Rock Chips

[The Critic]

I took the new Prius for a trip down to the Central Coast. 4 days and 700 miles after I took delivery, I found this today while sealing the paint:

Close-up:

I have an appointment for a clear bra kit next Saturday (7/3), but of course, the rocks already beat me.

Does anyone have any advice on how to best touch this up? Or should I leave it?

I am quite disappointed with the resilience of this paint. Perhaps those weak Japanese paint jokes are true.

Thanks.

 

[crinkles]

That's the way the cookie crumbles - do what you feel comfortable with; I'd probably leave the chip without patching, can the saem shop you have your appointment with fix it?

If it were mine I'd get neither the chip fixed or a bra applied... how funny does that sound?

 

[flanso]

I suggest getting a bottle of factory touch-up paint and a very fine point artist brush. Use the tip of the brush to fill in the crater, one thin layer at a time letting each dry thoroughly before the next. After you build up the paint in the crater to above the surface of the surrounding paint, let it dry and shrink for a few days. Then, with 1000 grit sandpaper glued to the end of a popsicle stick, very carefully sand the touch up paint down to the surface of the surrounding paint. Go over it with progressively finer polishes and then brush on and blend in a thin coat of clear coat. Go very slowly and be careful not to sand the surrounding paint. The results of this process can be quite pleasing.

 

[Steve S]

I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[FirstNissan]

My first rock chips happened within the first month of getting my new nissan. At first, I was really particular about using touch up paint, now 1.5 years later, the East coast roads with all the loose debris has really given my front end quite a few rock chips. I had thought about a clear bra, should have gotten one. My advice, fill it in with some touch-up, then get the bra.

 

[BGK]

Rule of thumb; if you want rock chip protection, get clear bra immediately after taking delivery of a new vehicle. I recall reading there is at least one car mfg that actually offers it factory installed!

 

[aquariuscsm]

What does the clear bra look like? I have a Colgan bra on mine,not a fan of how they look,but I just want to keep my front facia from getting chipped/scratched up.

 

[double vanos]

drcolorchip.com
Been using their product for years - easy to use, excellent paint match!

 

[Pop_Rivit]

It's a rock chip. There are much more important things in life to wring your hands and fret over.

By the time the car is a couple years old it will have a couple dozen of them. Give it a few years and it will be covered with them.

 

[Cutehumor]

sorry critic, welcome to owning a used car now.

 

[Oregoonian]

Stop tailgateing......and you'll avoid most rockchips.

 

[mewisemagic]

Originally Posted By: double vanos
drcolorchip.com
Been using their product for years - easy to use, excellent paint match!


my prius looked like someone shot it with a .410 and i used dr colorchip on it and it worked great

 

[Spector]

I have tried about every method mentioned and it never ever has come out close to looking good. So now I just get the factory touch up paint and fill in the chip and forget that it will never look great. Today's roads are so full of dirt, stones, construction trucks are the worse to follow etc that paint and windshield chips cannot be avoided unless one garages the vehicle 24-7. IMO unless you are ready to sell the vehicle to have a pro touch it up is not worth it as the next day another chip could occur

 

[hattaresguy]

On a new car the first one is always the most painful.

 

[Hermann]

And when it comes to touch up paint, less is more.

 

[rationull]

Those do look kind of nasty.

What'd you do on the central coast? If I'd known you were gonna be here I would've offered to buy you lunch or something!

 

[Bill in Utah]

Originally Posted By: Spector
I have tried about every method mentioned and it never ever has come out close to looking good. So now I just get the factory touch up paint and fill in the chip and forget that it will never look great. Today's roads are so full of dirt, stones, construction trucks are the worse to follow etc that paint and windshield chips cannot be avoided unless one garages the vehicle 24-7. IMO unless you are ready to sell the vehicle to have a pro touch it up is not worth it as the next day another chip could occur


Sad but TRUE! Agree 1000% here. My Corolla looks like its been through a sand blaster....

It has... The brand of sandblaster (with rocks) is called Interstate 15..

Bill

 

[The Critic]

The toothpick idea that someone suggested did not work out well because the tip of the toothpick would not hold any paint.

I used the ballpoint tip of the paint pen. Here is the result after one coat.

It appears that the chip was a lot deeper than I thought. One "coat" did not come close to making it level.