Paint chip repair help

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NWForester

NWForester

10 Year
Joined
Aug 27, 2013
Threads
13
Messages
142
Location
NOVA
I think the time has come for me to put on the ole painter's hat. I have pulled the front of the truck apart to: remove bug deflector, paint the grill, add Depo one piece headlights, and fit the much anticipated Dissent Off-road bumper. In doing so I have had the pleasure of meeting many areas of chipped paint (mostly from the damn bug deflector). I'm not very experienced with body related work and detailing. I want to learn.

What are you guys using to repair paint chips? I'm looking for a process or maybe a packaged system that will neutralize any oxidation, match the color as closely as possible, then seal it. I usually go all in with everything so I'm hoping that there's something more substantial than glorified nail polish.

It seems that in posts that paint chip repair is mentioned, it's just a passing comment. Again, I'm wet behind the ears as far as this goes and would appreciate any help (and will also take the necessary criticism) to get this going.

If you're reading this and know something about a good protecting wax, please let me know that as well. Right now I'm using Nufinish in the orange bottle.

Thanks for your time.

Richard
 
You can buy toyota touch up paint for your model year and color. It comes in a dual container that has a paint pen, and a brush. Use the paint pen for small little touch ups, and the brush for larger. As long as there is no rust, that will suffice. Also you can buy clear coat in a magic marker type sponge pen. It goes on pretty easy and will protect the paint that you just touched up. It won't match the existing clear coat 100% but I see these as trucks so cosmetics aren't high on my list, just longevity and no rust.
 
Richard,

Go here to find your correct paint code http://www.toyotareference.com./landcruiser/1998-2007.

When you order, be sure to buy plenty of toothpicks. I deal with this everyday at work when a customer comes in and wants things touched up.

Use a small bit of lacquer thinner on a microfiber cloth and gently rub the chip and small surrounding area.

Dab the end of the toothpick into the paint and apply to the vehicle, letting the capillary action pull the paint off the pick and into the paint. A lot of people make the mistake of just smearing paint all over the scratch/chip and it ends up looking even worse than it did before.

After it dries and you apply your clearcoat, you need to wetsand, and buff over with a heavy cut then light cut compound/pollish to make it level with the surrounding paint, but a lot of people skip that step.

This can be a finicky job but you'll save yourself a lot of money by doing it yourself!

In terms of a decent wax, sealants usually work better for protection. Sealants are also known as synthetic waxes - Meguiars NXT 2.0, Meguiar's Ultimate Wax, and Meguiars No. 21 are a few examples. The first two can be found over the counter at any auto parts store and all are super easy to use. There is also Collonite 476 which is another hardy hybrid of synthetic and natural ingredients which has worked well, but removing it can be a pain in the arse if you apply it too thick or leave it on too long (ask how I know).

I use Meguiars #21 Synthetic Sealant 2.0 and it has never let me down.

The downside to sealants is they generally don't have that darker, richer look of a natural carnauba wax but they definitely last longer, especially with proper surface prep - ie: claybar.

Hope this helps!

Cheers,

Rich
 
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landylover21 said:
Richard,

Go here to find your correct paint code http://www.toyotareference.com./landcruiser/1998-2007.

When you order, be sure to buy plenty of toothpicks. I deal with this everyday at work when a customer comes in and wants things touched up.

Use a small bit of lacquer thinner on a microfiber cloth and gently rub the chip and small surrounding area.

Dab the end of the toothpick into the paint and apply to the vehicle, letting the capillary action pull the paint off the pick and into the paint. A lot of people make the mistake of just smearing paint all over the scratch/chip and it ends up looking even worse than it did before.

After it dries and you apply your clearcoat, you need to wetsand, and buff over with a heavy cut then light cut compound/pollish to make it level with the surrounding paint, but a lot of people skip that step.

This can be a finicky job but you'll save yourself a lot of money by doing it yourself!

In terms of a decent wax, sealants usually work better for protection. Sealants are also known as synthetic waxes - Meguiars NXT 2.0, Meguiar's Ultimate Wax, and Meguiars No. 21 are a few examples. The first two can be found over the counter at any auto parts store and all are super easy to use. There is also Collonite 476 which is another hardy hybrid of synthetic and natural ingredients which has worked well, but removing it can be a pain in the arse if you apply it too thick or leave it on too long (ask how I know).

I use Meguiars #21 Synthetic Sealant 2.0 and it has never let me down.

