Touch-up Paint Match & Removal

[damonb10]

Hello,



I attempted to repair some paint chips on my Infiniti G35 (Lakeshore Slate) this past weekend. The color match was not very good, which is frustrating. The touch-up paint was purchased at the dealer and matches my paint code. The paint is a metallic or pearl style paint, so I understand the match is difficult for these types.



My first question is where do most people have the best luck with getting matches to a pearl or metallic style paint? At the dealer? Or another brand such as Dupli-color?



My other question is whether it is possible to remove the work I`ve done with lacquer thinner after the paint has been setting since Saturday night. If I can get a better match, I`d like to remove what I`ve done so far. What are some tips in removing this work or working with the thinner if that is what you suggest?



Thanks!



Damon

[orngez]

...you have to get the matching pearl/metalic clearcoat to get the paint to match...a claybar should remove the touchup paint...

[damonb10]

From what I`ve been reading, I thought a claybar wouldn`t do anything. Like I said above, this has been on my car since Saturday night and now we are into Tuesday. I keep hearing lacquer thinner mentioned and wanted to know if that is what I should use and what tips I should be doing when using it.



Never heard of being required to get pearl/metallic clearcoat to match. Are you sure? The basecoat just doesn`t seem right, which I know can happen. That is why I`m wondering who and where you all have had the best luck in getting a match for your paint.

[Kenney]

I thought to get a perfect match you have to take the touchup paint to a paint place for them to blend to match the chipped area. The place near me, Senik Paint, said they would match the color.

[ZoranC]

It is my understanding "pearl/metallic" part is in the clear coat. Now it is very likely I might be wrong as I have zero knowledge on paints, I am just giving FYI on what I heard.



Clay bar is not strong enugh to remove excess of cured paint. If it were we would be marring our cars badly when claying.

[FitSport]

Hello,



I attempted to repair some paint chips on my Infiniti G35 (Lakeshore Slate) this past weekend. The color match was not very good, which is frustrating. The touch-up paint was purchased at the dealer and matches my paint code. The paint is a metallic or pearl style paint, so I understand the match is difficult for these types.



From what I`ve been told by a fellow bodyshop man, if the touchup is darker than the surrounding paint, then that means it`s lacking clear coat. I`m having the same problem on my brand new Honda. :mad:

[Jimmie]

There is a paint shop in my town that will match your paint for a touch-up bottle. They also offer to put your matched paint in a pressurized aerosol can to take with you.

[paco]

Silver is one of the toughest to touch-up.



To be a perfect match, you need to a proper primer color, paint pen, and clear.



Metallics are tough to match to boot as the flaking is tough to reproduce with a HVLP.



The general rule of thumb is the 4 foot test. If you can see the correction from 4ft or further, be happy. It`s almost impossible to get a perfectly unnoticable touch up, regardless of technique.

[tensors22288]

I just used a website where they mix the paint to match your factory color and send you everything you need.. My project was painting my plastic door handles. In order to get the correct metallic silver match, they said I needed to use clearcoat over the basecoat. So long story short, with metallics at least, most of the time you need clearcoat to get the correct match in the end.



On a side not, after spraying the clear on there is still a difference in the paint color (Car color vs. handle color) But I have not yet polished out the clear so I cannot say for sure how well the color will match, I`ll let you know, maybe it will help u out

[imported_truzoom]

You should maybe try PaintScratch Touch-Up Paint (rs), Spray Cans, Spray Paint, Paint Pens, Car Paint, Automotive Paint (http://www.paintscratch.com). I believe they will match down to the blend used on your specific VIN. Probably more than the dealership did for you.

[salty]

The LT will take your paint chip paint off, almost instantly. I have never had much success touching up silvers for the reasons that paco stated. Silver metallics will look good from one angle and horrible from others. You can never get the flakes to lay the same direction as the original paint.



You could try a cheap airbrush, paint thinned with LT.

Or find someone like Paint Bull.

[ZoranC]

Or find someone like Paint Bull.

Who/what is a/the Paint Bull?

[salty]

Paint Repair Training (http://paintbull.com/paint.htm)



There are others, i just use their name because they are fairly large.

We have someone around here doing spot painting and micro-repairs and the system works well. I still think the best way is an autobody shop but for small stuff, it works.



A couple problems i have found are. The guy must do good work and some solvents will cloud the painting( his system, any way) a simple polish bring it back.

[imported_Bababooey]

I had an ivory pearl G35 for a few years that became riddled with rocks chips on the front bumper and had a deep two inch scratch on the rear. When you purchase touch up paint from nissan corresponding to your paint code it comes in a pair (topcoat and basecoat). In my opinion it`s impossible to spot repair. The top coat which contains the metal flake overly darkens the paint no matter how little or how much you use. I took my car to three or four different auto body shops (some high end and reputable businesses) and every response was the same. They all told me not to expect great results much less a perfect match. My best option would require respraying the entire panel.

[ZoranC]

Paint Repair Training (http://paintbull.com/paint.htm)



There are others, i just use their name because they are fairly large.

Thank you for the pointer!