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Just wanted to see if anyone has some info on these 2 topics (didn't want post 2 separate threads). Anyhow, I've been watching some youtube tutorials on how to address paint chips with touch up kits. The results seem ok but i'm not entirely convinced. Has anyone here had experience with touching up paint chips? And more importantly, what kit did you use?
As far as detailing goes, I'd like to address the above noted stone chips before heading over to a detailer. Once that's done, is there a detailer that anyone here recommends? I previously took my brothers Porsche's to California Detailers and was blown away by their work. I'm contemplating doing a ceramic pro coating too.
There have been MANY threads here discussing local GTA detailers. Personally I used Wes @ Orion Detailing for a full paint correction & opticoat pro and was, still am, very happy with the work performed.
Wes is doing my 993 in June. I have never been able to find someone to do stone chips. Bought touch up paint today and will do the best that I can over the weekend.
I've used the Porsche touch up paint from the dealer on my Lapis Blue Boxster. There wasn't much info to go along with it, so I just figured out how to use it by experimenting. It's a two stage touch up, with a base coat and clear coat. The base coat dries fairly quickly (dry to touch in 20 minutes, seemingly fully dry in a couple hours). I also discovered that dried base coat can be dissolved by alcohol, so you can use alcohol to remove excess paint or level out splotches. Note that if you wipe off excess base coat with a alcohol soaked towel, the surface of the paint will look rather drab/hazy/matte, but it comes out looking normal once you apply clear coat over top.
The clear coat you apply after the base coat is dry. It takes a few hours to dry to touch, and a full day to dry completely. After the clear coat dried, I masked off a small area around the chip, wet sanded the blob to roughly level it, and then polished it with rubbing compound.
I have mixed views on the results. The chips are much less noticeable than before, particularly given my dark paint colour. They used to stick out like a sore thumb, now they're only noticeable if you look for them. However, they're not perfect. I was reluctant to wet sand too much lest I go through the clear coat blob to the base coat, so there still is a small bump visible in light reflections. Also, I found their Lapis Blue touch up paint to be a poor match - it seemed too dark. I suspect part of it is that it lacks the metallic sparkles, so it doesn't reflect light the same way.
I've heard positive results from the Dr. ColorChip kit - you have to provide your car's info (make/model/paint code etc.. - but the results are supposed to be great. If you're interested, take a look below. Please let us know if you have any questions!
Thanks guys. I've never seen any chip repair that was that great, but on dark cars, I can't stand them. So my goal is to just mask them enough so they don't stick out like a sore thumb.
I researched many detailers before doing Ceramic Pro end of last season.
I ended up going with Auto Bath Elite. www.autobath.ca
Ali was great to work with, very knowledgeable and really stepped me through what was going to be done in great detail.
I've seen some of his work on Instagram and know a number of people who use him. He's also the exclusive detailer at Grand Touring, Lamborghini Uptown, Ferrari and some Exotic Dealers in the USA.
Very pleased with the quality of work, they really turned an 8 year old car into almost showroom condition. They also do regular detailing and regular cleanings. Very easy to communicate and excellent quality of work. Also believe Ceramic Pro is likely the best investment I've made into preserving the car in great shape. It's not cheap, but spending $4G's on brakes also isn't.
Best of luck, if you need more info please feel free to call me Eduard.
The Dr color chip kit will be wiped away by the detailer. Those water based paints have no chance against the buffers.
I use the paint pen but I buy artist brushes with fine points to minimize the bubbles. If the section is really bad, I'll just use the pen and then wet sand the bumps down to a smooth surface, then compound and polish.
Absolutely, if you can, go with a Ceramic clear coat your final step.
I'm taking my new Cayman to California Detailers for Ceramic Pro. I have seen his work and its amazing.
With respect to Ali at Autobath elite, he's not a certified ceramic pro installer. California Detailers is the official distributor and installer for Ceramic Pro here in Canada.
I've heard stories of the crazy prices Ali chargers. Jeff's prices are far more on point with what they are suppose to be. In terms of quality of work, Ceramic coating are supposed to be applied in a controlled environment, Jeff has that.
In the end do your own research and don't go off random instagram photos.
Just wanted to see if anyone has some info on these 2 topics (didn't want post 2 separate threads). Anyhow, I've been watching some youtube tutorials on how to address paint chips with touch up kits. The results seem ok but i'm not entirely convinced. Has anyone here had experience with touching up paint chips? And more importantly, what kit did you use?
As far as detailing goes, I'd like to address the above noted stone chips before heading over to a detailer. Once that's done, is there a detailer that anyone here recommends? I previously took my brothers Porsche's to California Detailers and was blown away by their work. I'm contemplating doing a ceramic pro coating too.
Let me know your thoughts.
Eduard
Your post reminded me I still have these I bought. Drop by the office if you want them.
I used dr.colorchip for my black '99 and it works well. It fills the stone chips and you can build it up as well. I even used it on my bumper which has a light road rash and it definitely made a difference. It takes a bit of practice to do well and you won't screw it up because you have a few minutes to wipe it all off before it hardens.
I don't know if it will hold up well at the detailers, but I did a polish and a a wax after and it held fine. Its not a substitute for a respray and you can notice some chips still close up but it's worth doing.
All this talk about Dr Colorchip, but your only option now is to either A. Buy one of Jamie's kits posted above or B. ship it to a US post office and smuggle (not kidding) it into Canada.
Dr Colorchip was banned from the Canadian market place by Health Canada a couple years ago due to a certain chemical in the product, it's pretty ridiculous. Dr Colorchip will no longer ship to Canada, and if a reseller does ship it and customs finds it, they'll confiscate it. So glad we are protected from the evil paint chip repair kits LOL
Yes true. I talked to the guy he said he can't ship because of the packaging. There are, however, dealers that have it and use it which is apparently fine if they buy some pro kit or something.
I bought once from eBay (a few sellers will ship they throw a bit of a mark up on it) and once I got it shipped to me while I was down there and brought it back. Pelican sells it also, they might ship.
All this talk about Dr Colorchip, but your only option now is to either A. Buy one of Jamie's kits posted above or B. ship it to a US post office and smuggle (not kidding) it into Canada.
Dr Colorchip was banned from the Canadian market place by Health Canada a couple years ago due to a certain chemical in the product, it's pretty ridiculous. Dr Colorchip will no longer ship to Canada, and if a reseller does ship it and customs finds it, they'll confiscate it. So glad we are protected from the evil paint chip repair kits LOL
I'm taking my new Cayman to California Detailers for Ceramic Pro. I have seen his work and its amazing.
With respect to Ali at Autobath elite, he's not a certified ceramic pro installer. California Detailers is the official distributor and installer for Ceramic Pro here in Canada.
I've heard stories of the crazy prices Ali chargers. Jeff's prices are far more on point with what they are suppose to be. In terms of quality of work, Ceramic coating are supposed to be applied in a controlled environment, Jeff has that.
In the end do your own research and don't go off random instagram photos.