Paint chips touch-up after detailing

[JimmyXR7]

I washed, polished, and waxed my MM last weekend and was unhappy with the number of rock chips in the finish. The previous owner or dealer did touch-up on a small scratch and it does not match. The black on the touch-up is flat rather than glossy.

Before I try to touch the paint chips up I am looking for input on who had good results or what not to do. Thanks, Jim

[Richy04]

I fill the chips with some primer (after cleaning them out wax/debris etc.) then fill it with paint, let dry, fill it again until a little higher than level with the paint finish, then some 1000 grit paper wet, then 2000 wet and a minor compound and polish.

[JimmyXR7]

I fill the chips with some primer (after cleaning them out wax/debris etc.) then fill it with paint, let dry, fill it again until a little higher than level with the paint finish, then some 1000 grit paper wet, then 2000 wet and a minor compound and polish.


Good write-up.

But how do you get the gloss to the black? Is it a special glossy black paint you use?

Thanks, Jim

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

Regular touch up paint isn't going to be base clear. Even if you finess it, it's not going to be a perfect repair. Touch up paint in a tube is usually a lacquer, which is soft and forgiving and can be sanded easily (much more easily than the surrounding paint) but it's a very different paint than a urethane. I have seen write ups from body guys who have mixed real urethane base and clear into a touch up paint and dabbed it into chips to then wet sand/buff, but thats something you need body shop supplies to do, as the paint will harden quickly.

[Richy04]

I use this stuff called Langka (google it) its a cream which will smooth out the touchup paint but it takes practice. There are some great tools for touching up, one is a fiberglass pen which removes all of the debris from the chip,then prepsol the area (it removes the wax and silicones) then dab a little primer to seal the area. Then fill the area with touch up paint, let it dry. It will shrink when it dries, then fill it again, let it dry, continue until its almost filled then dab some clear and go slightly higher, you can hit the area with a stamp sized piece of 1000 grit wet, then 2000 grit wet and then polish it. Its never perfect but someone would have to look hard to find it.


http://www.langka.com/

[John Nero]

Good write-up.

But how do you get the gloss to the black? Is it a special glossy black paint you use?

Thanks, Jim

clear finger nail polish

[03calitejas]

I absolutely HATE the butthead at Ford that allowed these beautiful machines to be painted with whatever the hell causes the hood, roof and trunk to blister. Is this something that only the blacks do? My hood looks crappy and I take pretty decent care of the paint with frequent washing and wax.

There a local detailer/paint shop here that will work on the car to get out some scratches I've gotten and suggested I clean out/fill/touch up paint the blisters and chips the best I can before letting them have it for an afternoon...but I'm wondering now if it might be worth it to have them strip and repaint the hood and the trunk.

It seems like the blistering garbage on the upper surfaces is accelerating even tho she's garaged and rarely left out in the sun for more than a couple hours. Do you have to use this touch up product every couple months???? Any suggestions would be appreciated

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

Honestly if the upper surfaces are peeling, I would save up and have a quality shop repaint the whole car. Unless your car has like 2 miles on it and there are no chips or scratches or dents anywhere else on the car, you are going to get a better overall result having the whole car done.

[Go Mifuni]

I absolutely HATE the butthead at Ford that allowed these beautiful machines to be painted with whatever the hell causes the hood, roof and trunk to blister. Is this something that only the blacks do? My hood looks crappy and I take pretty decent care of the paint with frequent washing and wax.

There a local detailer/paint shop here that will work on the car to get out some scratches I've gotten and suggested I clean out/fill/touch up paint the blisters and chips the best I can before letting them have it for an afternoon...but I'm wondering now if it might be worth it to have them strip and repaint the hood and the trunk.

It seems like the blistering garbage on the upper surfaces is accelerating even tho she's garaged and rarely left out in the sun for more than a couple hours. Do you have to use this touch up product every couple months???? Any suggestions would be appreciated

Is yours an 03?
This was a common problem on the flat surfaces on 03A's. Fortunately it was limited to just my roof and not my hood or trunk.
One of the members here did my roof. He started out just doing the blisters, but as he worked his way around, he kept finding more and more spots that hadn't come through yet. He eventually decided to just do the whole roof. It was a tough job too because the paint was WICKED thick! He believes that was the cause of the problem to begin with. Due to the paint being so thick, it cured quickly on the outside and slower on the inside. The discharging vapors on the inside had no place to go and formed micro bubbles which would eventually lead to small cracks in the paint. Once moisture gets into these cracks, it's all down hill from there.
So, if you're looking at just doing the spots, I think you really need to look beyond that.

[03calitejas]

Thanks vicsbro and mifuni...yes shes a 300A and it probably does need a complete repaint. I can't swing the several thousand needed for a good paint redo at this point so I think I will have to play with some touch u paint and live with it for now:(

Ford should just own up to this crappola and work out a discount paint recall or something...pathetic

[Stranger in the Black Sedan]

These cars are 6 years old now so although an oem paint job should last a lot longer than that, I'm sure Ford has bigger things to worry about than 6 year old paint

[jimmersmc]

I have the same chipping paint problem on my 04 MM. I contacted the local F/L/M dealer and they told me they had this same problem with the black Mercury Mariners. Since my car was out of warranty they directed me to Ford customer care. Customer care told me that this is the first time they have heard of this, but if they receive enough complaints they might issue a recall.
So, if anyone still has the chipping paint problem call Ford Customer Care and file your complaint. Maybe, if they don't go bankrupt, we may get our cars fixed (not holding my breath on this one though).