Paint chips can be frustrating, especially if your car is new or in very good condition. There is hope, though. You can repair the chips with touch-up paint, and if you take the time to do it right you will end up with a very professional-looking repair. The key to the repair is the preparation that needs to go into the process. You will need to get good-quality touch-up paint that matches your vehicle's paint. Touch-up paint is available at the dealership or at your local auto parts store.
Wash the entire car with a mild car wash soap and water. Use a soft towel so you don't scratch the finish on the car.
Remove the wax in the area of the paint chip using a commercially available wax remover. Follow the instructions on the product for best results.
Examine the chip closely so that you can determine if the paint is damaged all the way to bare metal or not. If it is, you are going to need to add some primer to it before painting.
Sand the chip lightly with 600-grit sandpaper to rough up the metal that is exposed. You do not want to sand the paint around the chip or you will damage the good paint that is still there.
Wipe the area down with a tack cloth to remove the dust from sanding and apply a small amount of primer using the brush in the bottle or a toothpick. You just need enough primer to cover the metal that is showing, so do not glob it on. A nice smooth coat is enough.
Let the primer flash--or set--overnight before applying paint to it. Use the brush from the bottle of touch-up paint to apply a very thin coat of touch-up paint and allow it to dry for 24 hours before applying another coat. This will allow the paint to shrink as it dries.
Continue adding paint to the chip in thin coats, allowing it to dry between coats until the chip is completely covered. If the touch-up paint extends beyond the original chip, you will need to use a little rubbing compound to blend the paints together after it has completely dried.
Apply a little rubbing compound to a clean rag and work it into the area over the touch-up paint, working in small circles to blend the original paint and the touch-up. Do not overwork the area or you will burn through the paint and damage it.
Wipe off any extra rubbing compound that remains on the paint, allow the paint to set for 30 days and then wax the area with a high-quality car wax to protect the repair.
