How best to touch up scratches?

[molgrips]

So I've got a scratch on the back, near the boot opening. It's down to the primer, but not the metal. I've got the touch-up kit from Toyota, but I haven't had much success getting a repair that's close to invisible.

I tried just painting the scratch, I also tried painting a wider area and wiping excess off using a solvent-soaked paper towel. This worked a bit but either it wiped all the paint away or, if I left it longer, it sort of polished the paint leaving a smooth shiny patch in my sparkly metallic paint.

Have you guys got any tips? I've also got some chips in the bonnet which are round and down to the metal - these are very hard to fill in with paint...

I'm a little reluctant to get the sandpaper out, in case I screw it up!

[Tideland Prius]

if it's a light scratch, try waxing first.

I have a deep scratch (most likely by a key or a knife) just above the PRIUS emblem on the hatch. It's about 1½" long and I cannot touch that up without making it obvious. I've done well with other chips and scratches though.

[curse]

Here's what I have done for such minor touck-ups...

1. Clean the immediate area with alcohol.
2. Dip a toothpick into the touch-up paint to get only a small amount - not a drop.
3. Transfer the paint into the scratch like a fine tipped pen, not like a brush. As long as the primer is intact, you are only trying to hide the primer color, not to completely fill the scratch or feather it into the surrounding area.

Maybe not the best method, but I think that the more paint you apply or the wider you make the repair, the more obvious the repair will be.

Good luck!

[B Rad]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Mark M. @ Aug 10 2006, 11:50 AM) [snapback]300887[/snapback]</div>

Here's what I have done for such minor touck-ups...

1. Clean the immediate area with alcohol.
2. Dip a toothpick into the touch-up paint to get only a small amount - not a drop.
3. Transfer the paint into the scratch like a fine tipped pen, not like a brush. As long as the primer is intact, you are only trying to hide the primer color, not to completely fill the scratch or feather it into the surrounding area.

Maybe not the best method, but I think that the more paint you apply or the wider you make the repair, the more obvious the repair will be.

Good luck!
[/b]

After you do the above, take a small piece of 2000 wet sand paper and lightly rub the imediate area to bring the new paint down level with the original paint. Then go over the area with rubbing compound followed by a hand glaze and then wax. Be gentle......