Have we all received them in our cars? Gravel, door studs, bumper scratches, etc? They can come from rocks thrown by trucks on the highway, from people in a hurry or even from the wrong grocery truck rattling in the parking lot. Most of them are unavoidable. They can happen even if you park your car away from the store and no matter what you do to protect your car. Not only do they damage your car's aesthetics, but they also make your car prone to rust and environmental pollution. Here's how to fix those paint chips, nicks and deep scratches and protect your car from rust.
It's not worth going to a car paint and body shop for chips and scratches. They will charge 10x the repair fee and you can easily do the repair yourself. The first step is to locate the chips and scratches and see how deep they are. If they don't go all the way through the paint, you can rub them off. Use a terry cloth to apply a small amount of scratch remover or cleaning wax. Rub in a circular motion on the chip or scrape and polish as it dries. If this removes chips or scratches after a few applications, fine, then just use a good wax or polish. If you see a white primer or metal in a nick or scratch remover or cleaning wax, it won't work.
Some car paints are lacquer based while others are enamel based. The following tips only apply to cars with base paint. Take a clean rag and apply a small amount of paint thinner on it. Pick it up and dab around scratches, nicks or chips. Paint thinner will actually start to move the paint and cover the affected area. This even applies to larger abrasions. This treatment is not recommended on cars with custom paint jobs and may not work on all cars with paint base paint.
For those enamel paint or scratches and chips where the above treatments didn't work, then you have to refinish the blemishes in the paint. First, you need to get the paint code so that it matches the car's paint correctly. It's in your door plug or on some Hondas in the glove box. Take this paint code to your dealer and get a small bottle of touch up paint. Touch-up paint will come in a small bottle with a brush applicator. Do not use a brush as it will spread too wide and make your touch-ups of chips or scratches very prominent, we recommend using a toothpick for better placement of the paint.
Clean the chip or scratched area first. Then follow the instructions on the touch-up bottle. It is usually mixed thoroughly for 5 minutes (metallic paints may require more agitation). Then use a toothpick to place the paint directly on the chip or scratch. Once done, let it dry for a few days before waxing or buffing (some cars have a clear coat that you can then apply to the affected area in the same way). By refinishing paint, you can isolate the area from the environment and greatly reduce the chance of rusting and affecting the sheet metal. Rust is like cancer to your car, and once it starts it's hard to stop, so it's best to be proactive and prevent it with proper car care and treatment, as well as quickly identify and repair paint chips, nicks, and scratches.