Help! Rock chips!

4715 Views 26 Replies 11 Participants Last post by zoltiz, Apr 10, 2005

Kwiksilver

Discussion Starter · Aug 25, 2004

2

i just found 2 rock chips on my hood yesterday.

when i saw them i could not believe that i already had rock chips. i was so upset and i still am.

i have not driven behind any trucks or anything so i have no idea how i got them. maybe it happend while i was passing a truck so i wouldn't be behind it. driving next to a semi is usually worse than driving behind it.

anyway, the chips are right around the black washer fluid thingy on the passenger side of hood. so, here are my questions:

1) i think i can see metal with both chips. primer isn't shiny, right? each chip shows shiny metal. primer doesn't shine like the metal on a metal ladder, right? i think it's metal but is that metal or primer that i am seeing?

2) how do i fix them?

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QSJ Ed

· #2 · Aug 25, 2004

I have a couple of chips also - let's get some tips from the pros.

imasaf

· #3 · Aug 25, 2004

I have one chip too... right down to the metal. I guess the paint is real thin on the tC. Anyways... mine is on the tip of the hood so I just used the touch up paint to cover it for now.

QSJ Ed

· #4 · Aug 25, 2004

Where did you get the paint? And is it a brush or pen?

imasaf

· #5 · Aug 25, 2004

Touch Up Pen... my dealer even gave it to me for free..

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QSJ Ed

· #6 · Aug 25, 2004

Total sweetness - gotta call my dealer about getting one.

Kwiksilver

Discussion Starter · #7 · Aug 25, 2004

does it work to the extent where you can't see the chip unless you look really close and you know what you are looking for? because that i can be ok with.

imasaf

· #8 · Aug 25, 2004

I don't know how to respond cause my chip was on the tip of the hood right above the passenger side headlight... so its normally hard to see it anyways. Hmm... if you want it really nice, you should take it to someone to fix. Your chips are in a more noticeable area.

sciontc_mich

· #9 · Aug 25, 2004

touch up pen? so does the paint with brush exist from toyota? and does the paint require you to put a little on and wait? then another layer? that's how the old honda paint was..

imasaf

· #10 · Aug 25, 2004

I don't know... I just got a touch up pen that worked like a ball point pen where when you pressed down on the ball... paint comes out. Its quite easy to apply. No drips ... no worries I guess. I guess you could try to apply multiple layers... I think I did. I don't remember.

sciontc_mich

· #11 · Aug 25, 2004

hmmm interesting.. cuz i heard that toyota paint is urethane-based paint.. and i didn't know if multiple layers had to be applied.. guess i should talk to my dealer's body shop..

Kwiksilver

Discussion Starter · #12 · Aug 25, 2004

Originally posted by imasaf@Aug 25 2004, 02:44 PM
I don't know how to respond cause my chip was on the tip of the hood right above the passenger side headlight... so its normally hard to see it anyways. Hmm... if you want it really nice, you should take it to someone to fix. Your chips are in a more noticeable area.

oh ok imasaf, i see what you mean. sounds like you got a bit lucky where it is not that noticeable.

thanks for the info on the touch up pen. i like that idea. it sounds like it would be easier and more accurate to use the pen rather than a brush and bottle. i'm going to look into that.

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tc_408

· #13 · Aug 25, 2004

I posted some information on another thread its the second to last post, theres also before and after pics from my touch up on the front bumper. its in my sig its in the last page. I bought my thouch up bottle from the dealer was around $8.00. or YOu can buy touch up pens at Autovisuals

Kwiksilver

Discussion Starter · #14 · Aug 26, 2004

wow, i saw those pics of your car tc_408. makes my rock chips look microscopic compared to that. sorry to see that that happened to you, but you did a great job at fixing it up. some people are just rediculous! i had one experience in an accident (not with this car) where a woman hit the car and left a scratch. she then told me "oh, when you wash the car it will go away". no joke, she said that like i was an idiot! needless to say i made her insurance fix it, and even the person on the phone from her insurance was laughing.

Alpman

· #15 · Aug 26, 2004

On my old Tacoma I used the paint pen method. It is nice because it is so precise.

I would press the ball down in the center of the chip and slightly roll the ball in a very small circle to get the paint to flow. Let enough paint flow to actually overfill the chip. It will shrink a little when it dries.

Once it was dry, like the next day, I would take some 1200 wet/dry w/ a little soapy water and knock it down.

Then I would use a three step method w/ a professional buffing wheel to blend it in to the orig paint. First, I used 3M Perfect-it II rubbing compound to rub out the sand marks. Only buff enough to remove the sandmarks. The finish will be a dull haze.

Next, I would use 3M Perfect-it III Finishing Glaze to buff out the haze to a hi-gloss shine.

Then I use a good quality Carnuba wax to finish and protect it. If it is done right, noone will ever know the chip was there.

Just take your time, have patience and never buff w/ too much pressure and always use low speed on the buffing wheel in order to prevent burning.

Good luck!!

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imasaf

· #16 · Aug 26, 2004

Thanks Alpman for the detail fix for our chips.

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QSJ Ed

· #17 · Aug 26, 2004

I know you don't do stereo installs, Alpman, but maybe you want to remove some chips from my hood in New Jersey?

Alpman

· #18 · Aug 26, 2004

ROAD TRIP!!! Jersey to NorCal? By the time you got here you'd need a new hood!! Hell, you'd prolly need the whole front end!! Hehe!

imasaf

· #19 · Sep 13, 2004

I thought you guys might wanna know where to get some touch up paint... besides your dealer I mean...

The touch up paint pen I got from my dealership is called Chip Menders. I found their website and they do sell direct to consumers. You will find your color when you go to shop online --> Toyota/Lexus.

https://secure.karboneye.com/chipmender/index.html

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zoltiz

· #20 · Sep 15, 2004

here's a link to an article (with pictures) that really impressed me in terms of chip repair:

http://www.celicagarage.citymax.com/page/page/382306.htm

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