Paint chip repair - results not as expected

[suprax]

I have a 2005 Volkswagen Reflex Metallic Silver GTI 1.8T, 6 weeks old. About 3 weeks ago I got 2 chips on my driver`s door while going to work (on the highway of course!). From the same rock, it put a chip in front of my handle and a chip on the handle, lucky me!



So yesterday I went to touch it up. I`ve had the guide from this site for years and I`m very familiar with it, and followed the repair instructions very closely. Used a toothpick and all. I had matching touchup paint from WalMart (yes I know, WalMart, but it`s color-code matching VW paint). I put it on and let it sit and "cure" until this evening. I went out, sanded it down, got it smooth. It`s smooth all right, but it doesn`t exactly match!



It appears to have come out darker than the rest of the car`s paint! Like it has the metallic in it, but the silver is just darker than the surrounding area/whole door. I assumed when I used rubbing compound on it, that would "mix" the paint thats right around the area in resulting in a match but I must be wrong.



I used this GS27 rubbing compound stuff, so maybe that`s my problem? I`m about to go to Pepboys and get some better buffing compound and try again I suppose.



I`ve attached a photo of the results. You can see how it`s darker on the chip. It`s smooth as heck, just darker and obviously sticks out bad (even worse than the un-painted chip!).



Does Anyone have any advice? Any specific kind of rubbing compound I should try? I`d like to get something from Pepboys or Autozone or something local, instead of ordering some expensive brand off the Internet if possible. There is also a car shop around here that has all kinds of paint and could probably get me an exact match.. should I clean out the chip and try this? Any help is greatly appreciated here!!



http://miga.afraid.org/chip.png

[imported_truzoom]

I imagine it`s much more difficult to touch up metalic chips because the flakes add another dimension to match. You also need to put some touch up clearcoat over it to complete it, so give that a try and see if it helps to blend it in.

[suprax]

Originally posted by truzoom

I imagine it`s much more difficult to touch up metalic chips because the flakes add another dimension to match. You also need to put some touch up clearcoat over it to complete it, so give that a try and see if it helps to blend it in.



Well, I just have a feeling that that won`t do it. It is visibily darker than the rest. I don`t have clearcoat so I will have to get that as well.. I can get some from pepboys. Should I try a stronger rubbing compound, and then clear?

[15951]

You had me at "WalMart". I`m no expert, but their color matching might not have been as good as if you had purchased the touch-up paint from a VW dealer. Maybe you can sand it down a bit in that area and try the genuine stuff - might be a better match.



Good luck!

[suprax]

Originally posted by 15951

You had me at "WalMart". I`m no expert, but their color matching might not have been as good as if you had purchased the touch-up paint from a VW dealer. Maybe you can sand it down a bit in that area and try the genuine stuff - might be a better match.



Good luck!



Yeah, I`ll either try getting some from the dealer or this autofinishers store. I know WalMart isn`t exactly the best for supplies but the Dupli-Color paint has always been pretty good.. I used it on my last Blue metallic truck and it worked pretty good. It`s an exact color code match too.

[the other pc]

You said it yourself "I had matching touchup paint from WalMart".



Polish/compound can`t blend color. They`re only for smoothing out the shape and texture. The color has to be right in the first place.



Get it from a dealer. The color should actually be close to right but the look won`t be quite right without a clear topcoat. I don`t know about VW but some companies` touch-up kits come with clear.





PC.

[JeffM]

You cannot wetsand a metallic, you will dull the metal flakes and it will look like ka ka.



You need to clean it up, reapply the metallic with something like a toothpic, then add a few apps. of clear. The clear is what is sanded and buffed, and blended.

[suprax]

Originally posted by JBM

You cannot wetsand a metallic, you will dull the metal flakes and it will look like ka ka.



You need to clean it up, reapply the metallic with something like a toothpic, then add a few apps. of clear. The clear is what is sanded and buffed, and blended.



Ooh, hrm. You say to clean it up.. how should I go about getting out the paint thats already in there? I`m going tomorrow to get some paint from the VW dealer, and tonight I bought 3M Perfect-It II rubbing compound and 3M Imperial Hand Glaze. I used a toothpick to apply the paint the first time so I think I did that right.



Here`s a question: using the toothpick I didn`t get the paint to be perfect, meaning it obviously looked like a blob. So your saying to do the same this time, and then clearcoat it and then sand? Where do I do the rubbing compound and hand glaze?



If I put drops of clearcoat on top of the paint, won`t that get sanded off when I sand to get it level and get down to the paint itself, thus doing the same I first did?

[JeffM]

How long ago did you touch it up?



If it wasnt too long ago, i would(knowing what my inventory looks like), try #83 and a polishing pad over the area, it might polish it out.



Or, and i say this with caution, try some laquer thinner, quickly. Do a test on the underside of a door, see if it harms the paint. I am pretty sure it will remove any touch up paint.



Then clean the area agian with denatured alcohol.(Walmart)



Dont put so much on the toothpick so that it blobs. Just scratch the chips so you get paint transfer. 2 or 3 almost meaningless applications are better than a glob of paint.



Leave it recessing into the chip, then using clear, and the same technique, build up a layer so that it is raised from the surrounding factory paint.



Leave it like that for a week.



Wet sand with nothing less than 2000 wetsand paper, and let that soak for 1/2 or so before you start. A drop of dish soap makes it slipperier.



I would use a small piece of SP, and try to hover over the chip using a slight circular motion to knock it down a little, then lightly blend it into the paint.



You might be able to remove the sand marks by hand using ScratchX and a terry applicator or a cotton piece of towel.

[suprax]

Originally posted by JBM

How long ago did you touch it up?



If it wasnt too long ago, i would(knowing what my inventory looks like), try #83 and a polishing pad over the area, it might polish it out.



Or, and i say this with caution, try some laquer thinner, quickly. Do a test on the underside of a door, see if it harms the paint. I am pretty sure it will remove any touch up paint.



Then clean the area agian with denatured alcohol.(Walmart)



Dont put so much on the toothpick so that it blobs. Just scratch the chips so you get paint transfer. 2 or 3 almost meaningless applications are better than a glob of paint.



Leave it recessing into the chip, then using clear, and the same technique, build up a layer so that it is raised from the surrounding factory paint.



Leave it like that for a week.



Wet sand with nothing less than 2000 wetsand paper, and let that soak for 1/2 or so before you start. A drop of dish soap makes it slipperier.



I would use a small piece of SP, and try to hover over the chip using a slight circular motion to knock it down a little, then lightly blend it into the paint.



You might be able to remove the sand marks by hand using ScratchX and a terry applicator or a cotton piece of towel.



I just touched this up last night, so it`s been just over 24 hours since application. #83 is Meguiers dual action cleaner polish? If my local stores don`t have any, is there anything else I could try? What it looks like in the picture is pretty much what it looks like.. just darker than the rest. So polishing might do the job?



I`m worried about using the lacquer thinner so I`m probably not going to chance it. I know I would screw something like that up!



You say to denature with alcohol again? Should I do that before any of the steps above?



It was weird when I was touching up.. I tried to not get a lot on the toothpick but when I just had a little on the toothpick it wouldn`t go anywhere. So I had to get some more on the toothpick (almost a blob) and then put that in there.



And finally with the clearcoat that I put on top.. how do I tell how much is too much? Will I be able to see a buildup on top of the paint?



Thanks!