So I've gotten a few big scratches on my tC. Needless to say, I'm pretty ____ed. I have touch up paint from the dealer. My question is can you do touch up work yourself or should you take it into the dealer to get it fixed? Also, what is a price range for touch up work?

 

do it urself...

 

How do I go about doing that? Do I need a brush or like a spray can? Don't I need some clear coat too?

 

touch up paint is just to cover up some scratches in case they're deep enough to rust. other than that, touch up paint will generally make the scratch look worse...it's just like white out for the car.

 

if you bought it from the dealership, it should've been in either a pen form or small bottle with a brush inside. if not, go find a brush at an art store. be sure to get a one with good hairs and with a fine tip. u dont necessarily need the clearcoat. if you dont have clearcoat, u'll just have to repaint it sooner. if you do apply a clearcoat, it'll help blend the touch up with the car better and you wouldnt have to re-apply any paint for a long while. touch up paint doesnt necessarily make the scratch look worse..jus be sure you dont apply too many layers. try to do long smooth strokes instead of short ones. if you wanna practice, go outside with some white out and something plastic and just practice with that. the touch up will be very similar to white-out.

where are your scratches located?

if you didnt buy it from the dealer i would have recommended paintscratch.com. they have great stuff there. they sell it in a small bottle with a brush or small spray bottle. they also sell a bottle of clearcoat with it as well.

 

Here is a how to for touch up paint that I found. It might help you out.
http://www.guidetodetailing.com/arti...p?articleId=27

 

I have one one the right rear side, by the gas lid. It's really deep, down to the metal. Then I have a small chip on the hood...

 

oo ic..well if the hood chip isnt that noticeable i'd leave it alone because it's easier to see the touched up work on the hood than anywhere else.

 

dealer will rape you.. if u know what i mean.. i have horses, and i parked too close one day and mine bit my hood. ita not even an inch loong and they want 275...

 

Oh wow that's waaaay too much. i think i can do it myself. That tutorial makes it look pretty easy. My tC is CSM so I don't think the touch up will show that much

 

ya. thank god it was my hood.. now i can get a cf one.. lol

 

just buy a body kit and paint it a different color!! :-D

 

haha i would but i don't have 2000 for a new paint job

 

Touch-up paint should be used as a last ditch effort.

How deep are the scratches? Are they through the paint, or just in the clearcoat?

Price, if you decide to have it fixed, will depend on what the scratches actually are. Meaning, it's going to be more expensive if you can feel the scratch in your paint with your thumbnail.

Try buffing them out with some Meguiar's Scratch-X. It's going to be a pain in the butt, and will take a few hours, but it will remove most scratches.

I actually got a DEEP scratch on my rear bumper out with it, one that was through the paint.

If you do decide you need touch-up paint, apply a small amount of it at a time, and don't use the brush that comes in the can.

Use a very small, disposable Model or Hobby paintbrush, or a toothpick.