Fixing rock chips

**YellowVee** · 04-02-2005, 11:36 PM

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** · 04-02-2005, 11:46 PM

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** · 04-02-2005, 11:51 PM

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** · 04-02-2005, 11:58 PM

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** · 04-03-2005, 12:11 AM

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...