Rock chips - opinions needed

[xxaarraa]

Hey guys, Black C55 here. I have a lot of rock chips on the lower part of the hood from 40k miles of mostly highway. I don't want to go the clear bra route since the damage has already been done. I should get it painted, but before I do that and take the risk of color matching, want to explore some easy options first. I have this idea of a small, subtle 6 inch high strip of 3M Dinoc carbon fiber vinyl across the bottom of the hood. It is a black car with a black CL grill and flat hood embled, so I am thinking the CF strip will be subtle. What does everyone think? Specifically, will it look non-rice and will it come off later without damaging the paint? Car under question: Oh, I thought of the dinoc because I just finished a motorcycle project (to avoid color matching and painting nightmares on a rear tail piece) with it and was pleased with the results.

To remove this ad, register today or login if you already are registered!

[MBfinatic]

Post a closer picture of the hood.

[xxaarraa]

Originally Posted by MBfinatic

Post a closer picture of the hood.

Dude, I haven't done it yet. I am looking for opinions on whether to do it!

[NCE500]

My black 06 had it's share of rock chips too when I got it, it is my DD and gets a new chip every so often.

Dr. Colorchip has worked wonders for 98% of them. For the few larger/deeper scratches I use Mercedes touch up and Langka, takes a little longer to use, but results are pretty much perfect.

I'd try Dr. Colorchip before painting anything.

[xxaarraa]

Originally Posted by NCE500

My black 06 had it's share of rock chips too when I got it, it is my DD and gets a new chip every so often.

Dr. Colorchip has worked wonders for 98% of them. For the few larger/deeper scratches I use Mercedes touch up and Langka, takes a little longer to use, but results are pretty much perfect.

I'd try Dr. Colorchip before painting anything.

Thanks for the tip. I am open to giving it a try, not much to lose. Dr. Colorchip's website shows three blacks - "025/0025 Black Diamond Metalic" and "040/9040 Black" and "197/9197 Obsidian Black Metalic"

Any idea which one is the code for C55? I am thinking the diamond metalic but can anyone confirm?

[Chedeng88]

+1 on Dr. Colorchip. Perfect color match and you don't have to worry about messing up since you can easily remove it with the supplied blending solution.

Note that you can still see where most of the chips were if you look really up close, but from at least 3-4 feet away, they're invisible.

[Chedeng88]

Originally Posted by xxaarraa

Thanks for the tip. I am open to giving it a try, not much to lose. Dr. Colorchip's website shows three blacks - "025/0025 Black Diamond Metalic" and "040/9040 Black" and "197/9197 Obsidian Black Metalic"

Any idea which one is the code for C55? I am thinking the diamond metalic but can anyone confirm?

Just look at the paint code in your door jamb sticker or the one under the hood.

[Nachtsturm]

The original owner of my ML did alot of highway driving. Has many small rock chips. It being Silver, which is very hard to match, and not being the best at touching up myself. Combined with I didn't want the whole hood painted and fenders blended for just rock chips, I decided to get it professionally done.

I went to Carnica(local to Chicagoland), for 120 they did they whole car, filled in the rock chips. Using a squeegee method.

Like the other post said, from 3-4 feet, looks like new, only can see it when you scrutinize up close. Plus the work is gauranteed for life. My biggest concern was protecting the metal. Outcome was better than I initially hoped for.

I think this is the way to go, and not putting CF strips on it. It is an AMG not an Si.

[MBfinatic]

I asked to see because I want to see a close up on the hood.. Just curious to see the rock chips.

[AMG3.2]

I've tried Dr. Colorchip and I really like the results. The blending solution really works well with the paint they provide. I, personally, do not like the idea of a carbon fiber vinyl strip.

[wawy]

I've used Dr Colorchip on my Diamond Black C55 for some very minor chips. It does improve things. My only criticism was that it doesn’t really "fill" the deeper chips. I have one chip that is causing me grief and I might try Langka for that or take it to a shop and see if they can do anything with it. Then its clear bra time before I get any more...

[amx1397]

With a black car it is so easy, to match the color. I took mine over to the body shop, showed him the rock chips, he mixed up some black and clear and then he put a drop onto each one of the rock chips. These were like little mountains sticking up, and I was wondering how in the heck is he done to get this to look right. He said come back in a few days.

I pull up the shop, he sees me and starts taking out some tools funny thing though the two were one razor blade, and two pieces of masking tape. On each side of the razor blade he covered the blade with the masking tape so only the center would have a sharp area of about a half-inch. He then scared the hell out of me. He started scraping my hood for those dots were and they were still high as a mountain. After a few minutes he took some, I think polishing compound, and some polish and something else and then he said to me seeking can find it. I could not find where the rock chip was. He did a total of 21 of them and you cannot tell for any of them are, except two they were the ones I did, and you can tell it. he said no problem will fix it next time.

so if you have a body shop,After you explain how it was done that knows how to do this,let him do it ,,and when they scrape the paint,Turn away and just think of the result not the ending. Good luck Jim

[wawy]

Originally Posted by amx1397

With a black car it is so easy, to match the color. I took mine over to the body shop, showed him the rock chips, he mixed up some black and clear and then he put a drop onto each one of the rock chips. These were like little mountains sticking up, and I was wondering how in the heck is he done to get this to look right. He said come back in a few days.

I pull up the shop, he sees me and starts taking out some tools funny thing though the two were one razor blade, and two pieces of masking tape. On each side of the razor blade he covered the blade with the masking tape so only the center would have a sharp area of about a half-inch. He then scared the hell out of me. He started scraping my hood for those dots were and they were still high as a mountain. After a few minutes he took some, I think polishing compound, and some polish and something else and then he said to me seeking can find it. I could not find where the rock chip was. He did a total of 21 of them and you cannot tell for any of them are, except two they were the ones I did, and you can tell it. he said no problem will fix it next time.

so if you have a body shop,After you explain how it was done that knows how to do this,let him do it ,,and when they scrape the paint,Turn away and just think of the result not the ending. Good luck Jim

I think I would have crapped myself..

[MBfinatic]

Agreed, I do body work but I dont like my benz to be touched .

[AMG3.2]

Yeah, I've heard body shops do some great rock chip work. Since I have so few rock chips, I'm fine with the Dr.Colorchip remedy for now.

[mrobinso]

I think the CF vinyl is a good idea. My iridium silver C55 had horrible rock chips before it was totaled that drove me absolutely nuts. As others said, black is an easy color to touch up, unless you are super OCD about the exact color of black, pretty much any black paint you use should be fine.

[pro-tect mobile]

Vinyl is not designed to protect paint from rocks. It will tear very easily and the rock will still get to the paint. Sure it will cover up the exisiting rock chips but it simply wont prevent you from geting anymore. Thats is what paint protection film is designed for... to stop rocks from damaging the paint. Thats the best route to go when buying a new car. In this case I would either touch up the chips (the razor blade technique was interesting to me) and then apply paint protection film or simply cover them up with vinyl .