Stone chips - What are we doing about them?

[Jagalot]

Washed the car this weekend and found a couple of little stonechips on the bonnet. I have Dark Saffire paint and the white primer is showing through (why can't they use a dark colour primer?).

Anyway, what are people doing?

Leaving them, touching up, chipex?

Touching up always looks worse on small chips when I've done them in the past.

Any suggestions welcome.

[Tel]

Not had much luck with 'touch-up' paints, they never seem to be the same as the original.

How about speaking to your retailer's paint and bodywork shop?

I'm sure if you ask them nicely they would be able to supply you with a matched 'sample'.

I guess the white is the special etch primer used for the Aluminium?

On my new F, I'm going to the expense of a Paint Protection Film for this very reason.

[Selborne]

The key is to put a little more paint on on the chip than needed best in a couple of attempts over a couple of days, then take some 2000 wet and dry and very lightly with a foam sanding block, wet sand the top off the dried touch-up paint a few days later, remember to only sand in one direction with the flow of the car, once done use a cutting polish like Megiuars 105 and rebuff so the fine scratches are removed and then a finishing polish such as Megiuars 205 or mirror glaze, this will remove all traces. you then end up with a finish which is almost unnoticable. Done two so far on mine, looks great.

Hope this helps,

Jamie

PS just remember to sand very lightly with lots of water, only a few passes should do it.

[Jagalot]

You must be pretty cool with that technique Jamie.

Sandpaper on a car sounds like a total disaster in my hands.

[Selborne]

Just remember that 2000 wet and dry is so fine, you can polish your finger nails with it, 10-20 passes will remove around 5um of clear coat and generally you ave around 100um to play with. when I wet sanded my whole car to get rid of the dreaded orange peel, I only removed between 10 and 20um, but the results have to be seem to be understood, incrediable !

A couple of examples;

before;

After:

[steveo35]

Did you touch up your stone chips Jagalot ? got a few coming on mine , noticed them more as done a thorough clean and clay bar etc and they are all gleaming at me ,

[Jagalot]

Did you touch up your stone chips Jagalot ? got a few coming on mine , noticed them more as done a thorough clean and clay bar etc and they are all gleaming at me ,

While at my dealer for another issue, I asked their opinion. They advised to leave them as they were so small. It would appear that from a purely value perspective, they wouldn't devalue the car as much as a poor repair. That leaves me to decide whether to do them for personal satisfaction or leave them. For the moment, I'm leaving them.

[steveo35]

ah ok , ive found a place local to me that do all manor of services from basic to full paint correction. I have a few but think I will leave them and get it all done in a few years if it becomes a real issue..

[OB123]

I've noticed one or two as well - think I'm gonna ask the dealer to see if they can correct them - perhaps one visit per year (in the spring)

[BirdingGal]

I was intending to look at purchasing a protection insurance which covers "Stone chips, scratches, dents, scuffs on bumper and wing mirrors" 36 months for £499.