Hints and Tips for repairing stone chips

Chunks

Hi all.

I got myself a nice 2nd hand mark IV golf GTI the other week and I had some money left over in my budget for small repairs, a full valet, new wing mirror etc.. etc.. the usual snag list stuff you get with a 2nd hand car.

Anyway, I took myself out to Halfords and picked up a few things. Among them was a stone chip/scratch repair kit.

The car is silver and there were about 3 different silver types for Golfs on the shelf. I picked the one that I thought was closest to my cars colour (I picked satin silver). To be honest I haven't a clue what shade of silver my car is..... does it really matter? If it does how do I find out the exact shade?

Anyway, I haven't doen the stone chips on my bonnet yet but before I do is there anyone with any advice or tips that would prove useful?

Thanks in advance

TomMc

Hello There,

First of all do not use the stone chip repair kit unless you are highly skilled. I presume it is the Mer/Farecla one you bought. Using that polishing pad on a drill will very likely burn through the clear coat. Using wet & dry sandpaper without previous experience is another major no no. The Mer scratch remover itself, in the kit, is good for scratches generally if used correctly.

The paint code should be under the bonnet somewhere, where the chassis/engine no is, on a metal plate .. I would guess Reflex Silver the most likely colour of your car, but you can cross check the name and paint codes here www.ppgcarpaint.com

Use the right shade of silver if you want decent results.

Best to buy touch up paint in a tin rather than a pen or spray can. Apply several light coats into the chip (30 mins apart) with a toothpick. Do not try to fill chips in all in one go. Avoid blobs. Build up several layers of paint till slightly proud of the surface.

If you buy a product called The Blob Eliminator from www.langka.com - you can use this to re-level paint and remove the excess amount safely. Best to use this 2/3 days after filling in the chip to give the touch-up paint time to harden. The Langka compound will remove excess that is proud of the surface. If you use it too soon it will remove more of the touch-up paint than you want from inside the chip, so best to wait 48 hours. It will do no harm to surrounding paintwork. Very mild but effective.

Alternatively, after filling in paint chips in stages and after waiting a short while (same day) use a mild scratch remover (with a very soft microfibre cloth) to blend in the repair.

Chunks

Ok, thanks for all those pointers mate.

If I wait about 3 days for the paint to harden do I have to make sure it doesn't rain on the car or would it all be ok once it's had a few hours drying time?

TomMc

Once the paint is touch dry after an hour or two it does not matter if it gets wet.

On second thoughts, If you buy the Langka stuff, I would wait no more than 24 to 48 hours before applying their blob eliminator compound (gently). 3 days and the touch up / excess paint may be a little more difficult to remove. The product explains how to use same i.e. by wrapping a thin (smooth) linen sheet around the plastic card provided, applying the compound to same, then gliding the lot back & forth a few times, with no pressure, over the repair. Check same as you go, so you do not remove any more than the excess touch-up paint.

Otherwise, if you go the other route and want to use a scratch remover, after applying the touch-up paint, you should do the whole repair in the one day, a few hours after the last thin coat of paint has dried. These products are an abrasive rather than chemical solution, so you need to tackle same sooner rather than later - before the paint hardens too much. You could try Meguiars Scratch X (which sometimes is a little too mild) or else the Mer/Farecla one which I think you have already) to level / blend in the repair. Use products very sparingly (pea size amount) with a dry / soft suede microfibre cloth, applying with minimal pressure - only increase pressure if absolutely necessary. Use front to back and back & forth rather than circular motions. Remove any residue with a damp microfibre cloth.

Chunks

right so,

Thanks for the info. I'll have a go at it on the weekend and let you know how I get on