Need Help with Fixing Some Paint Chips

**scan** · 06-09-2008, 09:51 AM

Hello from Canada.

Finally getting some good consistent weather and I`ve started to start detailing my car from the long and harsh winter. I have quite a bit of paint chips that I want to fix up but I could use some advice.

I have many minor chips and one major chip, which is more like a slight rub/scratch on my bumper from bumping into something. I bought a small repair kit at my local automotive store called Dupli-color. The kit includes: a putty filler, primer, clear coat, sanding paper, and a compound.

So I washed my car very ligthly yesterday to get the majority of the dirt off. I plan to claybar my car today or tomorrow then proceeding to fix the chips.

My question is: after I fixed the chips and sanded the surface, should I apply a paint cleaner or a polish first? or both? What kind of applicator should I use? I have some foam pads that I use to apply my sealant. Should I use that? I want to be blend in the scratches from the sanding.

**imported_cushdrive** · 06-09-2008, 10:32 AM

You should apply the paint cleaner before you add the paint. After the repair you need to compound the wetsanded areas (it sometimes takes several passes, which also cut into your clearcote thickness). If you don`t have a rotary, compound, and agressive pads/wool I would not even attempt this whole venture. After compound comes polishing. My guess is at least two steps depending on how hard the clearcoat is. You finally get to the LSP. If you do not have the tools,products, and experience for all of these steps, please don`t attempt this. I have used Dr. Colorchip with good results. I would suggest going this route first.

**imported_Chris223** · 06-09-2008, 10:44 AM

I bought a kit like that from Advance Auto Parts. Came with the small sheet of wetsandpaper, a block, small packet of compound, clear coat and primer. What I did to fix my one big chip in my hood was clean, then put a coat of primer, wet sanded, then the paint, wet sanded, then the clear coat, wet sanded, and then I used the compound. Then after all that I polished and waxed the whole car, and it looks good, it`s pretty smooth in the area of the chip too. Can`t really notice it unless you get up close.

**scan** · 06-09-2008, 12:14 PM

Thanks fo the responses.

The question that remains for me is: what kind of applicator do I use to apply the compound? Also, what compound would you recommend. I live in Canada and I usually go to Canadian Tire or eShine Canada- Canada`s Car Care Leader. for my products. If you guys can suggest something I`d greatly appreciate it. I will be doing everything by hand btw. I don`t want to get a rotary to do this job.

**Eliot Ness** · 06-09-2008, 12:35 PM

Originally Posted by scan

......I live in Canada and I usually go to Canadian Tire or eShine Canada- Canada`s Car Care Leader. for my products..........

eShine carries the Langka kit you might want to consider:

eShine Canada: LANGKA Complete Paint Chip Repair Kit

You can do a search on Langka and see what some others feel about it. I personally prefer to just wet-sand and polish, but some have had good experiences with Langka. Btw, there is a version by Mothers that is basically the same stuff but it is currently selling for a lot less:

Ã‚`mothers paint chip - SHOP.COM

**imported_cushdrive** · 06-09-2008, 02:36 PM

Originally Posted by scan

Thanks fo the responses.

The question that remains for me is: what kind of applicator do I use to apply the compound? Also, what compound would you recommend. I live in Canada and I usually go to Canadian Tire or eShine Canada- Canada`s Car Care Leader. for my products. If you guys can suggest something I`d greatly appreciate it. I will be doing everything by hand btw. I don`t want to get a rotary to do this job.

Why don`t you start by telling us what you have in your arsenal. Do you have a PC, Rotary, UDM, Flex, etc.? If so, what kind of pads do you have? How about products, do you have any compounds, polishes, glaze, etc? Knowing what you have will make it easier to tell you what to get. I don`t think you`re going to want to go out and buy a rotary and a slew of pads just to correct some rock chips......

**scan** · 06-09-2008, 06:45 PM

Originally Posted by cushdrive

Why don`t you start by telling us what you have in your arsenal. Do you have a PC, Rotary, UDM, Flex, etc.? If so, what kind of pads do you have? How about products, do you have any compounds, polishes, glaze, etc? Knowing what you have will make it easier to tell you what to get. I don`t think you`re going to want to go out and buy a rotary and a slew of pads just to correct some rock chips......

Ok sure. I have the following in my garage:

-Meguiars clay bar kit

-Wolfgang Paintwork Polish Enhancer (I think this is more of a paint cleaner)

-Wolfgang Deep Gloss Paint Sealant

-Meguiars NXT wax

-Meguiars Deep crystal car wash

-Yellow Foam applicator

-Blue Foam Polishing applicator

-Dupli-Color Scratch Fix 2in1 Premium Touch-Up Repair Kit

-and a bunch of microfibres towels, couple of waffle weaves, and coiuple of wash mitts

Most of this stuff I got last year when I got my car. Since my car was brand new I only washed, clayed, applied paint cleaner, and sealant; I decided there was no point to apply polish, hence all the questions about polish. After a rough winter, I got a bunch of chips. I am very comfortable doing the wetsanding though.

Re: Langka Kit

I did not want to get that kit because I want to use the wet sanding technique; for the big scratch I need to.

Thanks again for all the responses. Much appreciated.

**imported_cushdrive** · 06-10-2008, 06:44 AM

Well, I was hoping that you would say that you had a PC or Rotary. Maybe you can get some others to chime in, but I`ve experienced the kind of damage wetsanding can do to clearcoat and I wouldn`t have considered trying to compound the area by hand. There are some Meguiars tutorials on youtube where they`ve wetsanded areas and then corrected the area with a rotary. This is the only way I`ve done it personally. IMO if you really want to cross this line between your standard car washer/waxer to paint correction, go big and purchase a Makita, Dewalt, Metabo, or Flex rotary and get the Edge Foam and Wool lineup. If the rock chips are all you`re worried about correcting and don`t plan to polish your car in the future, it`d probably be cheaper to take the car to the dealer and have them outsource the work to someone who can correct them. If you decide to get the rotary, there is PLENTY of information on what people are buying if you do a search. Otherwise, post a new thread requesting information on hand compounding and see if anyone has had positive results.

**scan** · 06-10-2008, 11:22 AM

Originally Posted by cushdrive

Well, I was hoping that you would say that you had a PC or Rotary. Maybe you can get some others to chime in, but I`ve experienced the kind of damage wetsanding can do to clearcoat and I wouldn`t have considered trying to compound the area by hand. There are some Meguiars tutorials on youtube where they`ve wetsanded areas and then corrected the area with a rotary. This is the only way I`ve done it personally. IMO if you really want to cross this line between your standard car washer/waxer to paint correction, go big and purchase a Makita, Dewalt, Metabo, or Flex rotary and get the Edge Foam and Wool lineup. If the rock chips are all you`re worried about correcting and don`t plan to polish your car in the future, it`d probably be cheaper to take the car to the dealer and have them outsource the work to someone who can correct them. If you decide to get the rotary, there is PLENTY of information on what people are buying if you do a search. Otherwise, post a new thread requesting information on hand compounding and see if anyone has had positive results.

what is a PC?