The downside to sealants is they generally don't have that darker, richer look of a natural carnauba wax but they definitely last longer, especially with proper surface prep - ie: claybar.

Hope this helps!

Cheers,

Rich
Click to expand...

Rich,

I was pulling the trigger and responding while you were busy typing. That's some great information. I typically get overwhelmed when researching finishing products as every manufacturer says theirs is the best and for every end user that likes a product, there is another that can't stand it, all of which is subjective.

Your help hit the nail on the head. Thank you. I'll see what I can pull off with what I've now committed to, but the toothpick applicator is genius.

As for wax, I'm not looking for much shine, but rather durability.

What clear coat would you use and how to apply?

Thanks for your help and time.
 
No problem at all. I enjoy helping others, especially when it comes to detailing mainly because I'm pretty useless when it comes to anything mechanical!

Meguiars #21 sounds like a contender, or the over the counter version NXT 2.0 is good as well and readily available. The only difference between the two is application method and 21 being able to handle heat better with a rotary and dual action buffer. I love it because it gives me the best of both worlds, durability and looks! I realized I may be flamed for this, especially on this board, but I do care about how my vehicle looks, and being an auto detailer, it's kind of addicting.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002J854UC/?tag=ihco-20

Collinite 476 is also another good contender, but as I said earlier, it's a pain to work with.

http://www.amazon.com/Collinite-No-Super-Doublecoat-Auto/dp/B000AP8DZY?tag=ihco-20

Durability depends on proper surface preparation, ie: claybar your paint and proper polishing if needed before waxing. It also depends on maintenance, ie: regular washing and quick wax boosting once and awhile.

In the end it is a very subjective subject and if you ask on a detailing forum what is the "best" in terms of durability, you'll get a million answers :worms:. I'm only relaying you information based on my opinion with 14 years of detailing experience, and finding products that work the best over time!

If you order paint through www.automotivetouchup.com, they will give you a few options in terms of bottle size and clear coat options. I find the 2 oz. touchup bottle is big enough for small chips and scratches. They also have an option for clearcoat in a 2 oz. bottle. Usually autobody supply stores will have small bottles of clear on hand as well if you have any stores like that around you.

Apply the clearcoat in the similar fashion you did with the paint, if it gets hard to apply, use the brush, and use thin coats. You'll have to lightly wetsand to level it with the paint anyway, it's just more to sand down. Remember to let it fully cure before wetsanding! After that, follow up with a heavy compound, then a light compound (polish) and seal 'er up with your wax!

Let me know if you need any other help!
 
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landylover21 said:
No problem at all. I enjoy helping others, especially when it comes to detailing mainly because I'm pretty useless when it comes to anything mechanical!

Meguiars #21 sounds like a contender, or the over the counter version NXT 2.0 is good as well and readily available. The only difference between the two is application method and 21 being able to handle heat better with a rotary and dual action buffer. I love it because it gives me the best of both worlds, durability and looks! I realized I may be flamed for this, especially on this board, but I do care about how my vehicle looks, and being an auto detailer, it's kind of addicting.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002J854UC/?tag=ihco-20

Collinite 476 is also another good contender, but as I said earlier, it's a pain to work with.

http://www.amazon.com/Collinite-No-Super-Doublecoat-Auto/dp/B000AP8DZY?tag=ihco-20

Durability depends on proper surface preparation, ie: claybar your paint and proper polishing if needed before waxing. It also depends on maintenance, ie: regular washing and quick wax boosting once and awhile.

In the end it is a very subjective subject and if you ask on a detailing forum what is the "best" in terms of durability, you'll get a million answers :worms:. I'm only relaying you information based on my opinion with 14 years of detailing experience, and finding products that work the best over time!

If you order paint through www.automotivetouchup.com, they will give you a few options in terms of bottle size and clear coat options. I find the 2 oz. touchup bottle is big enough for small chips and scratches. They also have an option for clearcoat in a 2 oz. bottle. Usually autobody supply stores will have small bottles of clear on hand as well if you have any stores like that around you.

Apply the clearcoat in the similar fashion you did with the paint, if it gets hard to apply, use the brush, and use thin coats. You'll have to lightly wetsand to level it with the paint anyway, it's just more to sand down. Remember to let it fully cure before wetsanding! After that, follow up with a heavy compound, then a light compound (polish) and seal 'er up with your wax!

Let me know if you need any other help!
Click to expand...

