str8ridin

Yes, I drive fast and as much as I try to avoid them, rock chips are sprayed on my hood. I want to fill them but don't want the blotchiness that the touch up paint will give me. Any suggestions on how to fill them?

Dan Wang

http://www.langka.com/

rambo006jr

touch up's are almost always very noticeble. I regret having the pro detailer touch up a couple of chips on my trunk. I have heard that the only way is autobody shop. had I known how noticeble a touch up paint is I would have opted for autobody shop - probably more money but it is a mercedes. touch up's are not noticeble unless under close scrutiny if they are on the side panels but the hood and trunk is too obvious especially if the color is black like mine. just sharing my opinion.

TOGWT

Once they are repaired try fitting an Auto Mask:
Porsche invented the fabric auto mask in the late sixties, when the factory still individually road tested every car, and because they used the local roads around the factory, a temporary fabric mask was put on the car, to protect the new paint.

It was never intended to be permanent, because no matter how careful you are, no matter how clean you keep your car, the fabric bra will eventually cause a tremendous amount of paint damage as they trap dust and road grit and vibrate in the wind. They also cause uneven fading because the paint underneath them is not exposed to sunlight like the rest of the vehicle.

A more viable alternative is a pressed, polished thermoplastic vinyl (X-Pel, Amour Glove, 3M) made from a 12mil clear film, virtually indestructible in normal use that adherer’s to the cars paint surface. Available in custom, laser cut templates that are available for virtually all car models, and many parts of the car.

JonM

bforde

I have the 3M coating on my car and love it. It is virtually undetectable, and does a nice job of protecting the applied area. I had just the front quarter of the hood done on the car I have now. The MB dealership did it for me when I purchased the car, $160 and took no time at all.

str8ridin

I've read quite a bit about the 3M tape and have seen it on a lot of vehicles, as it looks virtually indetectable, I just may get it after I fix the chips.

I'll look into the Auto Mask. Sounds interesting.

And I'm a little skeptical of the http://www.langka.com/
Doesn't look that permanent at all.

Still, I am looking for proper instructions on filling minor chips. Thanks for the input so far though.

TOGWT

Check out a local auto paint repair shop and see if they'll airbrush the MB

JonM

see240wag

Is the film permanently attached?

see240wag

2 of the installers down here are talking around $500 bucks to cover the front of the hood, the bumper & lower part, the leading edge of the fenders and the mirror. Is that reasonable?

redduc

I have been using the langka product for over a year and am VERY pleased with the results. It is basically a mix of paint thinner and polishing compound. There are chips on my white C32 that I have filled and can't find anymore ! In fact, the quy who applied the 3m mask to my car was so impressed with the stuff he orded a few bottles for his shop. One note of caution. If you plan on applying 3m film and have already touched up chips on the surface to be covered the paint may be pulled from the chip when positioning the film. Best to get the 3m tape as soon as posible.

Premier

see240wag - the film is not permanently attached. It could be removed anytime w/o damaging OE paint. As for pricing, it will depend on your area as well as the experience of the installers. Generally, the companies that charge a little more do so because they are more experienced.........and prices quality into their quotes. Hope this helps!

see240wag

Finally, tomorrow I am bringing my wife' s '04 C-240 wagon to a very highly regarded installer in Boca Raton, Florida (location of the fictional "del Boca Vista" condominium complex in "Seinfeld"). We purchased the car on December 11th and only have 600 miles on the odometer. Luckily the car has not been nicked by any debris yet, despite one trip to the jungle that is Miami, Florida.

Riot Nrrrd

There's a ClearBra installer in Irvine - Elite Coating - he'll come to your place to do it if need be; he's mobile too. http://www.EliteCoating.COM/

That said - I still haven't seen any good recommendations on rock chip repair in this thread. I have about 7 tiny chips in my CLK55's hood - my body shop guy (a Scorch The Earth type) says to repaint the whole hood! I think I'd rather keep my Mercedes paint job than have a hood with a body shop paint job. But as for using touch-up paint or even that AutoSharp Pen product - I'm a retard, I shouldn't be allowed to touch cars at all. I'd prefer to delegate. A Google search on "rock chip repair" "Los Angeles" didn't turn up any detailers/installers (or paintless dent repair/rock chip repair specialists).

