Paint Chips AHHHHH

[builthatch]

So does anyone recommend the clear bra?
3M?
Ventureshield?
InvisibleMask?

I got a quote for $750 installed for the hood, front grill/bumper, lower bumper, mirrors and back bumper (for loading protection)
And he said he'd do it at the dealer right after I sign the papers...

I could get the parts for $350 and do it myself...

Your thoughts, anyone?

Edit: the quote was for ventureshield. (lifetime warranty against yellowing, cracking, peeling)

look into lamin-x's products. i believe they have a star shield type product for us that is pretty easy to install yourself. EDIT: ok, i guess it's ventureshield - http://lamin-x.com/ecommerce/os/cat...=1107&osCsid=bd1f383f431642ed83c5cbb1680cc615


regarding chips- it's been mentioned, yes, the paint nowadays is waterbased, however, believe it or not, we actually have an advantage since our cars are painted in japan; hondas, like my si which is painted in the US, have significantly less durable paint, trust me. another problem that has been mentioned is how thick the paint application is. they use, down to the DROP, just enough base, and just enough clear to get the job done. it's a practice is bean counting, and incredible how thin the coats actually are, esp the clear.

be as careful as possible when driving, keep an eye out for anything in front of you (pick-ups, SUV, jeeps, etc) that seems like they remotely might be able to pick something up from the road, or drop something off to bounce your way. keep the car polished and waxed, etc. all obvious stuff

a suggestion to help fix some of the chips is to get some base mixed by a body shop to match your paint code. just base. put it in an empty model paint jar(s), the glass ones you can get from hobby shops. then, get a tiny tiny brush, i use a tamiya HF, part number 87048 (http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXLT15&P=FR). get a small container of laquer thinner to clean the brush after. if you are careful, you can fill a rubbing alcohol cleaned out chip with base using that brush and it'll help things a bit. let it cure for a couple days before doing anything more than washing, and make sure the chip is cleaned with said alcohol before paint application. try to keep machine polishing away from the repaired chips.

do not, and i repeat, DO NOT try the old fill with base, fill with clear and wet sand on these cars. the factory clear is WAY TOO thin to try that bulls***. trust me on this one........

 

[oaklandopen]

i used touchup paint on my truck from a couple of short but wide scratches...the problem is the paint doesn't have a clear coat finish so the color is the same, but there's no shine. im sure there has to be a clear coat touchup someplace.

and the thing to do is layer it gradually as it dries

 

[oaklandopen]

and i wouldn't get it done right away at the dealer if it's on a car you had ordered from the factory...the 3m site recommends that the paint be fully cured before installation of the laminent. and that takes about 90 days from build date.

the dealer told me that after it's built it takes about another month to get to the dealer so wait about another 2 months. and im sure you can find an authorized 3m place near you

 

[redspeed3tk]

the advantage that you have is you bought red ha and red touches up really well use some touch up color or straight bright red toner then drop some clear over it....unlike metallic colors solids hide pretty good with touch up

 

[Rotus]

OK, here's the thing to fix the chips. You need your own touch up paint (Mazda just sent me a free bottle in the mail, woot!)

http://www.langka.com/

They are really cool there and the product works (somewhat, but better than having a blob).

 

[Kurt07]

I counted this morning. I have 23 paint chips on the hood alone. I don't tailgate and I take damn good care of my paint. My last car only had 2 chips in the hood after five years.

 

[Frankenstein]

That sucks. I got a big chip on the bumper after this winter. Also, a dozen or so dimples on the hatch from friends pushing my ride out of the snow. I have the Black Mica so everything shows.

Last weekend, I went to a PDR place and they took care of the dimples.

This weekend, I'll try some touch up paint on the bumper. Funny, I received the OEM paint from Mazda two days ago. I asked them for it last year...in the fall, I think.

 

[Rotus]

Funny, I received the OEM paint from Mazda two days ago. I asked them for it last year...in the fall, I think.

I didn't even axe. I just got it.

 

[spec2k5]

and i wouldn't get it done right away at the dealer if it's on a car you had ordered from the factory...the 3m site recommends that the paint be fully cured before installation of the laminent. and that takes about 90 days from build date.

the dealer told me that after it's built it takes about another month to get to the dealer so wait about another 2 months. and im sure you can find an authorized 3m place near you

This is not true. The factory paint is baked and cured before it even leaves the factory. I install clear bras for a living and the best time to get it installed is at the dealer before delivery.

 

[Zimmer]

That sucks. I got a big chip on the bumper after this winter. Also, a dozen or so dimples on the hatch from friends pushing my ride out of the snow. I have the Black Mica so everything shows.

