[beiowulf]

ok guys so i have this small paintchip/dent near my rear windshield, midway where the body and window is (don't ask).

But i was going to get the touch up paint, but i don't know how to properly apply it to make it look nice. From what i gathered, i should also buy a smaller brush. But does anyone have pics of the process? Do i paint it so there is a glob and sand it down? What is wet sanding, what are the tools i would need to do so. Will i damage the surrounding paint.

Sorry guys, i'm just new to fixing things and this is my first bmw

[Alpine]

Well since plenty have looked at your post but nobody has responded, I'll tell you what I do.

This might be the worst possible technique, but I don't care, and it looks great when I'm done. So I got the BMW touch up paint kit from the dealer. I've done this quite a bit because my front lip has a very strong magnetic pull towards small rocks.

I just take the brush out, dab it on the inside of the tube to get all the excess off (especially watch out for the little tube that holds the bristles of the brush because big drops can fall off) and I just lightly 'tap' the area that's chipped. I don't necessarily worry about getting it perfect in there, but its nice if I can. I ALWAYS have a wet shop towel (those blue paper towels that are stronger than normal paper towels) handy and I just lightly wipe over the spot where I painted. That part is key because the paint is still wet so you can just wipe it right off if you messed up, but what usually happens is that you'll wipe off the excess and the paint will stay inside the hole, so it looks filled in. Plus, if you did mess up, just wipe it right off and try again.

Like I said, I've done this countless times, but this is just my personal makeshift strategy that I use. Unless you're standing like 1-2 feet away from the area, you'd never notice it.

[beiowulf]

Originally Posted by Alpine

Well since plenty have looked at your post but nobody has responded, I'll tell you what I do.

This might be the worst possible technique, but I don't care, and it looks great when I'm done. So I got the BMW touch up paint kit from the dealer. I've done this quite a bit because my front lip has a very strong magnetic pull towards small rocks.

I just take the brush out, dab it on the inside of the tube to get all the excess off (especially watch out for the little tube that holds the bristles of the brush because big drops can fall off) and I just lightly 'tap' the area that's chipped. I don't necessarily worry about getting it perfect in there, but its nice if I can. I ALWAYS have a wet shop towel (those blue paper towels that are stronger than normal paper towels) handy and I just lightly wipe over the spot where I painted. That part is key because the paint is still wet so you can just wipe it right off if you messed up, but what usually happens is that you'll wipe off the excess and the paint will stay inside the hole, so it looks filled in. Plus, if you did mess up, just wipe it right off and try again.

Like I said, I've done this countless times, but this is just my personal makeshift strategy that I use. Unless you're standing like 1-2 feet away from the area, you'd never notice it.

so when you put the paint into the chip, you don't necessarily try to make the paint exactly flush with the existing paint? Your method sounds like it would fill the hole, but when you wipe with the towel, it would take some out leaving a small colored divot.

[al4m]

first off, you want to make sure that the rock chip isnt extrememly deep. you'll probably know if it is. so first, apply the touch up paint to the area with a toothpick instead of the brush. let dry for a few hours in the sun or a full day if your car is garaged most of the time. then get some 2000 or higher grit sandpaper from kragens or autozone (it should say automotive sandpaper on it) and then get 1000 grit too. take a microfiber towel and soak it in water so that when held up, it drips water. place that microfiber over your rock chip so that water constantly drips down onto the chip. then find something that is flexible, yet not too flexible (i used a pentel eraser). cut out the 1000 grit sandpaper to match the eraser and then tape the paper to the eraser. use painters tape to tape around the area you have applied touch up paint to. then as the water is dripping down, begin sanding gently. this may take a while but soon you will notice results. once the "glob" of touch up paint has deteriorated a bit and is mostly even with the original paint (dont worry if the color doesnt quite match up yet), switch to 2000 grit. then after sanding till the glob almost completely disappears. use meguires scratch-x and meguires fine cut cleaner to clean and polish up the area. TA-DA!! finished

[L~R~G nor cal]

Originally Posted by a.l.e.x.

