Stone Chips - Metallics?

[jdthompson]

Not entirely sure which forum this belongs in and if I'm being totally honest I'm after the most possible opinions so I'll start here and if it needs moving feel free mods



I've acquired a small stone chip on the wing of my Boxster. It's only a small chip but that's like saying "It's only a small spot on the end of your nose" - it's doing my head in



The local Chips-Away reckon £100 and 4 hours to "blow" the area in and it will be gone.



The bodyshop the Porsche place use say "wouldn't touch any Chips-Away" and that to respray the wing would be £170 or so.



It's not so much the money, it's that having the wing re-sprayed seems way OTT on a six month old car. I'm not necessarily after 100% perfection I simply want the chip to look better than it does now.



Tomorrow I'm picking up a touch-up stick from the Porsche dealers, my plan was to try the "Cocktail Stick" method out on a small chip under the number plate where I can see how good/bad a job it does without it being at all noticeable.



What I'd appreciate is any feedback on dealing with stone chips on metallics, and how you deal with only flatting down the chip i.e. I don't want to be trying to wet sand a 6" square Porsche section wing



Best pics I could get on the mobile are:

 

[Just02]

That doesn't look too bad, and I see no reason you'd have to have anything sprayed. However, it's not going to look 100% perfect because it is a metallic... but you won't notice it unless you look for it. Also, you'll have to use sandpaper... think about it as a heavy rubbing compound which you have more control over.



1) Go to an automotive paint place around you -- a body shop will work, too -- and ask them to mix some touch-up paint for you. Be sure to bring along the paint code. Do not go to the dealer, I've never had luck with buying their touchup paint, even if it's from the "manufacture".



2) Clean the area, and the chip very well!



3) You have a few options in applying the paint...



- Use a syringe with an extremely small needle, use a toothpick, or use an ultra-fine artists brush.



Now, layer the touch-up paint until you reach the paints level. This may take you a few days to an entire week. You should go SLIGHTLY above the normal clearcoat. Just barely!



4) Let it dry for a day or two. Carefully buff off the extra paint (you can use ultra-fine sandpaper, just cut it into a small piece and attach it to something like an eraser) and then polish.



It should look better. Just remember, it won't be a perfect match since it's a metallic. Also, check around on here (use the search function), and look around on google for more information. Autopia.org has an article on paint repair... Here: http://autopia.org/forum/guide-detailing/80224-paint-clinic.html





I hope this helps ya out!

 

[NickelPlated.45]

Yeah, try not to make the paint blob too much higher than the surrounding area. That's usually what my problem is. It just makes for more wet sanding. Be careful with the sandpaper on the end of the eraser technique. First time i tried this i completely missed the paint blob and sanded the clear right next to it. Paint chips suck.

 

[jdthompson]

I'm considering getting some more quotes/opinions on Smart Repairs (not sure if that's what you call them in the US?).



I know you can't deal with every single chip but considering it's in quite a prominent position and (not being funny here) it's a pretty expensive car I'm not too concerned over $200 to fix it if it can be done properly without a respray.

 

[uzj100]

Just a thought, but based on your picture, you're not through the color (base coat) so you might try filling the area with clear rather than color.

 

[jdthompson]

The picture is a little deceptive as those are the only angles my phone camera would focus at, it is actually through the clear/paint and down to the grey primer though I've been assured by a couple of bodyshops that it's not going to rust/bubble/blister etc.



I've just got a bottle of Langka cheap off someone who went to the states and brought back a box of the stuff, it won't be here until later in the week so I have plenty of time to read up on the best technique but I'd appreciate any feedback.



The Langka website seems to suggest the "squeegee" method which is to just blob the paint in and squeegee the area level then use the Langka to remove the excess?!