Touch Up Painting.

[glanga]

A few weeks ago after my car broke down on the side of the highway, the NJDOT decided I was still too close to the road even though I was all the way on the grass and had to use those black front bumpers to push me further. In the process it created a 6 inch scratch that is fairly thin, half is down to the plastic and the other half is marred. A smaller 1 inch scratch thats a little wider, but the worst is that when the bumpers made contact, he did so right on my reverse backup sensor. I assume they got pushed in and now all the paint around them is peeled or cracked. All this after the bumper was painted less than a few months before. I dont feel like getting the whole thing painted so I bought touch up paint (Code HC Ivory Parchment Metallic Tri-Coat) from the dealer. Each time I've applied then did clearcoat after it looks terrible. Especially where the black bumper shows through. And the edges of the sensors are hard to get to. I know I am crazy saying this but would it be easier if I took a small, small flathead screwdriver and peeled it away leaving a clean line that would be easier to fill in, down to the black bumper, using primer, then paint, then clear?

I Googled simple directions but even if I follow, the paint turns out noticeably darker than the actual car color because it seems too deep. And this Tri-Color crap is ridiculous. I used an index card and compared so yes its the actual car color.

Anyone have suggestions. I currently have the paint, clear, 1500 grit sandpaper, and rubbing compound. No im not spending the money to have it professionally painted for a few small nicks. Rather learn this myself and any help is appreciated.

 

[SoonerLS]

According to my dad, my grandfather read an Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper the riot act for doing the same thing about 45 years ago, chewed him up one side and down the other.

As for the painting, Todd can give you more insight on the Tri-Coat aspect, but all I can offer is to go slow and be patient. If you look at Paintscratch's Web site, the have a good primer on painting ( http://www.paintscratch.com/spraycan.htm ), but you essentially want to go slow, and spray light, even coats.

I would suggest using primer, but make sure it's plastic-ready, with a flex additive, since you'll be painting the plastic bumper cover. Paintscratch sells Bulldog Adhesion Promoter in their "plastic-painting spray can kit," and I found that it worked well when I painted my Sirius antenna.

 

[glanga]

thats the kicker, its the stupid brush on bottles, the little ones. not the spray.

 

[BanginLS]

have u given it time to set and dry.. it tends to lighten up as it dries, the bad thing is that if its not the right color then u get screwed.. i say use the touch up paint and if it doesnt work after it dries.. give up and get it repainted..

 

[glanga]

its the right color yeah. its just the parts that got scratched all the way down the bumper, the bumper is black, so putting a light colored paint on that makes it look darker. would i be better cutting out the parts that are marred also, using primer, then paint.

 

[BanginLS]

ur prolly going to have to do that... i know there is a 3 stage paint.. but did the plastic get scratched? is it still a smooth surface? You might be better off getting it painted.

 

[glanga]

no the plastic isnt scratched. the paint is very lightly but some parts down to the plastic. the reverse sensors, where they got pushed it, peeled around the sensor down to the plastic.

 

[BanginLS]

why not take out the sensors. paint where u have to paint and place them back in?

 

[jrockcentral1]

pics perhaps?

 

[glanga]

i broke my camera. so far i just took a flathead and peeled away all the damaged area right down to the bumper, just small thin line. i primered it and ive just been doing coats of the laquer. its turning out better so far but not perfect. ill just wait until it dries then compound or wet sand it down then spray clearcoat.

 

[eL eS]

smooth it out with fine sand paper clean very well and air brush it on. In the end though if you do not have the air brush equip you will be better off having it done at a shop.

 

[glanga]

Well I did it and it turned out like crap. when i went to sand it i sanded off the clearcoat around it like an idiot. so i sprayed new cheap clearcoat. im going to wait until i get paint from paintscratch for my mclaren grille. because its two stage paint for the tri-coat instead of the one stage little bottle crap the dealer gives me.

 

[BanginLS]

best of luck.. do the grill first and then try it on the bumper to see how it comes out.. if not, take it to the shop