Last weekend, I went to a PDR place and they took care of the dimples.

This weekend, I'll try some touch up paint on the bumper. Funny, I received the OEM paint from Mazda two days ago. I asked them for it last year...in the fall, I think.

hahaha I asked for touch up twice and I STILL don't have any! (sad1)

Thanks for the recommendations!

 

[IrishMidak]

I feel all your pain, brothers. I'm going on a vaca in a few months and while I'm gone, I am dropping it off at my pops body shop to see what is top guy can do with this bulls*** paint. He claims to have something that will make the paint more pliable and not so prone to cracking/chipping. Least he can do is paint my mirrors, bumper and hood and make them shine again. Keep in mind though, if your doing 100+ and a rock chip hits you, you got chips so keeping the speed down helps.

 

[Zimmer]

I feel all your pain, brothers. I'm going on a vaca in a few months and while I'm gone, I am dropping it off at my pops body shop to see what is top guy can do with this bulls*** paint. He claims to have something that will make the paint more pliable and not so prone to cracking/chipping. Least he can do is paint my mirrors, bumper and hood and make them shine again. Keep in mind though, if your doing 100+ and a rock chip hits you, you got chips so keeping the speed down helps.

that's not always easy!!! (hand)

Let me know how you made out when its done.

 

[mazdathree2.3s]

another thing to be mindful of is yours friends actions in/around your car lol. i took my car snowboarding this winter and one of the girls i know managed to put a 3-4 inch gash on the lower portion of my back right door with the edge of her board. i would say it's less than a 1/2 inch in depth, but damn it looks ugly if you can find it

 

[AllLostThings]

Hey all.... newbie (uhm). New England weather was "wicked" on my 100% stock Red MS3. I know they happen but I have some really nasty paint chips left over from winter. The rock salt they put down on the highways up here are the size of small boulders!

Initially I was furious because I've had cars with well over 100k with less chips but whatever .....

Two deep ones on my hood. Roof, A pillars, side drivers door, Rear passenger doors. I'm frustrated.

Any good fixes. I was going to get touch up paint? I've never had a car worth touching up so not sure of the outcome. Any suggestions? Is touch up paint like white out --- just an ugly cover up that never really looks the same again! LOL

Thanks!

I'm a little north of you and noticed a few chips onmy hood and a little scuff on my passenger front fender....I'm still pissed....

 

[SAVAGE70]

WOW and I am pissed about one chip on my hood, a small scratch on my drivers door, and a small scratch on my pass rear door. I just got my free bottle of touch up paint today. When it gets a little warmer I am gonna give that langka kit a try.

 

[Rotus]

WOW and I am pissed about one chip on my hood, a small scratch on my drivers door, and a small scratch on my pass rear door. I just got my free bottle of touch up paint today. When it gets a little warmer I am gonna give that langka kit a try.

I have used the Langka kit and it works ok. A tip is to aplly the paint a little at a time and let it dry thoroughly before you use the kit. Don't use too much pressure on it, let the compound do the work. Also, it's a good idea to clean the area well before applying the touch up paint. If it is a big chip, you can cut a small piece of very fine sandpaper and glue it to a pencil eraser to clean it up.

 

[controlo]

i have a silver car and it was egged... how do you think i feel? haha. i feel everyones pain. also, a boulder hit the silver part just around my foglight and left a gash... and there's about a 3 inch clear coat scratch on my driver door as well (not too bad). AND the dealer left a couple chips on my fender when the did the MM recall. they claim "if we did it, there would be a bigger impact" everyone that knows anything about working on a car knows what causes that. uggh!!

 

[dominoy2k1]

it does not cure because its baked. it can take up to 30days for fresh paint to fully release its solvents. and for the water based paint stuff its new stuff. from what i read on sata site only cali is using waterborne paint. atleast here in the states.

This is not true. The factory paint is baked and cured before it even leaves the factory. I install clear bras for a living and the best time to get it installed is at the dealer before delivery.

 

[Zimmer]

my touch up paint arrived today! LOL big brother must be watching!

 

[mazdaspeed32007]

i bought touch up paint for my true red and the s*** sucks. the touch up paint isnt that of traditional touch up pain which is more a goopy mess than actual paint. the paint i ordered came in a regular touch up paint bottle with a brush but the s*** is so ******* thin and watered. i suggest if your going to do touchup, bring it to a local paint shop to get it fixed up a bit. maybe put into a spray can....thickened up a bit or something. i mean i put two coats of touch up on a small scratch that runs down the lowest part of my driver side door right along the seem....it just made the scratch look rusty. seriously retarded.