Fixing rock chips

YellowVee · 04-02-05, 08:36

I got a Nissan last spring and as the other Nissan owners, I'm having problems with the paint that chips easily. Last summer I tried to fix rock ships with a touch pen from the dealership (touch up pain + clear) but I'm very unsatisfied of the result, since the touch paint doesn't even match the color of the base coat. I would like to know where I could find documentation about the best method to fix rock chips. I want that my paint looks like new once I fixed a chip. I just ordered a 5starshine kit tonight. I hope this will help a bit to avoid chips...

Eliot Ness · 04-02-05, 08:46

Welcome to Autopia! Here is a good article on Repairing Chips & Scratches:

http://www.bettercarcare.com/articles.php?articleId=27

And here is a good source for touch up paint:

http://www.paintscratch.com/

You can get it as a pen or a touch up bottle (I like the bottles myself). With a little practice you can get those rock chips blended in pretty well, as long as you can get paint that matches.

YellowVee · 04-02-05, 08:51

I've been told to use base coat paint and not touch up paint if I want the color to be exactly the same, because touch up paint is more reflective than base coat and the color looks different when we add the clear

Eliot Ness · 04-02-05, 08:58

If you go to the site for paint I linked you to, they sell it as a base coat if that's what your car used. You can go to an auto paint supplier and have them mix your color up, but you'll have to also buy reducer, hardner, etc.. Just depends on how far you want to go. You'll add a layer of clear after the base if needed, but sometimes on a small spot you can get by with just a wet-sand, polish and wax.

For $15 I'd try PaintScratch first, they've done a pretty good job matching paint for me before. They also have a "how-to" on their site.

YellowVee · 04-02-05, 09:11

I've read all the documentation and this seams to be very good. Thanks. I really take care when I drive to avoid rocks projections, but I drive a lot on the highway and I think this is the worse for rock chips...

BigAl3 · 04-02-05, 09:49

www.autovisuals.com