sjv5

If you can repair the windshield that would be good. Every time I had windshield damage safelite claimed they could not repair it. For future incidents, I would recommend supplemental windshield coverage thru your insurance agent. I have farmers and it was only about $3 every six months.

tonyb635

Sorry, can't help you with the glass pitting and chipping. If you live in SC, you can just happen to get a small crack and if you have full coverage insurance they replace your glass for free. So, here's what you need to do to the body.

1. Go to a automotive paint store or NAPA. Get a pint or half pint of paint that is mixed to your color number located under you hood. They will mix this for you there.
2. Ask them for a sword touch up brush.
3. Get a bottle of 3M polishing compound.
4. Get a quart of clear and the activator for it. I believe it only comes in smallest a qt, but ask. Sometimes they have it opened and will sell you a pt. or even 1/2 pt. Same with the activator.
5. Have them explain to you the mixing ratio. Normally, 3 parts clear and 1 part activator. In this case, it doesn't have to be precise, just in the ball park.
6. Get you a few sheets of 1500 and 2000 g wet paper.
7. Ah, a small container of thinner to clean the brush when you are finished!

8. Take the brush and tap in the the thinner then touch it on the chip area, then take a paper towel and wipe it off. This will clean it well for the paint.
9. Make sure your paint is stirred well and take the tip of the brush and dab a little paint in the chip. Go slow, it may take 2-3 times... With metallic colors you need to go slow since the metallic when too wet will lay over and appear dark...
10. Don't do anything for the next day. Just let it dry....
11. Take the 1500 and some water and light sand the area smooth. You may still have a negative area here, this is ok. Check for full paint coverage and touch up a little more if needed.
12. Wipe it dry with a paper towel NO THINNER! Oh you need to make sure the paint is dry if you added any more!
13. Mix your clear. You only need a LITTLE of this! No sense in wasting it...
14. Use your hand dandy touch up brush to apply the clear over the area. You will probably go out just a little on to the original color, but try to keep it in the chip.
15. After TWO days, wet sand lightly with 1500 and then the 2000g paper.
16. Put a small amount of compound on a soft rag and rub the area. This will take about 2-3 applications and then when look shinny.
17. Now, the most important part, GO DRINK A BEER!!! And not the cheap stuff either!
This is a little bit costly up front, but once you buy it you have it for this need. Doing it this way is 100% better than getting some crap in a nail polish bottle. Most often, when you do it this way, you won't even see it afterwards.

Franko

I've had the 3M clear stuff on the front of my car for?going on 6 years. Works great. I have actually been thinking of taking it off. I think it has done its job.

One thing of note, when you wax the car you are likely to get some white wax build up on the 'seam'. My car is black, and it shows a bit.

I like it, and would get it again.

tonyb635

I know what you mean. I had a blue M3 that was hard to get the wax out of the little areas and it always seemed visible. I think light color cars do a little better for hiding the wax residue. I started using a wax by Stoner around four years ago and I don't have that wax build up problem any longer. If you running around and see it at your local auto parts store get a can and try it. It's easy and seems to do a very nice job. Riley's is about the only place I can find it locally but you can order it singularly from Stoner or in a kit. I like all of there products.
http://www.detailingdirect.com/M010.htm

wtlb

Nice write up. I am going to try this on my scratches. Thanks

tonyb635

Thanks, it's the next best thing to sanding and repainting entirely. Which I might have to do sometime soon or rather after the road construction ends!

B_Schnell

nice write-up wish I had read this when before I attempted to fix a huge chip the dealer "Crevier" tried to conceal a nasty chip no doubt when their mechanic closed the hood with a wrench still in his hand and blobbed some touch up on it, looked like crap. After watching a few You tubes on chip repairs I made atttempt to fix using some touch up paint brushes from Bav Auto and an air brush, Dr. Color Chip + Blob Eliminator, but only made it worse! when you get paint onto clear coat it eats into the clear and you end up with a nasty halo. What was once a 1/4 inch round chip ended up close to a 1/2 inch dark circle with a halo. Very hard to get the color to match? Make sure you shake the touch up paint thoroughly and test it first! Suggest you goto a pro and have it done right as it will be close to $600 + to have your entire hood repainted by a reputable shop if you screw up like I did! also Quixx works well for light scratches in the clear coat, but warning, I went a little too much with wet sanding and just when the scratch was just about gone, I went another couple wipes with wet sand and went right through the clear! so a body shop did a quick spray of paint and clear on this area, and is pretty good, but you can see it if you look closely