First dents and scratches repaired

[jiepsie]

Got my shiny silver bullet back today, after someone dropped something on the hood last week while it was parked. The hood has a new layer of paint now, all the road debris damage is gone as well and hopefully this paint is stronger than the original. Final bonus: got a little bit of leftover paint to retouch any future chips. Repair cost: about $1000. Have to find out what this will mean for my insurance premium now...

[formerVWdriver]

Please tell me that's not the only way to fix a paint chip! I got my first rock chip yesterday on the hood but can't even consider repainting. Should I go get touch-up paint at the dealer? It's small, but a real chip. Help! (And I know that I should buy a clear bra, but that's not really an option.)

Should I try some scratch remover (I think this is deeper than a scratch -- it's a chip)? Or do I do the touch-up paint?

I'm sure this question has been asked before but I can't find it.

Thanks!

[brick]

If it's just a little chip then I recommend a careful dab of touch-up paint. Just make sure any dirt/oil are cleaned out and do your best only to apply just enough paint to make it level with the rest of the painted surface. It won't be perfect but you won't have to spend $1000, either.

[formerVWdriver]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(brick @ May 10 2007, 10:42 AM) [snapback]439066[/snapback]</div>

If it's just a little chip then I recommend a careful dab of touch-up paint. Just make sure any dirt/oil are cleaned out and do your best only to apply just enough paint to make it level with the rest of the painted surface. It won't be perfect but you won't have to spend $1000, either.
[/b]

Thank you!

It is just a car, but I'd like to keep it nice as long as possible. I'm getting a lot of exercise walking because I park it as far away as possible from other cars. When I get that first ding, I guess I'll just have to get over it.

Thanks also for telling me how to do it. I'm off to the dealer's this afternoon for the stuff!

[Devil's Advocate]

Hate to break it to you LowLander, but your new paintjob is significantly less durable than the factory job.

That is unless they rmove the hood and baked on the electrostatically applied paint!

Due to environmental concerns most aftermarket paint does not contain the chemicals necessary to get a truly hard (or durable) finish. Because most shops do not have the facilities to handle the more toxic paint.

There is NO paint that is tougher than factory. Especially from Honda and Mercedes. Toyota is now using a water based product similar to paints used by GM and Chrysler for over a decade. These paints need a high curing temperature to cure properly, not available at most shops.

[JimN]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(formerVWdriver @ May 10 2007, 10:20 AM) [snapback]439103[/snapback]</div>

Thank you!

It is just a car, but I'd like to keep it nice as long as possible. I'm getting a lot of exercise walking because I park it as far away as possible from other cars. When I get that first ding, I guess I'll just have to get over it.

Thanks also for telling me how to do it. I'm off to the dealer's this afternoon for the stuff!
[/b]

Is the chip down to the white primer? I found this link interesting. http://carcareonline.com/viewarticle.aspx?art=8

I had "mixed results" with 7 year old Olds touch up paint on my Intrigue. The touched up edge of the trunk lid is unnoticeable. The 2 big chips on the front bumper (debris hit hard?) [2 ugly cuts down to black plastic] and a chip just behind the leading edge of the hood look like patched bullet holes. They do become invisible when it rains. Haven't mustered up the will to tackle the scratch & chips from a shopping cart scrape on the door yet.

Yup, the first ding hurts.

[formerVWdriver]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JimN @ May 10 2007, 10:07 PM) [snapback]439627[/snapback]</div>

Is the chip down to the white primer? I found this link interesting. http://carcareonline.com/viewarticle.aspx?art=8

I had "mixed results" with 7 year old Olds touch up paint on my Intrigue. The touched up edge of the trunk lid is unnoticeable. The 2 big chips on the front bumper (debris hit hard?) [2 ugly cuts down to black plastic] and a chip just behind the leading edge of the hood look like patched bullet holes. They do become invisible when it rains. Haven't mustered up the will to tackle the scratch & chips from a shopping cart scrape on the door yet.

Yup, the first ding hurts.
[/b]

Thanks for the link. There is more to this chip-fixing thing than I think I can pull off!

It is a small diamond-shaped chip that appears to go down to the metal, or at any rate, to something that is not white like the car's paint. The dealer was out of touch-up paint and won't have any until next week. I am debating whether to dab on Rustoleum to protect it until then. (Or is the hood made out of oatmeal or something that doesn't rust?) I can take a small problem and turn it into a big one (small chip into big mess) so I guess I will wait for the touch-up paint and hope for the best.

I'm sorry about the shopping cart. Ouch! You're handling it gracefully.

[JimN]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(formerVWdriver @ May 11 2007, 08:31 AM) [snapback]439855[/snapback]</div>

Thanks for the link. There is more to this chip-fixing thing than I think I can pull off!

It is a small diamond-shaped chip that appears to go down to the metal, or at any rate, to something that is not white like the car's paint. The dealer was out of touch-up paint and won't have any until next week. I am debating whether to dab on Rustoleum to protect it until then. (Or is the hood made out of oatmeal or something that doesn't rust?) I can take a small problem and turn it into a big one (small chip into big mess) so I guess I will wait for the touch-up paint and hope for the best.

I'm sorry about the shopping cart. Ouch! You're handling it gracefully.
[/b]

The hood is aluminum so it will take some malevolence to make it oxidize. The directions on the web site were written by professionals who will have an invisible repair when they are done. I'm no body shop expert so I don't expect a perfect repair. If it looks better most of the time and has cost next to nothing I'm satisfied. It's not a show car carried around in a closed trailer. I drive the car. Scratches, chips, and dings are going to happen sooner or later to one degree or another. Perhaps some of the problem is fresh paint in the bottle and years of fading paint on the car. At least I can practice on my Olds.

I asked the Parts Guy at my dealer about touch up paint for the Prius. He said I needed the paint code but wouldn't tell me where to find it or what it looks like. (I don't think it was worth his time to make a sale.) As long as you are buying some paint, would you mind sharing the location of the paint code?

[Y. Zhou]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JimN @ May 11 2007, 10:05 PM) [snapback]440329[/snapback]</div>

I asked the Parts Guy at my dealer about touch up paint for the Prius. He said I needed the paint code but wouldn't tell me where to find it or what it looks like. (I don't think it was worth his time to make a sale.) As long as you are buying some paint, would you mind sharing the location of the paint code?
[/b]

Magnetic Grey Paint Code = 1G3
Just go to the PriusChat shop and look under some of the accessories such as the shark-fin antenna. The list for selecting the correct color for your car has the paint code in parentheses:
http://priuschat.com/shop/product_info.php.../products_id/30

[JimN]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Loail @ May 12 2007, 08:02 AM) [snapback]440526[/snapback]</div>

Magnetic Grey Paint Code = 1G3
Just go to the PriusChat shop and look under some of the accessories such as the shark-fin antenna. The list for selecting the correct color for your car has the paint code in parentheses:
http://priuschat.com/shop/product_info.php.../products_id/30
[/b]

Thank you.