Can you please provide a step-by-step? My Buick TourX is missing some clear in a 2 square inch spot and I'd like to touch up.
If you know the color code, a reputable brand could mix a can of spray paint for you (I use scratcheshappen.com for my paint—they’re great).
If your Buick is down to the plastic (or metal), you’ll need either a plastic adhesion promoter (I use 3M aerosol) or primer for the metal.
While doing these initial steps before paint (tested, ensured a good match), I fill up the sink with warm water and place the can of spray paint into it. This will aid in the mixing process during the shake.
Before anything, I first use 3000 grit sand paper to go over the blemish—this will rough it up enough to get any loose paint around the chip.
You’ll likely scrape some factory clear coat off too, that’s okay—just use very light, even pressure for a minute or so (I go wet to make it a bit easier).
Don’t fold the sand paper, I use my finger tips with a very small piece, others use a block.
Next, I clean the surface with isopropyl alcohol with a soft, microfiber shop towel. Ensure there isn’t any debris on the cloth as that could scratch the factory clear coat to the paint or beyond.
I then dry it off with another shop towel, and then use a tack cloth to ensure there isn’t any microscopic pieces of lint in the area you want to paint.
Next, apply green automotive tape (I had several small chips down to the black plastic) to tape around the edges of each area you want to paint.
Take a close up picture of the areas because you’ll lose them once you start to spray—helpful reminder to pull back up.
Make sure you over tape areas and cover places you don’t want inadvertent sprays of any of the mediums—ensure it’s well ventilated, and at least in the low 70s outside or in your area, with relatively low humidity. Don’t spray in direct sunlight, try to use a heat gun to speed up the curing process, etc.
If it’s down to the plastic (like mine), I apply two coats of adhesion promoter (aerosol primer can be used for metal). First coat is light spray, wait 5 minutes, then a more wet spray, wait 10 mins.
Check the area(s) you’re about to spray again for any debris that may have made its way onto the surface.
Since the Stromboli Gray is a tri-coat, I apply 1 light coat, using even swipes to the left and right sides. Wait 15 minutes, turn the can upside down and spray (away from anything, this will not distribute paint, but clear the nozzle), and go in a bit more heavy on the second coat.
If you don’t have a tri-coat, you can wait 45 minutes and start with clear coat—in my case, I applied two more mid-coats of paint and waited (the 45 minutes).
Time for the clear coat—I check my photo I took and note where the spots are (by this time, they are very hard to find. Since these were small, I used two coats of clear, waiting 15 minutes between each.
After the last coat of clear and another 15 minutes of waiting, you can slowly remove the tape.
You’ll notice raised areas of clear, perfectly shaped by the tape—about 1mm above the car’s clear coat.
Feel around areas that may have not been covered, and any surface that feels a bit sticky, wipe with isopropyl alcohol, dry, and use some compound to ensure no stray metal flakes from the paint, adhesion from the promoter, or clear coat got on surfaces around it. The quicker you can remove any access, the easier it’ll be to get it off.
If you can have the car sit for 48 hours, that would be the best—if not, it’s cool to drive, just don’t wash it. The spray paint needs the two days to cure.
After two days, use a bit of 3000-4000 grit to wet sand (light, even strokes) over the new clear coat.
You should see the 1mm shape start to be removed until only a small area is left over the repair.
This will again remove some the car’s factory clear, so I’m very careful.
I then dry off with a microfiber towel, grab some compound and either by hand or tool, work the compound into the paint and clear coat to remove and smooth out the roughed up clear.
From there, a wash, re-compound, polish and wax. It’ll never be perfect, but it will look much better than before—no one will notice unless you point it out if you’re patient and have a few bucks to spend on some materials.
Practice on some things first until you feel comfortable with getting paint in front of your car
Hope this helps!
