[Mysterious101]

Since the side of my car is going to be repaired by insurance , I have decided to completely work on the paint of the car to make it shine like it used to. I need help with what type of waxes, but also how to best repair paint chips on the hood. I am not looking for a complete paint job rather have it so I can do a good job.

Things I need help with.

1. Steps on how to completely get the shine back into the car, along with products that has been used, and shown great looks.

2. How to repair the paint chips, I have a few ideas just need to see if there are any other good ideas.

3. Lastly, anything I should know about before doing this.

I have looked around and did get some suggestions for wax's and such, just wanted to get a complete idea on what everyone else thinks on here!

 

[austex04]

Call around and get some prices, as well as reviews, of detail shops in your area. Wait at least a few weeks for the new paint to cure, then take it to get a high speed compound and wax done, but tell them where the new paint is, so they don't use the compound on that side, just the wax. Make sure the shop has good reviews, as someone who is inexperienced at this job can burn the paint right off, or leave swirl marks. A full exterier detail like this would usually run $150-$200 for a car, at a good detail shop here in Austin. Maybe the shop where it's getting painted would do that job, as the new paint has to blend in with the old, insurance may cover that.

 

[Mysterious101]

Call around and get some prices, as well as reviews, of detail shops in your area. Wait at least a few weeks for the new paint to cure, then take it to get a high speed compound and wax done, but tell them where the new paint is, so they don't use the compound on that side, just the wax. Make sure the shop has good reviews, as someone who is inexperienced at this job can burn the paint right off, or leave swirl marks. A full exterier detail like this would usually run $150-$200 for a car, at a good detail shop here in Austin. Maybe the shop where it's getting painted would do that job, as the new paint has to blend in with the old, insurance may cover that.

Would a good car detailer actually patch up the rock holes on the hood? Meaning paint chips that have occurred during high way driving?

 

[darkstallion440]

If you have never claybared the car then do claybaring removes all the particles that have embedded themselves in the clear. One of the best I used when I had my vette was from Zaino. Ive also used Mothers.

Z-18 ClayBar: Zaino Store

As for wax ive used Meguirs NXT Generation Tech Wax 2.0 in paste form. Its always worked great for me.

Meguiar's Direct NXT Generation® Tech Wax® 2.0

Also you can have a detailer compound buff and polish your car. Ive used a 3 step process from Ever coat with an orbital. Left outstanding results and shine.

Evercoat

Hope I helped Good Luck!

 

[boardboy330]

Check out Benzworld.org...look at the detailing forum. Detailed how tos on what you want.

What you need is glaze, wash, wax...depending on how bad the paint is...possibly rubbing or polishing compound.

I like Mequiars professional grade glaze and waxes. I'm not partial to orbitals...I prefer a polisher.

 

[egiroux]

In order for the new paint to match, the old paint needs to be restored first. Then the shop can color match properly.

 

[austex04]

In order for the new paint to match, the old paint needs to be restored first. Then the shop can color match properly.

Most paint/body shops use the vin # to color match paint.

 

[egiroux]

To get a good match, the paint should be adjusted for fading.

 

[boardboy330]

To get a good match, the paint should be adjusted for fading.

Yup. I worked in a half a$$ body shop...we matched by VIN. The owner even told me how it was a bad idea because paint is different by sun as well as other enviroments. But it is what it is...

 

[michael5]

Restoring shine to the old paint may or may not be possible, depending on what is wrong with it (eg road film, industrial fallout, chalking, or what have you). Way to know is by buffing a small section, with a good cutting compound (light or med grit). If ya got a machine with a foam or wool pad, run it at 1500 rpm. If not, do it by hand but don't use T-shirt rags, because they are too thin and scratch. Use a rag that's got some body to the fibers. If it comes back find someone whom will buff/cut the rest (not polish). Detail shops won't do this for the price of detail, or really don't want to do it at all, because they can't charge enough to make if worth while.

To cut & buff a side is worth $200. to $300. to do it right. Detail shop would probably use a product to give it a "temporary" nice shine, to get it out the door, then deal with you later when it dulls out again (or if they are reputable, may tell you up front).

Just remember buffing is thankless, nasty hard work, that painters hate, again because no way customers would ever understand paying, what it would take to make it a profitable operation. Detail shops if they say they are going to cut & rub a side for less than the above: I'd go back (unannounced) to see for yourself it's what they are really doing.
Whatever you do, don't try to buff it with an random orbital type machine, because they are not designed to cut, only polish. If all it needs is polish, however you'll know by testing above, then yes fine to use the orbital.

As far as matching paint, there really is no such thing except with a very few colors on a very few cars models. The reason is because after market the paint materials (pigment, binders, extenders, plastisizers, surfactants and so on) are entirely different than what is used in the plant. Same for painting equipment, not the same thus can't atomize the same.

Color matching is the art of creating the illusion of match, via blending techniques. This is not to say one should not adjust the color (tint), just that you can only get it so close (unless a painter makes the time to spend as much time as necessary screwing with the color, and wasting time that could be used on another job. It can take literally days on certain colors & situations, to get a color as close as is possible, and quite typically several hours) Most will dial it in close enough for a "Blendable Match", or if it's not too far off forget any tinting, and rely solely on blending.

There are a great many color formulas that are blendable as mixed, but there are also many that are not acceptable, to blend without first tinting. There are exceptions to everything, but not many in what I describe above.

Credentials: Professional painter for approx 40 yrs. 15 of them, as a tech guy for a major paint manufacturer, training, trouble-shooting, & new product development.

 

[Mysterious101]

oh wow, no I am not looking for a super awesome paint job, rather have the holes patched up with touch up paint, and then give it more of a shine again. There are swirly marks, but not deep swirls. Would just a simple way, and polish do the job? I just want the car to look like its 2-3 years old, not 8.