy to use. After the touch up completely dries, apply sealant.

Is the sealant within that package?/kit/

Is this one same as clearbra?

http://www.auto-links.ca/3m-paint-pr...n-toronto.html

And its expensive eh? bumper and hood like almost 1000$.jeeezz

Yea clear bra is just a generic term. There are many brands such as the 3M Ventureshield that Auto Links use.

I got the complete front bumper, which has a list price of $380 i think. I didn't get it on the hood for three reasons:
1. full hood is too expensive.
2. partial hood, 12" roll is going to show the ugly line.
3. the 86 bumper design is that it extends to where the hood begins on most other cars, so wrapping the bump, to me, is enough.

Thanks Kevin!
I was actually already thinking of getting tints at autolinks soon, so maybe i get negotiate a deal like urs with the clear bra. what % did u get and you have some pics? I debating what % will be good

i got 30% for the tint. I drive a fair amount at night so don't want to go too dark. I'll take a pic after work.

This is kind of old school. I de-rust first ( iron x or wolf's ), I put a healthy gob of touch up paint and let it cure for 24 hrs, then I use a nib file to bring the paint spots down level, then polish. Here's a link showing a nib file and a video as well. It's kind of an old school version of claying, but you're actually cutting imperfections off the paint with the file.

http://www.eastwood.com/painted-nib-file-curved.html

Doesn't the sanding destroy the paint around the paint chip?

Just used Dr. Colorchip on a chip that was down to the metal on my BRZ. It's not professional but it works and the metal is protected. Here's a before and after shot. Sorry for the crappy pics, was very sunny and couldn't hardly see the screen of my phone. lol
http://www.ft86club.com/forums/pictu...pictureid=5329

http://www.ft86club.com/forums/pictu...pictureid=5328

Looks quite a bit better and smaller! Will be trying it shortly. Did you wax/polish/detail after?

I just applied it this morning and haven't done anything else to it. If I remember correctly I believe the box says not to wax for 3 days. I may try to do a couple more applications to build it up more but I can honestly say I am very happy with the results so far.

Will Dr Colorchip work if the chip its right on the edge of my door?

i was gonna post this earlier but got caught up with events during the weekend. Anyway, here is what 30% tint looks like under full sun. You can still sort of see the inside. If it's at night you won't be able to see the inside. I got the Pinnicle series ceramic tint.
Attachment 40989

I suggested that she get a clear bra and she chipped my paint even more!

I've tried to use dr color chip this weekend. The paint just doesn't stick to the chip. Any suggestions? I did clean the areas very well and have tried the dabbing and smearing with no success. In fact I tried to apply one coat last night and one today and when I smeared it took last nights paint right out of the chip. I wonder if I got a bad batch of the stuff?

Could give it call. I know it's okay to smear it I mean the other bottle is to clean it up.

I used Dr.color for a chip paint on the trunk using a toothpick. let it dry with a blowdryer and continue to layer it. I haven't even it out yet just taking my time to layer it. So far it is less noticeable.

It stuck to the center of the chip. But I cannot get it to "fill" the chip for the life of me.

Let it dry and keep layering.

I tried that. But when I smear it takes my previous work away. I even waited over night. Can't seem to get the paint to stay.

Okay here is my result. I hard a hard time getting the camera to focus once the chip was covered up. Not a bad job. Worth $50? I'm not so sure. I did cover up a few smaller dings with more success.

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps18e0413d.jpg

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/d...ps13ca5c8e.jpg

I agree that there is no point to get the hood done. I've been naked for 6 months and all the chips are on my front bumper, and oddly enough, both C pillars and roof!

Subaru paint is the flimsiest I've ever encountered. After 8K the front of my first car looked like it had been bead-blasted. OTOH, my Avalanche - bought around the same time, with 9K on it - is nearly pristine. And it has a LOT more frontal area.

My BRZ caught a lot on the hood too - nearly as many as the front fascia.