see240wag

I live and have to drive in Southeast Florida and the roads here are laden with debris. Some of it causes only physical damage and angst (for anybody who cares about their vehicle) and some kills. Today I saw this idiot hauling some black trash bags in an open bed with mesh side, a landscaper I believe. The wind, which exerts tremendous force on anything, picked up a bag full of who knows what and threw it down on the road. Some poor chump ran into it and was dragging it; he was pulling over as I sped by. There are more grim things that have happened here lately. Last year a young girl was impaled with a metal rebar rod through her upper chest, but luckily, it did not cause serious damage. She was driven to the hospital where they took the rod out of her and treated her. Later this past year while she was driving on the expressway a lady got smacked with a heavy piece of metal, cutting her neck; she rotted away for a week in the hospital before she died. Last week some jackass let a chair fall on the expressway, right down the road from where I live; the same road I have to use a lot. A very highly regarded local attorney who had served as a judge was driving a Mercedes roadster and swerved to avoid the chair but he lost control and hit concrete. He died of his injuries. This has to stop. On the road, the rocks, tiny metal pieces and gravel are merely an appetizer for the big stuff that can kill you. Penalties should increase for those who improperly haul big things. There is no reason why vehicles that haul trash, rocks and other materials cannot be made to seal tight. The companies who make these defective hauling systems and the companies who operate them should be held accountable for the damage they cause. Until they are held accountable, these kinds of vehicles will continue to spew their load out onto the road. Other large trucks pick up the rocks that the dump trucks have already laid down and hurl them at you again. If you are following some idiot too closely in an outside lane and they go off onto the shoulder their rear tires will pick up a fistfull of rocks and hurl them at you. We have had 2 windshield claims since we moved to our current location 2 years ago. This is no way to live. We are becoming increasingly rock savvy. For one thing, we avoid using the expressways when it is possible. If I have to use the expressway I avoid anything that looks like it could shower debris down in front of me; this entails watching carefully for these @%#$@s and either speeding up to remain in front of them or gradually slowing down and moving over a couple of lanes to let the buzzards pass. I have been fortunate with this strategy.

see240wag

[QUOTE=redduc]I have been using the langka product for over a year and am VERY pleased with the results. It is basically a mix of paint thinner and polishing compound.

How does it work? Does it fill in the damaged area? Do you color it?

redduc

It is a really simple process. Clean and fill the chip with more touch up paint than you would normally use. Allow the paint to dry (there will be a blob left, but dont worry). The langka is applied to a cotton cloth and then wraped around a flat plastic card. You simply work the product with the flat surface until the blob is gone. What you are left with is a smooth paint surface. I usally use a lite polish and wax after. It will not damage the factory paint
. Great stuff

Pbglas

Repainting is not an ideal solution. Color does not always match perfectly.

Did it with an earlier car.

see240wag

Mothers makes the same product as Langka at a lesser cost. I ordered one and I hope it works well.

redduc

I have seen the meguiers version and I think it has langka credited on the back of the bottle. Same stuff anyway.

see240wag

and the Mother's product contains the credit card deal.

TOGWT

Quote: Still, I am looking for proper instructions on filling minor chips. Thanks for the input so far though. EOQ str8ridin

To repair paint chips and deeper scratches that have compromised the vehicles paint system through to the primer coat. Ensure a surface temperature of >600F and allow each coat of paint to dry >2-3 hours


Clean – Paint – Sand level – Polish – Protect
Methodology:
•Establish the vehicles paint colour code that can be found on a plaque in the engine compartment or from your vehicle dealership.
•Purchase a touch-up paint from the dealership, Paint Scratch (paintscratch.com specializes in original factory matched touch-up paint) or a touch-up pen from AutoSharp Pen (autosharpen.com)
•Test the paint in an inconspicuous area before using to ensure colour match
•Use a cleaning product that will clean the area of oil, crease, dirt, polish and wax (P21S Total Auto Wash)
•Use a sanding block and 1200 grit paper (Ace Hardware Rubber Block) soak the block and paper overnight, with a water / soap solution 6:1 for lubrication, or a spot sanding tool (Griot’s P/N 50875) using a light to medium pressure to clean any surface rust or deposits of dirt or wax/polish.
•Soak the area to be repaired with the lubrication solution and keep it well lubricated while sanding
•Once the area is thoroughly cleaned, apply a primer using a touch-up paint applicator (Groit’s P/N 50406)
•Dip the tip of the applicator into the primer and gently touch the paint chip with the tip of the applicator. Should you over-fill; use a clean applicator to soak up any excess.
•Once the primer is thoroughly dry, using either the paint applicator, not the oversized brush that comes with the manufactures touch-up paint, or an AutoSharp Pen® touch-up paint applicator, the pen features a felt tipped applicator that allows you to literally "colour" the damage away.
•Apply clear coat paint in the same manner a coloured paint
•Allow each coat of applied paint to dry for >2-3 hours before the application of subsequent coats
•Use a back and forth motion with the sanding block and paper (do not use circular movements) smooth out the repair and ensure that it is level with the paint film surface Try to limit sanding to the immediate area of therepair
•Use a mild polish to restore surface gloss after carefully rinsing away surface and finish by applying wax / sealant protection

Don’t be apprehensive about trying this if you have the proper tools, a professional body shop usually will charge $200 - 300

JonM

str8ridin

TOGWT- YES! That's what I was looking for. I'll try not to be apprehensive, but using sadpaper on my paint makes my eye involuntarily twitch.

So, I'll have to test it on my fiance's Dodge Neon first.


Any update on the Maguires Pen thing? Does it work?

pdxz

Apprehensive? I'm downright scared!

If I understand you correctly, the sanding is used primarily to just level the area out, not to grind down the paint? I should sand as little as possible I'm guessing?

The header mention of painting first and then sanding was a typo right?

"Clean – Paint – Sand level – Polish – Protect"

Thanks for the great post TOGWT