Hey everyone,
So first things first my car is black mica and I am mildly OCD and love a clean, perfect car (Not the best color choice I realize). Due to a couple of road trips, eggings, and these lovely Colorado roads my poor car has accumulated quite a few chips and scratches. I was curious what everyone thinks the best way to remove scratches and rock chips is. I was curious if anyone had used touch up paint and if it is worth it or just asking for more trouble. Also, I’m not proud to say, I tried to open my hood with the windshield wipers up and scrapped a nice part of the paint off of that edge. If anyone has any recommendations it would be much appreciated.
Finally, do you think it is worth it to put a clear bra on it now after a year of wear and tear?

Thanks

Can you post up some pics of the damage?

Here is a picture of the windshield wiper damage:



Here is one of the worst rock chips:



Minor scratch:



Egg shell mark:

you could probably buff out the scratch and eggshell mark by using a wax/cleaner that helps distort scratches....as for the chips..either take to a shop or use touchup. Clear bra will destroy your clear coat in the area you applied it when you take it off.

Do you have any claybar?

Yes I have a clay bar, meguiars brand I believe.

I didn't realize removing a clear bra destroys the coat, currently I do not have one on the car but was curious if it was worth it. (I don't drive it in Colorado in the winter)

Intresting... Never new Black Mica could look blue. And a nice blue. (minor scratch pic)

Well anywho the eggshell mark... is that from someone egging the car? If so it won't buff out because the egg whit eat the paint to deep. Min is eaten down to Metal/Primer. No rust so I think Primer.

reviving this thread per my interest in the same issue- I even have Black Mica paint.

For rock chip touch-ups (paint chipped down to primer) the Duplicolor touchup bottles http://www.duplicolor.com/scratchfix/ for Toyota Metallic (color code 204) is a passable match. 211 (black Mica) is probably better, but the local shop didn't have any, I will probably order one to see.

For scratches and eggshells, the Internet Wisdom is to work on a panel at a time doing:
- 2000 grit wet sand
- electric polisher with rubbing compound
- polish/cleaner/wax- Meguires polish cleaner is good in my experience

I've not tried this method yet, but there are enough how-to websites and youtube videos to persuade me that this is a good method. I'm going to start doing this on less visible panels to see how it works.

I've heard good things about http://www.paintscratch.com/