aaroncouto

hey guys, being that my car is black i have been noticing a large amount of rock chips and bug marks on my front end. It really is starting to get bad and is making the front end look real dirty. is there anything i can do to stop this from happening?

clkwork

To prevent chips just keep a good coat of wax and don't follow people too close. If you're really worried about it have a 3M clear bra installed.


As for repairing chips, if it's bad the only real solution is to get it resprayed. Small chips you can touch up yourself or buy that color matched "chapstick" stuff but it's not going to be right.

LandSeaAir

Mine has so many little rock chips someday I'm going to get it resprayed. For the bugs just get bug and tar remover, it does a good job.

dubdlux

I've used Dr. Colorchip on my black C350 and while it isn't perfect, from more than a foot or two away you can hardly see the chips.

fattysnax

Same point as LandSeaAir. Bug & tar remover and be sure to wax or quick detail in between so that when bugs do splatter, they are easy to clean off.

I also just picked up some Dr. Colorchip to fix minor paint chips. Haven't had a chance to try it yet.

TexanBuckeye

I've used Dr. Color Chip on my Steel Grey CLS550 and you can't tell from more than a foot away. It's a cheap fix at least until you feel the need for a respray.

clkwork

Thanks for the colorchip tip, I might check that out myself. I've used tinted wax which is basically doing the same thing (although less permanent), so this should be better for fixing the minor stuff

Scat01

I use DR Colorchip on all my cars - the darker the paint the better the results from what I have found (Silver, Steel grey, and black cars)

Not even close to the same thing as tinted wax, it is actual paint in the exact color code of your vehicle, excellent product if applied correctly - smeeeeerrrr it as instructed and do not apply pressure when completing final step, quick back and forth motion and let the product do its job....

Stevedotmil

Dr. Colorchip = yes
Bugs on the front = fabric softener dryer sheets. Dunk them in the soapy water and scrub away. Softener breaks up the bug guts enzymes and the fabric catches the hard parts. Won't scratch your finish. This is the first step of my wash every time.

LandSeaAir

is the Dr. Colorchip product any different from just a touchup brush with OEM paint? As far as i can see their method of smearing and polishing is what really makes it work, unless I'm missing something. Maybe the sealant is something special? Glad to hear from you guys that it works though and not just the testimonials on the website .

illlojik

I'm a fan of Dr. Colorchip. Like all said, it's not noticeable from more than a foot away. I think the main difference is that dealer touch up paint(TUP) is usually of a thicker mix and hard to blend. DrC is easily blendable in layers to get a near perfect match without the globing.

dcjwlee

Yes! I picked up an arctic white tube of touch up paint and boy is it hard to get the color to match nicely. Even in small chips!

Domm

I've seen people using blue painters tape to cover up the nose on long road trips

dcjwlee

Should have done that yesterday. Drove 500 miles up to Lake Ontario. The car was PLASTERED in bugs. BUT all that plasti dip i put on the grill and bumper held up fine.

Stevedotmil

I thought about buying some clear PlastiDip and hitting the car up on the front before my next long trip and then when I'm done just peeling it off along with all the bugs.