Paint Chip turned Nightmare. Help!
 

I'm trying to figure out if there is a way I can fix this, or if I'm better off biting the bullet, and taking the Z into the body shop.

I received 2 decent sized rock chips as a result of getting stuck behind a gravel truck.

I purchased matching touch up paint from the dealer, and also bought 1500 / 2000 / and 3000 grit sandpaper, along with polish and a finish.

It didn't seem like It was going to be difficult, so I used a bbq skewer and filled in the paint chips with the touch up paint. I waited about an hour between each coat.

after about 4 applications, and about 2 hours of drying from the last coat, I noticed that the paint was MUCH darker than the surrounding paint, even though the color codes matched. So I figured this would resolve itself after sanding and polishing, since I followed the instructions and shook the touch up paint harder than a single waitress serving James bond a martini. I began to wet sand starting with 1500 grit. Well either I went to hard or nissan has soft paint, but the only thing that was sanded was the surrounding area of the chip. I didn't have an air gun, so the only thing I could do was dab cotton swap with touch up paint, and try to apply it.

Long story short, it looks terrible lol. I tried to lightly polish but ever time I did, it would take away the part of the paint that was covering the previously sanded portion. Ironically, the actuall chips look great, except the problems I made look worse than the chips did in the first place.

Does anyone have any suggestions, or should I just take her in?

Try a final coat of Dr colorchip. The color may be off because the temperature isn't high enough.

thanks for the advice. I just took it into the body shop though. I've used 2000 grit on other cars before, but I guess the paint on the Z is a bit too thin for it.

sucks. get stuck behind 1 gravel truck and get hit with 700 in paint repairs lol.

I'm going straight to the dealer when it's done in 2 days, and getting a clear bra.

^^^ lol and you next rock chip will be 1" beyond that. I know it happens to me.

The clear coat on the Z is way to fragile for 1500 unless you are going to repaint. Plus, I bet you didn't use a sanding b;ock. That was mistake #2. You should have used a product like Dr, Colorchip or Langka. Doing it the way that you did requires 24 hours between each application of paint. You rushed the job big time.

This is why I tell guys to stay away from touch up paint and sandpaper unless they either know what they are doing or they are using one of the kits that I mentioned above. The paint on these cars is very unforgiving when doing anything with sandpaper, especially 1500-2000 grits.

:iagree: Langka definitely helps because it allows you to remove excess, but never again will it be never be perfect. Nissan's crappy paint job is to blame.

yea I had a feeling this paint was soft. I'm taking your advice though. I'm buying both dr colorchip and langka just in case I get knocked with another rock outside the clear bra.

The weird thing, is that as soon as I messed up the first chip, I used 3000 grit on the other one, and it still destroyed the paint. You're completely right about just staying away from sandpaper on this car.

Learn the hard way I guess. Oh well... Less money to loose in vegas lol.

PM me your address. Because if that happens, I'm sending you the bill for jinxing me haha.

I've been where you are. That's how I learned. It cost me $2000 once. I try my best to save every soul I meet from experiencing that lesson. :eekdance:

yea man, your videos rock. The cars look so good after your treatment vids, that I almost flagged a few of them as porn.

:rofl2: :rofl2: :rofl2:

Dude, I just lol'ed!

hahahha.

I get the Z back today. Thank God, If I have to drive this rental Chevy HHR 1 more day I think i'd end up driving off a cliff.

I just hope the clear bra installation can be done quickly.

I feel you on the rental car. If I had to drive something like that everyday, I'd probably never wash it!

hahaha my thoughts exactly.

I just got her home. She's not leaving the garage until the paint cures in 2 weeks, then I'm taking back roads to get the clear bra installed.

On the paint curing, you meant 60-90 days, right?

I'm just going by what the body shop told me. They said something about since the paint was baked on that I didn't have to wait as long, and that I only needed to wait 2 weeks until I get a clear bra put on?

Honestly, you seem to know what you're talking about, so if you believe that I should wait that long then that's what I will do.

The only thing is that I'm taking the car down to vegas at the end of april.... I'd like to have a clear bra on because taking the 15 down to vegas from salt lake is treacherous as far as rock debris is concerned. I'm almost guaranteed to get chip damage without a clear bra.

I guess that depends on if the clear bra breaths. I would check with the clear bra installer first thing. Paint has to cure and it takes a lot longer than 2 weeks when dealing with an aftermarket paint job.

cool. I'll give them a call 1st thing in the morning. Thanks again!

I'm really wanting to find the driver of that gravel truck that caused this havoc in the first place.