first off, you want to make sure that the rock chip isnt extrememly deep. you'll probably know if it is. so first, apply the touch up paint to the area with a toothpick instead of the brush. let dry for a few hours in the sun or a full day if your car is garaged most of the time. then get some 2000 or higher grit sandpaper from kragens or autozone (it should say automotive sandpaper on it) and then get 1000 grit too. take a microfiber towel and soak it in water so that when held up, it drips water. place that microfiber over your rock chip so that water constantly drips down onto the chip. then find something that is flexible, yet not too flexible (i used a pentel eraser). cut out the 1000 grit sandpaper to match the eraser and then tape the paper to the eraser. use painters tape to tape around the area you have applied touch up paint to. then as the water is dripping down, begin sanding gently. this may take a while but soon you will notice results. once the "glob" of touch up paint has deteriorated a bit and is mostly even with the original paint (dont worry if the color doesnt quite match up yet), switch to 2000 grit. then after sanding till the glob almost completely disappears. use meguires scratch-x and meguires fine cut cleaner to clean and polish up the area. TA-DA!! finished

WoW A+++++

[Dave_H]

See Picus' thread on this http://autopia.org/forum/click-brag/...hlight=unigrit

Langka has worked well for me.

[BoLaS]

Originally Posted by a.l.e.x.

first off, you want to make sure that the rock chip isnt extrememly deep. you'll probably know if it is. so first, apply the touch up paint to the area with a toothpick instead of the brush. let dry for a few hours in the sun or a full day if your car is garaged most of the time. then get some 2000 or higher grit sandpaper from kragens or autozone (it should say automotive sandpaper on it) and then get 1000 grit too. take a microfiber towel and soak it in water so that when held up, it drips water. place that microfiber over your rock chip so that water constantly drips down onto the chip. then find something that is flexible, yet not too flexible (i used a pentel eraser). cut out the 1000 grit sandpaper to match the eraser and then tape the paper to the eraser. use painters tape to tape around the area you have applied touch up paint to. then as the water is dripping down, begin sanding gently. this may take a while but soon you will notice results. once the "glob" of touch up paint has deteriorated a bit and is mostly even with the original paint (dont worry if the color doesnt quite match up yet), switch to 2000 grit. then after sanding till the glob almost completely disappears. use meguires scratch-x and meguires fine cut cleaner to clean and polish up the area. TA-DA!! finished

+1000

As a matter of fact make sure the initial glob of paint put into the scratch is slightly higher than the line of the original paint, then you wet sand until it is level! gl

[beiowulf]

Originally Posted by a.l.e.x.

first off, you want to make sure that the rock chip isnt extrememly deep. you'll probably know if it is. so first, apply the touch up paint to the area with a toothpick instead of the brush. let dry for a few hours in the sun or a full day if your car is garaged most of the time. then get some 2000 or higher grit sandpaper from kragens or autozone (it should say automotive sandpaper on it) and then get 1000 grit too. take a microfiber towel and soak it in water so that when held up, it drips water. place that microfiber over your rock chip so that water constantly drips down onto the chip. then find something that is flexible, yet not too flexible (i used a pentel eraser). cut out the 1000 grit sandpaper to match the eraser and then tape the paper to the eraser. use painters tape to tape around the area you have applied touch up paint to. then as the water is dripping down, begin sanding gently. this may take a while but soon you will notice results. once the "glob" of touch up paint has deteriorated a bit and is mostly even with the original paint (dont worry if the color doesnt quite match up yet), switch to 2000 grit. then after sanding till the glob almost completely disappears. use meguires scratch-x and meguires fine cut cleaner to clean and polish up the area. TA-DA!! finished

so the dealer touch up paint came with a clear coat as well, when would you apply the clear coat in relation to the instructions here?

[Rusty's508whp]

bump

[al4m]

Originally Posted by beiowulf

so the dealer touch up paint came with a clear coat as well, when would you apply the clear coat in relation to the instructions here?

@ the end of it all. after you have cleaned up the area with the cleaners and such.