Now my ignorance is showing...

Up to this point in time, exterior car care consisted of a wash then wax with no attention to anything. I want to get smart about it and have spent a bit of time looking at processes and products. What a can of worms.

I will be upgrading my random orbital detailer to one that will accept different pads.

When you talk about a heavy then light polishing compound, what do you use?
 
In terms of heavy, medium, light cuts, there are a ton of options.

For heavy cut for the worst of the worst paint finishes I use Meguiar's 105, followed by 205 which is a light cut polish. This can be followed by a glaze and sealed with the wax of your choice.

These of course are not the only options but for me they've worked well.

I'm not a fan of those scratch removers that claim to "remove" scratches because in reality, they only fill with polishing oils and gradually wear away as time goes by slowly revealing the scratch the user "removed" before. A lot of people ask why I put so much time into surface prep is because I'd rather remove than hide any surface imperfections.

I love my Porter Cable dual action buffer, and even some of the cheaper DA's from Harbor Freight will suffice for awhile.

I also have a Dewalt rotary which I use a lot on many of my customer vehicles, but if someone is not familiar with how to properly use a rotary buffer, then I don't recommend buying one because its very easy to screw things up if someone doesn't know what they're doing. I would know, at 13 I screwed up the hood of my mom's 2001 LS430 so bad that it had to be repainted...
 
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landylover21 said:
In terms of heavy, medium, light cuts, there are a ton of options.

For heavy cut for the worst of the worst paint finishes I use Meguiar's 105, followed by 205 which is a light cut polish. This can be followed by a glaze and sealed with the wax of your choice.

These of course are not the only options but for me they've worked well.

I'm not a fan of those scratch removers that claim to "remove" scratches because in reality, they only fill with polishing oils and gradually wear away as time goes by slowly revealing the scratch the user "removed" before. A lot of people ask why I put so much time into surface prep is because I'd rather remove than hide any surface imperfections.

I love my Porter Cable dual action buffer, and even some of the cheaper DA's from Harbor Freight will suffice for awhile.
Click to expand...

▲Solid info▲

I get the best results wash -
Wash
Clay bar
Chip fill
105 - on troubled areas
205 - everywhere
Wax

With a Porter Cable dual action buffer and Meguiar's 105 & 205 it is almost impossible to damage your paint providing you only start the PC buffer on the paint.

As for chips I use a syringe and jeweler glasses to get the best results.
 
Usually every spring I have a regimen for any of my vehicles.

1. Degrease and wash
2. Claybar
3. Wash again (some don't find this necessary but I do it anyway)
4. Compound 105 on heavily scratched areas if there are any
5. Buff vehicle with 205
6. Buff vehicle with Meguiar's M9 Mirror Glaze Swirl Remover 2.0
7. Follow up with a glaze which is basically pure polishing oils, absolutely no abrasives (I love Poorboys Black hole glaze, Meguiar's M7 is okay as well)
8. Seal with Meguiar's M21 Mirror Glaze Synthetic Sealant 2.0
9. Follow that with Meguiar's M26 High-Tech Yellow Wax (pure carnauba)

On any average day when I don't do my full cleanup I skip steps 3-6 and sometimes 2 if I'm rushing.

Now there have been instances where I don't even need to do certain steps but its mainly because I'm so anal about maintaining things.

One thing I try to remind people about is that if you're using a pure polish like M205, even though it has a light cut, you're still taking off microscopic layers of your clearcoat. I figure if the paint is in good shape with no scratches or swirls, there's no need to use any type of cut on the paint. Conversely, if a vehicle's paint has been neglected, then proper surface prep is vital. I ask customers who object to paying a higher price, do you want a shiny car with shiny scratches?

I use Megs products mainly cause they've worked for me and get the desired results I want. Also, they're designed to work together so I won't have to worry about cross compatibility with different formulas.

Sorry, I get a little long-winded when it comes to detailing! :rolleyes:
 
I also have had great success with Meguiar's products, and I recently added another product to my list of "likes:" Griot's Garage Complete Compound. http://www.griotsgarage.com/product/complete+compound+16+ounces.do It's super easy to use, cuts many jobs from 2 steps to 1, and I've gotten excellent results. It's now available on the shelf at Advance Auto Parts (and maybe other auto parts stores as well, but I don't know which ones)
 
Both the commentary and the excellent advice given freely is why I like this forum and community so much. Cheers guys.
 
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