Your vehicle runs great, but the body has many paint chips from rocks and encounters with shopping carts plus a nasty scratch on it. Here are some tips on repairing chips and scratches without having to invest in a repaint.

For best results use touch up paint specifically matched to the paint on your car. An automotive paint stores can mix it up for you. The pre-mixed stuff usually turns out less than satisfactory since paint will fade with age and weather conditions. Thus it will no longer match the fresh paint in the bottle or aerosol can.

Test cleaners, solvents and paint in an inconspicuous location such as on the seam underneath the rocker panels. If you see color on the cloth used to apply the cleaner or solvent to the test area, use another product. Test the touch up paint to see if it matches.

First, step wash and dry the entire vehicle. Paint repair is a learned skill, so practice on a part of the vehicle that is not that visible and save the hood, side panels, rear deck and so forth until you gained the skill. If after cleaning the area you find some rust on exposed metal in a chip use a pencil eraser to remove the rust. Gently probe the edges of the chip with a toothpick to assure old paint is secure and not about to fall off and ruin the repair.

To help assure new paint will adhere, about 24 hours before you start making repairs glue small circles cut from 600 grit sandpaper on the erasers of several new pencils. After dipping this 'tool' into clean water and putting a few water drops on the chip, twirl the pencil gently to rough up the chip area around about a millimeter of the perimeter of the good surrounding paint. This provides a bit of old paint for the new paint to 'grab' onto.

Prepare all chips and scratches in one small area at the same time repeating this procedure for each. Then apply a small amount of alcohol or Prepsol to a cloth and wiping each chip and surrounding area to remove sanding dust, grease and oil. Use additional solvent and new area of the rag for each chip.

If the primer in the chip is still intact even after sanding with the pencil tool, you can skip priming. If not, pour or spray some primer into a clean plastic cup. Dip a toothpick into the primer to coat the first 1-2 mm of the toothpick with a thin layer of primer. If there is a blob on the end, gently scrape it back into the cup and start over. Place the tip of the toothpick against the center of the chip and allow a thin coat of primer to flow via capillary action in to the chip or scratch. Then move onto the next chip or scratch.

After all chips in the area are primed, cover with a cardboard box, taped down with masking tape. This will prevent dust from getting into the wet paint. The size of the box will determine the area that can be repaired at one time. Allow the primer to dry at least two hours.

Apply another thin coat of primer to each repair that needs primer. Use a new cup and toothpick. Priming is done when no metal is visible. It is important the primer is still below the level of the surrounding paint. This is very important!

Mix touch up paint thoroughly and pour a small amount into another clean plastic cup. Repeat the process used to apply primer to apply paint. It is very important not to use too much paint. Do not re-dip the toothpick. Use only the amount that will flow from one dip. Avoid the temptation to add more paint with each application. Repeat this process 8-12 times till the depression is filled with paint and bulges slightly upward and covers the roughed up area with a thin coating of paint. The first 2-3 coats may not completely hide the primer.

Repairing a scratch uses the same techniques. A scratch is really just a long, skinny chip. Usually repairing scratches takes more time and care compared to small chips. While all this might seem like a lot of work, it pales in comparison with the labor involved in preparing and repainting an entire car.

Let paint dry for at least a week. Then smooth down the tiny mound of paint to make the surface of the paint one continuous plane. Use a Finese Block purchased at a paint store. Unlike sandpaper, the sides of the block are flat and act like a plane to remove only the elevated areas of the repair. A 2000 grit Finese Block will not leave scratches. Soak the block in clean water for 24 hours prior to use. Put a small drop of car wash on the repaired chips and scratches for lubrication. Gently plane the high spot on the paint, planning in one direction pulling the block towards you. Keep the block moist.

When the new and existing paints are blended to form a smooth flat plane, clean the area using a quality car wash and lots of water. Follow with a quality glaze such as 3M Imperial Hand Glaze to bring back the high gloss finish. Do this by hand and not using a machine polisher.

When applying either a glaze or a wax, apply to a soft cotton cloth or applicator pad. Work in one direction. Don't go around in circles since it causes swirl marks. Front-to-back, back-to-front motion helps minimize swirl marks or at least make them less visible.

Buff out with a soft cotton cloth. Wax with a quality hard wax. Use your fingers when applying a quality carnauba based wax. Hold your fingers together and use finger tips as an applicator pad. The feedback from your fingers will tell you when the wax has been worked into the paint. If grit should lodge under your fingers, you will know immediately and not grind it into the paint.

If your vehicle has a clear coat, use a clear touch up on the chip repairs. Substitute clear coat for the last 2-3 coats of paint. The color coat of some paints will many times be relatively dull in appearance. These paints rely on the clear coat to provide the shine, so you might have to use a clear coat touch up too. Again test on a non-visible location.

Thanks to Larry Reynolds of Car Care Specialties, Inc. for information used in this article.